Buying a Hearing Aid: When to Exercise Caution

ByAnders Abadie

Buying a hearing aid is one of the most positive steps you can take when diagnosed with auditory loss. When done under the guidance of a professional audiologist and with the help of a center devoted to their customers, the purchase can be smooth and satisfying. When you venture out on your own, however, it's easy to get caught up in a lot of stuff that has little to do with improving your ability to hear and more to do with making someone their share of profit. When it comes to health care, your improvement should be more important than making an extra buck or two. Here are some things you may face and why you should exercise caution when shopping.

Pressure Sales

Pressure sales have no place in selling a hearing aid, yet you'll find it just as readily as you would in any other area. Perhaps even more so since you can't just run up to a big box store and pick up a medical-grade assistive listening device. You'll need to use a licensed center, and these may very well be staffed with sales people working on commission, i.e., pressure. If you're the type of person who is susceptible to these kinds of tactics, simply walk out when you start feeling them. You can always buy whatever you need online or from another dealer. You may also want to let the salespeople know that you won't be buying anything on that day and are rather just getting your feet wet by browsing and learning. That may convince them to turn down the pressure.

Tricks and Gimmicks

Be very wary when it comes to the common gimmicks and sales tactics stores use when they try to sell you a hearing aid. These tactics may include factory sales, trade-ins, and other discounts that are really just layers of mumbo-jumbo designed to make the customer feel as though they are getting a great deal. These dealers have their profit built into the sale and it doesn't change from customer to customer. Be especially wary of trade-in offers, as there is certainly no used hearing aid market. This is just another gimmick to get you in the door. Make a note of some models and prices supposedly priced to sell and check online to see what others are selling them at. You'll probably find similar or lower prices without much trouble.

Mixed Messages

If you have been told one thing about your auditory loss by a doctor and you're being told something else by a hearing aid salesman, you're probably going to want to trust your doctor. Keep this in mind if a salesperson or "technician" starts telling you that your audiologist is wrong.

A Southwestern Virginia hearing aid retailer should be trustworthy and compassionate. For a highly professional center, go to http://www.miracle-ear-swvirginia.com.

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Health and Fitness
Anders Abadie

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Abadie, Anders".".23 Apr. 2012EzineArticles.com.25 Apr. 2012 .APA Style Citation:
Abadie, A. (2012, April 23). . Retrieved April 25, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Buying-­a-­Hearing-­Aid:-­When-­to-­Exercise-­Caution&id=7020010Chicago Style Citation:
Abadie, Anders "." EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?Buying-­a-­Hearing-­Aid:-­When-­to-­Exercise-­Caution&id=7020010EzineArticles.com© 2012 EzineArticles.com
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