Why can some avionics be sold over the counter (without dealer installation)?
When a company becomes a dealer for a major manufacturer, it is required to commit to a dealership agreement. Most manufacturers state in these agreements that no new equipment, unless otherwise specified, will be sold outright. Therefore, they must be installed by the dealer. The primary reason for this is they want their equipment installed by known trained and knowledgeable technicians instead of yahoos. They also want to make sure the customer is happy and not complaining to the manufacturer about installation related problems beyond their control.
