#1
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Good advice for owners of music stores
I spend a great deal of time, browsing around music stores, always on the lookout for a great acoustic guitar and a good deal. There are a few things I believe owners could do make the experience better for customers and ultimately increase sales.
First, strings need to be changed regularly. If I pick up a guitar to find the strings are dead, I will be very unlikely to buy the guitar. The quality of the strings has a direct effect on the sound of the guitar. I recently visited one store where the owners had posted a sign reading "please do not re-tune the guitars." Yet, all of the guitars I picked up were out-of-tune. How likely is it that I'll buy an untuned guitar based on what I'm hearing? If possible, have a quiet room where customers can sit down and try out the guitars. I recently went to a store where there was so much background noise from keyboards, drums, electric guitars, etc. that I couldn't even hear the guitar I was playing. Make the instruments as reasonably accessible as possible. Obviously, you don't want to leave an expensive guitar where it can easily be damaged. But customers will only go through so many obstacles. I've actually gone to a couple of stores where the higher-end guitars were kept inside glass cabinets. The experience resembled a visit to an art museum more than a music store. Most music stores have to carry a wide variety of products to be profitable. But, you can have too much stuff crammed into a small space. I visited one store where I had to step over amplifiers and cases just to get to the section of the store where the acoustic instruments were on display. The most important advice I can offer is giving the customer enough time and space to sample the instruments. Following the customer from guitar to guitar, pushing them to make a purchase, and standing over them is not going to increase the chance of making a sale. I have politely left a few stores where I had this type of experience, and I would be unlikely to go back. |
#2
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Here in my city we have a couple of mom & pop music stores that I tend to shop at. They are cool and don't mind you trying out expensive guitars and at one place the owner, if he's there will give you a tour of the store he's so friendly...lol
We also have the large chain stores too. I find the staff at these places cold and impersonal. It's impossible to find a sales person most times at these shops to help you. They certainly don't follow you around. In one shop's acoustic guitar room they have some guitars hanging so high up that a sales person needs a tall step ladder to reach them for you. Like that isn't dangerous....geeze one day someone's going to lose their balance and...CRASH...there goes a Gibson J200! |
#3
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Fresh Strings: I have seen high priced (used, probably on consignment but still...) guitars with really dead, obviously old strings. No way! And a pretty easy fix, right?
Room: a separate space is nice but can be difficult if more than one wants to try things out. So that can cut both ways, but still I too prefer a quiet separate room. One of the better salesperson experiences I had was after playing a bunch of guitars (all easy to access, some very nice), in a quiet separate room (for a little while a couple of us customers playing in there together) the owner popped in, said "play me a tune" which I did (short little ditty); he said "nice" and left. I wasn't in a purchase space at the time but it would have worked out for him had I been... |
#4
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Funny, but I thought the advice you were going to give was,
“move to an online business model, and fast!”
__________________
Merrill | Martin | Collings | Gibson For Sale: 2023 Collings D2H 1 3/4 Nut, Adi Bracing, NTB -- $4250 shipped |
#5
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I think the only place I've been that meets all your advice is Gruhn's Guitar's in Nashville. I only wish I lived closer.
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#6
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there are still places that are great stores to shop in my area (west coast Canada) including the "big one", not every store will be good so I give my $ to the ones that are and tell anyone who asks where NOT to go sid
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#7
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Our local music store is like that. In addition, if you want a separate room to play in, they will offer one of the empty student rooms.
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#8
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I will advise that, if it were that simple, and it isn't even close, all music stores would simply flourish.
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#9
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My favorite store has a comfortable room where they keep the higher end acoustics. They'll even close the door to the room to drown out some of the outside noise. Someone will check in every 30 minutes or so to see if you have any questions. When I go there, I'm usually in the store a couple of hours.
They don't use high-pressure sales tactics. If you're not ready to buy that day, they may ask for your contact information and what you're looking for to follow-up. Saturday tends to be the busiest day, so I will often go on a weekday. |
#10
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weekly advice for store owners. same as last week. check with our sponsors instead. you'll probably like them better as they keep up on the AGF.
play music!
__________________
2014 Martin 00015M 2009 Martin 0015M 2008 Martin HD28 2007 Martin 000-18GE 2006 Taylor 712 2006 Fender Parlor GDP100 1978 Fender F65 1968 Gibson B25-12N Various Electrics |
#11
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It's not as simple as it seems. A store owner must consider extra investment in strings, time and labor to change them out, how many guitars need strings replacement, etc., then balance all that out with some wish that increased sales will happen. Another consideration is how does the owner determine which guitars need strings changed? Does he need to play every single guitar to figure that out? Does he mark each guitar with some tag that indicates the last time strings were changed? Does he remember the tone of each guitar? The $75 Fender that's brand new might sound like it needs a string change, but the $2800 Martin that needs a string change might still sound better. If I'm in a store and the guitar sounds like it needs a string change, I just ask and generally they'll do it for free. That seems like a better business model to me from an owner's perspective.
__________________
2016 Martin D-28 Marquis 2017 Martin D-18 2016 Taylor 416ce-LTD cedar/walnut 2017 Eastman E10 OM |
#12
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Quote:
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#13
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For the investment of the guitars, changing strings on a regular basis seems to be a good policy (at least every three months).
I've honestly picked up guitars and the strings were so dead that I would speculate the strings had not been changed in over a year. From the buyer's perspective, the sound of the instrument will most likely be the determining factor on whether or not they buy. If the instrument doesn't sound good, I'm not buying. |
#14
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I walked into Gruhn's and an employee welcomed me and told me to play anything in the store I wanted to try. I was blown away by their friendliness and customer service.
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#15
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If you are ever in Atlanta, GA check out Maple Street Guitars.
I was there on business and since my hotel was right down the street... Incredible store, great selection of guitars, put me in a small room to try out guitars and left me alone. Even brought me a couple just to see if I wanted to try something different. Kirk |