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What would YOU like from Guitar Center?
- Thread starter xjeremiahx
- Start date
There are some great suggestions here. I realize GC caters to a very broad clientele, and I have very specific tastes, and know what I like. I don't expect anything special when I walk in, simply because I understand the target market and the attempt to optimize retail space / etc.
1. Worker Breaks. The local GC at any given time has 2 to 4 employees standing around the front of the store smoking cigarettes. I smoke the occasional butt myself, and appreciate this, but breaks should be IN THE BACK, NEAR THE LOADING DOCK. Knowing there are multiple employees smoking while I'm waiting is a no-no in my book - if they are on a legitimate lunch or coffee break, fine - just don't give the appearance of "popping out for a smoke" while someone else is waiting. Perception.
2. Cases. I've had several situations where the case is nonexistent or added in for an additional hefty price. I have no problem making some money on the case, but if it came with a case, sell it with THAT CASE. Don't try to peddle a used Peavey case for a Spector base. If it were traded in without a case, fine - let me know.
3. Customer discrimination. Any retail employee with experience can immediately recognize Those who will buy, and those who will not buy. A guy in khakis & a collared shirt staring intently at the basses higher up on the shelves? If treated right, you might be able to get a bass sale or SOME KIND of sale out of him. Don't ignore him, as he is very likely to purchase something, even if it is a month later. The mom/dad & junior looking to purchase a first instrument? Another guaranteed sale. A polite greeting and the offer to help is far more valuable than pushing me towards the local flavor of the month.
4. Strings - I realize GC cannot stock a huge amount of strings, for five & six-stringers, in all brands. But offer to custom order them for me, and they are more likely to have a sale on their hands. It keeps the customer in the store, and enhances the probability of selling extra stuff. I can order them myself online and have them in less than a week. What do I possibly need GC for?
5. A stricter dress / appearance code for employees. Perception is the name of the game. I personally find the employees of the local GC poorly dressed and sloppy looking. I'd also predict it might help with the guy in business casual & the parent looking for junior's first instrument. It helps. Remember - the objective is to make me walk out of GC with a $2000+ bass or rig or purchase in my hands.
6. Train staff to shuffle kids away from expensive merchandise. Great, you can play a riff or two. Are you going to buy this? No? Put it on layaway? No? See-ya. Have your mommy/daddy come back with his cash or credit card if you can't buy it now.
7. Train employees HOW to find information on a product. I know little to nothing about drums, but if you were to ask me about a maple DW drumset and I had access to the internet, I could get all of the specs, reviews, and other information a customer might ever need. "I don't know" or "That isn't my department" is not a valid answer. Same goes for bass. Customers understand that salepeople are human and cannot possible know everything, however, a willingness to help goes a LONG way. Depending on the customer, of course. The educated, bass-literate customer who spends time on TB & can identify a Skjold from a Fodera from a Spector at 200yards isn't this guy.
For what it is (a generic, big-box store that happens to sell musical instruments at high volumes to the masses), GC isn't all that bad. Every once in a while, they get a real sweet used bass in, and I go in every once in a while to check out the inventory.
ian
1. Worker Breaks. The local GC at any given time has 2 to 4 employees standing around the front of the store smoking cigarettes. I smoke the occasional butt myself, and appreciate this, but breaks should be IN THE BACK, NEAR THE LOADING DOCK. Knowing there are multiple employees smoking while I'm waiting is a no-no in my book - if they are on a legitimate lunch or coffee break, fine - just don't give the appearance of "popping out for a smoke" while someone else is waiting. Perception.
2. Cases. I've had several situations where the case is nonexistent or added in for an additional hefty price. I have no problem making some money on the case, but if it came with a case, sell it with THAT CASE. Don't try to peddle a used Peavey case for a Spector base. If it were traded in without a case, fine - let me know.
