Employment with EXTREMELY high end audio gear

[bigbassdave]

Just wondering if any of you guys either work for or have worked for a high end audio shop before. I work in sales but its non commissioned and I don't really like the stuff I sell which can make my days drag. I just got to thinking today. What would it take to work in a high end, and I do mean very high end store? I was checking out a shop in San Diego today and my jaw dropped when I saw some of the prices of the gear they had to offer. I mean 160k pairs of speakers. A 28k dvd player??? I want to work around stuff like this. Really get to know the trade. I'm thinking about calling them up and asking if they have any kind of internship. What do you guys think? I'll post a link to the shop. Check out their different listening rooms and price list.

http://www.stereodesign.com/

 

[Seth=L]

That is a very nice store.

 

[Serj22]

I had an interview at a shop here, they had a set of speakers that cost $300,000 and they use them to display anything and everything.

 

[highfigh]

Just wondering if any of you guys either work for or have worked for a high end audio shop before. I work in sales but its non commissioned and I don't really like the stuff I sell which can make my days drag. I just got to thinking today. What would it take to work in a high end, and I do mean very high end store? I was checking out a shop in San Diego today and my jaw dropped when I saw some of the prices of the gear they had to offer. I mean 160k pairs of speakers. A 28k dvd player??? I want to work around stuff like this. Really get to know the trade. I'm thinking about calling them up and asking if they have any kind of internship. What do you guys think? I'll post a link to the shop. Check out their different listening rooms and price list.

http://www.stereodesign.com/

Do you want to make money, or work with really expensive equipment that may, or may not, actually be as good as the price indicates?

They don't have time for interns, with this economy. If you can run cables and know how they connect, you might be able to be a wire monkey but they usually don't make much more than $15/hr unless they have some special skills. How extensive is your knowledge of audio and video? If you know a lot about it, be prepared to learn all kinds of new stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with facts or science. Batteries on interconnects do nothing, especially when they're mot connected at the far end. If you have a strong sense of ethics, be prepared for that to be challenged on a regular basis.

I had a customer in the early '80s who said, "You have the coolest job!" (with glee in his eyes). I told him that it was a better hobby. About 10-12 years ago, he said "I should have listened to you" and then he reminded me of my comment. He got into the business in the mid-'80s when he was in college and once he graduated, he found that it really wasn't a lot of fun. It can be, but it's still a job.

 

[bigbassdave]

I know quite a bit about home audio and video or at least it seems that way when I'm talking to my friends or someone at work. Then I come on here and realize how much I still have to learn. Fact is, I have a serious passion for this hobby and I am always adding to or upgrading my systems. I have worked in sales off and on throughout the years and have always excelled. I am completely familiar with less than ethical sales techniques and snake oil. Years back when I worked at Circuit City I went through a couple days of "Training" before hitting the floor. Well this training was nothing more than videos teaching you how "Amazing" Monster Cables are and why they should be sold with every tv, speaker ect.
I think I would enjoy working in a high end store. I have no doubt that if I heard a 300k dollar set of speakers they wouldn't sound 299,000 better than my Axioms to me. I'm ok with that. More than anything I want to learn all there is to know about home theater and if I could make even a semi decent living doing that it seems like it would be a win win.

 

[highfigh]

I know quite a bit about home audio and video or at least it seems that way when I'm talking to my friends or someone at work. Then I come on here and realize how much I still have to learn. Fact is, I have a serious passion for this hobby and I am always adding to or upgrading my systems. I have worked in sales off and on throughout the years and have always excelled. I am completely familiar with less than ethical sales techniques and snake oil. Years back when I worked at Circuit City I went through a couple days of "Training" before hitting the floor. Well this training was nothing more than videos teaching you how "Amazing" Monster Cables are and why they should be sold with every tv, speaker ect.
I think I would enjoy working in a high end store. I have no doubt that if I heard a 300k dollar set of speakers they wouldn't sound 299,000 better than my Axioms to me. I'm ok with that. More than anything I want to learn all there is to know about home theater and if I could make even a semi decent living doing that it seems like it would be a win win.

