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I'm officially boycotting Guitar Center

#301
Here's the thing, how many of the "customers" that you see in the store in a given 12 hour day, BUY anything?
What is the Gross recpt.total that day?
Poor per customer average, I'd wager.
WHY
POOR service.
the last time I set foot into a G.C. they fukked themselves out of over 1K cash sale,
and worked hard as hell to do so.
I am 1 customer only.
Well I {was} 1 customer only.
How many of the people that you see IN the store LEAVE without buying ,
due to Ridiculous service.

If you are attracting customers, you are doing something right.
If you are loosing customers, you are doing something wrong.

1 pissed off customer will do you more harm than 1 satisfied customer will do you good.
So go ahead G.C. LOL.
Don't care about those un happy customers.
Don't do anything to improve customer service.
Don't try training your employees,
Don't do anything about customer retention,

Hell don't do anything at all...
R.I.P.
 
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#302
xgator4u said:
1 pissed off customer will do you more harm than 1 satisfied customer will do you good.
So go ahead G.C. LOL.
Don't care about those un happy customers.
Don't do anything to improve customer service.
Don't try training your employees,
Don't do anything about customer retention,

Hell don't do anything at all...
R.I.P.
Click to expand...
I have steered at least a dozen people to AMS. Of those 12 people I know collectively they have purchased $30,000+ in gear that I know of. I lost touch with a few of those people, including the one who bought 4 ESP's costing over $10,000 alone. So, by GC screwing me over it has cost them a lot. So by not offering up good customer service they are digging their own grave. I know in relation to the big picture, that doesn't seem like much, but it is... Treating 1 customer like poopie ultimately was the same as treating 13 customers like poopie.
 
#303
Correct.
Customer experience, good, or bad is passed along.
Word of mouth is THE best advertising you can get.
If someone asks you to recommend them someplace to get {fill in blank here} you will tell them about someplace that YOU have had an exceptionally good personal experience with.

Now before you hammerheads get all bent out of shape you know that someone, some where, at some time HAS asked your advice on where they should get something from. EVERYONE.

Now Most likely you will NOT speak favorably of a place or person that has given you anything LESS than excellence.
You will not suggest mediocre,nor marginal, and certainly NOT poor.
Conversely if you have been rubbed the wrong way, you {everyone} will take this opportunity to tell the full extent of your displeasure.

That is a FACT.

So poke your head in the sand, LOL, and believe that customer you pi$$ed off does NOT matter.
Go ahead, let us know how that works out for you.
 
#304
I live halfway between 2 GC's. Neither is especially convenient in that they're outside any normal route I travel.

I went to one (arguably the larger) to get a box to ship a bass (i.e. - trash to them). This was a Sunday and I had the excuse of a nearby breakfast. "We don't have any right now, our delivery day is Tuesday, call back then." Did. "No, we get deliveries on Thursday, call back then." Did. "We had some, but they went out with the trash." Same thing went on with the other store - no one had a clue. And no one volunteered to put one aside for me, or call me when they had one. I haven't been back to either store since - this was a year ago.

Yes, as far as they knew, I just wanted something for nothing. What they did not know was that I was prepared to drop about $150 on accessories as a reward for coming through for me. I wound up making that $150 buy at Sweetwater, along with an SKB ATA bass case which I knew would come with a box...

In the meanwhile, I've found a local employee-owned music store that has almost everything I'd need, and I support them and their community events. Strings and such I get from BassStringsOnline (the local store doesn't stock 6-string sets and I do not blame them). Most stuff I get from Sweetwater, but sometimes their lines are a bit limited so MF is my 3rd choice. I won't say I'll _never_ again go to GC, but I'd need a _really compelling_ reason to, and one that could only involve a serious lack of planning on my part, considering Sweetwater's historical 2-day shipping...
 
#308
BassGoblin said:
Like I said, I'll go to GC to play on their gear. It WAS nice playing a $5,000 PRS last week. However, if I chose to purchase it, I'll get it through AMS. When you phone in an order of that size they will toss in free overnight shipping, and no tax.

I'm a dick. I know. No need to remind me.
Click to expand...

