Guitar Center Labor Day Sale / General Policy Question

patrickshofner · #1 09-05-2010, 07:05 AM

Hey guys. I received one of the 15% off coupons for the GC sale this weekend. Anyone know if they will honor this on used gear? The exclusion reads:

"Excludes clearance, price-matched and vintage equipment, scratch & dent, gift cards, Pro Coverage"

None of which IMO addresses general used merchandise. Anyone have any experience?

My apologies if this is covered elsewhere. I did a quick search to no avail.

stratovani · #2 09-05-2010, 07:26 AM

They'll probably point out that used gear could be considered vintage, and scratch-and-dent includes buckle rash on the backside of an instrument!

The Birdman · #3 09-05-2010, 07:26 AM

Patrick, in my experience, they will not honor coupons on used merchandise. "Vintage", to them, means "used". But, hey, go ask.....the worst they can do is say "NO". Best of luck.

Roger

patrickshofner · #4 09-05-2010, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Birdman

Patrick, in my experience, they will not honor coupons on used merchandise. "Vintage", to them, means "used". But, hey, go ask.....the worst they can do is say "NO". Best of luck.

Roger

I assumed that they used the terms "vintage" and "used" as synonyms, but figured I'd ask. Thanks guys!

SMILEYSIXX · #5 09-05-2010, 07:31 AM

I got the coupon too. It also says it excludes just about every brand you could name... or maybe that was the Sam Ash coupon... regardless, they're both total ripoffs.

RJC1811 · #6 09-05-2010, 07:43 AM

Wait until Tuesday when the local music stores are back open. Go in and tell them you got the GC coupon in the mail but you'd rather but local. They will appreciate that and probably work with you on pricing. In my experience the local guys will usually give you a better deal with the exception of when GC is trying to blow something out. Many times what GC says is a deal is just standard pricing and the local store is more than willing to sell at that price or even better.

Febs · #7 09-05-2010, 07:47 AM

"Vintage" and "used" are not synonymous.

I bought my 2008 P Bass used at Guitar Center in February 2009. It was technically "used," because it had been returned outside of the return period (even though it hadn't been played and still had the plastic on the pickguard), but there is no way that bass could have been considered "vintage" at that time.

Never_grew_up · #8 09-05-2010, 08:00 AM

They have a fair amount of leeway as to what they will or won't do.
Standing at the register with gear & checkbook/credit card/cash in hand puts you in a pretty powerful bargaining position.

jasonbraatz · #9 09-05-2010, 12:26 PM

I don't really pay attention to the coupons at Guitar Center, because any time I buy anything there I end up negotiating more than 15% off the price anyways. The coupons only apply to the posted price.

Coupon or not, if you're looking to buy something they can always lower the price if you ask. "Is that the lowest you can go on that?" is a powerful set of words!

Jeff K · #10 09-05-2010, 10:55 PM

Hey Patrick. About a year and a half ago, I spotted a used '06 MIM Classic '50s P-Bass. I had a 10% off coupon they had sent in the mail. I was messin' with the bass and the salesman I normally deal with asked if I wanted it. I said, "Can I use my 10% off coupon?" He said, "Absolutely", so I bought it. I don't think they can try to call it "vintage" if it's just your run-of-the-mill used bass. So if it's less than 25 years old and they try to tell you it's considered "vintage", I'd plead my case to the store manager.

**Staccato** · #11 09-05-2010, 11:04 PM

They told me "no" and the coupon will not work on most products since they are not covered, or they have already been marked to a price that precludes the coupon from being accepted.

It was like being insulted. This would not be the employee's fault, but that of management for tying their hands, or leading them to confuse customers?

BillyIVbass · #12 09-05-2010, 11:21 PM

I've used previous coupons on used stuff. Remember they probably only have 50% of the tagged priced invested in the used gear. As said above it's always better to have the gear in hand saying "I'll take it if I can use this coupon!"

SMILEYSIXX · #13 09-05-2010, 11:25 PM

15% isn't a huge discount when you're already dealing with big numbers anyway. Besides, negotiation can usually get you an easy 10 or 15% anyway. I was screwing around on a Schecter model P and had some random employee walk up and say "We can get you a 20% discount if you wanna buy it." GC's not hard to negotiate with.

pica · #14 09-05-2010, 11:36 PM

I wouldn't buy anything from GC if I had a 50% off coupon.

pnut166 · #15 09-05-2010, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMILEYSIXX

15% isn't a huge discount when you're already dealing with big numbers anyway.

15% isn`t huge when dealing with small numbers. But it knocks that $1000 bass down to $850. Pretty nice discount to me !

Deepak · #16 09-05-2010, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pnut166

15% isn`t huge when dealing with small numbers. But it knocks that $1000 bass down to $850. Pretty nice discount to me !

Exactly.

I picked up my Big Al with a coupon during the 4th of July sale, and it wouldn't have made a difference with a handful of cables but it was a decent chunck of change off the price tag of a bass.

phillipkregg · #17 09-06-2010, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pica

I wouldn't buy anything from GC if I had a 50% off coupon.

1st rule of fight club - don't talk about the fight club.

2nd rule of fight club - never buy anything from Guitar Center.

SMILEYSIXX · #18 09-07-2010, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pnut166

15% isn`t huge when dealing with small numbers. But it knocks that $1000 bass down to $850. Pretty nice discount to me !

Okay, so 15% isn't really huge in any situation.

If I wanna go buy a Geddy Lee signature (they go for about 1000) and I get a 15% discount, 850 is still a big chunk of change.

bassmonkeee · #19 09-07-2010, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pica

I wouldn't buy anything from GC if I had a 50% off coupon.

That's great. Want a cookie?

Deepak · #20 09-07-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMILEYSIXX

Okay, so 15% isn't really huge in any situation.

If I wanna go buy a Geddy Lee signature (they go for about 1000) and I get a 15% discount, 850 is still a big chunk of change.

The $150 you save is a decent chunk of change too. Relative to the sale price, yeah 15% is (by definition) a fraction of the cash, but in absolute terms it can be a big deal.

If someone had the change to pick up a Geddy for X dollars, or a Geddy + a Verellen Big Spider for X dollars, which deal would any sane person take?

I can definitely tell you I wouldn't have scoffed at a 15% discount on my last car.