• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fender & retail stores

Roland GR 88

Roland GR 88

Commercial User
Sep 16, 2013
2,351
5,731
Ontario Canada
Disclosures
Retail store manager
#1
Just received my yearly catalogue from Long & Mcquade. It's Canada's biggest retail chain (over 100 stores & counting) and lo and behold there's not a SINGLE Fender product in it. No amps, no Strats, no basses, not even a starter pack or a strap. And remember, their parent company is the Canadian distributer for Fender.
 
#6
Perhaps they will have a special "Fender only" edition in the mail in the next few days.

However, Fender is exploring new sales models, one of which is selling direct, meaning they will have to sever ties with distributors and dealers. Again, that was only one of many suggested new business models as they have a debt load of 250 million dollars they can't seem to shake. That 60~100% dealer markup would look pretty good going into their own pockets.
 
#9
Root 5 said:
I wish L&M wouldn't expand so much. The quality (and selection) of product available is poorer & poorer the more stores they swallow up.
Click to expand...

I completely agree with this. L&M and Future shop are starting to converge in what they sell. L&M has a lot fewer interesting basses & amps. It's pretty much Ibanez, MM, Fender for basses and Yorkville and Ampeg for amps.

I miss the old days of Ken Smith, Warwick, Markbass, Epifani, etc.
 
#10
I missed the Fender flyer........just think it's odd to print your yearly catalogue featuring EVERYTHING in the stores except the biggest sellers.
Yorkville & Fender have been partners for many years and Yorkville carries several million dollars worth of Fender products at any given time so I guess we'll see what happens.
 
#11
mactac said:
I completely agree with this. L&M and Future shop are starting to converge in what they sell. L&M has a lot fewer interesting basses & amps. It's pretty much Ibanez, MM, Fender for basses and Yorkville and Ampeg for amps.

I miss the old days of Ken Smith, Warwick, Markbass, Epifani, etc.
Click to expand...

And now I will return the sentiment. I completely agree with what you said! Nowadays I walk into an L&M and don't like anything and don't want to buy anything. They're turning customers off in a way.
 
#12
Atshen said:
Why would they "drop" such a big seller? :wideyed:
Click to expand...
The obvious reason to drop a big seller would be too small a profit margin. After that would come no confidence in their ability to supply adequate quantity of product.

No point in dealing with it if there ain't no money in it and no point in spending a ton for advertising just so you can run a butt load of items on back order status.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Winfred
#13
fhm555 said:
The obvious reason to drop a big seller would be too small a profit margin. After that would come no confidence in their ability to supply adequate quantity of product.

No point in dealing with it if there ain't no money in it and no point in spending a ton for advertising just so you can run a butt load of items on back order status.
Click to expand...

Bingo. As someone who worked in music retail management, I can vouch that those two reasons are deal killers. The third reason is being forced to buy Tens of Thousands of dollars worth of gear the vendor *mandates* you to buy.
 
#15
Seem like some musical instrument co's. are shooting themselves in the foot lately. A local mom and pop store around here recently got into a tiff with Gibson over not buying enough of their instruments. Gibson got miffed and pulled their product line from the store. Result.......Gibson has NO market in this area any more cause the nearest other store won't carry their line (for that exact reason) and there are no other stores for about 40 miles from here. Makes me scratch my head. I wish these companies would stop making me scratch my head. I'm bald enough as it is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: carsbybigd
#19
Technically fender distributes their own stuff in Canada--but L&M uses Yorkville for pretty much everything--whether they're the distributor or not--but they are owned by the same group of people...

At least that's what I have heard
 
#20
Fender's website:

Invalid Link Removed

Harmonic Trade = Canadian Distributor...

Location: Erbil ? Iraq ?


Weird...


HT's website, contact:

Link Removed

Looks like a residential address in Burnaby?

(also Iraq & Dubai)
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back