Your "Dickness" is not what leapt to mind - it was that you think that a $5000 PRS you order on line will be the same - will "Speak to you" the same way the one that you played at GC did - that boggles my mind. It does not work that way, for me. If I pick up a bass and it just "comes alive" in my hands, then I either buy it then and there or I decide an cannot afford it and move along. The last bass I bought in a store was, in fact, at a GC in Pasadena CA. Used lakland 4-94. I picked it up and it just insisted I take it home. I had a nearly identical bass years before, but it never really worked for me - This one did - and still does, 9 years later. So I put $200 down on it and paid it off a month later... but the point is I played it, it WORKED for me, so I bought THAT ONE - not the one that *might * be like it.

I get buying things like amps/cabs/cables/string/effects on line - I do the same thing. But a bass or guitar? Never new, not for me. Used - sure, flipping is easy. But new? Nah.
 
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#309
SanDiegoHarry said:
Your "Dickness" is not what leapt to mind - it was that you think that a $5000 PRS you order on line will be the same - will "Speak to you" the same way the one that you played at GC did - that boggles my mind. It does not work that way, for me. If I pick up a bass and it just "comes alive" in my hands, then I either buy it then and there or I decide an cannot afford it and move along. The last bass I bought in a store was, in fact, at a GC in Pasadena CA. Used lakland 4-94. I picked it up and it just insisted I take it home. I had a nearly identical bass years before, but it never really worked for me - This one did - and still does, 9 years later. So I put $200 down on it and paid it off a month later... but the point is I played it, it WORKED for me, so I bought THAT ONE - not the one that *might * be like it.

I get buying things like amps/cabs/cables/string/effects on line - I do the same thing. But a bass or guitar? Never new, not for me. Used - sure, flipping is easy. But new? Nah.
Click to expand...
Well, I have ordered my Ibanez SR1405E, SR1600E, ESP KH-2, Ibanez Jem7DBK, ESP MH300, ESP ST203FR, Ibanez RGA321f, Pod X3Live, Pod HD, and a crapload of other things through AMS. ALL of the guitars met or exceeded my expectations. I do understand what you are saying. However, if I was to walk up to the counter after playing that PRS and say "I'll buy this right now for $3500, they would tell me to go shag myself. They wouldn't make a counter offer. The best part is that Guitar Center purchases a $5000 guitar for roughly $2500. So, if I want that exact guitar off the wall, the one that countless people have come in and played... Yes, I expect them to consider it used. They won't. Even though they are still going to make a LOT of money off of that sale. They are absolute not interested unless they are going to make damn near 100% profit.

So, in my experience of ordering high end guitars off of AMS and they all came to me flawless and giddy like a school-girl. I absolutely would order a 5000$ guitar from AMS knowing I'm getting a guitar that no one outside of that factory has laid eyes on.

Plus... I like opening UPS/Fedex Christmas Presents. :p

PS Guitars don't speak to me. I make those mother shagers SING.
 
#310
SanDiegoHarry said:
... but the point is I played it, it WORKED for me, so I bought THAT ONE - not the one that *might * be like it.

I get buying things like amps/cabs/cables/string/effects on line - I do the same thing. But a bass or guitar? Never new, not for me. Used - sure, flipping is easy. But new? Nah.
Click to expand...


ABSOLUTELY...
Instruments are like fingerprints. No 2 are the same.
Similar sure, same model, same color, same everything, Yet
NOT the same.
They are made out of wood.
You cant get 2 identical pieces of wood out of the SAME tree.
similar, but not identical.

I had a discussion about this the other day, I maintain that you can walk into a store,
Even a G.C. if YOU insist, and pick a style of bass. lets say Fender P bass as an example.
You can pick up and play EVERY P bass in the store and no 2 will be the same.
Instruments are PERSONAL.
I could no more imagine buying a bass online than I could imagine ordering a wife online.

On second thought, the arbitrary wife just might not be so bad after all,
as long as there was a solid return/exchange policy.:cool:
 
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#311
BassGoblin said:
I go to guitar center just to try out stuff... sometimes buy cables and things like that. I know the guitars aren't set up the best but it gives me a feel for the body/neck. I then go online and order from American Musical for a fraction of the price. Tax free. Free shipping. ...
Click to expand...

Enjoy the luxury. If enough people are like you, eventually they will close and you won't be able to try stuff out at all before you buy online.

When I was younger, there were lots of small bookstores. Then the box box stores like "Borders" opened up and drove the small ones out of business. Then the online stores like Amazon opened up and people would go into Borders to look at books, and then order them online, saving some money. And Borders went out of business.
 
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#312
xgator4u said:
Does anyone here remember when
Can I help you?
Thank YOU. and
Please tell your friends.
was the NORM.?
Click to expand...

