And shop owners wonder why people buy online!

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1340695703' post='1708096']
Somebody earlier mentioned knowing more about a few products they were interested in than the sales guy, but as a former sales guy I should probably add a bit of balance I s'pose, I used to get this a lot, folks that had researched the ass off a few things and knew them to to the nth degree, they would then get all snarky cause they knew those three things better than me, thinking they were a huge expert and I was a mere pleb before them; of course what they forgot was that I had to also know a huge range of info about every. Other. Single. Thing. In. The. Shop!!

However that was hi-fi and I would rather chew my own face off than deal with hi-fi customers ever again. -literally.


But yes, I lament the death of the high street music store, but every single time I've given a local one a chance it's ended up a poor experience. Back to thomann
[/quote]

OK - I understand that the product range is potentially huge... but what is annoying for me is that in the down time, these are the people that are pissing around, doing jack sh*t when they could be having a play with the gear getting to know the ins and outs of the stuff. In my experience, they know jack about most, if not all of the stuff they are selling. There aren't many other jobs where people can do nothing but become reactive only when a customer walks into a shop.

But above all, the thing that pisses me off the most, is when people are blagging in front of you and then telling me bullshit info about what a product can and can't do when I know full well what the score is. A simple, "I don't know" or "Shall we look into it" would be so much better.

The best salesman I know, always carries around a guitar with him and has spent time researching the heck out of the products his shop sells... and that is why he can get sales out of people who only came into the shop for a browse. He can make all those products sing and he know how to navigate around them perfectly - so much impressive than somebody fumbling. I can fumble for myself.

Edited June 26, 2012 by EBS_freak

[bassace]

We used to have a dear old chap who owned the music shop in Reading - I bought my first DB there. I once asked him how much the Gibson EBO was that he had in the window. He frowned for a minute and said 'well, the tenor sax is ££££'

[AndyW]

Online stores are fantastic for comparing prices and often getting a good deal however we need the actual stores to try things out and compare them in the flesh. Otherwise we are wasting their and our time ordering (then returning) things that we would would have put down straight away after one second of trying in the shop. Don't forget that your approach to anyone that you deal with can always set the tone for the response.
Another important thing to remember is that 'most' decent stores will match any legitimate price another store is offering as long as the 'cheaper' store actually has stock. Just be friendly and and ask if this is possible (without demanding etc.).

Concerning ordering a bass just to try, as you think it may be the coolest thing ever is not good practice for any store unless they have a really good relationship with the distributor and you can somehow convince them you won't dissapear once the bass actually arrives. Just think how many times you have a buyer on Gumtree (or even Basschat on the rare occasion) that drops out at the last minute??? Hmmmm, think I'll order that Pink Sparkle Alembic with LED's now..................... haha!

Some have made comments about Guitar guitar, who's service didn't impress when visiting their shops. However, they are also an online store who have pretty much bent over backwards to help me when calling their ordering line, along with being extremely competitive price-wise. Most of them really know their Guitar/Bass stuff while the other person I spoke to was extremely helpful even though he is their Keyboard expert not knowing so much about the guitar department.

I'm not going to do a name and shame for the stores that have really been difficult to deal with but would like to highly commend all the following for great pricing and wonderful service:
Guitar guitar (Be sure to call their central ordering line)
Effect Power Supplies / Stompbox (All really nice there!)
Bass Direct (Mark rules)
The Bass Gallery

And in the Netherlands (where I was living for a few years). They all speak English and ship to the UK!
Paul's Bass Matters
Rock Palace
Adamovic Basses

Thomann also offer a good service but once you factor in shipping, are often more expensive than other shops across Europe if you shop around. However they do have a massive range so corner the market on some brands.

Hope this helps those about to spend their hard earned cash! I've spent waaaaayyyyyy too much over the years!

[Phil Starr]

I'm spoiled for music shops Mansons in Exeter is only half an hour away and Axe Music in Axminster (great name for a guitar shop)is only minutes away. It is tiny and only stocks limited bass gear but keeps it interesting with some good used gear which rotates fairly frequently. It's the centre of the music scene down here. Andy has played in several of the local bands, mixed for others and helped out most of us at one time or another. He's great with kids coming in for a first instrument and advice is given freely even if no sale is in sight. What he does well is getting hold of the bits and pieces you need in a hurry that other places don't keep in stock.

Saturday mornings the place is a bit of a social centre for musicians. We found our drummer through a small ad in the shop too.

Al these shops struggle because of the restrictive practices of the manufacturers like Gibson and Fender who require shops to stock their whole range which means a £60,000 investment, way beyond the means of all but the big boys. Its as if they have decided for us we aren't going to be able to try before we buy or purchase from someone who can offer after sales service. Unless you live in a major city you have tho use the internet for a lot of gear.

[Evil Undead]

[quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1340695321' post='1708092']
I'll bet. Grumpy, condescending and unhelpful.
[/quote]

Have you ever been to Remus Sound on Barton Street? Awesome place, excellent service.

[gafbass02]

I've not tbh. Totally good point about them sitting around being grumpy rather than getting to know the stock.

