Hifi-AV store in Dublin Town?

[Adrian]

I know of one computer shop in Dublin, council came in... had a quick chat... asked about how many people working here etc.

Next week a invoice for 36K comes in for rates.

The manager enquires how is this figure arrived at... and the reply was...'We have to get the money from somewhere'!!

On another point.... but I'm not sure if 2 channel stereo has a future.... what is the age profile of the members on this forum for example?

I'd doubt if there is anybody below the age of 35 on here.

[Ivor]

I know of one computer shop in Dublin, council came in... had a quick chat... asked about how many people working here etc.

Next week a invoice for 36K comes in for rates.

The manager enquires how is this figure arrived at... and the reply was...'We have to get the money from somewhere'!!

I suspect the manager is either exaggerating or can't manage. €36k would be a decent size supermarket or five years of an average hifi shop - you will only ever be liable for your time trading there and there are many grounds for appeal. There's a formula based on square footage multiplied by amounts set by the local authority. it has nothing to do with the number of employees. One (independent) body will assess the property, another issues the bill and yet another office actually collects. It's a simple clever system meaning you have limited scope to negotiate with the collector but there is always room. I've been through all of this!
It is just common sense to know what the rates are before you sign a lease and rates are unlikely to increase in DCC for quite a few years as they've just taken a jump. Rent and rates are the easiest thing to factor into overheads, they aren't a variable.

on what services you provide...

you'll have to be an expert on streaming, computer audio, DACs and setups at every budget point. Sure you'll need to offer a few CD players and turntables but your core business will be what others don't currently specialise in. Perhaps add Android TV boxes and the other alternatives to traditional TV?

[sebna]

I'd doubt if there is anybody below the age of 35 on here.

It is not so bad. I would qualify with some margin. I bet I am not alone. Nige how old are you? Also MagicCabbage is even younger :) (strength in numbers ;))

[Rob]

Hi Tercesire

I think it could work but you might need some sort of Fergal Quinn type to discover what really appeals to would-be customers. Richer Sounds failed because they had appalling customer service. Cloney's is the big man on the block. It has a faithful following but it would not be an exaggeration to say opinion on its customer service is sharply divided (lol) so there should be some space for a retail outlet but it needs some financial staying power to get established. My advice is to be highly creative about what products to stock, make it an interesting and welcoming environment, and use knowledgeable assistants as nowt can annoy more than barely remembered marketing BS from spotty kids! YMMV as always.

[panda2rom]

"I'd doubt if there is anybody below the age of 35 on here".
-I doubt if there is anybody below the age of 35 willing to spend 1000 euros on an amp or 10K on speakers :)

I just arrived in Dublin, so i have no clue if this is a good idea or not.
But i can throw my 0.2 cents on some stuff.

"How would you differentiate yourself from the likes of Cloney Audio?"
There is a billion brands in audio, you can start by importing stuff others don't, from italy, japan, france, whatever.
Having (at least some) different brands is a start.

"How would you persuade people to buy from you rather than, e.g. amazon for specialist stuff and box-shifters like Power City".
The question is valid.
The answear is the same, no matter what business you are in: services.
Repairs, install, a nice demo room, etc.
+ online sells (so a decent website is needed - actually you can sell on amazon and having a real shop is a plus).

"One area where you could create a bit of a buzz and perhaps get a niche is vinyl replay. If the sales of vinyl are going up, sales of turntables should be also. "
sounds like a great idea to me :)
And a serious hifi shop should have a few turntables. If only, because they look so nice :)

[nige2000]

I'd doubt if there is anybody below the age of 35 on here.

It is not so bad. I would qualify with some margin. I bet I am not alone. Nige how old are you? Also MagicCabbage is even younger :) (strength in numbers ;))

lol
im 35
seems to be a bit of an anomaly though for young/er people to be into highend audio
might be worth doing a poll on the age profile of forum members

price is a problem, and its difficult to fight with the online retailers
there's no doubt been able to see/hear the products in person and get good advice is a major advantage and more important than been slightly cheaper

however if you were even 5% out on price you would lose some sales to other online retailers (even after the customers have been in your shop )

[bod]

As much as I would love another hi-fi store in Dublin I think you may be wasting your time to be honest. Prohibitive rents etc., plus the fact that at least half of the great unwashed waste your time only to buy online and then show up if the unit is faulty expecting you to repair it for them. Regarding the comment about Cloney`s customer service, all I can say is that the disgruntled ones are usually the above type of chancer or someone doing their nut because a drive unit for a 30 year old speaker can`t be sourced or when it has been will not pay for it. You would not believe the hoops that are jumped through to try and keep everyone happy nor the mountain of uncollected/unpaid for repairs. A thankless task at the best of times! Mail order from you garage would probably be more profitable and less hassle if you ask me. Best of luck if you go for it though :-)

[Rob]

Regarding the comment about Cloney`s customer service, all I can say is that the disgruntled ones are usually the above type of chancer or someone doing their nut because a drive unit for a 30 year old speaker can`t be sourced or when it has been will not pay for it. You would not believe the hoops that are jumped through to try and keep everyone happy nor the mountain of uncollected/unpaid for repairs. A thankless task at the best of times! Mail order from you garage would probably be more profitable and less hassle if you ask me. Best of luck if you go for it though :-)

Bod, not sure if you are directing the "chancer" comment at me but my comment about Cloney's above was fairly mild, and my own issue was certainly not akin to what you describe above but will not elaborate unless requested as I don't want to derail the topic of the thread.

[Rob]

"I'd doubt if there is anybody below the age of 35 on here".
"How would you differentiate yourself from the likes of Cloney Audio?"
There is a billion brands in audio, you can start by importing stuff others don't, from italy, japan, france, whatever.
Having (at least some) different brands is a start.

Yeah Cloney stock some nice brands but there is a lot that is slightly left of centre - perhaps a focus on tubes and higher efficiency speakers might make for a nice alternative to mainly transistors and medium efficiency speakers.

"How would you persuade people to buy from you rather than, e.g. amazon for specialist stuff and box-shifters like Power City".
The question is valid.
The answear is the same, no matter what business you are in: services.
Repairs, install, a nice demo room, etc.
+ online sells (so a decent website is needed - actually you can sell on amazon and having a real shop is a plus).

Service is crucial - especially so at the higher end where product backup can be poor [small companies with limited reach] and reliability is more of a concern given the sums involved. The more I think of it, the more its hard to explain why there aren't a reasonable number of hi-fi shops in Ireland - there's virtually nothing outside of Dublin.

[bod]

Not at all Rob! I was just commenting in general. Not aimed at anyone. Sorry for any confusion :-)