Guitar Center prices...

LukeMan970 · #1 07-27-2005, 02:10 AM

hey all, i've seen alot on TB about people haggling prices at GC and just had a general question. Can't you really just haggle prices at Guitar center, i thought you couldn't do that at big national chain stores? Just wanted to make sure that you could do that i guess

BurningSkies · #2 07-27-2005, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukeMan970

hey all, i've seen alot on TB about people haggling prices at GC and just had a general question. Can't you really just haggle prices at Guitar center, i thought you couldn't do that at big national chain stores? Just wanted to make sure that you could do that i guess

Sure you can...go ahead and try. I got a hundred off my purchase there...I think of it as my duty to haggle there. If I can't find what I'm looking for at a local store I go to GC...and try get as close to cost as possible.

Selta · #3 07-27-2005, 06:12 AM

You can usually haggle them down a fair amount. What I do is I pick the one I want (whether it be bass, amp, guitar, drum etc), tell them to give me their absolute best deal. If I don't like it, I walk away. Walking away usually makes that deal better. If not, then you can go someplace else and see if you can't get a better deal. Also, having a print out from another source for a better price helps.

-Ray

realdeal · #4 07-27-2005, 08:07 AM

You can definitely haggle-
Except for the advertised blow-out "specials" usually the low-end Squires, Ibanez, etc.
They have a formula that gives them their bottom-line selling price on gear, based on mark-up from the cost.
The Salesperson or Manager wants to get the highest mark-up of course, on the other end, there's a price they have to get to sell gear.
All of that info for each piece of gear is in their computer!!
That's how they play.
Either get the best price you can from other stores and tell them to beat it, or just make a lowball offer and see where it goes.

syciprider · #5 07-27-2005, 10:22 AM

I asked the guy who sold me my $900 MM Ray yesterday and he said they get commissions. This is the same guy who sold me a $699 Fender Jazz 24 for $580.

Just ask the sales rep. Give him your price right away and see if he will go for it. The worst that can happen is him saying "I'm sorry I can't do it."

Mike Money · #6 07-27-2005, 10:28 AM

I haggle a little when I'm there... but not much. I only buy from one guy, because he worked at a local store and always hooked me up... then GC offered him a much better paying position.

So I don't haggle with him, and he just automatically knocks money off my purchases depending on how much it costs.

Like, my G&L, they had it listed at $500, he gave it to for $400

wilser · #7 07-27-2005, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

You can usually haggle them down a fair amount. What I do is I pick the one I want (whether it be bass, amp, guitar, drum etc), tell them to give me their absolute best deal. If I don't like it, I walk away. Walking away usually makes that deal better. If not, then you can go someplace else and see if you can't get a better deal. Also, having a print out from another source for a better price helps.

-Ray

I have a friend who worked at a GC up in Boston. He told me that they have this 'lowest price guarantee' so that even if you find a better deal something like 30 days after you bought the product, you take an advertisement or web printout and you'll get the difference back.

Petary791 · #8 07-27-2005, 11:57 AM

My dad normally haggles at least $100 - $200.

He's real good.

Time Divider · #9 07-27-2005, 12:24 PM

I went in, told them exactly which StingRay I wanted (color, fingerboard, eq config, pickguard, etc.), then told them the exact prices I was quoted from 3 other places. Two of them were on the internet, so I wouldn't have to pay sales tax. I then told them if they could match the best price I had including the sales tax, I'd buy it from them. They did, and I did. Ended up knocking about $200 off what they were originally asking for it.

Jack · #10 07-27-2005, 02:13 PM

GC, Sam Ash (and other major stores like the UK's Sound Control) all revolve around the sale.

They want to see stuff sold, if that means its sold for a little less than its supposed to be, they dont care one bit, its off the floor and they can put something else there in its place.

Maths:
They buy guitar X for $800
X is up for sale at $1100

If they had to wait a month for someone to pay that much for it, theyd make $300 in a month.

If they would take $950 for it, people would be a lot more eager to buy it, and theyd shift say one a week.

$150 profit x 4 sold = $600 profit a month.

There, mathematical proof that you can haggle.

Nick man · #11 07-27-2005, 06:02 PM

Yes, you can, but remember that they are paid on commision, and the pay isnt very good, even for many of the top salespeople. Many of them have families to feed.

Get a good deal, but dont be a jerk.

