Dear Reader:
Today's audio and video products provide more enjoyment for the money than ever before. However, shopping for consumer electronics online is like so much in life—a series of trade-offs. It would be wonderful if we could find equipment at extremely low prices from an online retailer who offers all of the shopping assistance and support services that we need. Unfortunately, this is as difficult as sailing a sailboat directly into the wind.
Consumer electronics are not commodities like hair dryers and microwave ovens. Virtually all shoppers need competent shopping assistance, installation help and tech support. Savvy shoppers must factor these needs into their shopping process. Here are some factors that I suggest you consider prior to making a purchase.
Competent shopping assistance: Even the most sophisticated shopper can make expensive mistakes without expert help. I have recently installed a new home theater in my home. Without the help of my company's experts, I would have gotten a less satisfactory system and paid more money. Ironically, I have been in this business for most of my life. Connecting new components to existing ones can present some challenges. Other problems exist for mobile electronics products. Determining which will fit in a particular vehicle requires specialized knowledge. Regardless of the website, the resolution of issues like these is best accomplished by communicating one-on-one with a knowledgeable specialist. Some online merchants provide one-on-one telephone and/or email consultation services. The best ones provide both. And, their websites also provide a wealth of shopping information including product reviews.
Installation help: Hair dryers and microwave ovens plug into electrical outlets and go to work with the press of a button. Installing most consumer electronics products is not this simple. Hooking up various components can be challenging. Ironically, the more sophisticated the component, the more challenging its connection and operation can be. Installing mobile electronics products in today's vehicles has its challenges too. The best online merchants offer technical support to help their customers deal with problems associated with installation.
Customer support: Although today's consumer electronics equipment is extremely reliable, malfunctions occasionally occur. Therefore, the wise shopper should question an online retailer's ability to provide after-the-sale customer support. Unfortunately, some of the best "bargains" may be in "gray good" merchandise. These are products that are manufactured for markets other than the U. S. They may not have U.S. warranty protection and may not be certified by safety organizations like UL (Underwriters Laboratories). Online retailers that are authorized by manufacturers to sell their products typically do not sell this type of merchandise. However, not all authorized online retailers are equal. Some only provide the bare minimum of services to satisfy their manufacturers. Others provide far more customer support than their manufacturers require. The best online retailers listen carefully to their customers and respond to their needs by offering a tremendous amount of support.
Return privilege: Our customers return products for a variety of reasons. In some cases, they want to upgrade to a more advanced model. Because returning consumer electronics products is so common, it is very important that you buy from an online retailer that has a generous return privilege.
I hope that this letter has not raised unwarranted concerns about buying consumer electronics products. My advice is to look beyond just price and understand that these products are best purchased from an online retailer that can fully serve your needs. If you do that, the process will be easy, and you will end up spending less money in the long-run and enjoying your product even more.
When buying, I ask that you consider Crutchfield very seriously. There is no online retailer with Crutchfield's experience. Starting as a catalog retailer in 1974, we have spent over 38 years listening to our customers and developing the services that they want. I guarantee that you will find our experience extremely helpful and, quite possibly, invaluable.
Sincerely,
William G. Crutchfield, Jr.
