Is it worth buying retail ?

[patrikmarky]

Is it worth buying through a retail shop nowadays?…from my experience there doesn’t 

seem to be a lot of “customer service “..for me to  justifiably buying new ..I have 2 products that 

have both had to be returned for “repair” the guitar is 8 months old the amp is 5 months..

from my days in retail a few years ago now you could refuse a repair and demand a new product 

things must have moved on since there or the music industry is a law onto there own ..not sure I 

want to go out with a repaired amp ..as we all know sometimes there’s a Friday afternoon jobs , and there 

were not even cheap products…anyone else has problems.? We obviously don’t need to name and shame just wondering 

if it’s me 😉

 

[asingardenof]

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 still gives you the right to reject a faulty product, request a repair or replacement, or ask for a full or partial refund, so things haven't changed that much if at all. From what I see online there seems to be a trend of people accepting that faulty items just happen and that they should get them repaired themselves, having apparently never come across the concept of a warranty or a right to refuse faulty goods.

[patrikmarky]

It has gone back to the retailer that supplied them for repair it’s not something I’ve taken on to get repaired .they did spring the 30 days on me ..i know they only get one chance at a repair….i guess it’s a lot easier to battle on the end of computer..gone are the days you can go in the shop and bash on the counter demanding to see the manager 

[Dan Dare]

17 hours ago, patrikmarky said:

Is it worth buying through a retail shop nowadays?

 

Depends on the retailer. Some are good, some less so.

 

If things do go south, the law is the law - see asingardenof's comment above - and it doesn't matter what Ts & Cs a shop attempts to impose or demand you abide by. You may need to be insistent and refuse to allow them to persuade you to compromise. As far as repairs go, it is not the best idea to accept an offer to repair to a brand new product. The best option is to reject it and demand a fully functioning replacement.

[Burns-bass]

21 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

 

Depends on the retailer. Some are good, some less so.

 

If things do go south, the law is the law - see asingardenof's comment above - and it doesn't matter what Ts & Cs a shop attempts to impose or demand you abide by. You may need to be insistent and refuse to allow them to persuade you to compromise. As far as repairs go, it is not the best idea to accept an offer to repair to a brand new product. The best option is to reject it and demand a fully functioning replacement.

Agreed. Also, with high priced electrical goods, if you can prove that the fault was there when you bought it (dodgy fan, etc) then you can claim a refund up to 6 years after you bought it. (Consumer Rights Act)

 

Manufacturers selling high value items can’t simply put their hands up after 13 months and say it’s not their responsibility - even if they try.

 

 

 

[dave_bass5]

I rarely buy from shops these days, but the one time recently I made a decent sized purchase was for a RAB jacket from Cotswolds. This cost me £260. Within 6 weeks one of the seams has split, and when I took it back they said they have to send it off to RAB, first to get checked that I hadn't caused it, and then to see if it can be repaired. 

I felt this was unacceptable although couldn't do anything about it. It was a winter coat and I spent a good 5 weeks without it during the winter. 

[Boodang]

A mate of mine used to run a drum shop. Punters would come in, ask for advise, try out gear, then save 5 quid buying online. We now don't have a drum shop locally to try out stuff.

Of course that doesn't mean retail can get away with shoddy service but it would be a crying shame if we lost actually shops. So far I've had really good experiences using Andertons and, despite the odd communication hiccup, bass direct have been good with advise.

 

[patrikmarky]

I guess it’s a difficult industry to make money ..most of them price match with internet so margins I imagine aren’t massive ….

[Burns-bass]

56 minutes ago, Boodang said:

A mate of mine used to run a drum shop. Punters would come in, ask for advise, try out gear, then save 5 quid buying online. We now don't have a drum shop locally to try out stuff.

Of course that doesn't mean retail can get away with shoddy service but it would be a crying shame if we lost actually shops. So far I've had really good experiences using Andertons and, despite the odd communication hiccup, bass direct have been good with advise.

 

A friend works in a bookshop and she said that people will open the Amazon app in the shop and buy the book there. It’s mad

[bass_dinger]

On 04/07/2024 at 09:31, Boodang said:

A mate of mine used to run a drum shop. Punters would come in, ask for advise, try out gear, then save 5 quid buying online. We now don't have a drum shop locally to try out stuff.

Of course that doesn't mean retail can get away with shoddy service but it would be a crying shame if we lost actually shops. So far I've had really good experiences using Andertons and, despite the odd communication hiccup, bass direct have been good with advise.

 

That's why I prefer shops - not because they are cheaper, but because they provide expertise. 

 

That said, I have most of the high value items that I need, but I plan to buy an Eastman mandolin from the same shop that demonstrated the mandolin to me.

 

Interestingly, the person who showed me the mandolin in 2024 was the same person, in the same premises, who took my order for a Lowden guitar back in 1992.  

 

In both cases, I was able to try before I buy, and that was worth the extra cost.

 

The premises were Ivor Mairants, now Macs.

[Cliff Edge]

My feeling is if a recently purchased item is faulty to the point where it needs repair, then the retailer is not the ideal, or correct, repairer. Unlikely to have the expertise. Return to the manufacturer for repair or  better still refund / replace. 

[dave_bass5]

7 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

That's why I prefer shops - not because they are cheaper, but because they provide expertise. 

 

.

This isnt always the case though. I remember many negative posts about staff in the shops in Denmark street years ago, especially one particularly shop. 

I guess its down to the person rather than the company though.

[paul_c2]

On 02/07/2024 at 17:06, asingardenof said:

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 still gives you the right to reject a faulty product, request a repair or replacement, or ask for a full or partial refund, so things haven't changed that much if at all. From what I see online there seems to be a trend of people accepting that faulty items just happen and that they should get them repaired themselves, having apparently never come across the concept of a warranty or a right to refuse faulty goods.

 

I am not sure that's true. The choice to refund/repair/replace lies with the seller, not the buyer.

[asingardenof]

6 hours ago, paul_c2 said:

 

I am not sure that's true. The choice to refund/repair/replace lies with the seller, not the buyer.

No, the buyer is the one with the choice here, not the seller: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/return-faulty-goods/

Edited July 6, 2024 by asingardenof

[paul_c2]

7 hours ago, asingardenof said:

No, the buyer is the one with the choice here, not the seller: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/return-faulty-goods/

 

Lots of "mights" and "coulds" in that wording. I am partially correct - first 30 days, you can insist on a refund. After that, the seller has the choice of repair/refund/replace.

 

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/what-do-i-do-if-i-have-a-faulty-product-aTTEK2g0YuEy

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act-aKJYx8n5KiSl

[NancyJohnson]

Just on the OP, if I were on the market for another bass/guitar, going somewhere like Andertons or guitarguitar would just offer a) some surety that the product is genuinely what it purports to be, and b) if you're going for something with a highly figured top/finish, you may have the option to select the instrument you actually want.

 

If I was buying production line stuff, backline/stomps, I generally do my diligence and would just find the cheapest price online (ultimately Thomann).

 

 

 

 

[bassbloke]

Depends on item and shop.  One of the footswitches failed on my HX Stomp 2 weeks after buying it.  GuitarGuitar swapped it with zero fuss.  Would have been far more hassle 2nd hand.