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  #61  
Old 11-14-2018, 09:55 AM
mcduffnw mcduffnw is offline
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Originally Posted by der Geist View Post
this is the nature of capitalism. As internet sales become the dominant force in retail, the competition will be there. Less competition in brick and mortar means higher prices. This happens in every industry.

Last year i was looking for a Taylor 714ce. My local GC had an 814ce. I asked for a discount as it was a floor model and had a couple of very minor bruises. They would not budge even though the only one they had was the floor sample. My local Sam Ash had the 714 but they wouldn’t budge off of list price either. I ended up buying it online from an out of state dealer. As a local business owner (reatail store) i much prefer to buy locally but i would rather buy from a non local independant dealer who will work with me than a big box who wont.

My last boss used to tell me 2 things that have always stuck with me.
1- A quick nickel is better than a slow dime.
2- You can never make up for the sale that you have lost.

GC has not yet learned this simple philosophy.
No...GC very WELL knew that simple philosophy...it was founded by Wayne Mitchell who worked in the Auto Sales industry before founding GC...believe me...they knew ALL the tricks and in's and out's right from the Get/Go.

But...like I said earlier...once GC was taken over in ownership by Private Equity/Investors, they put the brakes on all of that, both for good reasons and bad reasons.

And you know...if you are a businessman at all, you should realize that a huge multi location Brick and Mortar business has hard operating costs that a much smaller Online store does not, and the B&M business DOES have to account for those hard costs in the profit margins they need to make. They don't have a choice on that.

Oh...and your last boss in only correct if...

You can keep up a high volume of sales turn at the "quick nickel" margin on a constant long term basis. If your sales volume ever drops off substantially, over a long period of time or permanently, at the "quick nickel" margin, your gonna be in trouble...

...or when you make a quick nickel, but your actual "need to survive" profit margin is closer to the slow dime. If it is, making the quick nickel is a losing strategy in the long...or maybe even the short...haul.

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Last edited by mcduffnw; 11-14-2018 at 03:23 PM. Reason: fix content
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  #62  
Old 11-14-2018, 01:26 PM
hotroad hotroad is offline
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Depends entirely on how old you are! If you are over 40, you remember the days when GC would drop prices quite a lot. If younger than 40 you don't remember that because they have not since then. I used to get 20%-30% off of guitars and sound equipment all the time. Not anymore.
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  #63  
Old 11-14-2018, 02:18 PM
vindibona1 vindibona1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by der Geist View Post
this is the nature of capitalism. As internet sales become the dominant force in retail, the competition will be there. Less competition in brick and mortar means higher prices. This happens in every industry....
My last boss used to tell me 2 things that have always stuck with me.
1- A quick nickel is better than a slow dime.
2- You can never make up for the sale that you have lost.

GC has not yet learned this simple philosophy.
Internet sales has been very very good to me... but is coming slowly to an end. As of last month both Sweetwater and MF have started charging sales tax to Illinois residents. While they may save me a drive to the local GC for some things the huge advantage they had with the tax savings (10.25% stated tax but 14% actual tax cost) may be enough in some cases to look locally especially for things I need to put my hands on. Amazon has been doing that for a couple years now, but their tax rates vary (?!).

Your boss' advice is valid in many circumstances, but not so much in many retail businesses. In retail its all about margin, turn, aging/spoilage, factor% and dollars per sq ft. In some cases it is about EOM sales quotas. It's more complicated than most average folks realize. GC isn't like other retail businesses that have an endless supply of product. When they sell that $2200 Taylor 714 for $2000 if they don't have a product refill right behind it they lose the opportunity for an additional $200 at no additional COG. Aging might be the biggest incentive to discount. Having duplication of product may be another so they can dollar-cost-average the two without having capital hanging in two identical models. Spoilage may be another reason to discount (clearing Taylor X models to receive V models as an example). You may have negotiating power at the end of their fiscal month when they need to make sales quotas. It all depends.

If you're armed with this information it makes it much easier to negotiate. A sharp buyer can recognize where retail weakness is and take advantage of it- if approached properly.
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  #64  
Old 11-14-2018, 04:18 PM
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Creekside Guitar Creekside Guitar is offline
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You guys do realize that Guitar Center and Musicians Friend are one and the same. These are not two different companies.
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  #65  
Old 11-14-2018, 04:19 PM
CASD57 CASD57 is offline
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Originally Posted by Creekside Guitar View Post
You guys do realize that Guitar Center and Musicians Friend are one and the same. These are not two different companies.
Of course [emoji41]
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  #66  
Old 11-14-2018, 08:52 PM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
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Originally Posted by Creekside Guitar View Post
You guys do realize that Guitar Center and Musicians Friend are one and the same. These are not two different companies.
Guitar Center realizes this as well. They are perfectly happy to allow you to "showroom" guitars in their big box retail stores and then have you order it from MF or M123. It's built into their model.
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  #67  
Old 11-14-2018, 09:12 PM
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You could have spoken to the mgr. yourself, and cut a deal. What are the extravagances in Hollywood? Their stock?
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  #68  
Old 11-14-2018, 09:27 PM
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Originally Posted by MikeBmusic View Post
If I had a dollar every time I hear this, I'd be able to buy a Taylor 900 series guitar.
The listed manufacturers prevent GC (or any retailer) advertising prices lower than a set number - including % off sales. To get the discount, you have to call the 800 number (if ordering online) or ask the salesclerk in the store for the discount - and they then call to get the authorization number to punch into the computer that deducts the discount. There are a few items that can't get the discount, but generally, most will.

