Wtf? Are You An Authorized Seller Or Not?

So they buy stuff as a "dealer" posing as a retailler, then dump mass quantities on eBay for next to nothing to cut everyones throats?

Sounds familiar.

This story is nothing new with Indoaudio, either. I've heard complaints about their "warranty"... and a few other known sellers as well.

This is why i don't buy gear from eBay.

I hope you don't get burned on this... call up PG and explain everything to them, try *begging*. Tell them "Indoaudio claimed they *WERE* authorized, that there *WAS* a factory warranty, and now you find out they use a DIFFERENT name"

Perhaps PG will help you out and persue Indoaudio for scamming. I don't know but it's worth a try. It would be in PG's interests to help out a customer who can prove he should have a warranty.

If you send it to Indoaudio, theres a chance you may never see it again. I'd avoid that route. And let's face it... they already have your feedback, and your money, so what do they care?

If you do send it back to Indoaudio...
send it Insured USPS Priority with Return Reciept so you can prove they got it.
When you run into problems, you can go after them for fraud with the Postmaster General. You may have to.

 

See here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...787531&tc=photo

"With full warranty"

 

they dont "pose" they are dealers

Look at it like this

I open "Adavced Sounds" here locally

I get PG as a Line, they will give me a 15% discount if a Order $50,000 in product.. now I can only sell $25,000

so I sign up for an account on ebay "I_scam" is my Name :lol:

and sell the Procuts at Dealer List (or slightly more than 15% margin) for the $25,000 worth I can not sell through my Store, which I make about 50-70% margin...

Where if I was Honest I would only make 35-50% margin and would not recover the other 15% off the Addional Inventory......

 

Sure, i follow ya.

But, all the customers you made the extra percentage off of, are now fucked.
No, not in ALL cases.
But, in the case of Indoaudio... well, it's pretty much, all bad.
http://www.splbassx.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2048 yet another example.


I think if a MFR will refuse to honor warranty on "grey market" items, they need to be active in ENDING their grey market supply. Therefore, with the situation above, PG should get as much info from the customer as possible, and repair his amp... then look into Indoaudio, their location, and dealers in that area. Cut them off.

Otherwise...

I feel that if i have a valid purchase and reciept, that i should be entitled to warranty coverage.

Seems theres a fine line here. Somewhere is a definite violation of warranty law.
I'd like to read the PG paperwork you recieved with the amp, if it states anything about "authorized only" and if thats applicable in your state, in this case.
If you were *misled* to believe you were getting a FULL MFR warranty, misrepresentation of goods or services is just another way of saying fraud.

Did you purchase the amp with a credit card? You may get assistance on warranty coverage thru them. Some CC companies offer free double warranties as well. Call them and explain whats going on, they may help.

 

well a Few things

In Defense of the MFR's they do cut off alot of Dealers, I dont know about PG inperticular, but manufacturers do often cut off dealers,

the problem is the Rep Companies most of the time, they either allow the actions, or after they are told to cut off someone they dont..

Now at the same time, since compaines, most of them, boycott online sales this problem continues to grow

99% of the manufacturers are allready Breaking the law, in 2000 MAP prices were ruled, by case law, illegal, (see the US Government vs RIAA) ,

but since they industry is still small the DOj's will not look in to it, and no one else but the States can afford a Anti-Trust law suit..

plus other sections of the Anti Trust Laws State that a Company can not Boycott a Group of Consumers, sice there is no Case law yet there is Differant Views as to whether "online buyer" are a legal group


so if one or both of these where to go to Court more than likly they would have to honor your Ebay Purchases, however unless you have a 100million to do a case like this, your SOL

 

I've read several of your posts on this, and other aspects of being in the audio business. I must say, they are interesting.

While the MAP pricing issue may be too big to tackle by any one man,
I would certainly entertain MY rights to obtain warranty service, via the State's Attorney Office. Consumer's rights are taken way too lightly these days.


I think the main problem in the audio industry, is that the bulk of your end customers are kids. They just cut their losses, feeling theres nothing they can do.

If you tried pulling shit like this on Senior Citizens, they'd riot! Walkers and all.

