Taylor Guitars : Direct to Consumer

[zeebow]

saw something rather interesting today, noticed that a few guitars from Taylor are now available to buy direct from Taylor.

This is a large shift from my experience with Taylor - when i first started playing Taylor in 2010, i remember them expressing how much their dealer network meant to them as a brand - Taylor wanted to focus on building quality guitars, and wanted to let the dealer be the customer facing representative.

that now appears to have shifted, as you can buy a 314ce, 814ce and even the mexican made gs mini rosewood direct from taylor.

just curious how you guys feel about this - but to me, it’s a bad look. i have always considered taylor to be passionate and stewards of the environment. this move just makes them appear to be chasing improving profit margins.

love to hear your discussion, bc maybe i’m just missing the point.

[Rev Roy]

Originally Posted by zeebow

saw something rather interesting today, noticed that a few guitars from Taylor are now available to buy direct from Taylor.

This is a large shift from my experience with Taylor - when i first started playing Taylor in 2010, i remember them expressing how much their dealer network meant to them as a brand - Taylor wanted to focus on building quality guitars, and wanted to let the dealer be the customer facing representative.

that now appears to have shifted, as you can buy a 314ce, 814ce and even the mexican made gs mini rosewood direct from taylor.

just curious how you guys feel about this - but to me, it’s a bad look. i have always considered taylor to be passionate and stewards of the environment. this move just makes them appear to be chasing improving profit margins.

love to hear your discussion, bc maybe i’m just missing the point.

Not sure why it’s a “bad look” for a company to try to improve profit margins. Not at all sure that’s what’s going on. But either way I fail to see a scandal.

[pagedr]

Making money and increasing profit margins is the goal for Taylor and any other guitar company out there - these are businesses at the end of the day. They can all have their missions and whatnot, but the end goal is to make money. I've seen several other brands start to move to/test out the DTC models and I can't say I have a problem with it, nor do I see how it's a bad look.

[gmel555]

Where did you see direct sales? I don't see it on their site...?

[GCWaters]

Gibson and Fender have been doing this for awhile….

[ScottSD]

How could you go wrong buying a Taylor directly from... Taylor?!?

I fail to see a problem there.

Scott

[kbraker]

I could see how the try before you buy would be important to a lot of people. I presume it’s the same price, tax ect.

[guitar12]

[/QUOTE=zeebow;7185976 i have always considered taylor to be passionate and stewards of the environment. this move just makes them appear to be chasing improving profit margins.
[/QUOTE]

I'm fine with them selling direct to the public. Also, I think that trying to improve profit margins can be done while remaining passionate and stewards of the environment. In fact, I think that they have been exemplary in their environmental efforts while I'm sure doing many things to improve their profit margins that are not necessarily obvious to us.

Rob

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by ScottSD

How could you go wrong buying a Taylor directly from... Taylor?!?

I fail to see a problem there.

Scott

The "potential" problem is cutting out the retail dealers who supported Taylor all the years and helped to make them the household word and guitar that they now are.

Taylor made the great guitars that they did and do...BUT...they rode the backs and coattails of the retail dealers who saw the potential in them at the beginnings and took them on and helped...equally at the very least...to build the Taylor name and brand nation and world wide and repped and supported them all these decades now.

Taylor could not have made it on their own without all the help they got from the retail merchants, so now, to appear to be testing the waters of bypassing them to go direct from maker retail sales is an eyebrow raiser for sure.

If this is what is really going on with Taylor. Maybe it just looks like that idea, but is really something else?


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[ScottSD]

Originally Posted by mcduffnw

Taylor could not have made it on their own without all the help they got from the retail merchants, so now, to appear to be testing the waters of bypassing them to go direct from maker retail sales is an eyebrow raiser for sure.

I see your point. However, I have visited their factory store and saw firsthand how they strive to protect their dealers. My take on this is they aren't going to undercut their dealers on pricing. Time will tell...

Scott

[mercy]

Youd pay full price from them, Im not going to do that. They are already too expensive for factory guitars. If I was going to buy a 14 Id go to stores, Reverb etc and negotiate a deal.

[zeebow]

Originally Posted by mcduffnw

The "potential" problem is cutting out the retail dealers who supported Taylor all the years and helped to make them the household word and guitar that they now are.

Taylor made the great guitars that they did and do...BUT...they rode the backs and coattails of the retail dealers who saw the potential in them at the beginnings and took them on and helped...equally at the very least...to build the Taylor name and brand nation and world wide and repped and supported them all these decades now.

Taylor could not have made it on their own without all the help they got from the retail merchants, so now, to appear to be testing the waters of bypassing them to go direct from maker retail sales is an eyebrow raiser for sure.

If this is what is really going on with Taylor. Maybe it just looks like that idea, but is really something else?


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

thanks duff, this is exactly what i was thinking, but you were able to express it clearer than i did, i really appreciate that!

[zeebow]

Originally Posted by gmel555

Where did you see direct sales? I don't see it on their site...?

they silently updated their website to add a “add to cart” button, 2 day shipping is included.

the site provides an estimate on when your guitar will arrive, some guitars show a later ship date.

gs mini koa plus link:
https://www.taylorguitars.com/guitar...ini-e-koa-plus

i find this interesting bc the option to buy direct from taylor is listed first and appears to be deigned to grab your attention ahead of the more subtle “Show All Local Dealer” button

[sinistral]

If you consider that a manufacturer is selling a guitar to a dealer at a discounted price low enough for the dealer to resell it at a profit even with a 10 - 15% discount off of the advertised price, it seems like a no-brainer for Taylor to do this.

Given the massive shift to online sales during the pandemic, the dealer experience has become a lot less important. Since Taylor is selling guitars at full price through their website, they aren’t likely to cannibalize that much of online sales by dealers, but every sale will give them a major bump in profitability. I suspect that dealers with stock for people to try in person before buying will be the least impacted, since a premium is still placed on that experience (although Taylor’s consistency works against them on this front).

[fpuhan]

It might be helpful to note and remember that Taylor is now an employee-owned company, as of last year. That means decisions such as this affect all the employees, and they would likely not support it if it were detrimental to the company.