A Breath Of Fresh Air To Music Lovers

my thoughts about bringing back the younger generation to the hi-fi world, could it be that we need to have a wider view on exibitions that cater for low end all the way up? cheaper tickets for entry, more entertaiment, perhaps,a more friendly aproach to tom, dick and harry? views please.
thanks simon and co.
nando

 

Hi Nando,

What sort of low end? Cheaper tickets are not going to do it. A more friendly approach from some of the people there would help.

The probblem is with the whole industry, not just shows. As a hifi retailer, what are you doing about it?

SCIDB

 

Never mind "a more friendly approach" - basic professional competence from (some/most of) the exhibitors would be a step forward.

 

I am 30 (young?) and started buying "hifi" about 18 months ago. My knowledge/motivation to buy hifi comes from reading forums and searching the net for information and a bit of spare time and money now I am settled in my house.

None of my friends are remotely interested in hifi which to me means striving for the 'best' sound, they are interested in convenience ie. playing music on the smallest possible device which is after all what joe public is lead to believe is the future.

They think my hifi is cool when they hear it but also appear baffled as to why I need so many boxes and what they all do and why I need so many cables to connect them when there all in one micro system does the same job.

I just dont think hifi is sold to the younger generation by the big firms, I think the ipod/mobile phone/micro sytem generation just dont get it.

IMO people who visit shows are already into whatever the show is showing. It is the general media/big firms that the general public will be influenced by.

 

it was a kind shop in Macclesfield that let me try things at home, first with a refundable deposit on my credit card. Then for free as they got to know me, entirely on trust, I got to try some great things, and in turn purchased. They weren't grumpy, standoffish or judgemental as even some of the independents are. Its that kind of service and eclectic range of products you just don't get, they even let me pay interest free, writing down my payments in a little black book. Theres no room for passion with these box shifters. I agree with Mark and Dick, its like a rites of passage learning this stuff, rather than having info available to hand. Even some independents, unless they think you have a wad of cash to spend they drop you like a hot rock, rather than nurturing a potential future transaction. I can name names too!

 

I agree with SMEagol.

My introduction to HiFi (proper) was courtesy of two great guys who worked in a well known specialists in Cambridge. Their magic formula, well not so magic really was treat all customers the same. If I was buying a £200 Arcam Amp I got just as long to audition and just as much tea and biscuits as the punter blowing 3 or 4 grand on high end stuff.

Result? I bought more HiFi (from them) and learned the benefits of good sound over the JVC ****box I first bought.

 

quate

i try to bring back the old fashion way of luring youngsters who are tring to listen to their music ie what their fathers downlended to them and have never heard vinyl and show them the diference of sound reproduction on low budget hi-fi but i have a problem there is not many manufacturers doing low budget hi-fi even nad have gone upmarket, catch 22 for me although i try to buy end of line products and offer a deal most of it is working , service and advice is what they aprciate most,
nando

 

i still believe that personal treatment is the best solution for any dealer to continue to behave that old fashion way and exivitors should change their upstard attitude to the new comers, fair enough tickets are not going to come down in price but geneority in the way of"WELCOME"have a coffe this this, cost's not a lot,
nando

 

Good coffee (and choc chip Boaster biscuits) gets my vote!

I nearly bought a trick looking white Nottingham analogue, but after speaking to the shop he was so uninterested and grumpy, I thought what is the Aftersales going to be like when he's this bad serving potential new customers who are interested in buying. Wouldn't touch that shop, despite hearing some good experiences, with a bargepole now. So you see ****** (protected name!) you missed out on selling me a Clearaudio Reference TT which was my next big purchase . No wonder we are doomed to be planet ipod dock.

I agree with nando, at least be interested in what you sell, if you are not and you don't like people you are in the wrong business. Railtrack has vacancies.

 

thanks SME, but since time for me began in this industry, customers are to become frinds and visit you for a chat even if do not buy anything, guarantee if they ever do they will buy from you, that's why i am still here,
regards nando.

