peted Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I'm selling a bass in the Classifieds section and I've found a buyer. Thought maybe that I could be a *little* cheeky and see if my only local music store has a spare cardboard box that I can pinch to ship it in. Phoned them this morning and the Manager said that they would only sell me one of the boxes they use for their online shipping for £10. I thought this was a bit steep, but then considered that it might be a pretty awesome box with all the proper packaging and everything. So I turn up at the store and they are trying to sell me an oversized, used, Taylor acoustic box with insufficient packaging for £10. The Manager wouldn't budge on the price, I offered to buy a full-price set of bass strings and put £3 on top, but no sale. The member of staff said that they normally have more boxes but they'd just taken them down the tip that week. I asked if they were just going to send them to the tip, why I can't buy the box off of them for £3? The Manager said that he has to pay for the box to be shipped to him, so I should have to pay too if I want to sell my bass. I know it is a little cheeky in that the theory is that I'm competition to them by trying to sell my bass, but my NVQ3 in Customer Service is screaming that if he gives me the cardboard box to sell my bass, I might actually spend the proceeds in his shop one day. Rant over. Please move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Ten quid for a cardboard box? Music shops fling thousands of these things in the bin every day - go to a different shop. And how, in any sane world, are you competition to them? In what way has your private sale on BC demonstrably deprived them of a customer? In my experience guitar boxes are usually pretty flimsy, when I've used these I've always felt I needed to add more reinforcement anyway. Go to your local Lidl & grab 4 of the flat, open boxes they have fruit & veg in, get a hot-melt glue gun & stick them together to make a bomb-proof bass/guitar box. Pack it out with newspaper & cover the holes with gaffa tape, bubble-wrap the bass, neck removed if it's bolt-on. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 The manager seems a bit of a pr*ck IMHO! Wonder if the tenner would have gone through the till As you say, he isn't offering you a brand new piece of packaging specifically ordered in for you to ship your bass in. They no doubt have to pay to have the cardboard taken away so you are doing them a favour. I have to confess that my local Sound Control (RIP) happily sorted me a box out, to the point that they went out to the bins to retrieve the best one. Soundslive also supplied me with a heavy duty box in order that I could ship a bass Internationally, I did buy a case from them but that was neither here nor there as I'd already asked if they had a box I could have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Is the shop you are talking about Honky Tonks? That place has the worst customer service since the Bass Celler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Sounds familiar... One of the music stores near me charges £5 to fit a violin string. Usually the string is around £1 !!!!!! I tell pupils & parents to tell them that, "Dick Turpin" wore a mask. I'll put the string on for nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 The guy in my local shop made me a cup of coffee this afternoon and we chatted for ages about his stock i didn't buy anything and he didn't try to sell me anything but he know i will be back when I do need something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peted Posted July 19, 2008 Author Share Posted July 19, 2008 I've just moved back to Southend after spending about 9 years in Norwich. As I grew up here I spent loads of time in PMT and bought a couple of basses, my first amp, and loads of strings in my time. The customer service used to be superb. I guess now that Honky Tonks music has closed they don't have any direct local competition. I won't be doing business with the Manager of that store again, I've dealt with the Sales Staff and they've been much better, but they don't seem to be authorised to sell cardboard boxes from their rubbish themselves Regarding the now closed Honky Tonks: Every knew that you only went in there to buy your first instrument if you knew nothing. After that you bought everything else from PMT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markytbass Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 [quote]Sounds familiar... One of the music stores near me charges £5 to fit a violin string. Usually the string is around £1 !!!!!! I tell pupils & parents to tell them that, "Dick Turpin" wore a mask. I'll put the string on for nothing[/quote] One of my local shops gave me a box for nowt when I needed a bass shipping. But before we all start applauding, the same shop charged me £5 for fitting strings when I took my bass back for the free set up they advertised when I bought it. The set up wasn't even that good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I didn't realise Honky Tonks closed down when did that happen? I lived in Shoebury Ness back in 2000 havn't been back since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamble Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I've got a box in my loft you can have if you're coming this way anytime soon Pete, 'cos you're a mate you can have it