Can’t Sweetwater just...

[Bigredhog]

I like their catalog and there is a lot to be said for not staring at a screen burning my retinas out. You can always call or email them to stop calls and catalogs.

[rokdog49]

The printed catalog is a lot easier to page through than all those web pages. It's a classy touch. I don't understand what the big deal is. It is expensive to produce, but it is one of the ways Sweetwater spends their marketing budget dollars. If you want to buy stuff cheaper, buy it somewhere else. When we buy stuff we are paying for marketing costs of some sort and in some format...
so what?
I'm sure their intent is that the catalog laying around in plain sight will get picked up and looked at.
As far as the "wasteful" part, personally, I don't agree. When I think of all the wasteful junk mail we receive in a year, somehow the Sweetwater catalog pales in comparison, at least it's useful.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by jkilgour2000

Not print these massive catalogs, and pass the savings onto us?

- and don't forget those quarterly "Sweetnotes" newsletters...

Sweetwater is a single-site operation that does $750 mil in annual sales - comparable to and likely exceeding some of the big-box chains - and I doubt even Warren Buffett could take issue with a business model that produces those results...

Unlike a certain well-known big-box "guitar specialist" I don't feel physically violated when I deal with them - and if voting with your wallet is all it's cracked up to be, apparently many customers feel the same way...

As far as those follow-up calls are concerned, there's no law that says you have to take them; I don't, and I haven't gotten one in years - but it appears that a large portion of their customer base appreciates the goodwill generated by this last vestige of the small-shop/personal-touch approach...

Although I use the internet extensively - probably too much for my own good - I do enjoy leafing through a print catalog, and it seems enough customers feel likewise for them to keep it in print (FYI Sam Ash still issues a print catalog - smaller, but also published more frequently)...

Besides, my wife likes the Necco candy rolls and Bit-o-Honey they enclose with every order...

[Glennwillow]

I like dealing with Sweetwater and I also recently got their catalog. My first reaction is typically, "Why are they spending money on this?"

But I put the catalog near the couch where I nest and sure enough, I routinely pick that catalog up and start paging through it.

They must find that it helps to generate sales; to me, Sweetwater is a quality operation with knowledgeable, well trained sales people. I have gotten really good advice from my Sweetwater sales rep over and over again, so I am quite satisfied and deal with them whenever it makes sense. Many people complain about intrusive sales calls from them, but I never get those calls and I've been a Sweetwater customer for a long time.

- Glenn

[golfreggie]

I had changed my email address on the website for my Sweetwater account. No problem. And to my surprise my "sales engineer" called me to verify. They do that to make sure my account has not been hacked. For that service, bug me anytime. If they sold the strings I like I would buy from them. I have bought 2 guitars in the past, all packed safely and all the small items too. Besides, I love getting candy in the mail!

[Tony Burns]

I agree -even asked them not to send me a catalog - but they do it anyways .
I even explained that when i want something i go on the net and order it that way -
I dont buy big ticket stuff anymore -i dont use amps etc. Im an acoustic guy !

Mine basically go in the recycle bin -what can i do ( yes it is a waste )
but their living in the 1970's -- what can you do !

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

I agree -even asked them not to send me a catalog - but they do it anyways .
I even explained that when i want something i go on the net and order it that way -
I dont buy big ticket stuff anymore -i dont use amps etc. Im an acoustic guy !

Mine basically go in the recycle bin -what can i do ( yes it is a waste )
but their living in the 1970's -- what can you do !

I wish somebody would have placed their unwanted Sweetwater catalog in my doctors office.
All can find there is People, Glamour, Elle, Woman's World and if your lucky a golf mag.

[Pinetreebob]

Originally Posted by Paddy1951

One thing to consider is that even in 2019, not everybody uses the internet. Some may have little access, some may choose not to. Some may even prefer a hard copy.

I agree, not everyone has access to the internet and some are just old school. I have a friend who by choice doesn't own a computer, for a cell phone he has an old flip phone which he never uses and has never...I mean never has used a credit card. He pays for everything with cash, check or money order. He uses catalogs (actually cuts out the mail order form, can't remember the last time I've done that!) and would not order mail order from a retailer if he didn't get a catalog from them.
He's an extreme example but if he's like that there must be many who are in the same boat and Sweetwater wants to sell to them to!

[menhir]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

I wish somebody would have placed their unwanted Sweetwater catalog in my doctors office.
All can find there is People, Glamour, Elle, Woman's World and if your lucky a golf mag.

If only.

Almost every time I go to the Doctor's, my wife settles down and goes through the lady's magazines while I'm left staring at the TV...which is invariably tuned to "The View." I leave feeling worse than when I went in.

I used to get the StewMac and the Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop paper catalogs. Thank goodness they stopped. The GTAS and GIVAS was too much to handle.

[Earl49]

I don't get many print catalogs anymore, but they do go into the bathroom for repeated contemplative browsing. The exceptions are for Stew-Mac, Stefan Grossman, and Elderly Instruments.

I never got the SW catalog because I just don't buy from them. Count me as one who considers the dozens of follow-up calls as a nuisance -- and it is hard to make them stop calling. How much "follow up" is really needed on a Boss tuner pedal anyway? It either works or not. If not, you'll hear from ME right away. And as a licensed professional engineer (PE) I kinda resent them appropriating the hard-earned title for a cubicle dwelling sales rep.

[cdkrugjr]

I told my rep NEVER to call me and he hasn't since.

To me it's like the Bean catalog. Read it while I sit on the can, along with Bean, REI, and Elderly

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by jkilgour2000

Not print these massive catalogs, and pass the savings onto us? [emoji3]Attachment 20411

They must know that it benefits them in the long game.

I wonder the same thing, and it makes me sad to see waste. I think I got 6 copies of the same catalog last year since they sent one out with each order that I received. That includes a large box that contained a small plastic bag with 6 Dunlop picks and (another) catalog that went directly to the recycle bin. There was also the standard package of free candy...

[Rudy4]

If you're in Fort Wayne stop in at the "campus" for a live outdoor stage performance in the summer, play some of the nicest acoustic guitars available anywhere, eat a quick meal in the cafe, or even get a hair cut in the salon.

You could live there if they had sleeping accommodations. Maybe that's next?

[Arch Stanton]

Originally Posted by jkilgour2000

Not print these massive catalogs, and pass the savings onto us? [emoji3]Attachment 20411

Totally agree! I'm cancelling mine. When i need something i just go to their website.