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Certified Klipsch Heritage Dealers


Chad

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7 minutes ago, Chris A said:

Why the artificial controversy?  The news is actually quite good.

Some folks just like to complain. Here we are actively trying to improve our Heritage Dealer base, yet...

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A wider search range would really benefit someone like myself who spent a month trying to find Forte III's to listen to, none in stores in Arizona or Nebraska (save one set of Heresies).  I'd be willing to drive 500-600 miles or more depending on what I am looking for. I did find a helpful Forum member who auditioned the Fortes for me and now have them on order. As the dealerships get filled in maybe the range could be reduced but for now it would be great.

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3 minutes ago, dbomberger said:

A wider search range would really benefit someone like myself who spent a month trying to find Forte III's to listen to, none in stores in Arizona or Nebraska (save one set of Heresies).  I'd be willing to drive 500-600 miles or more depending on what I am looking for. I did find a helpful Forum member who auditioned the Fortes for me and now have them on order. As the dealerships get filled in maybe the range could be reduced but for now it would be great.

Here's a workaround, until I have a chance to code in some more search radius options. Let's say you do a search within 20 miles. On the results page, look at your browser address bar. You'll notice:

&r=20

Change that to: 

&r=600

if you want to expand the search to 600 mile radius, and hit enter. 

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10 minutes ago, Chad said:

Here's a workaround, until I have a chance to code in some more search radius options. Let's say you do a search within 20 miles. On the results page, look at your browser address bar. You'll notice:


&r=20

Change that to: 


&r=600

if you want to expand the search to 600 mile radius, and hit enter. 

Cool.  Much appreciated!  Works like a charm.  Thanks!

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2 hours ago, Chris A said:

 

Klipsch Heritage is clearly alive.  Why would these dealers spend their money and time investing in their valued floor space to have them around? 

 

It was a big deal for me, not gonna lie.  It isn't just the speakers, we had to get fancy turntables and nice tube amps plus furniture.  One of my amps alone was $3,200.  Then there were space considerations as I already had a Jubilee setup which was taking up my only two good corners that K-horns could have used.  Just a huge investment in time, money, and effort, and I still need to work on the syndicated content.  It wouldn't be for everybody but yeah I felt like it made sense for me.  

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When I started on the retail sales side, around 1985, I always heard the reps that came in say, "you can't sell it if you don't show it" which, of course, makes sense.  You don't sell someone the "Corvette" if you're only showing them the "Chevette".  The 80's, 90's, and early 00's were a fun time and there were dealers all over the place.  Heck, darn near any store with a checkbook and a pulse could carry a line as long as they weren't "too close" to another dealer....no matter what the line was.  Then came the internet and e-trade and you saw brick and mortar stores closing down because they couldn't fight against gray market goods or trans-shippers.  It was a survival of the fittest and a case of the big fish eating the little fish.  Look at the likes of Circuit City, Ultimate Electronics, etc.  The A/V market really tanked in 2007/08 and I saw many dealers, custom installers, etc., go belly up in the DFW area and, in the summer of 2009, the rep firm I was with changed many things...and personnel.  I was one of them to go after 9 years of being a rep and many more years in the business.  I got out of it, thankfully, and went back to college at 43 and did something else (networking) but I do miss those good 'ol days of demoing equipment for people and watching them happily leave with a new receiver or amp, or a cd player, or speakers, or a  tape deck, or whatever, and go home and enjoy the music.

 

Bottom line is...dealers aren't going to commit to something they think is going to take away their open to buy or credit lines.  If the deal is not lucrative with no major strings attached, they won't be inclined to jump in.  Trying to display a pair of LS 2's, Forte 3's, Heresy 3's, and whatever  the other requirements might be, will be tough for many.  God bless them all if they can do it but I don't see brick and mortar dealers being in a race to see who goes out of business first.  I honestly hope it all works out for everyone and the world of audio becomes even a 1/10th of what it was from the 70's to the late 90's.  Doubtful....but hopeful.  I do know I'm glad to be out of that industry but thankful I can still buy most anything I want at dealer cost if not rep sample cost.  Lord knows I wouldn't pay retail for any of it.  :D

 

But I'm not the marketing department of a manufacture.  I've dealt with them (and  the bean counters) plenty of times, though.

