Anyone Ever Been Kicked Out Of A Music Store ?

[SpitfireCWII]

As the title asks, I was earlier today, sat in this downtown music store for an hour just playing Fender Precision Basses, I kept comparing 2 MIA and a MIM, the MIM was dead on tone with the MIA IMO, anyways, the manager came over and asked if I was interested in purchasing the MIM, I told him in a friendly manner that I was just experimenting, comparing and contrasting on the differences of the two basses, now I wasnt playing loud or anything, I was playing through a Fender Rumble 30, the volume was on 4, well 30 minutes go by, he asks me to leave immediately in a very rude way for lack of a better word, I dont know what I did wrong, is there something wrong with just playing a bass in a music store ? I aint going back there ever again. Anyone else ever had a similar experience ?

[Oopsdabassist]

were you playing smoke on the water?

[SpitfireCWII]

haha, no not me, Zeppelin and Floyd riffs

[scottbass]

When I was about 13 years old. I liked to go play the electric guitars and basses - trying to get an idea of what I liked and what I didn't like. My family was visiting my grandfather, who lived in a fairly small, one-music-store town. The music store was small and privately owned. The guy was pretty nice the first day I went in. When I went back the next day to play the guitars and basses I missed the first day, he asked me if I was going to buy anything or if I was just trying them out. Being an honest - and polite - kid, I told him I was just trying them out and I really appreciated the opportunity. He then told me to leave and not come back unless I was going to buy something from him that same day.

I didn't get mad about it. After all, he was in business to sell stuff, not to provide my entertainment. He had to clean every one of those instruments after I played them. (Like I said, this wasn't GC!)

[Corey Y]

On the contrary, once I sat in a GC for over an hour trying out a few different Fender MIA Deluxe models and no one ever said a word to me. I even moved their step ladder to get them down from up high myself.

[bassteban]

They don't really want your money, do they? I'd be sure to let them know when you buy a bass somewhere else.

[Kevindavid3]

It depends on the store. if it is a big company like long and mcquade or guitar center. you can spend hours and they don't give a rip because they have so many stores. but if its a small private business than yes they just want your money.

[ledyard]

Maybe its not your cup of tea but if its exactly as you described then my first response would have been "what the **** is your problem? "
Followed by "**** you" upon exiting the store. Does it help anything? No, but I would have felt better. Theres no excuse for acting like that if a decent musician is quietly trying out gear and not playing crazy train or smoke on the water, not bothering other customers or usurping gear that someone else might be wanting to buy at that moment. What a ****'* *** ****.
It was an independant store I take it?

[nostatic]

Way back when (around 1980) I worked at GC. These were the "bad old days" - you guys who complain about GC now obviously never shopped there back in the day. Anywho some guy came in and was noodling on a guitar. It was obvious that he was a "looker" who wasn't going to buy anything, and probably couldn't afford to buy anything. The asst manager went up to him and asked him if he liked the guitar. The guy mumbled, "yeah, sure." The asst manager then starts to ask him if he's going to buy it. Then he get more aggressive asking what he'd pay for it. Ends with him yelling, "I bet you don't even have $20 if I sold you the guitar for that. Get the hell out of my store."

The guy was later relocated to another store in the chain.

Have you bought anything from this store? Are you in the market for a bass? Or are you just killing time and/or having fun? Look at it this way - you spent 1.5 hours in the store, didn't buy anything, probably weren't going to buy anything, and may have prevented some other customer from demoing an instrument or amp.

The other dynamic that exists (as evidenced by some people's comments here on TB) is that the local shop has become the "demo spot" where people go check stuff out, waste the time and energy of the staff, then go online to buy the same thing just to save a few bucks. It is no wonder than brick and mortar shop owners get cranky. That's one reason I actually buy a lot of my stuff locally. I get well treated by the staff, and as a result I buy my stuff from them, even though I could save a few bucks going online. Just seems rude to waste someone's time then go buy elsewhere. Money isn't everything...

[SMILEYSIXX]

If the place was packed and full of other people he had to deal with, that's one thing, but if he's got nothing to do and neither do you, why be like that? One bad experience at some privately owned business and I'll be damned if I ever go back, no matter the circumstance.

[SpitfireCWII]

It was an independent store, and the entire hour I was in there not one other customer came in. But the manager still came at me like I just let a raging bull in through his door.

