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Is Andertons a reliable shop?

Meanwhile back on topic about Andertons...

I have bought several items from them. The last was a G&L L2000 Tribute. It was around £520 which on this side of the pond is a decent price. When it arrived, it had several cosmetic flaws, a mark on the back of the body and a few dents on the back of the neck. I wasnt happy with it and returned it. A few days later it was back for sale on their site again as a B stock item for £450! A bit naughty of them I thought.

Naughty why? You brought the cosmetic flaws to their attention, they marked it B-stock. It's not like they went and sold it to someone else as though it were pristine.

Seriously, I don't think most retail businesses do quality inspections on their merchandise, nor should. If I buy a computer at Staples they bring it out in a box as they received it from the factory. I wouldn't expect that they had set up the computer at the shop, checked every screw and bolt and ran every app on it to make sure it worked perfectly before selling it to me. The factory does that, boxes it, the box goes to the store's warehouse, and the store sells it. They take the return if it proves to be defective but QC is the factory's job.
 
Naughty why? You brought the cosmetic flaws to their attention, they marked it B-stock. It's not like they went and sold it to someone else as though it were pristine.

Seriously, I don't think most retail businesses do quality inspections on their merchandise, nor should. If I buy a computer at Staples they bring it out in a box as they received it from the factory. I wouldn't expect that they had set up the computer at the shop, checked every screw and bolt and ran every app on it to make sure it worked perfectly before selling it to me. The factory does that, boxes it, the box goes to the store's warehouse, and the store sells it. They take the return if it proves to be defective but QC is the factory's job.
Agree completely.

I understand a full inspection on used gear, but on new stock, fresh from the factory, an inspection seems like a waste of time and resources.
 
There is one weird thing about Anderton's :

One of the guys that does most of their bass videos, is apparently Mark Kings brother...

In every video, the Anderton's logo is burned in to the top left of the screen. The Anderton's logo is covering the entire back wall. All the Anderton's staff in the videos, are wearing Andertons T-shirts, emblazoned with the Anderton's logo.

No doubt, the name Anderton's is writ large on the sign above the shops door, and even on his pay checks.

Yet in every video, he calls them Anderson's.

It's insane!


:confused:


But yeah, they've been around for decades, and have a really good rep - all the more reason why you'd think that guy would know who he's working for :thumbsdown:
 
Dude I worked at a guitar store on denmark street for three years off and on in ordering and we never paid a single import duty on a guitar or Bass from a US manufacturer. Ok, we are now going back to 2009-2012, but that doesn’t seem that out of date.

Then HMRC might like to hear from you, as the only way to not pay import duty on US instruments would be to smuggle them... ;) (unless, of course you paid import duty, you just don't know it... which looks possible at this stage)
 
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I think you are probably right - I just went to the HMRC site after posting and they talk of a tax between 2-3.5% of the total value of the instrument with the scale moving based on the rarity, value etc of the instrument. I think I buried it in with VAT in my mind.

Still that 2-3.5% does not represent the difference in cost between instruments in Europe and those in the US.

I am convinced that the differences mainly come from collusion in the industry and the lack of any truly well established cross continental retailers that only compete on price in these markets and thus are able to break this collusion.

Now, on that I agree, pretty much all of it.
 
Today's consumer wants:

lowest price
top-flight service (photos of everything, videos, 24/7 communications)
free shipping
perfect product
accessories thrown in
even lower price

Very glad I don't work retail these days...

Almost. I read too many threads about people why just buy something, and send it back if they aren't happy.

Yeah, retail would not be fun.
 
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Today's consumer wants:

lowest price
top-flight service (photos of everything, videos, 24/7 communications)
free shipping
perfect product
accessories thrown in
even lower price

Very glad I don't work retail these days...


I'm also glad I no longer work in retail :) There are some seriously unrealistic expectations evidenced in this thread. Also, Andertons seems like a first class outfit, and I'd buy from them.
 
Today's consumer wants:

lowest price
top-flight service (photos of everything, videos, 24/7 communications)
free shipping
perfect product
accessories thrown in
even lower price

Very glad I don't work retail these days...

8204.png
 
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Almost. I read too many threads about people why just buy something, and send it back if they aren't happy.

Yeah, retail would not be fun.

These days there is the 30-day buyer remorse thing (here in the UK at least)... Gear4Music for example let you just change your mind and send things back, and even pay the return shipping. I guess they just figure those costs into their overall pricing.
 
These days there is the 30-day buyer remorse thing (here in the UK at least)... Gear4Music for example let you just change your mind and send things back, and even pay the return shipping. I guess they just figure those costs into their overall pricing.

It was made into legislation in the UK a good number of years ago when the whole online shopping thing really took off.

Anyway, Anderton's are a reputable dealer. Bought a few things from them in the past.
 
I find them to reputable but I am stunned you find them cheap. Nothing in the UK music scene is cheap and even the cheapest, like Andertons is still way more expensive than Reverb shipped to the UK.
Yes, Andertons is not the cheapest over here, by a long shot. I used to use Thommans a lot but these days Gear 4 Music gets most of my money. Cheaper and very good customer service.
 
Meanwhile back on topic about Andertons...

I have bought several items from them. The last was a G&L L2000 Tribute. It was around £520 which on this side of the pond is a decent price. When it arrived, it had several cosmetic flaws, a mark on the back of the body and a few dents on the back of the neck. I wasnt happy with it and returned it. A few days later it was back for sale on their site again as a B stock item for £450! A bit naughty of them I thought.
Isn’t that the definition of B-stock? Basically sound but with some dings and stuff...
 
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Based on what I've seen on YouTube (which isn't a foolproof way to determine this) Anderton's seems to care about its employees, which counts as an advantage for getting my business.
They also support the local rock college too... The Academy Of Contemporary Music (ACM). Sponsoring the college, student discounts, helping the college with gear etc...
 
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