You know what is now? "Can I have your phone number? Your email address?" - I always, ALWAYS say "NO" to any of the kids at GC, Sears or anyone else who asks me for this info while I'm about to buy something. Like I want more junk mail, spam/telemarketing from any of these jerks.
 
#313
xgator4u said:
ABSOLUTELY...
Instruments are like fingerprints. No 2 are the same.
Similar sure, same model, same color, same everything, Yet
NOT the same.
They are made out of wood.
You cant get 2 identical pieces of wood out of the SAME tree.
similar, but not identical.

I had a discussion about this the other day, I maintain that you can walk into a store,
Even a G.C. if YOU insist, and pick a style of bass. lets say Fender P bass as an example.
You can pick up and play EVERY P bass in the store and no 2 will be the same.
Instruments are PERSONAL.
I could no more imagine buying a bass online than I could imagine ordering a wife online.

On second thought, the arbitrary wife just might not be so bad after all,
as long as there was a solid return/exchange policy.:cool:
Click to expand...


I've had good luck buying USED gear on line - and REALLY good luck buying used gear here on TB. Every piece I bought here was better than advertised - every one. Ebay? Eh, no. But on TB, I've had great luck. Just bought this the Pedulla rapture from a nice TBer - the thing is *brand new* - looks like it was hardly played, as in just opened the box and set it up condition - for less than half of what it sold for at Bass Central. So I'll stick to buying used gear on TB, thank you... but if I gotta buy new, I'll either buy in a store or order from the builder (like I'm thinking of doing with Rob Allen).
 
#314
"You know what is now? "Can I have your phone number? Your email address?" - I always, ALWAYS say "NO" to any of the kids at GC, Sears or anyone else who asks me for this info while I'm about to buy something. Like I want more junk mail, spam/telemarketing from any of these jerks."


Right?
I tell them "I don't have one" ,
by GOD that's entertaining!:hyper::hyper::hyper:
They can't complete the transaction, and have to get a
"manager" to over ride the machine.
Thats more fun than going to Mickey Dees,
and ordering an Egg Mcmuffin
WITHOUT cheese.:roflmao:
LMFAO

There isn't a PICTURE of that
on the "cash register"
 
#315
cchorney said:
Enjoy the luxury. If enough people are like you, eventually they will close and you won't be able to try stuff out at all before you buy online.
Click to expand...

Another beauty of AMS. 45 day money back guarantee. If I don't like it, back to the warehouse. Exactly like Guitar Center. Without having to deal with all the BS that happens AT Guitar Center. Sweetwater, you get to SEE the exact instrument before you buy it. I prefer AMS though because their payment plans are awesome. I can buy gear that would take me a year to save up for, but instead I get to get it NOW!
 
#316
SanDiegoHarry said:
You know what is now? "Can I have your phone number? Your email address?" - I always, ALWAYS say "NO" to any of the kids at GC, Sears or anyone else who asks me for this info while I'm about to buy something. Like I want more junk mail, spam/telemarketing from any of these jerks.
Click to expand...

Or,
they want you to "sign up"
to get a friggin Card,
in order to get the advertised price.

I don't want a fukking card.

I just want to buy my merchandise,
AT the price YOU advertised,
and go the hell home.
 
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#317
Walmart, Home depot, Guitar Center, you name it. It's one big machine. If I have an opportunity to avoid big box stores that's my chosen path.
Guitar Center was added to my list when I was simply looking for some copper shielding tape.
Ended up going to OSH and picking up slug repellent tape to get me by.
Found Guitar Workshop here in Sacramento. Their wall stock in parts is far more extensive than GC ever will be.
I let out a sigh of relief upon walking in. One of the techs was personable, knowledgeable and ultimately had the strings in stock that I'm using on my ATK at the moment.
 
#320
xgator4u said:
You bet your @$$
that ain't Guitard Center !
Click to expand...
Yeah, but they're not all bad.

One of the stores by my house has a guitar tech who is almost a genius. I had one guitar player friend that recommended him specifically. There was some kind of problem with the neck of his axe and the tech fixed it quickly and efficiently. If he could get over the habit of setting basses up way too high he would be amazing. I like it up a little higher than most people, but that is redic.

Again, seems to depend on the particular personnel at the particular location. I wouldn't let either of the techs at the other location in town touch my bass with a 10 foot pole and two condoms.
 
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