for a fiver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashevans09 Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Yeah this came up in my PMT as well. They don't like giving cardboard boxes away as they view eBay and private sales as direct competition. Apparently mine is barely staying afloat at the moment so this might have something to do with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubs Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 that manager sounds like a complete dick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 I always get shipping boxes from my LMS .. Sometimes they give them to me and sometimes they are a fiver for the staff buns fund .. Either way is fine with me but that guy seems to need a bit of a reallty/customer relations check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodster Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 (edited) [quote name='peted' post='243458' date='Jul 19 2008, 06:41 PM']I've just moved back to Southend after spending about 9 years in Norwich. As I grew up here I spent loads of time in PMT and bought a couple of basses, my first amp, and loads of strings in my time. The customer service used to be superb. I guess now that Honky Tonks music has closed they don't have any direct local competition. I won't be doing business with the Manager of that store again, I've dealt with the Sales Staff and they've been much better, but they don't seem to be authorised to sell cardboard boxes from their rubbish themselves Regarding the now closed Honky Tonks: Every knew that you only went in there to buy your first instrument if you knew nothing. After that you bought everything else from PMT [/quote] I grew up in God's golden acre and spent many an afternoon in Honky Tonk, browsing the racks. Monkey Business came along and blew them into the weeds though and they never recovered. IIRC, Monkey Business started in Romford, Essex and was connected in some way to the Trace Elliot organization, I think via a guy called Alan Morgan...? Having a shop in town that stocked Trace Elliot and Jaydee was a dream!!! Edited July 22, 2008 by woodster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Customer service at PMT is non-existant in my experience. They are complete tw@ts, IMO of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I think Cash Converters opening across the road didn't help Honky Tonk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 [quote name='peted' post='243403' date='Jul 19 2008, 04:16 PM']my NVQ3 in Customer Service is screaming that if he gives me the cardboard box to sell my bass, I might actually spend the proceeds in his shop one day.[/quote]Whereas now your money will be spent elsewhere, and all he's left with is a cardboard box and a riot of bad publicity. What a clown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 [quote name='Ray' post='245329' date='Jul 22 2008, 01:20 PM']Customer service at PMT is non-existant in my experience. They are complete tw@ts, IMO of course.[/quote] On the other hand I used PMT in Northampton to get my lad his electic drum kit and I was very impressed with their service (and the price was OK too). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noisedude Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 [quote name='Gamble' post='243520' date='Jul 19 2008, 10:08 PM']I've got a box in my loft you can have if you're coming this way anytime soon Pete, 'cos you're a mate you can have it for a fiver.[/quote] I think you may have misunderstood the meaning of "cheap at half the price"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianrunci Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 (edited) [size=4][size=3]What was the name of the shop. you need to name and shame so no one on here will use the shop. SOunds like the guy was just taking the P1ss. I would have been sorely tempted to shove a box where the sun don't sine[/size][/size] Edited July 22, 2008 by ianrunci Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah5string Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 One word. Freecycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peted Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 [quote name='Clive Thorne' post='245348' date='Jul 22 2008, 01:33 PM']On the other hand I used PMT in Northampton to get my lad his electic drum kit and I was very impressed with their service (and the price was OK too).[/quote] I have had great customer service in PMT in the past. Many moons ago (10+ years), when I lived in Southend, I went into the PMT there a lot and the service was great. The staff knew me from playing in local bands and they were very helpful and the gear was reasonably priced. I bought my Ibanez from PMT in Romford a couple of years ago and again had great service from that store (the member of staff who served me was actually transferred for the day from the Southend store). I think my gripe was mainly with the Manager which I dealt with this time. I'm sure he has the right mind-set for maximising profit and keeping his business in the black, but he shouldn't be allowed near customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 £10 seems entirely reasonable to me. The manager has to compensate the Homeless guy he's just evicted somehow.... (Gets greasy Mackintosh. Leaves) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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