3. Customer discrimination. Any retail employee with experience can immediately recognize Those who will buy, and those who will not buy. A guy in khakis & a collared shirt staring intently at the basses higher up on the shelves? If treated right, you might be able to get a bass sale or SOME KIND of sale out of him. Don't ignore him, as he is very likely to purchase something, even if it is a month later. The mom/dad & junior looking to purchase a first instrument? Another guaranteed sale. A polite greeting and the offer to help is far more valuable than pushing me towards the local flavor of the month.
4. Strings - I realize GC cannot stock a huge amount of strings, for five & six-stringers, in all brands. But offer to custom order them for me, and they are more likely to have a sale on their hands. It keeps the customer in the store, and enhances the probability of selling extra stuff. I can order them myself online and have them in less than a week. What do I possibly need GC for?
5. A stricter dress / appearance code for employees. Perception is the name of the game. I personally find the employees of the local GC poorly dressed and sloppy looking. I'd also predict it might help with the guy in business casual & the parent looking for junior's first instrument. It helps. Remember - the objective is to make me walk out of GC with a $2000+ bass or rig or purchase in my hands.
6. Train staff to shuffle kids away from expensive merchandise. Great, you can play a riff or two. Are you going to buy this? No? Put it on layaway? No? See-ya. Have your mommy/daddy come back with his cash or credit card if you can't buy it now.
7. Train employees HOW to find information on a product. I know little to nothing about drums, but if you were to ask me about a maple DW drumset and I had access to the internet, I could get all of the specs, reviews, and other information a customer might ever need. "I don't know" or "That isn't my department" is not a valid answer. Same goes for bass. Customers understand that salepeople are human and cannot possible know everything, however, a willingness to help goes a LONG way. Depending on the customer, of course. The educated, bass-literate customer who spends time on TB & can identify a Skjold from a Fodera from a Spector at 200yards isn't this guy.
For what it is (a generic, big-box store that happens to sell musical instruments at high volumes to the masses), GC isn't all that bad. Every once in a while, they get a real sweet used bass in, and I go in every once in a while to check out the inventory.
ian
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I was serious about the bad smelling bad haircut kids that know very little about musical instruments. I was not just being negative. There was one Guitar Center in Canton MI where there was one guy who knew his stuff. But he was surrounded by posers who would make up stuff when they didn't know what they were talking about.
- Aug 25, 2007
- 835
- 6
- Disclosures
- I manufacture for several companies including but not limited to: Bridge City Sound, Catalinbread, more.
a while ago i bought a used 400+ from GC.....ok well i traded a bunch of gear for it. I feel that it was a pretty fair trade considering i didnt play any of what i had. had a really good experience with the sales guy who was willing to help me out and even threw in a few "freebies" or whatever to even out the trade.
cut to years later. I post an add on craigslist wanting to sell or trade an amp for a different amp of the same age/quality/whatever. So i get an email from a kid asking what i was looking for. I email back with a response of a few different things. He then states that he works at GC and if I bring my amp in with some cash I can trade "up" to something else.
If i want to go to GC to trade, i will. I understand that the kid is probably trying to be helpful but im not sure if this was the right situation to "help" in this sort of way. Not trying to say that they suck, just want to see more people who care about the customer and who will leave you alone if you arent in the store.
cut to years later. I post an add on craigslist wanting to sell or trade an amp for a different amp of the same age/quality/whatever. So i get an email from a kid asking what i was looking for. I email back with a response of a few different things. He then states that he works at GC and if I bring my amp in with some cash I can trade "up" to something else.
If i want to go to GC to trade, i will. I understand that the kid is probably trying to be helpful but im not sure if this was the right situation to "help" in this sort of way. Not trying to say that they suck, just want to see more people who care about the customer and who will leave you alone if you arent in the store.
