Support your local store rant!!!

[big mike]

Originally Posted by aroman

Guitar Center.

" You can try all our gear. You can pay us for 12 Months with no interest. You can return items within 28 days. We will beat the competition price 30 days after your purchase ".
They sold me the best two Guitars I own.

Local store
" All sales are final ". " No returns ". " This Guitar is going to rock your socks off, you will be happy ".

The Guitar is such a piece of SHIT that I even discouraged a Senior Member from buying it at the Emporium !!!.

You're blaming the store for selling you a POS?
You couldnt' tell by playing it? Curious. Seriously. I know if a guitar is worth buying in 10 min of playing it.

[Blue Fin]

Just because you own a local store doesn't entitle you to any business. If you can offer a better price, product, service or support that I can't get somewhere else then I'll shop at your store.

[aroman]

Originally Posted by big mike

You're blaming the store for selling you a POS?
You couldnt' tell by playing it? Curious. Seriously. I know if a guitar is worth buying in 10 min of playing it.

I like most everything for about 1 week !!
I realized that Guitar was a POS in less than a week. But " no returs all sales are final " ****ed me !.
I blame my self for trusting the " it is going to rock your socks, trust me you will be happy " comment.

[Neer]

You forgot to add in the $3.49 shipping and the fact that you will have to wait a few days.

$3.89 + $3.49 = $7.38

[Sweetfinger]

Originally Posted by screamtone

Here's my situation: I'm playing gigs as a primary source of income right now. If I buy a set of acoustic guitar strings and a few picks from my local shop, that turns a $100 into a $90 gig (or close to it) pretty quick. "What do you mean you don't have any single bronze-wound .024's?" So then I have to buy two sets of overpriced strings just to cover my ass in case I break one. Now my $100 gig turns into an $85 gig. Three beers at the gig, and I'm down to $70-75. If I'm lucky enough to do that five times a week, I'm making a cool $350 a week, or a cool $18K per year. Mind you, I don't play very many $100 gigs because I'd starve to death if I did that all of the time.

So you're bitching about paying more for strings but got no problem paying five bucks for a beer you could buy at the store for a dollar fifty?

[brianr0131]

Originally Posted by Neer

You forgot to add in the $3.49 shipping and the fact that you will have to wait a few days.

$3.89 + $3.49 = $7.38

I get my D'addarrio's on Amazon @ 25.52 for a 10 pack free shipping

[tiktok]

Local stores buy their stuff through a mixture of distributors and direct from the manufacturer, based on price and convenience. They do this to maximize their profit. No-one expects them to buy goods from a more expensive supplier or distributor to "help out the little(er) guy".

Local musicians buy their stuff through a mixture of local stores, mail order/internet vendors, and directly from individuals, based on price and convenience. They do this to maximize their bang for the buck.

No-one involved is really interested in doing anyone else any favors--but sometimes they need strings RIGHT NOW and it's worth a "convenience charge" and sometimes its the end of the month and they need to move an amp or guitar RIGHT NOW, and it's worth a "good customer discount".

Personally I find that if the local place stocks, say, strings, there's a negligible price difference between them and an online source once shipping is taken into account, plus the wait time. If the local place carries them, I buy from them, even if it's slightly more expensive. If they don't carry the specific type of strings, I order them on the internet. I have learned through bitter experience that there is no slower way to obtain an item than to "special order" it via a local place, be it an M&P or even (amazingly) Guitar Center.

[screamtone]

Originally Posted by Sweetfinger

So you're bitching about paying more for strings but got no problem paying five bucks for a beer you could buy at the store for a dollar fifty?

This isn't a thread about drink prices at bars. When there is one, I'll gladly bitch about that in the appropriate thread

Besides, I can gig without beer. I can't gig without strings.

Originally Posted by tiktok

Local stores buy their stuff through a mixture of distributors and direct from the manufacturer, based on price and convenience. They do this to maximize their profit. No-one expects them to buy goods from a more expensive supplier or distributor to "help out the little(er) guy".

Local musicians buy their stuff through a mixture of local stores, mail order/internet vendors, and directly from individuals, based on price and convenience. They do this to maximize their bang for the buck.

Exactly. I drive to gigs. Should I be willing to pay $6.50 a gallon for gas to keep a small gas station in business?

I played 140 gigs last year, and I used at least one new set of strings on every one of them (except days when I had multiple gigs in one day), and two or more sets on probably about half of them. That's a lot of strings. I can't afford to spend an extra $2-3 a set on strings, mainly because I buy so many.

Once again, being a "local business" is not reserved for music store owners. I am also a local business and I need to cut costs and maximize profits just like a music store. There are stores that cut me a deal, and I try to patronize those when they have something I need.

Originally Posted by tiktok

Personally I find that if the local place stocks, say, strings, there's a negligible price difference between them and an online source once shipping is taken into account, plus the wait time. If the local place carries them, I buy from them, even if it's slightly more expensive. If they don't carry the specific type of strings, I order them on the internet. I have learned through bitter experience that there is no slower way to obtain an item than to "special order" it via a local place, be it an M&P or even (amazingly) Guitar Center.

