This idiot from another forum didn't listen.

[soundstreamer 10+ year member]

A reasonable mark-up for a guy like me that will do my own install is ok since you won't make any money on the install.

For instance, I get quoted $1400.00 for a pair of 10" subs that can be found LNIB on the interwebz for $400, or $550 shipped direct from the manufacturer, I will go for one of the cheaper routes. If they quoted me $650 or $700, I would keep the business local.

 

[Enellz 10+ year member]

But you still get the customers that wants to pay pennies for a professional install. I'll match most internet prices as long as I sell and install the item, but I get some customers that want to purchase an entire system and only pay $100 for install parts and labor....that ain't right //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crying.gif.ec0ebefe590df0251476573bc49e46d8.gif

Wow that sucks. Its not a craigslist install so I understand where your coming from. But with overhead cost and everything, you just cant give in those type of prices for an entire system. To some it seems high, but you have to be insured, have install equipment, and its a PROFESSIONAL shop install which I hope you have a lifetime warrenty on the install. Alot of people dont realize it take money to make money to run a shop. If you dont make a profit or break even its hard for installs. But I do have to say alot of shops are just that shops, and are iggnorant and irrogant. Ive learned that if you want business be an inviting shop, let the kids hang around and talk, without cutting prices or giving deals. A happy costumer is a loyal costumer

 

[Enellz 10+ year member]

A reasonable mark-up for a guy like me that will do my own install is ok since you won't make any money on the install.
For instance, I get quoted $1400.00 for a pair of 10" subs that can be found LNIB on the interwebz for $400, or $550 shipped direct from the manufacturer, I will go for one of the cheaper routes. If they quoted me $650 or $700, I would keep the business local.

which Im glad you do, but mark ups of 200 to 300% is crazy. Not every body wants a JL audio or sold dope.

 

[DS Autosports 10+ year member]

Wow that sucks. Its not a craigslist install so I understand where your coming from. But with overhead cost and everything, you just cant give in those type of prices for an entire system. To some it seems high, but you have to be insured, have install equipment, and its a PROFESSIONAL shop install which I hope you have a lifetime warrenty on the install. Alot of people dont realize it take money to make money to run a shop. If you dont make a profit or break even its hard for installs. But I do have to say alot of shops are just that shops, and are iggnorant and irrogant. Ive learned that if you want business be an inviting shop, let the kids hang around and talk, without cutting prices or giving deals. A happy costumer is a loyal costumer

It was a job I did for a friend of a friend and thought it might bring in some business. I don't do too bad, because I try to create a relationship with my customers who are mostly teenagers and educate them about different brands and the art/hobby of car audio. I let them hang around my garage while I do simple installs and some of them know my family. I think what RXZILLA is trying to say is - it would be a great help if the op...(and others) recommended another shop that would have worked with his friend on the price of the product and install instead of just say "Go to the internet"...

 

[DS Autosports 10+ year member]

which Im glad you do, but mark ups of 200 to 300% is crazy. Not every body wants a JL audio or sold dope.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rotflol.gif.b453361716769b8110ddefc85ff03cd2.gif

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

Tell your buddy he got a good deal and it looks awesome. Then he'll let you slip it to his sister.

 

[Enellz 10+ year member]

I'm telling you usually the dudes that traffic buy JL audio because it's the quality brand of the ca world. Not bashing them, I love their sq subs, but shops have mark ups on subs that usually sale themselves JL or L7s. If any of them studied business their basically serving a small percentage of buyers and not the mass consumer. I will say support the shops who are ethuisest (spell checker), and not the one who say bend over with no vasaline. Just to give you an example a local shop wanted 600 bones on a zx1500 firm, yes I know you have to make a profit, but how much % do you think that's marked up?

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

JL Audio, bringing quality equipment to crack dealers

 

[ront337 10+ year member]

Your logic is behind the times. The internet is here to stay, and any local dealers who cant adapt, will die. Trying to blame the consumer for doing their job, finding the best deal possible, is pointless and goes against the free market system. Local dealers are not what this hobby is about, the enthusiasts are. Local dealers need to realize they should concentrate more on labor, and less on 100% profit margins from selling products for whatever their 'local monopoly' on brand names allow them.

Troof

 

[blazeplacid 10+ year member]

the point of any business is to make money

if you ran a shop and had to pay 3-4 installers along with providing for your family you would do the same.

The little online companies can make the price low because they have no shop and no employees

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

only shops I see around where I used to live only stayed alive by pushing low line mtx, kicker, prefab boxes. Volume > quality

 

[DS Autosports 10+ year member]

But thats the problem with the new gen of kids getting into car audio. They can't recognize quality. They think because it makes your seat rattle a lil that its the sh*t....wrong. I sat in this guy's car a few days ago and he just knew his subs were hitting. I felt my vibration when my washer is going two rooms away. It's ridiculous

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

I only make fun of people that pay retail if they are fully capable of installing themselves. to some people its worth it to just put down some extra cash so they dont have to mess with it.

sometimes in the summer when I'm sweating my *** off and cant figure out what I did wrong and I'm combing over my wires to figure it out, I wish I was rich so i could just have someone else do it lol but then when I come here and i read all the threads about how an install got F'ed and the shop is screwing them I feel a little better. But again, some people just don't want to deal with it.

 

[TurdFergueson2 5,000+ posts]

I don't own a company. It's just sad that people are killing the industry that we all love because people won't support thier local shops. With out any shops, the companies can't survive. If the companies can't survive, the manufactures wont make anymore product.

If I knew how to install alarms I'd never go to a local shop again.

 

[Enellz 10+ year member]

If I knew how to install alarms I'd never go to a local shop again.

x2. Altough I will give it a shoot this spring