I'm in Merchantville. Whenever it is time to stock up on micro-brewed beer, I stop by Total Wine, after perusing both Sam Ash & GC to see if there are any gems. Last year I came home with half a case of Magic Hat & a Peavey Cirrus Sixer. Yeah!
they need to have a sale like no other sale but actually make the discounts worth something, No bs like 50% of you purchase of $399 or more,does not apply to fender,ampeg,gibson,markbass,GK,mesa,or anything worth getting.And they always jack up the prices during the sale
This seems to vary between GC locations. I got so mad at the staff at the San Marco, CA GC a few years back that a wrote the manager *and* GC corporate - - The staff treated lme like I was a senile old man when I had a wallet full of money ready to spend; It was clear that because I didn't have tats or ride a skateboard to the store, I wasn't "Serious". It was pathetic. (and yes, they answered the letter, offering me a "Deal" on anything in the store - - I told that I wasn't fishing for a deal - I was just pissed about how I was treated...)
Years later, I sucked it up and went back to the same store. This time, a sales guy told me I was ignorant because I didn't want to bother to play some $200 bass that he insisted was "Great!". This time I didn't bother writing - I just won't go back there, ever again. Ever. And I have made sure to tell every musician I know to avoid the Guitar Center in San Marcos, CA. It SUCKS.
Now, GC corporate can fix this stuff by getting their regional managers to hammer the store managers, but that's a pretty big mandate that I think they would have done by now. My guess is that they are only concerned with what revenue a store is making - nothing more... And if the store is making bank, I guess they don't need my business.
The GC I have gone to in recent years is in Pasadena, CA - - the staff there is MUCH better, even if the basses are not. And i have to say, I've gotten a few great deals on used gear there. Sadly, many instruments there are abused, the selection is weak, it is cramped a heck, and noisy as sin (the noise just comes with the territory - I've been going to GC's since I started playing in '76... I can still remember the constant radio ads from back then: "Guitar Center! 630 C street, Downtown, San Diego!!!"
I posted this before, but if there's a chance it might get heard, I'll post it again.
I'm a middle aged woman who just happens to be a musician. If I go into either of the local GCs dressed for my day job, I CANNOT get anyone to give me service. Generally, I can't even get anyone to make eye contact with me. I've walked in with very fat credit cards, intending to buy serious gear, and walked out without even trying anything because none of the sales people will acknowledge that I'm there, much less offer me a cable or to get a bass off the wall for me. I bought my Ibanez 5 string from a store that had to order it, rather than from stock on the wall at GC because no one at GC would help me. I'm not a wallflower waiting for a sales person to see me in a crowd, neither am I an obnoxious bitch demanding service. Apparently CG hires sales staff with "mother issues" or something. In the past year I have personally spent $10K on gear for myself or my band and only about $200 have gone to GC (strings and cables).
Y'all are really missing the boat here.
I'm a middle aged woman who just happens to be a musician. If I go into either of the local GCs dressed for my day job, I CANNOT get anyone to give me service. Generally, I can't even get anyone to make eye contact with me. I've walked in with very fat credit cards, intending to buy serious gear, and walked out without even trying anything because none of the sales people will acknowledge that I'm there, much less offer me a cable or to get a bass off the wall for me. I bought my Ibanez 5 string from a store that had to order it, rather than from stock on the wall at GC because no one at GC would help me. I'm not a wallflower waiting for a sales person to see me in a crowd, neither am I an obnoxious bitch demanding service. Apparently CG hires sales staff with "mother issues" or something. In the past year I have personally spent $10K on gear for myself or my band and only about $200 have gone to GC (strings and cables).
Y'all are really missing the boat here.
I have a GC and have spent money there on occasion when the situation and price was right.
Most of the staff know my be looks if not by name. The manager saw me looking at a guitar (that "skinny stringed" instrument) recently and asked if was switching from bass.
I do my own setups, guitar work (certified through Invalid Link Removed) and have done my own amp work when I can. They know when I look at something, I know my business. Because I know these things I can usually negotiate a reasonable deal. Especially after I point out what needs to be done to make the instrument play correctly, etc.