Personally, I would look at the local independent dealers with mid-fi and a really good reputation. It's a lot more fun and you'll be able to look yourself in the eye.

If you want to have your time wasted by every wannabe who thinks the high-end audio world sets in their pants, go ahead. When people want to debate inconsequential differences while you're trying to get things done, you'll see what I mean.

The key to high sales volume boils down to one thing- knowing when to ask for the sale. You can make a lot of money if you know this and use your sales results as the measure of how good you are in sales. If you can go to a crowded place and have people walk up 25+ years later, asking if you remember them being your customer and saying that they still have the equipment they bought, that's different.

If it was supposed to be fun, they wouldn't call it 'work'.

 

[bandphan]

To me it isnt so much the high end gear but the level of control and automation thats fun. I got into the industry on a whim. I was a manufactures rep 12 years and a friend that I bought a lot of "high end" gear from asked me if i wanted to get into the industry yada yada yada still doing it today. BTW that company got acquired by a "corporate" company and within 4 years kaboom gone The money to be made is always on installation

 

[highfigh]

The money to be made is always on installation

And programming.

 

[chris357]

I used to sell cars at a dealer who sold porsche, BMW, Benz and Infiniti.. and people come in and want to BS about cool cars.. well I was 100% commission I needed to sell cars not shoot the ... with someone who had no intentions of buying but just wanted to buddy up to get a test drive.

my love of cars got diluted by needing to make a living. Also people assumed that because i sold expensive cars I made alot of money.. not the case sadly its all based on profit ..

anyway just ask yourself what your objective is.. a career? just soemthgn to pass the time?? just a place to BS with the guys? or just play with cool equipment that costs more than your house ?

 

[ParadigmDawg]

You are either born to sell or you are not. Messaging can be enhanced and you can learn a few tricks but it is either in you or it's not. I could careless (for the most part) what the product is, give me 2 weeks to learn it and I can sell it.

The key to high sales volume boils down to one thing- knowing when to ask for the sale. You can make a lot of money if you know this and use your sales results as the measure of how good you are in sales. If you can go to a crowded place and have people walk up 25+ years later, asking if you remember them being your customer and saying that they still have the equipment they bought, that's different.

If it was supposed to be fun, they wouldn't call it 'work'.

 

[chris357]

You are either born to sell or you are not. Messaging can be enhanced and you can learn a few tricks but it is either in you or it's not. I could careless (for the most part) what the product is, give me 2 weeks to learn it and I can sell it.

yep its all crap in a bag!!

 

[highfigh]

You are either born to sell or you are not. Messaging can be enhanced and you can learn a few tricks but it is either in you or it's not. I could careless (for the most part) what the product is, give me 2 weeks to learn it and I can sell it.

It's not product knowledge that makes a good salesperson- it's reading people and asking the right questions, then making them want it enough to buy it. Vast knowledge of the intricate details of the equipment may impress the person to a point but their eyes usually glaze over if they don't understand it. Then, they may stumble out and buy it from someone whose main point is "This will rock your world". The way things are now, a lot of the people selling A/V gear are just pushing boxes out the door because that's the only way they can keep their job and make a living. If they're lucky enough to work at a place or in an area that hasn't been badly affected by the economy, this is less of a factor.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I pretty much agree. I have had sales jobs where I had to know every little detail of what I sold and others that it didn't matter how much I knew.

I am not even certain what I sell now but I sell a lot of it.

It's not product knowledge that makes a good salesperson- it's reading people and asking the right questions, then making them want it enough to buy it. Vast knowledge of the intricate details of the equipment may impress the person to a point but their eyes usually glaze over if they don't understand it. Then, they may stumble out and buy it from someone whose main point is "This will rock your world". The way things are now, a lot of the people selling A/V gear are just pushing boxes out the door because that's the only way they can keep their job and make a living. If they're lucky enough to work at a place or in an area that hasn't been badly affected by the economy, this is less of a factor.

