mmiles Posted March 6, 2003 Author Share Posted March 6, 2003 Where did that post come from re: "the law round here"? I have not spoken to Parasound. All that have have got some negative feedback but there are two side to every story... I suggest you scroll up a few post and if you have any further comments please direct them to me so not to tie up bandwidth on the forum or turn it into an advertising media which was not my intent at all. The "famous" offer that I ellude to in the beginnig expires MARCH 14. I can't wait until the 15th! Regards, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Blue Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 Not sure what you all mean. There's always going to be a chance when someone posts on the internet (or has someone post for them) that they are selling products that you can't come see in person. So I certainly understand those who are calling Parasound direct to ask for distributor information--no better info than the source. However, it is true that you can sometimes find great deals going through small internet or telephone companies. So it's just up to each one whether you want to take the chance or not, and how much you want to protect your interests. To be honest, this is actually the 2nd post I've seen on a forum about a dealer offering a huge discount on the new HALO line. The other one was based in Chicago or something. I guess you never know! I'm still open to hearing more about peoples' experiences here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickey Posted March 7, 2003 Share Posted March 7, 2003 Wild Blue, I think you said it right. It's all about the amount of risk you're willing to take. Working with an authorized retailer provides the assurance that you are getting non-gray market merchandise and someone to back-up you purchase with service and a factory warranty should a problem ever arise. But there's a price you pay for those assurances, which generally means a higher cost to you as the consumer. A non-authorized retailer may be able to offer additional flexibility around pricing (they are not constrained by the manufacturer's pricing policies). The tradeoffs come in the form of potentially receiving gray market goods (I'm not saying that's the case here) and/or not being able to count on a factory backed warranty. It's up to each individual to gauge the potential risks and proceed accordingly. C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdaoe Posted March 7, 2003 Share Posted March 7, 2003 First off...I am the person that had direct communication with "mmiles" about my offer of the Parasound Halo gear. 1st and foremost it should be known that he approached me and after finding a good deal he then asked if he could create this post to share the deal with his "friends". Being and owner of a pair of Chorus II and Forte II's myself, I thought well that would be fine for my fellow Klipsch owners. I have to say that after the post a few (4-5) people contacted me about the offer. I was upfront with everyone about my new status and for my need to sell some units so that I meet Parasounds dealer requirements on my start up of Halo. If I was trying to be dishonest about warranty or rip people off, don't you think I would have been marketing myself on eBay, audiogon, or the Klipsch forum saying that I'm selling Halo? Then I could get as many suckers as I can, as quickly as I can and then run to the bank or better yet Mexico. I didn't do that. Mmiles listed the offer on the Klipsch forum, which was not my idea (but I did give him permission) Needless to say, you that were overly skeptical have made me decide to withdraw my offer to everyone that has contacted me through this forum. I don't need the sales that much. I have a thriving custom install business that installed a million dollars worth of retail gear last year and will exceed that this year. In essence, I was only trying to help some people out and pop out some good numbers with Halo as a new dealer getting set up. It's really nothing more than that. I spent hours helping people on this board by educating them about Halo and getting to know them through email. If my intentions and integrity weren't evident in my dialogue, I'm truly sorry. I hate to think that, but I realize people need to protect themselves. It's just a shame that you guys have basically ruined an otherwise great deal that you won't be able to get anywhere near with anybody else. I can guarantee that. Understand that if anyone has a bad taste in their mouth after the dust has settled on this issue it is me! -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Blue Posted March 7, 2003 Share Posted March 7, 2003 Media_Design: I'm glad you hopped on here yourself! I didn't notice before--are you actually with Legacy Media Design of Dallas? Because LMD is listed on the Parasound website as an authorized dealer also starting up as a Parasound dealer--not sure where the confusion on that one came in. I agree, there are always forum members on any of these forums that jump the gun and are super negative (and obscure in their posts ) when trying to convince someone else of their opinion. But I don't think anyone can fault those who do pursue a deal, but do so cautiously to protect against the fraud that's out there. I've seen deals mentioned to people on forums more than once that ended up being scams. I myself came very close to losing over $1,600 once. I definitely appreciated the E-mail response you sent me, and if you're still open at all, would like to at least talk to you more. Thanks for posting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickey Posted March 7, 2003 Share Posted March 7, 2003 Sorry gang, but I think I'm being vilified here for looking under the covers and casting a bit of a critical eye. So let's lay the cards out on the table, shall we? We can get to the bottom of this issue pretty quickly, as facts are always our friends. I have three simple questions for Media Design. 1. Are you an authorized Parasound Halo retailer? 