However, I have gotten the new "sharky" sales person that didn't know me, looked at the "dork" that I appear to be and figured he could screw me when he wouldn't even try to negotiate a price. And that was on a used instrument. I can see be firm on some new items, but a used instrument??? I didn't even think twice about walking away. I've been back to GC and even had "sharky" as a sales person. I don't hold grudges...I just want the right deal. Today you may have it. Tomorrow you might not.
I go to just about every music store in the area to find the right deal (doesn't have to be best price). I just use my knowledge and experience to my advantage.
Most of the staff know my be looks if not by name. The manager saw me looking at a guitar (that "skinny stringed" instrument) recently and asked if was switching from bass.
I do my own setups, guitar work (certified through Invalid Link Removed) and have done my own amp work when I can. They know when I look at something, I know my business. Because I know these things I can usually negotiate a reasonable deal. Especially after I point out what needs to be done to make the instrument play correctly, etc.
However, I have gotten the new "sharky" sales person that didn't know me, looked at the "dork" that I appear to be and figured he could screw me when he wouldn't even try to negotiate a price. And that was on a used instrument. I can see be firm on some new items, but a used instrument??? I didn't even think twice about walking away. I've been back to GC and even had "sharky" as a sales person. I don't hold grudges...I just want the right deal. Today you may have it. Tomorrow you might not.
I go to just about every music store in the area to find the right deal (doesn't have to be best price). I just use my knowledge and experience to my advantage.
IME -
GC sales people are either pushy/sharky, or you can't get one to do anything. Nothing much in between.
There is good and bad at any chain like this. Thankfully Scott Dailey at the Southfield, MI GC is one of the good ones. Stop in and see him and he will take really good care of you. He's a heck of a guitar player too.
Nah - it's up to the store to find the good employees if they want me to keep patronizing their store.
i don't mind GC at all. and it's kinda like finding a Harley dealer in each city you visit, i can seek them out and see what's what in dif parts of the country. they just need "Guitar Center NYC" or LA or wherever shirts LOL!
as far as what i'd like ti see there... somehow have the guitars not so "sky high" on the wall, have the effects IN the bass area so they are right there to try then move over to the counter to buy. and lastly if possible modified basses for test and sale! for example a Precision w/emg's and a bad ass, or a Jazz with barts or DiMarzios etc mix it up and sell them like that if possible. my local store is pretty good as far as having cords available and amps set up to try. Orange would be nice but we have mesa, ampeg, line 6, fender, mark so...
and on a complete re haul of the stores lose the fluorescent lighting for something more friendly but still bright.
as far as what i'd like ti see there... somehow have the guitars not so "sky high" on the wall, have the effects IN the bass area so they are right there to try then move over to the counter to buy. and lastly if possible modified basses for test and sale! for example a Precision w/emg's and a bad ass, or a Jazz with barts or DiMarzios etc mix it up and sell them like that if possible. my local store is pretty good as far as having cords available and amps set up to try. Orange would be nice but we have mesa, ampeg, line 6, fender, mark so...
and on a complete re haul of the stores lose the fluorescent lighting for something more friendly but still bright.
I'm not going to read this whole thread. I'm a busy man. So I may be repeating things that have already been said in the last 5 pages.
Full discloser: I worked for GC for a few years in the late '90's early '00's
I know how the company operates and they have the wrong priorities.
They sell cheap, junky gear because it has the highest profit margin. This is a fine business plan when it comes to keeping the business alive but they neglect the pros. It's a store for beginners, plain and simple. Pros go to GC to buy accessories and generally not instruments. Mom and Dad go to GC to by Jr. a beginner Squire Pack.
High-end instruments should be stored away from the general public. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a nice high-end bass with all the knobs stolen or some big gash in the finish. Have some pride in the stock! When I worked at GC we'd keep the nicer instruments on the top hooks so that people would have to ask to play them. This way we could get the punk kid to take his wallet chain off before he scratched it.
Maintain the stock. It's not hard. We did it when I was guitar manager at my store. Just have a system down. Choose a section of the wall and work on it all day during slow times.
