Feeling in good spirits yesterday I decided to install the eq/xover unit and do the Big 3. I made up a list of the neccessary parts to install all. Wasn't much, 8-9' of 4awg wire, 5 ring terminals, some additional smaller power wire, and 3 pairs of 4-6' rca's.
To my dismay, there are only about two shops open on saturday in P.C. (besides "wallyworld", "bumbuy", and "shortcircuit city"). Normally I don't deal with them because you can't get wire by the foot. They only have the usual install kits which gives you things you don't need or won't have what you need.
I went to one supposedly reputable shop where they had the wire which happened to be $2.00 per foot. "Okay, I need it so why not...". The ring terminals only came in packs of four which is one too short. Trick was they wanted $8.99 per pack, meaning I would have to buy two @ $18?!!! Let's not even talk about the rca's....
Now I might be a little overly budget minded at times, but I do deem that ridiculous. Now if that wasn't enough, the guy cut the wire and then comes back and asks if I could pay cash because they couldn't get there phone line connected charge/debit card thingy to work. I politely smiled, gave him a laugh, and told him "that's alright, I don't want it now".
As I walked out and passed through the lobby of suckers waiting to get taken, I just shook my head in disgust and kept going. I don't think I'll be back there again!
Instead I went online and got everything except for the small wire and rca's from Knukoncepts for a mere $19 shipped. Tell me why a local shop can't even compete price wise with that? I don't know anyone that would rather pay nearly $40 over $19 for the same stuff.
Replies (3)
swez on 09/16/2007 13:34:01
Know the feeling Ash... was in the middle of a big install for a client a figured out we needed a different fuse. The 1st local shop didn't have it, so had to go to the "Snob Stop Shop" next. They had what was needed and charged like $7.50 for $3.00 fuse. He paid it, but only because we were hung w/o it. All the other gear was on hand and he bought all that was requested from Knu, but we needed a smaller fuse then the kit offered was all.
You just proofed a point I learned when working at another shop... deal like crazy on amps, speakers and bigger ticket items, (To insure the sale) but gouge the heck on them for small parts, hardware and cabling.
swez on 09/16/2007 13:39:03
The PAC converters seem like a cleaver idea. They grab AC audio signals, convert to DC and use an Op Amp/transformer to generate the require voltage. (Probably high pulse count DC) That's a pretty smart concept.
Swez
MrBrownstone on 09/17/2007 12:05:42
When you offer products like a commodity (worst buy & sureit works city), it's the accessories where they make the money.
In a 'custom' shop, all the haggling of a custom system eats into the profits. Once the customer is at the counter, you tell him how much the wire, etc. costs, and that's added on without discussion. That's where the highest margin profit is made. It's just part of doing business.
Since the price of a 1000W amp went from $1200 down to $500, it's all they have left.
To my dismay, there are only about two shops open on saturday in P.C. (besides "wallyworld", "bumbuy", and "shortcircuit city"). Normally I don't deal with them because you can't get wire by the foot. They only have the usual install kits which gives you things you don't need or won't have what you need.
I went to one supposedly reputable shop where they had the wire which happened to be $2.00 per foot. "Okay, I need it so why not...". The ring terminals only came in packs of four which is one too short. Trick was they wanted $8.99 per pack, meaning I would have to buy two @ $18?!!! Let's not even talk about the rca's....
Now I might be a little overly budget minded at times, but I do deem that ridiculous. Now if that wasn't enough, the guy cut the wire and then comes back and asks if I could pay cash because they couldn't get there phone line connected charge/debit card thingy to work. I politely smiled, gave him a laugh, and told him "that's alright, I don't want it now".
As I walked out and passed through the lobby of suckers waiting to get taken, I just shook my head in disgust and kept going. I don't think I'll be back there again!
Instead I went online and got everything except for the small wire and rca's from Knukoncepts for a mere $19 shipped. Tell me why a local shop can't even compete price wise with that? I don't know anyone that would rather pay nearly $40 over $19 for the same stuff.
Replies (3)
swez on 09/16/2007 13:34:01
Know the feeling Ash... was in the middle of a big install for a client a figured out we needed a different fuse. The 1st local shop didn't have it, so had to go to the "Snob Stop Shop" next. They had what was needed and charged like $7.50 for $3.00 fuse. He paid it, but only because we were hung w/o it. All the other gear was on hand and he bought all that was requested from Knu, but we needed a smaller fuse then the kit offered was all.
You just proofed a point I learned when working at another shop... deal like crazy on amps, speakers and bigger ticket items, (To insure the sale) but gouge the heck on them for small parts, hardware and cabling.
swez on 09/16/2007 13:39:03
The PAC converters seem like a cleaver idea. They grab AC audio signals, convert to DC and use an Op Amp/transformer to generate the require voltage. (Probably high pulse count DC) That's a pretty smart concept.
Swez
MrBrownstone on 09/17/2007 12:05:42
When you offer products like a commodity (worst buy & sureit works city), it's the accessories where they make the money.
In a 'custom' shop, all the haggling of a custom system eats into the profits. Once the customer is at the counter, you tell him how much the wire, etc. costs, and that's added on without discussion. That's where the highest margin profit is made. It's just part of doing business.
Since the price of a 1000W amp went from $1200 down to $500, it's all they have left.
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