 

I blame it on the internet still.  haha

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2 hours ago, avguytx said:

I got out of it, thankfully, and went back to college at 43 and did something else (networking)

 

Funny, I did it entirely backwards. I was a software engineer for 22 years until age 42. Couldn't take it anymore, now I do speaker stuff full time. Just strange that our experiences are almost opposite of each other. 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, avguytx said:

Bottom line is...dealers aren't going to commit to something they think is going to take away their open to buy or credit lines.  If the deal is not lucrative with no major strings attached, they won't be inclined to jump in.  Trying to display a pair of LS 2's, Forte 3's, Heresy 3's, and whatever  the other requirements might be, will be tough for many.  God bless them all if they can do it but I don't see brick and mortar dealers being in a race to see who goes out of business first. 

 

I'm your huckleberry. ;) 

 

Mixed feelings about your rant. Yeah it's hard. Hardest thing I have ever done. If it wasnt, there would be more than 11 of us in that link above. 

 

At the same time though, it's partially a matter of who wants it bad enough. Most simply arent willing to sacrifice what I have. For example I have seen a dealer have a solid lead from a guy wanting some Heresys on the phone just to tell the customer that he doesnt know what they are and could they provide an item number. In the meantime I'm working multiple 18 hour days per week for a stupid long time trying to make it work, to learn all I can, and to grow my brand. I just dont feel sorry for some of these guys. This isn't the 80's anymore, you dont get rewarded for simply existing. 

 

 

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4 hours ago, Chris A said:
5 hours ago, Zen Traveler said:

 

I can guarantee most folks my age aren't buying speakers for stereo.  

Can you point me to data? 

Pretty much everyone I talk to and keeping up with online discussions.

4 hours ago, Chris A said:

 

My information says just the opposite: multichannel HT sales are not doing very well and many HT box stores have been closed in DFW for a few years now.

You are correct when it comes to multichannel music but my guess is that DVDs, Blu-rays and downloaded moves are doing better than CD/record sales...Insofar as the "HT box store," market--Of course there are a lot of those still out there and when I looked in the DFW area for non-big box stores to audition merchandise came up with Home Contractors whom I had to set up an appointment. Again, I think more internet sales happen than anything else--That is what I've found asking people here and on AVS how they purchased their speakers. 

4 hours ago, Chris A said:

Stereo downloads are picking up steam. 

I'm not sure what "picking up steam," means but most folks don't listen to music like we did back in the early days of stereo--There are more things to capture their attention with video, gaming, and pretty much everything else the internet and modern technology has to offer. I still think most folks who download music listen to it with headphones or earbuds.

4 hours ago, Chris A said:

 

It's been harder going finding new multichannel recordings of late. 

I totally agree with you on multi-channel music but I have been reinvesting in concert videos. Again, I am not saying there isn't a market for 2 channel or larger speakers, but to say it's growing and not shrinking is something I don't think there is anecdotal evidence for. 

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12 minutes ago, MetropolisLakeOutfitters said:

I'm your huckleberry. ;)

I admire your dedication to growing your business. Inventory can be somewhat hard to digest but as the old saying goes, "you can't sell out of an empty wagon"

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29 minutes ago, MetropolisLakeOutfitters said:

 

At the same time though, it's partially a matter of who wants it bad enough. Most simply arent willing to sacrifice what I have. For example I have seen a dealer have a solid lead from a guy wanting some Heresys on the phone just to tell the customer that he doesnt know what they are and could they provide an item number. In the meantime I'm working multiple 18 hour days per week for a stupid long time trying to make it work, to learn all I can, and to grow my brand. I just dont feel sorry for some of these guys. This isn't the 80's anymore, you dont get rewarded for simply existing. 

 

 

 

Yeah, too bad it's not the 80's...lots of sales, lots of money, and lots of fun. There's just too many things that take away discretionary income, unfortunately.

 

If you weren't in it back in the early 80's, you missed a good ride/time. ;) It'll never be the same. I wish ANY brick and mortar dealer all the best in this business for sure; I wish they all could survive and flourish and make a lot of money.   👍

 

I've worked more of those 18 hour days than I can even begin to count. It was all about keeping the customer happy and keeping the doors open. But I don't envy dealers now...the customer is much more "educated" these days (in their own mind).

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12 minutes ago, MetropolisLakeOutfitters said:

In the meantime I'm working multiple 18 hour days per week for a stupid long time trying to make it work, to learn all I can, and to grow my brand. I just dont feel sorry for some of these guys. This isn't the 80's anymore, you dont get rewarded for simply existing. 

make money the old fashioned way----earn it:) Thank you and God Bless you. Without you where would a guy get Jubilees🔊🉐️

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5 minutes ago, avguytx said:

But I don't envy dealers now...the customer is much more educated these days (in their own mind).

People don't audition speakers the way they used to. I have been on the Klipsch Owner's Thread at AVS since it's inception and will tell you most people there over the last 10 years or so purchased their speakers online after getting recommendations.

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