Bassic83 · #12 07-27-2005, 06:26 PM

I never pay what's marked there. Of course, I have been shopping GC since I was 16, and I'm 40 now. When they opened up the first store in Houston, I went in and bought some stuff. The sales guy was amazed when I was already in the computer, even with the correct address... I told him he'd better look at the "customer since" line...he immediately gave me about 20% off the already-haggled price! When they opened the store on NASA Rd. 1, I made friends with all the staff and management. I sold my EBS cab to them, got $400 for it, then bought it back a year and two months later at the Memorial Day Sale for $250. I usually take the price they have marked, and take 30% off of that to start. Usually works. When it doesn't, they'll tell me "Man, our margin is only 25%, how about 20% off that price?" or they'll hit me with a dollar amount they can go down to. Usually I'll take that price, but I've been known to walk out on deals when they go south. They know I spend lots of money in there, and don't have a problem giving me a serious discount. If the tag says $499, save $30, reg. $529, I know that isn't a good deal, so I'll offer them about $425. It usuall settles out about $440 or so, plus tax. I have on occasion scored a piece for less than cost...it all depends on how long it's been there, if it's used, if it's got a knob missing, or a scratch on it, whatever. But don't be afraid to haggle...

tommixx · #13 07-27-2005, 06:38 PM

I never pay their asking price for ANYTHING.......I have a guy that I deal with all the time that gives me what he calls pro net.....usually equates to about 40% off their normal price!!

Peace,

T

Bob Clayton · #14 08-08-2005, 05:17 PM

when i bought one of my basses there, the sales rep plugged it into the computer, for a brief second i saw the price that was the lowest they were allowed to go. i told him the highest i could go was that price. he gave me a look, then said ok.

Matthew Bryson · #15 08-08-2005, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukeMan970

i thought you couldn't do that at big national chain stores?

I feel kind of the same way - I usually try to get them to throw in something for free rather than getting them to lower the price. I bought a Geddy Lee Jazz and I got them to throw in a cable for free that was marked at $50. They didn't blink an eye. I should have tried for a hard case (marked at $100) :/

KeithBMI · #16 08-08-2005, 05:35 PM

Can you only haggle big things like guitars, or can you haggle little things, like pickups?

syciprider · #17 08-08-2005, 05:48 PM

It won't hurt to ask for a slightly lower price on small ticket items. Maybe knock $10 to $20 off. Depends on how much the item is. I am embarrassed to ask for a break when it comes to items less than $100.

metalguy2 · #18 08-08-2005, 05:54 PM

Guitar Center isn't like a big chain store. Every single employee there is a scum sucking car saleman! None of them know what they are selling really. The important thing to them is you walk out of the store with less money than you walked in with. This is all because of the commision system they run off of.

If there was a bag of **** on the wall that I had picked up with a $299 tag on it. A sales person would say "That bag of **** plays awesome. Lets plug it in and try it out" GC! Nothankyou!

If I am ever in there and actually see something I want I would probably do something horrible, for them to practically give it to me... Take all the knobs off... scratch the hell out of the back. Remove a saddle from the bridge.Unscrew the jack... Not that I actually did that

Nick man · #19 08-09-2005, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metalguy2

Guitar Center isn't like a big chain store. Every single employee there is a scum sucking car saleman! None of them know what they are selling really. The important thing to them is you walk out of the store with less money than you walked in with. This is all because of the commision system they run off of.

If there was a bag of **** on the wall that I had picked up with a $299 tag on it. A sales person would say "That bag of **** plays awesome. Lets plug it in and try it out" GC! Nothankyou!

If I am ever in there and actually see something I want I would probably do something horrible, for them to practically give it to me... Take all the knobs off... scratch the hell out of the back. Remove a saddle from the bridge.Unscrew the jack... Not that I actually did that

Hey dude, what the hell?

I'm a GC salesperson and I take that statement as an insult. I'll be the first guy in any store you go to that tells you that Gibson guitars are overpriced pieces of turd with bad QC or that an instrument of the calliber that you are looking for isnt carried by us and that you should go somewhere else instead. Ask Carrey Nordstrand.

Fact of the matter is that what you may have experienced is not the begining and end of GC salesperson types, but rather just the bottom of the barrel. You do however resemble the bottom of the barrel of the customer base I've had to deal with. You probably had one bad experience with one bad person and decided to be unreasonable about it. It sounds to me like you deserved the crappy treatment you got.

We have to deal with a lot of BS for very little pay. You know why we do it? Its because we are musicians who love dealing with intruments and other musicians.

I dont even want to address you anymore.

Nick man · #20 08-09-2005, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeithBMI

Can you only haggle big things like guitars, or can you haggle little things, like pickups?

Ive got a buddy with a wife and two kids that I work with.

Sure you could haggle, but if you dont need the discount, consider that some people do need that money.

This brings me to a point Id like to make in this thread.

If you only have $100 to spend, dont go shopping for a $200 instrument.

If you want to get a discount, thats cool, but consider that these are people you are dealing with. Shop for something you can afford, and if you want a deal be reasonable. Maybe ask for a strap or a pack of strings to be thrown in. If its a high dollar item, maybe a gig bag. If they say they cant, then either take their word for it or leave.

Please dont ask another salesperson or a manager for a discount because that just causes problems. Come back another day or show them where they offer it for less and have them match the price.

Just be cool.