[TheSuzie]

If I had already been playing the same one or two instruments for an hour, was not serious about buying either one that day and it was not a chain store like GC, I would have taken the hint and come back another day.

From a manager's point of view.

1. You already told him you were not interested in buying.

2. Someone playing can monopolize a section of the store or a whole store if it is small. I am a person who can't really try a bass while someone else is playing bass non-stop. I will wait a bit or leave if someone else is playing constantly. I'm not saying that people shouldn't try stuff for a while but sometimes it is good to take a break.

3. After listening to the same person for an hour it does get old for the employees, especially if they know there is no potential sale.

4. Wear and tear on instruments is a bigger deal for a smaller shop that does not sell a big volume like a GC does.

5. Coming in, playing the instruments, not intending to buy and not at least taking the time to to be friendly with the shop owner/manager or maybe buy some small stuff like strings, strap, picks, a book or magazine makes a small business feel like you are using them.

Just my 2 cents

Peace,
S

[LaklandBass]

Never had it happen that way but I have had a local shop act very rude and be short with me in an effort to get me to leave. Which is odd since I was looking at rather expensive basses and they obviously heard that I know how to play while I was there.
So I decided to make my purchase somewhere else... and then casually stop by the first store a couple days later to show the owner my receipt for a $2000 purchase and explain to him why he didnt get the business.
Things like this are why although I love mom and pop stores I never sit around wondering why they go out of business.

We can all rip on GC and Scam Ash for their uneducated employees and out of tune instruments but the fact is that the bulk of my poor experiences have been at the small family owned stores. Rude owners, rude staff, poor inventory, poor prices, poor service... the list goes on and on.

[Selta]

Originally Posted by TheSuzie

If I had already been playing the same one or two instruments for an hour, was not serious about buying either one that day and it was not a chain store like GC, I would have taken the hint and come back another day.

From a manager's point of view.

1. You already told him you were not interested in buying.

2. Someone playing can monopolize a section of the store or a whole store if it is small. I am a person who can't really try a bass while someone else is playing bass non-stop. I will wait a bit or leave if someone else is playing constantly. I'm not saying that people shouldn't try stuff for a while but sometimes it is good to take a break.

3. After listening to the same person for an hour it does get old for the employees, especially if they know there is no potential sale.

4. Wear and tear on instruments is a bigger deal for a smaller shop that does not sell a big volume like a GC does.

5. Coming in, playing the instruments, not intending to buy and not at least taking the time to to be friendly with the shop owner/manager or maybe buy some small stuff like strings, strap, picks, a book or magazine makes a small business feel like you are using them.

Just my 2 cents

Peace,
S

+1, especially the bolded part at the end, because that is exactly what you are doing.

[godofthunder59]

Sort of once, well we left really. My wife wanted a new acoustic we had a budget up to 3k or so this was back in the early '90's we went to this one store and she trying out a bunch of Martins Gibson etc after about 20 mins the sales toad comes up and implies that were are just putting finger prints on his guitars. I told him something to the effect oh sorry then I guess we'll spend this else where and I opened my wallet so he got a good look and we walked out.

[LaklandBass]

[quote=nostatic;10610574]Way back when (around 1980) I worked at GC. These were the "bad old days" - you guys who complain about GC now obviously never shopped there back in the day. Anywho some guy came in and was noodling on a guitar. It was obvious that he was a "looker" who wasn't going to buy anything, and probably couldn't afford to buy anything. The asst manager went up to him and asked him if he liked the guitar. The guy mumbled, "yeah, sure." The asst manager then starts to ask him if he's going to buy it. Then he get more aggressive asking what he'd pay for it. Ends with him yelling, "I bet you don't even have $20 if I sold you the guitar for that. Get the hell out of my store."

The guy was later relocated to another store in the chain.

Have you bought anything from this store? Are you in the market for a bass? Or are you just killing time and/or having fun? Look at it this way - you spent 1.5 hours in the store, didn't buy anything, probably weren't going to buy anything, and may have prevented some other customer from demoing an instrument or amp.