Around here, unless you go to GC, prices at the local stores aren't comparable to mail order at all. Not really anywhere even close, unless you know someone. I'm cool with paying extra when I don't plan, or need something in an emergency, but there's no way I can do that all of the time. I appreciate that service, and I pay for it when I need it, I just can't afford to do it all of the time.

[ProII]

Originally Posted by big mike

Did you ask for the players price?
Did you multiple pack discuount?

It's a convinence at that point. they can't match buying power.
But the service is better.

I'll pay more for strings to get them right now. Hell, I've ordered cases to help with the shops mininum before.

you need to establish a relationship with the store, not judge them by one item that the big boys 'loss leader' every week.

Yeah, tried establishing a relationship with my local store but it just didn't work out. Bought an MIA strat from them late last year. Couple of weeks later I was in looking at teles and the vibe was "oh great another time waster playing our guitars, just pick the colour you want and buy it". Short memory it seems.

Also hard to maintain a relationship when the other half is so moody. One time it will be all smiles "I can do a pack strings for $8" (that's not bad in Aust) next time he's having a bad day and its $12 or 3 for $30.

They are just two examples -- I've been in there many times and got the vibe that it was just a chore being nice for them. I suspect what they would rather be doing is selling $450 strat packs to beginners.

So no, the service is not better, in my case anyway. I wish they were nice folks I could support, I really do.

(Mega Music Myaree, by the way)

[Sweetfinger]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sweetfinger
So you're bitching about paying more for strings but got no problem paying five bucks for a beer you could buy at the store for a dollar fifty?

Originally Posted by screamtone

This isn't a thread about drink prices at bars. When there is one, I'll gladly bitch about that in the appropriate thread

Besides, I can gig without beer. I can't gig without strings.

To me you're making the exact same choice. You can choose where to buy strings. You have a choice where to buy a beer. Whether or not you can "go without" is a moot point. The fact is that you willingly will overpay for a drink, but get bent out of shape over paying a much smaller (percentage-wise) amount for strings at your local shop. If you bought strings with the same markup as a beer in a bar, a pack of Ernie Ball Slinkys would be fifteen to twenty bucks. At some point in your life it was burned into your mind that it is ok, and expected, to happily bend over and get reamed several hundred percent on the price of booze, but paying 10 or 20% higher for strings is unconscionable. I should start a combination bar and music store. Nah. Patrons would start bitching that they can get the same whiskey in a quart bottle for 20 bucks at the package store that I'm selling by the shot for 3 bucks.

I swear people are just stupid when it comes to trying to save money. They'll drive 25 miles away to save five bucks. Heck, one will drive miles to save a quarter.

This actually happened: A lady and her friend come into the store I used to manage. They spend a bit of time looking around and after circling the store they arrive back at the front counter. The lady asks a couple questions about what accessories might make a good gift for a beginner player. She thoughtfully looks around for a few moments, then points to the tub of stringwinders and asks how much they are. "A dollar twenty-five", I replied.
She gets a disgusted look on her face. "Oh!, You're too high on that! Come on, (she motions to her friend) we're going back to the other store!"

Does that lady's behavior sound familiar?
Have you asked your local shop if they'll sell you 10 packs for $40?

[rspencer]

I like go try out stuff at Guitar Center.
Then I come home & buy it online for cheaper.
Afterward, I post on TGP how nothing is really new at GC,
because all of these people have been playing & handling everything.

[rhinocaster]

This really isn't too complicated to me. I feel an obligation and a desire to help support businesses that contribute to my enjoyment of the area in which I live. I enjoy a world where things are different everywhere I go and that local flavor is something that I'm willing to support.

The catch is, if I don't like what you're bringing to the area, I won't support you. I have one guitar shop in my town that I care about and I buy what I can from them. I have a world class shop just down the road and I shop there too.

I will not support local businesses that treat you like you owe them something simply because they're in your area. Bring something and care about your customers and you've got me.

[TheRockDoc]

Originally Posted by rspencer

I like go try out stuff at Guitar Center.
Then I come home & buy it online for cheaper.
Afterward, I post on TGP how nothing is really new at GC,
because all of these people have been playing & handling everything.

bbbwwwwaaaahhhhh!

in reality, most 'local' stores kicked their own asses by doing then what they do now... selling Gorilla amps for full retail.

There is another locally owned music store in my area- very large. At the time, my rig was an Ampeg V4 and a JCM 800. The salesdude wanted me to just purchase an IbuzzNeck amp... because I should here the 'sweet tone'.

Let's just say he didn't last very long at that store... but competing in a chain vs. a small shop requires a totally different mindset. My GC guys are great- all excellent players and all know their stuff. I always meander around and have been 'sold' anything- never had any grief...except for an occasional gaff. Local stores have a more Anti-GC mentality... and it usual kills deals for me rather than actually finding what I want/need- basic salesmanship 101

[firebird1999us]

I work quite hard for my money - so supporting a failed business model isn't to high on my priority list. That's why I paid $350 less for my EJ rosewood strat at Guitar Center. And I've got 30 days to take it back no questions asked if I don't like it. How terrible