[James Tanner]

Hi Folks

What are your thoughts on opening a discontinued and refurb product store on our website ?

james

[Twiga]

 

What would you do with that equipment if you didn't resell it?

Your equipment is so well built that it would be a shame to send it to a dump if there was any chance of doing minor repairs and getting yet another twenty years out of it.

Making discontinued items and refurb equipment available would allow audiophiles on limited budgets to step into the Bryston family and as their circumstances improved over time, trade up.

[DannyBadorine]

I think it's a great idea!! You don't offer any real budget options, which I respect given the quality of what you make.  Having a place where people can get your products at a slightly more affordable price would benefit those on a tighter budget but will help them see how good your products really are so that when they have more money to spend it is obvious that they will come back to you for the newer stuff.

[Peter J]

Great idea James. I have a hard time passing a "scratch & dent room" or "bargain bin" or even used gear without at least looking. Could there be trade-ins possible within the same system?

Perhaps refurbs would indelibly marked somehow so they don't later hit the secondary market as something there are not.

I would see it as a way to deal with the inevitable accumulation of stuff and not diminish the brand. I would hope whatever the reason it in the "scratch & dent" would be clearly stated.

[Alphonse]

Great idea! I am currently looking for a 6BSST2.

[Timslim18]

Hi Folks

What are your thoughts on opening a discontinued and refurb product store on our website ?

james

This begs the question... what is happening with these products now?  Assuming the Bryston dealer network is being used to sell these units at present, there are margin improvement opportunities having Bryston transition to dealing directly with consumers for these products.

In addition to offering discontinued and refurbished products direct to consumers, I suggest a bigger and more profitable opportunity exists.

I note the high volume of transactions (based on my observations only) for used Bryston products on reseller sites like eBay and the Audiomarts, for example.  I also note the pricing of used Bryston products is far from inexpensive indicating that used products retain their value. 

It would make sense for Bryston to participate in this active and relatively high value aftermarket for their products especially when many units in this market are being serviced for free based on Bryston's generous warranty program.  I believe Bryston would gain more customers who are otherwise hesitant dealing in the current aftermarket.

How would Bryston enter this market in a bigger way?  I suggest a trade-in program using the existing dealer network.  A dealer sells a new unit to Customer A who has a Bryston product to trade-in.  Based on a Bryston trade-in valuation table, the dealer knows what credit he will receive from Bryston and makes a sale to Customer A.  Dealer sends traded in product to Bryston for credit against future purchases.  Bryston brings the trade-in up to spec (which it would have done anyway under its warranty program) and now has a unit to offer direct to consumers on the Bryston resale site.

Existing Bryston product owners would be more likely to upgrade knowing that they don't have to deal with eBay or the Audiomarts.  New customers to the Bryston brand can be obtained knowing that they are buying used equipment directly from the manufacturer at a price point below what current products sell for.

All the while, Bryston is keeping a closer connection to its customers while increasing margin opportunities.

You have a great idea.

My 2 cents.

[mr_bill]

Great Idea - Yes!

[jobiwon]

PS Audio will take good working equipment on trade, any brand.  Then I think they offload it to The Music Room for sale.  Maybe Bryston could do something similar but resell select Bryston equipment on their own site as certified pre owned.   I had a fairly old Rotel Class D amp they gave me good money and purdy sure it ended up on TMR.  Definitely lead to me purchasing one of their products.

[sfraser]

Likely a smart business move James. Used Bryston products have certainly followed the "Covid pricing" trend lately. For instance original 4B amps which used to go for $600-700 are now being advertised for over a $1000.

[veloceleste]

Audio by Van Alstine does something similar where they will act as a broker for your used AVA gear when purchasing new AVA gear. The process is listed on their website. However, the difference is AVA sells direct while Bryston wants to support its dealer network so the details involving dealer support and their involvement in the process would have to be worked out.

[sonicxtc]

Smart idea. 
People are always looking for deals and sometimes they are hesitant to take a chance on "expensive" new gear, so
the opportunity to explore a Brand with a used item which limits the Buyer's downside risk is ideal.
If the product is refurbed and preferably warrantied (to some extent) by the original manufacturer, that is a great proposition and a real win:win.

I wish more manufacturers realized the benefit of pursuing such a concept.

[R. Daneel]

Hi Folks

What are your thoughts on opening a discontinued and refurb product store on our website ?

james

Would this store be open for European customers as well?