[jonsmith]

In the case of electronic stuff, where there's no variation between individual items of the same product, I guess ordering online with the option to send it back if you don't like it makes sense especially if there's a saving to be had. However I'm sure we've all had times when we've tried out a few basses or guitars that are ostensibly the same and yet found marked variation between them. I've made a few big decisions online over the years, which have fortunately worked out quite well, but there's nothing like that feeling of picking up a bass in the shop and thinking 'this is the one'.

As for being ignored once I've been given a bass or amp to try, I actually quite like this as I can noodle away incompetently without anyone judging me, meaning I can relax and explore the product. However when this has happened, the shop staff have always said something like 'I'll just be in the next room if you need anything'.

I've had shop assistants acknowledge that they weren't experts in a particular field and go off to seek advice or in one case, suggesting that it might be better to visit the following day when their expert in that field would be back. Annoying if you've made a special trip I suppose, but nice to have the honesty and the offer of sound advice rather than being told what I wanted to hear in order to get the sale.

I've never come across a situation where a shop wouldn't let me try stuff out (although I've heard about such things). Seems crazy to me. I suppose many shops see a lot of time wasters, people checking stuff out before buying it online, damage through carelessness & I guess it must get to you eventually. However I'm sure some conversation with visitors would soon sort the wheat from the chaff.

Read some shocking stories on here over the years (with a couple in this thread). Makes you wonder how some of these businesses ever hope to remain open with such a negative attitude to customers.

I think music shops can still play a role in selling musical equipment. Hopefully the better ones have recognised this & will survive.

[4 Strings]

I think it's better to relate the positives about our shops while we still have them.

Elsewhere there's a thread about useless customers, its these that make some shop owners seem impatient to us.

I suppose it might be inevitable but I'll regret the day we lose our music shops. Not sure how some survive as it is faced with the internet (especially the Amazon gadget which will show you the cheapest on line price from the shop barcode).

[paul torch]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1340726567' post='1708700']
I think it's better to relate the positives about our shops while we still have them.

Elsewhere there's a thread about useless customers, its these that make some shop owners seem impatient to us.

I suppose it might be inevitable but I'll regret the day we lose our music shops. Not sure how some survive as it is faced with the internet (especially the Amazon gadget which will show you the cheapest on line price from the shop barcode).
[/quote]

quite right.

I was lucky enough to have a music store 5 mins walk from my flat for 17 years (ASM Kennington). Sadly, due to a bereavement, it had to close down earlier this year. I feel lost without it, I'd got so used to being able to get anything I needed (within reason) in a moments notice.

Long live the local music shop.

[discreet]

[quote name='paul torch' timestamp='1340728183' post='1708729']
Sadly, due to a bereavement, it had to close down earlier this year.[/quote]

ASM has gone? Had no idea. Used to live in Kennington Park Road by the tube. It was a great shop.

[paul torch]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1340728327' post='1708734']
ASM has gone? Had no idea. Used to live in Kennington Park Road by the tube. It was a great shop.
[/quote]

Yeah, sadly the owner had a stroke, his brother and business partner had passed away due to a long illness a few years earlier.

Their, very elderly, parents and sons tried to keep it going for a bit but they just couldn't manage it. Apparently they'd been struggling with the financial side for years.

A sad loss for the family, Kenno and musicians generally.

[Telebass]

[quote name='gub' timestamp='1340517016' post='1705451']
Well I went into my local music shop the other day ,and the owner who usually stands behind the counter looking at his computer screen and more or less ignores me and when I ask for anything just briefly takes eyes off the screen to point to where it is well he actually said good morning and smiled at me when I went in , he did have a rep with him though who was showing him his stock on his I pad ! Could of pushed me over with a feather ' thought I was in the wrong shop!!
[/quote]
I'm pretty sure I know where THAT shop is...

[silentbob]

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1340703305' post='1708211']
I'm spoiled for music shops Mansons in Exeter is only half an hour away and Axe Music in Axminster (great name for a guitar shop)is only minutes away. It is tiny and only stocks limited bass gear but keeps it interesting with some good used gear which rotates fairly frequently. It's the centre of the music scene down here. Andy has played in several of the local bands, mixed for others and helped out most of us at one time or another. He's great with kids coming in for a first instrument and advice is given freely even if no sale is in sight. What he does well is getting hold of the bits and pieces you need in a hurry that other places don't keep in stock.

Saturday mornings the place is a bit of a social centre for musicians. We found our drummer through a small ad in the shop too.

Al these shops struggle because of the restrictive practices of the manufacturers like Gibson and Fender who require shops to stock their whole range which means a £60,000 investment, way beyond the means of all but the big boys. Its as if they have decided for us we aren't going to be able to try before we buy or purchase from someone who can offer after sales service. Unless you live in a major city you have tho use the internet for a lot of gear.
[/quote]

Wasn't aware of Axe Music, will have to have a look see next time I'm passing through.

[crez5150]

I'm fairly lucky in that within a 10 mile radius I have PMT, Digital Village and Holiday Music/Strings Direct not to mention Allegro, What Pa and Bass Merchant