Commission is fine so long as the company honors it. I'm not sure how they run the business now but they used to set sales goals and then give you a commission check only if you reached the goal. Then they'd raise the goal the next month. Eventually you never got a commission. Totally lowered morale in the whole store. It caused a lot of employee turnover.
GC also needs to pay their employees better. At least pay the management better. I was a manager working 45 to 55 hour weeks and could barely afford my bills every month. Again, too much work for the amount of pay. Caused a lot of employee turnover.
Another thing that was always frustrating as an employee was not being able to send back or repair defective equipment. Instead they'd make me throw a sale tag on it and try to pawn it off on some poor person who's trying to get a deal only to find the gear is defective and has "all sales final" written on the receipt.
I should be able to request a piece of gear into a store to try it without having to purchase it. GC has lost many many sales because of this we-can't-order-special-gear-unless-you-buy-it policy. It's stupid, and bad business. If you order it in and the customer doesn't want it... send it back! See above.
More basses. Not more Fenders, there are too many of those anyway, more BRANDS and more stock. If I ever need a MIM Fender, Ibanez, Warwick, or Schecter I know where to go but how about ANYTHING else?
The pro audio section is usually in pretty terrible shape. Just a bunch of expensive outboard gear shoved into a rack and not hooked up for demo. There's always an employee that has no idea how a signal flow works. Usually there's a set of Mackies or KRK's with the dust caps poked in. Again, take some pride in the stock. Have a demo room that works, has a decent demo set up (like a small multi-track song on a Pro Tools session or something), and most importantly is LOCKED and only open to serious buyers. And train someone so that I don't have to teach the employee how to patch a compressor into a console.
That's all I can think of right now.
I hope this is constructive.
Full discloser: I worked for GC for a few years in the late '90's early '00's
I know how the company operates and they have the wrong priorities.
They sell cheap, junky gear because it has the highest profit margin. This is a fine business plan when it comes to keeping the business alive but they neglect the pros. It's a store for beginners, plain and simple. Pros go to GC to buy accessories and generally not instruments. Mom and Dad go to GC to by Jr. a beginner Squire Pack.
High-end instruments should be stored away from the general public. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a nice high-end bass with all the knobs stolen or some big gash in the finish. Have some pride in the stock! When I worked at GC we'd keep the nicer instruments on the top hooks so that people would have to ask to play them. This way we could get the punk kid to take his wallet chain off before he scratched it.
Maintain the stock. It's not hard. We did it when I was guitar manager at my store. Just have a system down. Choose a section of the wall and work on it all day during slow times.
Commission is fine so long as the company honors it. I'm not sure how they run the business now but they used to set sales goals and then give you a commission check only if you reached the goal. Then they'd raise the goal the next month. Eventually you never got a commission. Totally lowered morale in the whole store. It caused a lot of employee turnover.
GC also needs to pay their employees better. At least pay the management better. I was a manager working 45 to 55 hour weeks and could barely afford my bills every month. Again, too much work for the amount of pay. Caused a lot of employee turnover.
Another thing that was always frustrating as an employee was not being able to send back or repair defective equipment. Instead they'd make me throw a sale tag on it and try to pawn it off on some poor person who's trying to get a deal only to find the gear is defective and has "all sales final" written on the receipt.
I should be able to request a piece of gear into a store to try it without having to purchase it. GC has lost many many sales because of this we-can't-order-special-gear-unless-you-buy-it policy. It's stupid, and bad business. If you order it in and the customer doesn't want it... send it back! See above.
More basses. Not more Fenders, there are too many of those anyway, more BRANDS and more stock. If I ever need a MIM Fender, Ibanez, Warwick, or Schecter I know where to go but how about ANYTHING else?