Cheers!
Antun

[Jeff_From_Michigan]

I love the idea.  I've bought all kinds of used, B-stock and refurbished equipment over the years, and have for the most part been very happy with the purchases. I've heard Bryston amps driving Maggies, and have always wanted to experience that magic synergy in my own house. This concept might just make that a possibility on my limited budget.

Is it possible to be a fan of a brand, having never owned their products, based on the memory of hearing them over 20 years ago?  I say yes.

[Rod_S]

So what would be the difference between this and the current Bryston Certified Sound program where customers can put their names in for a particular older amp if one comes back on trade? Is it basically just an expansion of that program where the only Bryston gear allowed to come in on trade were amplifiers? With a new program any piece of Bryston gear would be allowed to be traded in thus where you would start building up an inventory of the that older gear?

For Atmos I would really like to be able to get the discontinued 875HT so this type of program may be a possibility for that.

[James Tanner]

Would this store be open for European customers as well?

Cheers!
Antun

Hi Antun

As a pilot project, if we do it, would be North America only

james

[James Tanner]

So what would be the difference between this and the current Bryston Certified Sound program where customers can put their names in for a particular older amp if one comes back on trade? Is it basically just an expansion of that program where the only Bryston gear allowed to come in on trade were amplifiers? With a new program any piece of Bryston gear would be allowed to be traded in thus where you would start building up an inventory of the that older gear?

For Atmos I would really like to be able to get the discontinued 875HT so this type of program may be a possibility for that.

Hi Rod,

I am still trying to assess what the program would look like but thinking a trade in program for new products through our dealers and we would take those trade ins and refurbish them for sale through this program. Also older discontinued products that the dealers do not want to bother with.  Still searching for the correct approach that serves both our customers and our dealers equitably?

james

[Rod_S]

Thanks James

That makes sense.

I often see dealers selling "demo" gear and that's actually how I picked up my pair of 7B-SST2's so I guess rather than a dealer trying to sell their demo items to make room if showroom space is limited if for example they want to get say the new of version of that product they could send them back to Bryston for Bryston to sell.

In my case buying direct from dealer and having the amps shipped across the country I obviously could not test the amps before purchase and since the amps were demos there were no refunds. In my case one of the amps did/does have a faulty trigger module (assume it's the module but may be in the amp itself I guess) where the trigger out does not work properly, it constantly cuts power to the downstream component causing the downstream component to turn on and off repeatedly. Given that shipping the amp back to Bryston was very expensive I just had to swap amps so that the other 7B with the properly working trigger module sends the signal to the faulty amp thus I don't have to use that ones trigger out. So in this scenario, if those amps had of gone back to Bryston, Bryston woud have caught and fixed the issue before selling so I see a definite benefit there.

[zoom25]

That sounds like a great idea James. If it's done something like Apple's refurbished program, it will truly be a hit!

Apple offers the same warranty and gives a full check up to ensure everything is working perfectly and like new. I don't know if you guys can (or want to) match it to that extent, but that's what I consider the holy grail of refurbished program. Any issues come up and it gets handled by Apple like they would with new products. I don't have first hand experience, but have only heard great things about it.

Buying a used Bryston from Bryston directly for lower prices and Bryston's QC check, that's a win! 

[whydontumarryit]

I don't like it.

You would be competing against your new sales, the dealer sales and my resale.

Bryston is not Apple. Being subsidized by the government for reducing their "carbon footprint" by keeping unusable products out of the landfill is something only multinational corporations are privy to.

Devoting resources to a questionable source of additional income for Bryston when there is a backlog of repairs, is in the middle of a change in ownership and component sourcing still being up in the air seems, let's just call it lofty.

I'm sticking to the Cottage Industry meets Hi Tech Engineering angle, the way it has always been for audiophile grade companies like Bryston.
If the company is that ambitious why not just put out the For Sale sign and let Harman International slurp up another brand name.

How all of the responses to your idea have been favorable must be motivated only by the chance to pick up a good deal, implying that Bryston's costing structure is not competitive in the current Asian DAC, Class D market. Something that you are familiar with, I guess, although not a real concern to those posting.
Buying decisions are alot tougher than they used to be.

Just for the sake of argument, I want a 4Bsst for my Middle Ts. How much does that amp retail for and what would be an estimated cost for a refurb amp and what is the warranty period. The answer to that question is what determines whether what you propose is a good option for me. A good idea for the company? Who knows?

[gbaby]

 Good idea.