What the owner didnt realize is that "just looking" one day could mean buying it later that week, or in a month... or telling some friends about the nice shop... or mentioning to a buddy "hey, XYZ has some nice basses in stock. You should check them out"...
This manager obviously didnt know a single thing about running a business and Im sure he'll be gone from there soon.
As it is, how many people do you think the OP is telling about this experience in his area? Even if everybody he tells is a 15 year old kid it still matters... 15 year old kids with christmas money become 18 year old kids with jobs... then they become 23 year old dudes with better jobs... then they become 30 year old guys with careers.... then they become 40 year old dads with a kid that needs a first instrument.... it goes on and on. Who knows how many thousands of dollars that manager lost when he ripped into this guy for no reason at all.

[hdracer]

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

+1, especially the bolded part at the end, because that is exactly what you are doing.

+1 He may of had things to do but had to keep a eye on you to make sure you did not take anything.

** I am not saying that you would but he doesn't know.

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by nostatic

The other dynamic that exists (as evidenced by some people's comments here on TB) is that the local shop has become the "demo spot" where people go check stuff out, waste the time and energy of the staff, then go online to buy the same thing just to save a few bucks. It is no wonder than brick and mortar shop owners get cranky. That's one reason I actually buy a lot of my stuff locally. I get well treated by the staff, and as a result I buy my stuff from them, even though I could save a few bucks going online. Just seems rude to waste someone's time then go buy elsewhere. Money isn't everything...

I agree. I try to buy what I can locally. It may cost a little more sometimes, but I find they give aaa good a deal as they can. I also know if I need something - a bass for that night when mine went bad - I can go there and get it. Money isn't everything.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by LaklandBass

What the owner didnt realize is that "just looking" one day could mean buying it later that week, or in a month... or telling some friends about the nice shop... or mentioning to a buddy "hey, XYZ has some nice basses in stock. You should check them out"...
This manager obviously didnt know a single thing about running a business and Im sure he'll be gone from there soon.
As it is, how many people do you think the OP is telling about this experience in his area? Even if everybody he tells is a 15 year old kid it still matters... 15 year old kids with christmas money become 18 year old kids with jobs... then they become 23 year old dudes with better jobs... then they become 30 year old guys with careers.... then they become 40 year old dads with a kid that needs a first instrument.... it goes on and on. Who knows how many thousands of dollars that manager lost when he ripped into this guy for no reason at all.

Just as likely is that "just looking" one day results in buying online to save a few bucks down the road.

Should the manager have been rude? Nope. Did he lose a future sale? Maybe. Maybe not. Did the event in the store happen exactly like the OP stated? I doubt it. For any given situation there are two sides to a story and reality likely lies somewhere in-between.

[ledyard]

Originally Posted by LaklandBass

Never had it happen that way but I have had a local shop act very rude and be short with me in an effort to get me to leave. Which is odd since I was looking at rather expensive basses and they obviously heard that I know how to play while I was there.
So I decided to make my purchase somewhere else... and then casually stop by the first store a couple days later to show the owner my receipt for a $2000 purchase and explain to him why he didnt get the business.
Things like this are why although I love mom and pop stores I never sit around wondering why they go out of business.

We can all rip on GC and Scam Ash for their uneducated employees and out of tune instruments but the fact is that the bulk of my poor experiences have been at the small family owned stores. Rude owners, rude staff, poor inventory, poor prices, poor service... the list goes on and on.

Thats awsome! Come on...what did the guy say when you told him why you spent a wad elsewhere?

My story isn't about getting kicked out but along the lines of these owners and such the OP is speaking of.

Theres a music store I always used to go to near where i grew up. decent size store too. It was a two store chain. Anyways i went in there a few times to buy stuff with cash and do you think you could get any of these arrogant *** **** to pay attention? One is on the phone chatting, or theres no one in the room period. Lots of people walk out of this place with their cash because of this. The owner is a class "A" phalace anyways. So I hate the thought of him getting my money.
I was in there once to buy a used Ric (back in the day) with $1000 burning a hole in my pocket. I stood around for almost 45 min waiting on purpose to see how long it would take one of these arrogant **** to come offer assistance to the long haired guy in the leather jacket. Heck....just acknowledge a customers presence. Being the type of people they were I wasnt about to go beg them for help or offer up cash for them being jerks. But I really wanted that that particular Ric.
Finally, obviously annoyed I started walking out and almost at the door one of the lazy arrogant **** that worked the counter said "oh hey bud, did you want something?"(in a snide "whatever" manner) I took out my roll of $100's and said yeah I was gonna spend this here but **** you!!