jag5311

I pretty much know the answer to this, because they feel they are losing money. But if i want to bring in my own stuff because it was either given to me or i got it real cheap, why do they then "bump up" their installation prices to make up for the product costs they didn't sell me? Thats kinda cruel, especially for someone who is on a low budget. These places down here look at every car as a competition winning car when that isn't the case, especially in mine. Just wondering

Bryan

PATRICK94SE

Some places give you a guarantee on installs. You can't really do that with parts that they know nothing about. Example.....I walk in with a pawn shop amp and get ****ed when it doesn't work.

Finality

Try places like CC or BB. When I talked to my local one they mentioned that there install costs where the same regardless off where you bought them from.

There install costs where on par with my local audio shops (when doing a full system install).

noleafclover

well like you said, they lose the money that they would have made cause they mark up the prices on their products. just go in a place, be like how much for...whatever you have...and then ask how much to install it. then be like ok, well i already have all that stuff so is it still the same to install it. and if they're like no, be like well then i'm gonna get it done somewhere else. then just ask them one more time id they're sure they can't do it and try to convince them they'll be losing out on money. maybe they'll come around.

C-Dawg

Most shops are a pain to deal with. Go in and ask straight up the costs of installation on whatever you need done. Then ask them how much installation is if you purchase from them. If the prices differ, ask why. A lot of shops around here charge for installation. I can go 60 miles away and go to a shop that will install anything you purchase from them for free. You would think their prices were higher, but they are usually on par with every other shop around here. Some things may be $10-$15 higher while others $10-$15 lower.

C.D.

max'n out

Not Cruel, smart business.

Chris91SE

iTrader: (1)

it's like walking into a dealership service center and handing them the parts...they make money off labor AND parts...you supplying them the parts isn't helping them so they'll charge more...

chinaonnitrous1

iTrader: (12)

thats the thing nice about corporate companies ... labor is good for life..and basic labor is standard =)

justmax

Dude those audio shops make a HUGE profit on the components they sell you...

I remember a few years ago getting a buddy of mine to hook me up w/ his employee discount at a local stereo shop (like 5% over the shop's cost), here are some of the deals I'm talking about:

Sony CD deck w/ preamp ouputs & changer controls regular price: $299, I paid: $179

JBL 3-way 6X9 pair regular: $149, I paid: $60

Pioneer 50X4 amp regular: $495, I paid $240

The markup is f|_|cking ridiculous on audio equipment, and these guys want you to *PAY*. THEY WANT YOUR $$$$$$$.

Simple as that.

Shadow

iTrader: (15)

Markup is in the 50-70 percent range on a lot of stuff. But always keep in mind that they have to keep the markup high to cover overhead, etc. The markup is crazy, but the shop's actual profit margin isn't that great.

climaxima

iTrader: (1)

Just so you guys know I had a job in a small car ausio shop chain, four stores, and i have been into car audio about ten or eleven years in and out of several different shops, installing, selling, managing, so i do have some backround in this. Basically there are afew reasons that shops don't like to install equipment that you bring in, one is that they want you to buy the stuff from them. they do mark up thier parts quite a bit but you would not believe the amount of overhead that you would have.(rent, heat, employees, equipment, demo's, ect.

Another reason is that they cannot guarantee the equipment that you bring to them. Who wants to pay $40 to install a head unit to find out that it doesn't work. What is the person gonna think that the installer broke it. or if there is a problem with the equipment then the shop could potentially be held responsible for the damages to the car. I know that there are people out there that are thinking, why doesn't the shop check it before they install it, most have a test bench, some will for free but others will want five or ten dollars to test it, and chances are the peolpe that are coming in with this stuff got it stolen or from a friend and don't have the money to have it checked out.

There is one other reason and it has to do with theft, a good portion of the people coming in with stuff stole it or got it stolen. And as a shop you have to be very careful in the handling of stolen property.
You do not want to be involved in something like that, the higher brow clients that spend lots of money do not go to places like that, it has ruined a couple of the install places around where I live. Whenever you hear the names of these places you also hear along with it, oh that is the place to take your stolen stuff, ect.

There is my two cents, you can take what you want out of it, i'm am simply letting you know some of the reasons that I or the shops I was at used for reasoning.

Y2KMaxGXE-R

iTrader: (4)

comes out: either find someone on a side who can do it the install..or go to a large chain like Best Buy or Circuit City..for all your install needs.

max'n out

Sometimes it's worth paying more, i don't suggest hitting any cc, or bb.

amax935

Its kinda like bringing your own bacon and eggs to the diner.