 

Well, I've bought many things from Indoaudio, and I neve kidded myself into thinking I was really getting a warranty.

I got my stuff for about 1/2, or a little under, of retail. It's high-end stuff, I'd sure hope it doesn't break anyway. If it does, I'll get another, or something else, and still not have spent what I would have initially spent.

What's with the defending of the manufacturers/authorized dealers?

Nothing wrong with the Grey market if you ask me.

If Dealers/Manufacturers want to overcharge, I won't pay. Someone else wants to sell it to me for cheaper, I'll buy from them. Capitalism.

Manufacturers price fix, screw them.

 

the reason you will not see this in court is the vast majority of Car audio is still IMPULSE buy

the last report I read stated 75% of car audio it still purchased in the Retail Stores, and 80-90% of those sales are installed sales...

so when the Dealer Push for High margins, the Manufacturers either Respond or Risk Losing their Bread and Butter

texcon,

When I first was Explorering opening a Car audio shop, Long before I sold online, the profit magin was 100+ % on alot of things

Recently the Average profit for a Shop is 20-30%

Lowes ,Walmart, etc average 35-40%

so in reality the shops are making less than the Walmarts

I am on both sides

The consumers have a Right to prices free from manufacturer influance

However Dealers have a Right to Be protected as well

they dont get rich selling car audio..

Weathly yes, Rich no....


I operated my Store with the Averagge cost per month under $50 since Ran it out of my Home.

Try that with a Real Store!!!!!

 

I hear ya Mike,
But with a real store, your markup should'nt be the product, but the accessories and installation. Plus people don't mind paying a few bucks more for good service.

This is why i won't buy from Indoaudio,.
I'd rather buy from Crutchfield or a local shop, pay more, but have my shit in working order for "X" amount of years! I'm not into paying hundreds for three months worth of amplification.



Hey Texcon, call Discover and see what they advise you to do. You really should'nt have to pay for repair, you bought the item within 1 year, and it was new. The warranty should apply with proof of purchase, plain and simple.

 

it is. Wire has a Really really high Mark up....

30% is not cosidered high Margin by any defination, infact most places 30% is just breaking even when you figure in Employee costs, Lights, Rent, Ads, etc etc etc etc etc

 

Exactly.
RadioShack makes zero profit on TVs, VCRs, Stereo components, car audio.
but they make a killing on capacitors, batteries, cables, adapters, etc... it's what keeps them in business.

If i was running a shop, it would be the alarm installation, fiberglassing, and custom enclosures. The little parts like relays and switches.

Of course i'd sell distro blocks, cable, pre-fab boxes, etc. for a mark-up.
I'd be one of the few local places to turn to actually. I feel like i *have to* order my stuff online, and that's sad.

As for HUs and subs and such... i probably would'nt even bother. I'd rather they bring in their own stuff, it's not like anyone can compete with eBay.
Or hey... choose from my TWO lines you can't get online! LOL

Running a website is a whole different scenario. But as a local shop, i would definitely focus on labor, and quality work at that. Seems to be lacking almost everywhere.

 

and you would Go out of Buisness


You have to Remember, All online and Mail order Sales only make up 25% of the total Car Audio Sales, Ebay Prpbally makes up maybe 5%, MAYBE

so your Going to stop selling because a Company sells to 5% of your Customers

 

Bull

it is very very hard to be legit and stay open when Every manufacturer Whats you out of Business

I did it for 4 years, and it was very tough

I had the VP pf MTX calling me at home. I had Blupunkt lawyers threating law Suits,

Audiobahn Sent me Countless Cease and Desist Letters

CEO of Cadence Cut me off even after 100's of Customer Emails hit there Mail box in support of me

Even The Zeb try to have me Cut off from 2 of my Suppliers and CDT


It is a Cut throat Business out there, Why I got out of it, You either Screw People or you Go under

 

Some Customers are idiots though (not talking about you, I work inside a Differant Lowes Every Day and I meet all Kinds of Moron customers )

and True they should have told you to send it to them. Customers Sending products directly to Cadence was how I got cut off