 

Dealers not acting like double glazing salesmen - that's what does it. Friendly, knowledgeable approach with little in the way of judgement is good. I like to make a small purchase and ask a few questions to "test the water" before moving on to major stuff. Sadly these days I'm more a 2nd hand purchaser.

The Music Mill in Edinburgh is sadly missed, by me at least!

 

i know the feeling, and it makes me very sad the way things went and are going , nostagia i guess, or they have lost the plot long time, feel for those wonderfull old fashion shops who reminded you of your second home if not the first,
nando

 

Hi Nando,

What are the cheapest items that you sell? How are you getting the kids through the door? How many customers have you had, in recent times, that are under 21?

Good treatment & service are always a step in the right direction but it is not enough. Young people have loads of different things to spend their money on. The hifi industry has to get enough young people hooked on hifi. They need to get these people to step up from their Ipods and earphones.

It's good that this happens. A number of customers in hifi can talk about a good relationship with their dealer and becoming good friends. My hifi dealer is good personal friend and has been for a large number of years but this is no guarantee that they will still buy from you uin the future. With the internet, 2nd hand and other dealers plus lost of interest in hi-fi, it makes it harder.

If these customers stop buying, you will have to replace them.

We can't live in the past. There are a number of businesses that gave good services and have gone out of businness.

SCIDB

 

well beg to differ as deal from home and go all over the country to customers houses and deal in the net ,my customer base is safe and sound, i also have a listening room in my domicile customers bring their ofspring to listrn to various reproductive sound sources,
nando

 

Hi Nando,

That is all very well but how many youngster do you have as customers and what is the cheapest items you sell?

SCIDB

 

teac home audio caters for all at a very great price see it on my web.
nando

 

Hi,

Can't see it on your website. How much is it?

You run your business from home it seems, so how do you cater for the new casual youngster? How are you going to get them through the door?

SCIDB

 

easy, influence all through out of years in the trade they never luse touch from the parents who bought from me before i worked from home i had two shops , waste of time and money due to dodgy partners, so i went back to retail for my good friends of musical images in covent garden, thre i created my portfolio with college students took time with them and for six years i was the best salesman they ever had, left 2001 when sales people went to reach for home cinema on the high end, hence they all come bsack to me. ta
nando

 

Hi Nando,

From your days at Musical Images, your hardwork has turned old students into your current customers but what about the youth of today.

One of the things that kept my interest in hi-fi was being able to browse around a few hifi shops. When I left school, I went to college. Often on the way home, my mate & I would pop into some of the hifi shops that were around. We both had separates but no real money to upgrade at that time.

The trips into the shops helped to sow seeds for the future. Running a shop from home means that the school/college kid can not pop in on the off chance. For example a shop could put a fancy bit of kit in the window to attract attention.

I asked about the price of the Teac item. I see no sign of it on your web site. Richer sounds are good at dealer with the cheap end of the market. They do a Teac mini system for £250 + speakers.

You can get a system of a cd player, amp & speakers for less than £100. You can put together a number of systems for under £500.

If the industry wants to attract young people, Richer sounds are in a better position to do than most other shops. My local branch is bang in the middle of one of the big student areas in sheffield. it does well with the student crowd.

SCIDB

 

hi sidb, have you being latelly to a richer sound's shop? i once had a shop called studio one oposite where lbc radio used to be (near olympia, kensington) i had the pleasure to arrange a one hour radio show with simon bates, ken ksstler and richer sounds back in 1995, that radio show brought a lot of interest from peaple to me, never had a disactisfied client, if i missed i made up for it, since the gready landlords , councils, etc made it imposible to run a high street store i had one more chance a few years later to co-open another shop with two co-workers from M.F. in comercial street, east london called the audio visual launge afte two years as a joint director i lost a lot of money but gained a lot of customers after a year when i decided to work from home,you can never bring a good man down, like i said word of mouth and respect to all of the people you have dealt with, without avarice.
regards nando