Dealing with disingenuous salesmen

C.Linton · #1 11-24-2010, 10:59 AM

I don't know if antything will come of this question, but here goes anyway ...
Did you ever, in dealing with a salesman in a music store who was feeding you a line of hooey about how good/bad a particular brand or piece of gear was, ever call them on their BS, and how did they react? For example giving you a line about how "Squiers are crap and you should instead be looking at this much more expensive Fender.", that kind of thing. Or telling you specific stuff that you know to be out and out just plain wrong, like Ibanez's are made of plywood, or similar nonsense. And then would you tell them what utter garbage they were spouting? How would you deal with that kind of thing?

dave64o · #2 11-24-2010, 11:45 AM

If I knew something they were telling me was completely false I'd have no problems telling them they're wrong and also WHY they're wrong. I'd also ask them to let me do my thing and then when I needed help I'd go to a different salesperson.

dwm74 · #3 11-24-2010, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave64o

If I knew something they were telling me was completely false I'd have no problems telling them they're wrong and also WHY they're wrong. I'd also ask them to let me do my thing and then when I needed help I'd go to a different salesperson.

I do the exact same thing.

And I make sure I tell the next salesperson what an uneducated/misinformed clod the other guy is, and that he's probably costing him customers.

tangentmusic · #4 11-24-2010, 12:03 PM

Being educated about any purchase one intends to make is necessary.
Cars, electronics, appliances & musical instruments are sold by salesmen who are most likley on a commision. Of course they will try to "upsale" the customer.
I only go into a music store after doing my homework, knowing what I want before walking in the door. Ya gotta watch out sometimes for these crafty salesmen...

JohnMCA72 · #5 11-24-2010, 01:09 PM

I usually just turn around & walk out. I really should speak to their managers more often.

LaklandBass · #6 11-24-2010, 01:25 PM

Yea ive done it before... Ill just tell them that they are wrong and then correct them. Ive been in sales for quite some time and after working with some real weirdos I can tell you that theres two types.... some just dont know what theyre talking about or they were misinformed by a coworker... others are lying because they want to make more money off of you.
I am TOTALLY ok with the guy being incorrect... we're all human.
However, I dont react well when someone is lying to my about a product that I might spend my money on.

DanNowhere · #7 11-24-2010, 01:43 PM

I shop elsewhere.

ggunn · #8 11-24-2010, 02:28 PM

I try not to be too hard on these guys. They are usually young, underpaid, and a lot of them aren't even musicians. I relieve them of their misconceptions as gently as I can, and I only escalate if they turn into know-it-all wrongheaded little pricks. Then I go to their management.

sarcastro83 · #9 11-25-2010, 09:40 AM

Usually I just say "thanks for the advice, but I think I'm gonna go with *this* instead."

If persistence is encountered, I usually just let them say their piece, say "Alrighty then" and walk away.

JTE · #10 11-25-2010, 09:56 AM

Having been in retail music before (11 years managing a store from '77-'88), my take is this. First, I don't just buy stuff, I'm wanting to build an on-going relationship with the store (weird as that is in these days...). So, if he's lying to me when he's trying to get into my pocket, how up-front are they going to be when I come back with a problem that's possibly going to cost them money and time? Nope, I'll call 'em on it and find out if they're mis-informed, poorly trained, or out-right lying.

John (who gets a five yard penalty for gratuitous use of hyphens)

80'sRocker · #11 11-25-2010, 10:01 AM

I love testing the GC fools on their knowledge (or lack of) - they are seldom right. I'll ask questions like "how many ohms is this cab" and they will have to get a manger, taking 10 minutes doing so. Laughable. In our area we have about 8-10 music stores, Parkway Music is KING and GC can not even compete! Too funny actually

greenboy · #12 11-25-2010, 10:54 AM

Compared to some of the manufacturers themselves being full of puckey I am really not too bothered by the sales people.

C.Linton · #13 11-25-2010, 11:31 AM

My major concern is of course, the new player, who won't always know when they are being fed a line.

sarcastro83 · #14 11-25-2010, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.Linton

My major concern is of course, the new player, who won't always know when they are being fed a line.

Once saw a salesman trying to convince a twelve-year-old kid and his mother that he "needed a Highway One because the Mexican ones break all the time".

When the salesman walked away, I walked over and told the mother and kid that the salesman was completely full of it, pointed them at some less expensive gear, and the kid, I think, wound up walking out with a Squier...

Gotta stick up for your fellow consumers, man.