Price-matching is a totally different thing. All you've got to do is ask, tell the salesclerk where you saw the price (a legitimate online store website) and you'll get the price match.

As to 'bargaining' a better price, not in my experience in the last 10 years. If it is a used item and has been on the floor for over 30 days, it is up to the manager's discretion. Generally, I've only been able to get a humidifier or strap thrown into the deal.

If you make a relationship with one of the sales force at MF, they will cut you a deal. I've bought several high end PRS guitars/basses, and other instruments, and received substantial discounts (20%-30%), just by asking and being persistent. It's in no way like it was at the Hollywood GC in the late 1960's. Those were great days.
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  #69  
Old 11-14-2018, 09:49 PM
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I have bought a few new guitars and amps (Taylor Big Baby, Taylor 324, Larrivee SD-40, Fender '62 AVRI, Epiphone Dot w/HSC, Vox AC4HW1) and mics, preamps, monitors, etc. from GC and always got 12%-20% of retail, regardless of the brand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by justonwo View Post
GC used to be open to negotiation many years ago, but they changed their policy several years back - I’m thinking 15 or so...

The five guitars and amp listed above were all purchased 2012 or later, both the Larrivee SD-40 and Taylor 324 were 2016 purchases.
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  #70  
Old 11-14-2018, 09:54 PM
YamahaGuy YamahaGuy is offline
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I've bought 3 motorcycles that have each cost over $6000 and not one came with a free helmet or pair of gloves.

Guitar Center used to try to find a 10% or 20% coupon for customers but it seems like those days are gone. The free accessories has never been their thing in the 8 years I've dealt with them.
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  #71  
Old 11-15-2018, 09:20 AM
jhmulkey jhmulkey is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YamahaGuy View Post
I've bought 3 motorcycles that have each cost over $6000 and not one came with a free helmet or pair of gloves.

Guitar Center used to try to find a 10% or 20% coupon for customers but it seems like those days are gone. The free accessories has never been their thing in the 8 years I've dealt with them.
Ye have not because ye ask not Also, did you pay full "sticker" price or did you get a little off by negotiating (I know the margin is not as large as on a car or truck)?
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  #72  
Old 11-15-2018, 11:57 AM
Beachnut Beachnut is offline
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Just got 16% off at GC. The mgr sent me a coupon for 16% off, they had nothing in the store so I used it online, delivered to the store. Can't wait to see the faces of the rude sales people who refused to even look up this gtr for me and order it, but wanted me to buy one of their crappy ones off the shelf.
Leaving now for GC to see if it's even worth it.. otherwise I'll NEVER shop their again.
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  #73  
Old 11-15-2018, 12:10 PM
CASD57 CASD57 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beachnut View Post
Just got 16% off at GC. The mgr sent me a coupon for 16% off, they had nothing in the store so I used it online, delivered to the store. Can't wait to see the faces of the rude sales people who refused to even look up this gtr for me and order it, but wanted me to buy one of their crappy ones off the shelf.
Leaving now for GC to see if it's even worth it.. otherwise I'll NEVER shop their again.
I was at GC this last weekend playing guitars as the room got to busy for me to really hear the guitars voice I went into the PA room to see if they had one those Gemni Arrays for $399 well the price was $599 so I told the salesman that online it was $399, so he went to look it up and I did too, I found it on MF"s web site so I told him I had the wrong store and he told me they would price match, so he looked it up but if course I knew they would.. same store lol, be at my point is I think it depends on the store and management in the store on all this, so far I haven't seen a change
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  #74  
Old 11-15-2018, 12:24 PM
Muddslide Muddslide is offline
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The last time I bought an instrument at GC it was a used Fender bass. They told me flat out they couldn't haggle on price, throw in strings, etc. They basically said the price marked was the price, period.
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  #75  
Old 11-15-2018, 07:52 PM
RILEY31 RILEY31 is offline
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Guitar Center has always price matched for me I always find what I'm looking for online at the best price before I go in and they match it.I have also noticed they have had several Gibson models on sale in our store lately the have brand new 2018 Gibson J-45's for $1999 and j-15 $1459 I guess they are clearing out the old stock
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