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Old 03-22-2017, 12:45 PM
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fazool fazool is online now
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Default An example of a brick and mortar "fail"

Just an observation of another self-inflicted challenge a store can face and what happens when they don't counter challenges:

I bought a Zoom H1 and used it for a couple weeks. I had deliberately wanted to buy at my local GC store. I wanted the item that day and I wanted to give them some business.

I love it but suspected that the right channel mic had lower sensitivity. Assuming it was all about placement I experimented a bit. Last night I did a definitive experiment and convinced myself the right channel mic is low in sensitivity, compared to the left.

I want to do some recording this weekend, so I returned this at lunch time to exchange it for another, with the receipt and within the exchange period. The worker was very helpful and accommodating.

The store didn't have any, however. Only one prior revision display model.

I asked him to call the other GC store across town. Nope - they only have one display model also. Ok no problem, I'll return this one and order it from him and have it shipped to the store.

It will take 3-7 days. I said maybe I should just order it online and his answer was "OK cool" as he gave me my money back.

I got in my car, picked up my phone, clicked on Amazon, clicked order and it will be waiting for me at home in 48 hours.

It's really hard to compete with online shops when

1) you run out of the item I want and
2) your other store runs out of the item I want and
3) it can take up to 7 days to get the item I want and
4) I can have it in 48 hours from Amazon and
5) the worker doesn't do anything to save the sale

So, what could they have done differently?

Pay attention to inventory levels

Offer me a discount on the display model to give me some incentive to want a non-new non-current-revision item

Offered expedited shipping so I could get it in 2-3 days instead of 3-7 days

I know this is a "small" purchase and I do like this store a lot but, man, they're not helping themselves when they run their sales operations that way.

I mean, I have little sympathy when they complain about losing business to online sales when stuff like this happens.

I wasn't angry that the item was defective. I also tried to give them my business four times (original purchase, replacement purchase, replacement purchase at other store, replacement purchase at GC online).
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Old 03-22-2017, 01:25 PM
guitarmac62 guitarmac62 is offline
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That's surprising, especially since GC owns Musician's Friend, or vice versa. I checked MF for kicks and they have it in stock and even have one or more discounted as "open box". Not sure if they could meet or beat the shipping costs and times of Amazon.
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Old 03-22-2017, 02:49 PM
Yamaha Man Yamaha Man is offline
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Blame the pencil pushers for "just in time" inventory control. They won't stock anything more than they have to, to save money. They started doing that at a shop I worked at and just created one nightmare after the next, by not having needed items in stock. Then they wonder why people buy at Amazon.
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Old 03-22-2017, 03:35 PM
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KevWind KevWind is offline
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Well here is a recent anecdote of a "fail" I had with Amazon (which we use all the time and have had pretty good luck)

My Monster Power conditioner conked for the second time in 6 months, it is a little resistor or something that frys
Even though I have some extra's of that part and had fixed it myself the first time , the unit is about 10-12 years old.
So I started doing some research and decided I wanted to step up to a Furman that also has voltage regulation.

Amazon had them so I ordered a new one @ $799 which is a good price as they are $1049 at Sweetwater .Even though it was prime it took 6 days to get here . Then when I opened the box I noticed the plastic bag had been sliced open and scotch taped back shut. It had obviously been opened, possibly a return. So I called up customer service and got a return and ordered another one the new one got another 6 days and it is the wrong model it is one of Furman's cheaper units that sell for $ 189 with no voltage regulation. Basically a rackmount power strip . So I called up and told them my story the said they would order a UPS pick up and credit our card as soon as it was scanned by UPS as picked up. Well of course it wasn't and only when I called 4 days later did they credit our card .
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Old 03-22-2017, 03:57 PM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
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Local brick and mortars may not provide the instant gratification, then again they may. Online sellers with well oiled deliver, like Amazon, have a bigger selection, and more often have items (or sellers) in stock.

I rarely have to have something, particularly in my music endeavors, right away. But if it's something that is needed right now, and it's not available in town to retrieve, online purchases can work quite well.
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Old 03-22-2017, 05:10 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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FYI, Sweetwater will price match in most cases. I'm really glad I bought a fairly high-ticket 24 track recorder at Sweetwater as it malfunctioned after 18 months and since Sweetwater automatically extended the manufacturer's 1 year warranty by an additional year it was taken care of at no charge.

Moral? Make sure you examine all the aspects of a purchase before going for the low price.
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Old 03-23-2017, 10:38 AM
gfsark gfsark is offline
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I go out of my way to buy from GC because I want them to stay in business. The only thing they did wrong, imho, is to not have a system to replace your item immediately via internet shipment direct to you, if they couldn't do that from the store's inventory. That should be a no brainer.

I can't fault them for carrying the minimum amount of inventory. If they didn't they'd be totally out of business, not just hurting financially. Blaming the pencil pushers for following rational business practices that allow the store to stay in business, is a bit misguided. The retail marketplace is brutal.

Last edited by gfsark; 03-23-2017 at 10:41 AM. Reason: Typo
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