Just a note:

The prevalence of online hearing aids isn’t a surprise. You can find top of the line hearing aids for a much cheaper price than you’d get at an audiologist office.

But, really, its a terrible thing for the consumer and the hearing aid industry. First of all, the consumer is going to have a lousy experience with the product. I know some people who will write me and tell me that’s not true and let me know how much they enjoy their online purchase of premier hearing aids. Hate to sound didactic- but they don’t know what they are missing. The hearing device isn’t calibrated to their loss, and if that is the case there isn’t any point in going after the best hearing aids. You might as well go for the cheaper ones and get them properly set to ones specific hearing loss.

Secondly, every hearing aid is going to experience some sort of problem at one point or another. You’ll get a microphone that cuts in an out, a shrill amplification quality, too much feedback, or any number of problems. It WILL happen. If you’ve bought the hearing aid online your faced with some expenses you might not have expected. In most cases a hearing aid thats bought through an audiologist will come with a warranty so you can send it in for free. Thats not the case with the online hearing aid- you either have to throw it away or pay to have it serviced.

Ok- the online trend on ebay is also terrible for the industry as a whole. It cheapens the perception of the brand. In my mind its somewhat similar to the car rental market. I think a Ford Focus SEEMS cheap because I see them as rental cars everywhere. It diminishes an intangible asset- brand perception. This works the same way for the flooded online (typically ebay) hearing aid market. Furthermore- since the aid is out there without any professional service attached- it ensures a low-grade experience. Thats damaging for all of these brands.

I think the industry ought to be working harder to get rid of online sales (the ones that don’t come with professional services). Maybe hearing aid industry and audiologists as a whole need to do something to re-gain the trust and wallets of their clients. I don’t know the answers for that. There are thousands of lower income and middle income people out there who either aren’t wearing aids or going straight to online sellers. I don’t really blame them. But its not a good thing.

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