2. If yes, why aren't you listed on Parasound's Authorized Dealer list for Halo? 3. Are you the same company as Legacy Media Design in Texas, or are you a different company? I was under the impression it was the latter, as your contact name and number are completely different from Legacy Media Design. Thanks in advance, C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdaoe Posted March 7, 2003 Share Posted March 7, 2003 To set things straight - there are no offers on the table to anyone on this board. Let me repeat...I will not sell Halo under my past special offer to anyone on this board. I'm fed up with the situation and have done nothing but try to help people out. By taking the time to stand up for myself here and by removing my offer should be proof enough that I'm not here to rip people off. I was offering gear at dealer cost (a little over to cover shipping) just so that I could put together enough sales in a short period of time to be APPROVED as a HALO dealer. That is why I am not listed on the website yet. It always helps to create a little good will when you are signing up with a new company, but thanks to the inquiries of a few members here that may or may not happen. Parasound highly frowns on these types of offers as I've come to find out. Needless to say, I needed to do some damage control and ending any aggressive offers was first on the list. You guys need to understand how the industry operates - especially for smaller independent manufacturers like Parasound. It's very political to say the least. It takes a lot of work to become a dealer and the numbers that are generated matter. That's why I was willing to do what I was offering. Too bad a few people here blew it for the rest of you. As for the Parasound CLASSIC line I am currently a reseller. I make all of my purchases through CAPITOL SALES, the only national distributor for the Parasound CLASSIC line. The warranty I offer on the CLASSIC line is valid because CAPITOL SALES is listed on the Parasound website for every state under "US DISTRIBUTORS" - Check it out if you want proof at www.parasound.com. FYI - I have no affiliation with Legacy Media Design. I hope that clears the air for everyone concerned. -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickey Posted March 7, 2003 Share Posted March 7, 2003 Media Design, I guess I can be counted among the "few people here (who) blew it for the rest of you." But nothing I've stated in my previous posts has been factually incorrect. You are not currently an authorized Halo retailer by your own admission (above). As such, you cannot offer a factory backed warranty on Halo units you sell, per Parasound's own warranty policy (below): "In order to insure maximum customer satisfaction, Authorized Parasound Dealers are, with only rare exception, prohibited from selling our products by phone, mail, or over the Internet. Before purchasing Parasound products over the net (or by phone of mail order), be certain to check with Parasound to verify that the seller is an Authorized Parasound Dealer, because Parasound products which are purchased from anyone other than an Authorized Parasound Dealer are expressly excluded from Parasound's warranties. Parasound's warranties, like our products, are exceptional. Don't make the mistake of buying from someone who has chosen not to meet our qualifications, and in doing so run the risk of being sold not only the wrong product, but one for which you have no warranty protection!" Futhermore, when I contacted Parasound directly, I was told that the Halo line was being sold factory direct to a limited group of retailers, all of whom were listed on the Parasound Halo website. If I were to purchase from anyone else, Parasound informed me that I would not be eligible for warranty protection. Rather than being "obscure" as some have referenced, I've tried to turn up the contrast and reveal the facts. As such, this affords each individual the opportunity to gauge the risks and make an informed decision based on complete information. I plead guilty as charged if that's what I'm being accused of... Caveat emptor, C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruinsrme Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 This entire process whould have been taken off line! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anarchist Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 Caveat emptor indeed! One does not need to be a genius to realize things are in a 'gray' area when prices this low are offered. The fact is these 'opportunities' occur quite frequently AND to the 'enormous' benefit of the participants. You should be careful in your decision making process, speak to the seller, and determine if you are comfortable. If so, purchase. If not, pass. You should not bring exposure to the offer to the company whose products are being offered at huge bargains. Every company takes great offense and then goes out and 'hunts' down the party responsible for selling their products so cheaply; it is not a big deal when it is a 'private' matter but when it becomes an Internet issue competing dealers AND the company are pissed. I was in the market for an Anthem AVM20 not that long ago. Great deal materialized. An individual had set up a deal to make a purchase of 'many' AVM20's at a phenomenal price from an authorized dealer that was taking advantage of several economic factors and riding the gray line. Some a$$ ran off and called Anthem to question the 'warranty.' Anthem then called every dealer and warned every one their sales would be monitored and if they discovered the dealer, he would lose his dealership. Guess what happened. Let's make it simple, shall we? IF you can buy a piece of equipment at or close to dealer cost, stick the warranty concerns where the sun don't shine. You got it at half price. If it is a good piece of equipment, you will likely never need the warranty in the first place and if it does break, it will do so AFTER the warranty expires. Never-the-less, if it does need repair and you catch flack from the company, pay the repair bill yourself - you still will have gotten a bargain. Damn. People just have to screw up a good thing by being greedy; I want it free AND a warranty. Disclaimer: My post is not specifically targeted to the individual here, it is meant as a general advisory and is a result of seeing deals screwed up several times due to the same, for lack of a better word, dumbass response to an offer that is obviously gray. Secondly, I have no affiliation to any party who sells any equipment be it at a discount or full MSRP. I would however like to be able to take advantage of an offer one time before someone screws it up - ok, I have once or twice before but I am always looking for the next deal. Impulse buyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdaoe Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 The funny thing about it all was that I wasn't marketing grey goods. thanks for the unofficial support! -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoLo Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 Man, all this hype over Halo.... has anyone actually even heard Parasound's new line of products with their Klipsch(s) yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Blue Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 Lolo- That's the question that many of us are trying to figure out. I've talked to about 3 people specifically who have mentioned that Klipsch sounds very good with the "classic" Parasound products that they own. As the only Parasound comparisons I've heard have been that the new HALO line is quantitatively better than the classic line in every way, I don't see how it can be anything