 

[bigbassdave]

Couldn't agree more. One of the first sales jobs I had was at Circuit City many years ago. I thought the fact that I knew more about home theater gear than 95% of the customers walking through the door would be enough to help me sell. Not the case. I struggled the first couple months. Fact is management didn't care which TV, receivers or speakers I sold they simply wanted certain attachments (monster cable warranties ect). A few years later, after I had really begun to develop solid sales skills I worked in a store selling printers and computers. I know very little about computers and don't really care about them in general. It didn't matter. Most of the customers just wanted me to point out a machine for them and if they liked me it was not a very hard push to up sell the stuff management wanted to see included in the transaction. Sales has little to do with what you say to a person. Its the way you say it and the way you present yourself. If you are excited about some and it shows then its not terribly difficult to get someone else excited about it.

 

[MidnightSensi]

I'm not a great salesman, but the people I've known that have really sold expensive things well.... sold very little on the product, and very much on the relationship. Most of while they 'sold' wasn't talking about the product at all, but rather lifestyle things (girls, market tips, etc.) or 'friendship.'

I've seen/heard a number of extremely expensive systems (my city is pretty posh), and its funny that every one that toured me of it said they 'knew someone and got a deal' or had some kind of inside key: "I got these 70,000 speakers for 20,000" and so forth...

The truth is, I don't think they sell much of the super-high-end stuff. I wonder how many speakers a year Wilson Audio sells... I bet it isn't much.

 

[woofersus]

The reality is that sales is sales regardless of what you're selling. A lot of people go into sales because they think the product is cool and get burned out quick on the actual job. I've seen it in several different industries. If you excell at sales and want to do that for a living, however, it's always better be selling something you have a passion for. I do agree that the OP would probably enjoy the job much more at a mid-fi shop.

 

[chris357]

you do get burnt out pretty fast.. selling high end cars to people who could care less if I paid my bills or not while they are dropping 80k for a car that i woudl never be able to afford while working at said dealership sucks. In other economies it wasnt to bad.. people were ok about letting you make a little money but now days they are like you have this big inventory I'm doing you a favor just sitting down at your desk...

in high end electronics, I think people assume there is alot of mark up and when that dealer wants to sell there display stuff they will get those super expensive speakers for a deal.. and the people who have so much money they dont care.. well their installer is going to sell them some OK stuff and charge them an arm and a leg and they will never know the difference..

I know that i woudl not want to be at a place where 80% of the people out there could not buy anything at my store. I woudl want a selection of really cool stuff but alot of midrange stuff for people with modest budgets to aspire to and drool over thats just within their reach.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I have a passion for money...not what I sell...

The reality is that sales is sales regardless of what you're selling. A lot of people go into sales because they think the product is cool and get burned out quick on the actual job. I've seen it in several different industries. If you excell at sales and want to do that for a living, however, it's always better be selling something you have a passion for. I do agree that the OP would probably enjoy the job much more at a mid-fi shop.

 

[highfigh]

I have a passion for money...not what I sell...

Isn't that the definition of 'prostitute'?

 

[MidnightSensi]

you do get burnt out pretty fast.. selling high end cars to people who could care less if I paid my bills or not while they are dropping 80k for a car that i woudl never be able to afford while working at said dealership sucks. In other economies it wasnt to bad.. people were ok about letting you make a little money but now days they are like you have this big inventory I'm doing you a favor just sitting down at your desk...

in high end electronics, I think people assume there is alot of mark up and when that dealer wants to sell there display stuff they will get those super expensive speakers for a deal.. and the people who have so much money they dont care.. well their installer is going to sell them some OK stuff and charge them an arm and a leg and they will never know the difference..

I know that i woudl not want to be at a place where 80% of the people out there could not buy anything at my store. I woudl want a selection of really cool stuff but alot of midrange stuff for people with modest budgets to aspire to and drool over thats just within their reach.

Not to mention the full time 'shoppers.' People who have as much time as they /may/ have money, and therefore are more interested in nickle and diming and disecting everything instead of looking at the forest. "I quote you 10 hours for programming..." "Well, I'll pay you for 8" .......... "The remote is 2100" ...."I'll pay you for the programming but only your cost on the remote, actually I don't want that remote, I want the step up, but I'll only pay you 2100 for it still"