Guitar Center Help!

ChuckO · #1 11-03-2011, 12:44 PM

I ordered a left handed MTD Kingston bass on Oct 1st though a local store. At the time I placed the order my bass was in stock.

I recieved an Email 10 hours later stating that the bass had become back ordered and should be in stock october 7th.

A week later I checked the status and the date had been pushed back to the 15th. Once again I checked the status and it was pushed back to the 21st.

After mutiple more push backs the date stands at the 10th of November.

I did some research and another company will match the sale price and ship today. So my question becomes how much more patience should I have? I do not want to take the sale from a sales rep but my patience is wearing thin.

Is it appropriate to ask guitar center for some incentive to keep waiting? If so how much?

The bass retails at $1189 I ordered it on sale for $1065

lowfreq33 · #2 11-03-2011, 12:49 PM

That's typical. They'll never be honest about the availability of things or when they'll actually get there because they're expecting you to feel bad about canceling the order. You could be waiting another 6 months on this.

kellyrojo · #3 11-03-2011, 12:51 PM

I like your good conscience Chuck and the fact that you are trying to do the right thing but this could go on for ages. Guitar Center is a huge corporation and they won't miss their sale too much. What I would do in this situation? either 1) slap a 20$ on the salesperson who helped you out when you go in to get your refund.
or 2) Tell that person that you promise to buy your next piece of GC gear from them.

You bought your bass thinking that it would be there in a week so get that bass! GL!

dalkowski · #4 11-03-2011, 12:52 PM

Money talks, BS walks.

Who says that date won't move again? Tell the salesperson or manager that you can have the bass in days from another vendor, and GC needs to give you some really good reasons not to take your business elsewhere. That's fair, IMO. Ask for a case, strings, strap, nice Monster Cable.

As far as taking $$ out of the salesperson's pocket, that's your gut-check to make.

Also, confirm that the other guy is selling you a lefty. You never know, but that detail may not have registered with him.

Edit: +1 to Kelly's suggestion of duking the salesperson. None of this was his doing (right?).

ChuckO · #5 11-03-2011, 01:05 PM

Well guitar center lowered the price, but the other company agreed to match it...
I was completely honest with guitar center, I told them another company was willing match their moderatley discounted price and give a good deal on the gig bag.

Would a strap and $40 credit be enough to keep you guys waiting for it?

lowendgenerator · #6 11-03-2011, 01:07 PM

Gumption and integrity aside, get your money back and order from the place that will fulfill your order NOW. Who knows how long they'll drag this out if you let them.

throughthefire · #7 11-03-2011, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Would a strap and $40 credit be enough to keep you guys waiting for it?

Nope. That's about the minimum I'd take as a discount for me to actually buy it off them at the price matched price. At this point, short of actually pulling the bass out of a box right there, there'd be very little they could do for me that would keep them the sale.

I'd be off to whoever can supply that bass to me for $1,000 cash. They'll be out there - talk to MTD for a list of suppliers who have it in stock.

Well done for thinking about the salesman in this, also. It's not his fault, so a quiet $20 under the counter will guarantee good service for years to come.

Pete.

lowendgenerator · #8 11-03-2011, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by throughthefire

Nope. That's about the minimum I'd take as a discount for me to actually buy it off them at the price matched price. At this point, short of actually pulling the bass out of a box right there, there'd be very little they could do for me that would keep them the sale.

I'd be off to whoever can supply that bass to me for $1,000 cash. They'll be out there - talk to MTD for a list of suppliers who have it in stock.

Well done for thinking about the salesman in this, also. It's not his fault, so a quiet $20 under the counter will guarantee good service for years to come.

Pete.

Not trying to dis the salesman, but why slip a 20 to a guy who probably won't be working there in 6 months? The turnover at my local GC is so high, I don't think I've ever had more than one experience with any given salesperson.