but good news for potential Parasound users with Klipsch. I personally hope to let you know for sure shortly. As for the basic thread here, I think I'll just back away. It's always disheartening to see people get hurt one way or another through these forums and hostile against each other. That's really not the purpose of these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickey Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 Folks, My apologies if any of my previous posts appeared to come off as hostile. That was never my intent. We have a motto at work that says be tough on the problem, not on the people. That approach, combined with the impersonal nature of text-only exchanges, can leave one with the impression of hostility, whereas only frank and direct dialog was intended. Again, my apologies if Ive offended anyone with my style. That being said, I think the exchange over the past several days illustrates the difficulty of making a purchase over the Internet from someone unknown to you. If I walk into an authorized retailer, I pretty much know what Im getting. Likewise, if I buy something thats just fallen off the back of the truck, I also know what Im getting. But making a purchase sight unseen from an individual over the Internet forces you to be a smart customer. Its my hard-earned money at stake, which means I get to ask the questions. If I like the responses I receive in return, I buy; if not, I walk. Thats my inalienable right as the guy holding the greenbacks. While my Socratic method of questioning might have been interpreted as too harsh, at the end of the day the facts were laid out for all to review. Fact: The person in question is not yet an authorized Halo retailer. Nothing against that person as an individual (I actually enjoyed my email exchanges with him). Fact: Buying from an unauthorized dealer precludes me from receiving warranty coverage. Once the facts are out on the table, each person can individually choose whether or not to pursue a deal. As for another posters suggestion that I take my warranty and conduct a home proctology exam, that may work if we were talking about a 90 day warranty on a $200 VCR. But thats not the case here. The item in question here has an MSRP of $4000. One of the features of the product is a 10 year manufacturers warranty. Parasound is one of the few companies in the consumer electronics industry that has such an extended warranty. Having previously sent back a Parasound product for repair after six years of service, I can personally vouch for how superb their warranty service is. So yes, it is a big deal for me to understand whether or not Im entitled to receive warranty coverage. Suppose I sold you a component over the Internet for a great deal, but upon receipt you came to find out that the unit was missing the faceplate. You might be a little perturbed. No, the lack of a faceplate doesnt impact the component's musical reproduction, but it is a feature that you reasonably expected (the lack of which I should have disclosed as the seller). The same applies to the warranty. Some of you have pointed out that for the money saved on such a deal, I should be willing to source parts and fund any future repairs. While I can do that, I have the right to decide in advance whether Im willing to tradeoff warranty coverage for the option of self service. I get to make that choice, since Im the consumer (see above). Please dont make that choice for me, or assume Im just as happy not knowing. As for the likelihood that Parasound scrambled the jets on their dealer network after receiving my call, I highly doubt it. The call was very brief and innocuous, and didnt mention names or prices. Why would I want to scuttle a deal I could potentially take advantage of? While others my ascribe my actions as naiveté, I call it being a smart customer and finding out what Im getting into. Again, as the customer, I get to ask the questions, assess the level of risk Im willing to accept, and proceed from there. You dont get to decide for me. Ive said my peace. As others have suggested, its probably time to put this to rest or take it offline, so Ill back off now and leave the posting to others. Just the facts, Maam... C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdaoe Posted March 22, 2003 Share Posted March 22, 2003 Just a follow up note to all the doubters - be sure to check out the Parasound HALO website and confirm my dealer status (click on Texas under dealers). I wish more of you could have benefited from the awesome deal and I truly understand that there was some inherent risk to the unbeliever. The process of becoming a direct reseller for high end gear is a pain to say the least. But with all that said, several though will have their gear this coming week and for that I'm excited for them. If anyone is interested in Halo and doesn't have a local dealer convenient for them feel free to PM me for my phone number and email. Thanks to everyone involved. Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmiles Posted March 23, 2003 Author Share Posted March 23, 2003 FYI folks... Once on the Parasound website (www.parasound.com) click on the HALO logo and perform your dealer search from that link. MDAOE is not listed in his state under the Parasound (classic line) dealers. Sorry to dissapoint you guys that did not look under the HALO section of the website and could not wait to say "I told you so"... hehehehehehehehehehehehe. Regards, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Blue Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 Uh... is it just me, or did this thread get edited and gutted with posts suddenly missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdaoe Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 The only thing that got gutted was the pricing on the first post from Mike - at my request. I also changed my user name to mask my company slightly. I did this to protect my dealer approval process with Parasound - I was a little paranoid myself once the questions started flying to Parasound about me. But as stated, I am now permanently listed on the Parasound Halo website as a dealer in Texas - Media Design. Also, for those of you who don't have a local dealer feel free to contact me (PM me) for a great deal. Or you can call me at the phone number listed on the Halo website. Many here benefited from my initial deal and will have their gear this week...If others are looking to get Halo and don't have a local dealer just let me know and I'll help you out too. thanks, Brent Huskins Media Design Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Blue Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 Ah... thanks for the clarification, Brent. Glad to see everything worked out with you and Parasound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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