To recap for you (and others) Jim. I looked at the price of the power supply in the on-line catalog before leaving the day earlier for my trip. I went into the store and said something to the effect of "You've had this power supply here for years and it hasn't sold". I put my wallet on the counter. "What's your best price, my car's outside"? The counter person looked it up and said the same price and WALKED AWAY with a stack of papers he had in his hand. If I was a store manager and one of my sales staff did that, he'd be flipping burgers the next day.
Your statement "
The flea-market bargaining mindset doesn't work well in a brick and mortar establishment" is incorrect. It works well in some
brick and mortar stores such as surplus stores, thrift shops, etc. Been there, done that. Sometimes I get a lower price, sometimes I don't and pay the asking price, and sometimes I say "thank you" and walk away. It never hurts to ask.
But if the counter person says "No" and walks away, that precludes me even buying the item at the advertised price! Well, I suppose I could yell "Hey wait, come back", but I guarantee you that's not gonna happen. What I didn't mention in my earlier post is that I was looking at other items in the store, and was going to base my decision to buy them upon the price of the power supply (I didn't have unlimited money to spend). So, Fair Radio not only lost a potential sale on the power supply, but also on some other items as well.
I have no more concern if Fair Radio stays in business or goes out of business than I do with any business in these troubled economic times. I simply don't do enough business with them to have their demise impact me. Would I visit the store again? Sure, if I was in the area. Would I order from them again (as I've done in the past) ? Sure -- if the price was right.
Mark K3MSB