It sounds to me like someone dropped the ball at GC. I've had to push delivery dates back, and 90% of the time it was because someone promised something that couldn't be done to make the sale.

iamjcole · #9 11-03-2011, 06:40 PM

My name is Jeremy and I run Customer Service for Guitar Center Retail Stores. I just wanted to mention that we would never condone an employee not being 100% truthful about when a product is due to be available. The issue is that we depend on the vendors who are shipping us the instruments to supply us with that information. When we update information about dates of availability on our website, it's because the vendor has updated us with more current information.

I'd be happy to help anyone with any questions. You can reach me at jcole@guitarcenter.com.

fhm555 · #10 11-03-2011, 11:22 PM

Before you loose your place in line at GC, make effing sure you are not just switching to another line at the other place.

I've seen this happen a lot in the world of r/c race cars. A particular chassis will go on backorder and people will scramble like crazy to get one and less than honest suppliers will tell you they have them when most others do not. Problem is, when you order from the place claiming to have it, they "just ran out" but you are near the top of their list to get one when they come off backorder.

ChuckO · #11 11-09-2011, 01:34 PM

The guitar center rep Jeremy was quick to respond to my concerns which was great and restored some of my confidence.

I called GC today and they said I may have the bass by thanksgiving but no promises.

I think I may have one or two more days left in my patience, only because I teach 40 hours a week and work part time at night so I would not have much time to play right now.

cassanova · #12 11-09-2011, 04:52 PM

I'd have already cancelled the order and went looking for the bass elsewhere.

ChuckO · #13 11-12-2011, 05:50 AM

looks like I am paying for my patience. I was promised to get overnight shipping, they forgot. I was quoted a lower price since I was willing to wait so long while other companies had my bass in stock, I even kept email records, but today I got the bill. It was low but about 100 dollars off what I was quoted.

This may be the last time I purchase from GC, I have made multiple phone calls and I chekced the final price each time I spoke with a rep.

jarrydee · #14 11-12-2011, 06:04 AM

ya that sucks, that place is horribly, they are to big to care about one person....I would shovel **** for a mile right now for 100 bucks and so would a lot of other people, but why would GC care, they are a huge Corp. with no morals, would not be surprised it they were owned by fanny may! (its a joke, I know they are not)...good luck and I hope you REALLY dig your new bass!

**Freddels** · #15 11-12-2011, 06:11 AM

It's easy. You have the email documentation of the price quoted. They either give it to you at that price (return the difference) or you just return the bass for a full refund. You're not doing anything wrong by doing that. You are just insisting they live up to their end of the bargain.

lowendgenerator · #16 11-12-2011, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

It's easy. You have the email documentation of the price quoted. They either give it to you at that price (return the difference) or you just return the bass for a full refund. You're not doing anything wrong by doing that. You are just insisting they live up to their end of the bargain.

Exactly. You're morally obligated as a consumer to do just this. To let them get away with it would enforce a negative behavior, and further the stigma that the consumer will accept this kind of bs with a blind eye.

Stumbo · #17 11-12-2011, 10:57 AM

Another email to Jeremy is in store.

ChuckO · #18 11-16-2011, 06:28 AM

Finally got the bass. They forgot to give me the expedited shipping that was promised.

I checked my bill, and I was also not given the price I was promised and have proof of via email. I understand billing mistakes happen but at the end of every one of my many calls I had to make I asked what final price I would be charged and was told the same thing. I was charged nearly $250 more than I was told.

To make things worse there is a crack about 3/4 of an inch where the neck meets the body and the finish is cracked around the lower strap button.

I am not trying to bash or flame anyone but I would like everyone to be aware of how difficult my interaction has been with guitarcenter.com

After 3 phone calls and over 1.5 hours on the phone I was told my billing issues would be fixed but I wont see the corrections until I have sent the damaged bass back.

So between teaching and my night job I have to pack the bass back up and drop it at a UPS store. I have a feeling I am in for another long wait.