The pro audio section is usually in pretty terrible shape. Just a bunch of expensive outboard gear shoved into a rack and not hooked up for demo. There's always an employee that has no idea how a signal flow works. Usually there's a set of Mackies or KRK's with the dust caps poked in. Again, take some pride in the stock. Have a demo room that works, has a decent demo set up (like a small multi-track song on a Pro Tools session or something), and most importantly is LOCKED and only open to serious buyers. And train someone so that I don't have to teach the employee how to patch a compressor into a console.
That's all I can think of right now.
I hope this is constructive.
I totally agree about this. There is a Fender Road Worn Jazz bass with a blown truss rod that the repair guy told me was blown that I had the manager take off of the sales floor, and it was back up for sale the last time I was in the store with unplayably high action and for full GC price.
This is why I'm glad to be in Nashville where I have Corner Music and The Low End bass shop is just right down the road in the 'boro.
Many times, I've stopped by GC to get something really commonplace, like Allparts P-Bass knobs, or strap buttons, only to be told that they'd be happy to special order them for me. Obviously, I could've done that myself, directly from Allparts! Annoying.
Also (and this may not be GC's fault), I hate it when I get one of their postcards advertising a gigantic sale, and the very, very fine print states that the sale excludes just about every major brand imaginable (Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Music Man, Lakland, Roland, Korg, Martin, Ludwig, Yamaha, etc., etc.). But I could get two guitar stands for the price of one! Whoopee!
Also (and this may not be GC's fault), I hate it when I get one of their postcards advertising a gigantic sale, and the very, very fine print states that the sale excludes just about every major brand imaginable (Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Music Man, Lakland, Roland, Korg, Martin, Ludwig, Yamaha, etc., etc.). But I could get two guitar stands for the price of one! Whoopee!
I have had nothing but BAD experiences at the Boston Guitar Center.
-PLEASE -- if you're going to allow people to try out electronic instruments at high volume, BUILD A SOUNPROOFED ROOM!!! There's nothing more annoying than having to be assaulted by some little puke playing Deep Purple guitar licks at 150 decibels, especially if you're trying to talk to someone!
-if you've got it to let me try, then keep it in stock!
-don't tell me I need to wait for "someone to go to the warehouse and get it" ESPECIALLY when you tell me it will be 15 minutes and it turns out to be 1 1/2 hours!
-put internet-equipped computers in all departments and teach your sales drones how to use them
-don't just stock the lowest tiered product lines. If you're going to cater to serious musicians, then stock what they need. I don't need to pay you more money for an item than I would on the internet, just so you can order it over the internet....get it? The reason for me to do business with a brick and mortar store is because you offer me good service on the items I want....for that I'm willing to pay a bit more...
After my last experience with GC (well over 5 years ago) I do 90% of my shopping over the internet. If I need to try something, I'll usually go to a mom and pop store and give them my business.
I NEVER go to a brick and mortar store to try something out, then order over the internet.....it just doesn't feel ethical ....
bigtiny
-PLEASE -- if you're going to allow people to try out electronic instruments at high volume, BUILD A SOUNPROOFED ROOM!!! There's nothing more annoying than having to be assaulted by some little puke playing Deep Purple guitar licks at 150 decibels, especially if you're trying to talk to someone!
-if you've got it to let me try, then keep it in stock!
-don't tell me I need to wait for "someone to go to the warehouse and get it" ESPECIALLY when you tell me it will be 15 minutes and it turns out to be 1 1/2 hours!
-put internet-equipped computers in all departments and teach your sales drones how to use them
-don't just stock the lowest tiered product lines. If you're going to cater to serious musicians, then stock what they need. I don't need to pay you more money for an item than I would on the internet, just so you can order it over the internet....get it? The reason for me to do business with a brick and mortar store is because you offer me good service on the items I want....for that I'm willing to pay a bit more...
After my last experience with GC (well over 5 years ago) I do 90% of my shopping over the internet. If I need to try something, I'll usually go to a mom and pop store and give them my business.
I NEVER go to a brick and mortar store to try something out, then order over the internet.....it just doesn't feel ethical ....
bigtiny
