Price haggling lowlifes

[Mick Wade]

Originally posted by szvook:
try "Do you want fries with this" as your next customer service approach

"Pumps or loafers?" would probably be another good one.......

Thank you, please drive forward!



[This message has been edited by Mick Wade (edited February 20, 2001).]

[jrcel]

On the flip side, I've had a twenty year relationship with Washington Music and they always give me the skinney on all the new stuff. Sometimes I just call to pick their minds and bull**** with them and that's OK with them. They'll even tell me if something they are carrying is crap or not, and I do trust them. I love you ,man.

[Mick Wade]

Well, at the risk of bringing a different thread into this one, read this: http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAM...a/PR/Lars.html

...and let that stand as an example of why we musicians are the way we are about prices.

Final Score: Vdrums.com: 1 Music Retailer: 0

By the way, that's TWO soft drinks that you guys have made me spew all over the place from laughing so hard. Maybe I should wear a bib next time.....

[music retailer]

Originally posted by BINARY:
Do you guys realize that this thread got 46 posts in one day (so far)?

Wow.

I wonder who this guy was?
Maybe some loser mom-and-pop merchant who got offended by some kid asking him to beat the price he read about on this board? I doubt he's a V-Drummer, or if he is, he certainly won't post under that name anymore.

Either way, I hope he's learned his lesson. If not, I gotta tell you...he's made me not only curse in anger, but also smile at how we all came out fighting.

Yay for us.
To hell with him.

BINARY

no just someone that wanted to get the vultures riled up and then laugh his ass off reading the replys

[music retailer]

Originally posted by jrcel:
On the flip side, I've had a twenty year relationship with Washington Music and they always give me the skinney on all the new stuff. Sometimes I just call to pick their minds and bull**** with them and that's OK with them. They'll even tell me if something they are carrying is crap or not, and I do trust them. I love you ,man.

my point proven

[music retailer]

Originally posted by szvook:
I miss the music retailer already. Boo Hoo!

please dry your eyes I am watching and laughing

[cgrieves]

Good thread- that was amusing!

[TNavez]

Hey Music Retailer. I've worked in musical retail too. Stuff like Synths, Vdrums, guitars, amps, Hard disk recorders etc etc. In demand stuff in a quick moving market known for volatile prices and therefore rather volatile relationships!(Note: not friendships or brotherhood or anything more than platonic)
During my time in retail, the enemy for me was all the other musical stores who came in contact with 'my' customer while they were 'hot' to buy.....the customer was the good guy in all this!....you know, the one with the money!
I am confused at to why this tirade has not once been directed towards other music retailers who are matching these 'absurd' and 'unethical' prices, creating and harbouring this 'lowest price' mindset, in effect 'undermining' your moral crusade? Surely we, as musical consumers are only the final link in the food chain? If the musical outlet provides the option to 'beat any price', why can't we use that 'service' provided by the store/site? Maybe your idea of 'service' is a model becoming outdated in light of your arguments? Or your store focus of 'service' is to a different market segment. The catch-cry is first 'Know your audience'. In retail this is called 'market research'. It provides the means to direct the appropriate approach to the appropriate audience to get the appropriate dollars in view of the retail outfits goals. In light of this, the approach taken to this sites particular market 'segment' was not well formed or researched. Result, well you have seen the result......

If the marketing says 'we will beat any price', the market segment targetted will respond.

In the end, do we create the environment, or does the environment create us??

[BtnkBndt]

Originally posted by TNavez:
If the marketing says 'we will beat any price', the market segment targetted will respond.

In the end, do we create the environment, or does the environment create us??

AMEN!!!
Don't be so quick to blame the consumer. Seems everytime I get an ad from Guitar Center I can more or less bet that Mars has the exact price (or lower) down the street. Its called marketing. Salesmen come a dime a dozen and retailers know this. They arent worried how much commision you bring home they just want to make the sale. Large retailers like Guitar Center are more quantity sales based. The more product they buy at one time the less they pay per unit. Just because your computer says they paid x amount for a product doesnt mean they actually paid that amount. I'm sure thier price drops per unit depending on the quantity they buy. At least this is how it works in most retail buisnesses.

You could be handing out menus for a $5 to $10 tip and working at less than minimum wage. Keep your customers comming back satisfied they got a great deal and the commisions will add up from more sales. Don't rely on the big cash sales for all your earnings. Remember if your customers leave the store happy they will most likely go out of thier way to give YOU thier buisness.

Now I'm rambilng, its to early for this.

[sepdrums]

Originally posted by redarrow:
Paging sepdrums,

I wonder where sepdrums was during all of this......?Naaahhh!! Could'nt be.

Things that make ya go hmmmmmmm.

[This message has been edited by redarrow (edited February 20, 2001).]

C'ommon Redarrow....give me more credit than that please. I am almost offended... But in all seriousness I think Mr. Music Retailler is either:

1.) a young punk who is trying to cause a scene
2.) having a slow month during the most busy time of the season

He has no right to blame customers for "haggling"... Thats what its all about.. This dude has a serious attitude problem and is why most consumers hate salesmen... I personally put myself on another level...at least I am not an ass hole.

Never a boring day...

Erik
SEP



[This message has been edited by sepdrums (edited February 21, 2001).]

[TomLandin]

Originally posted by mr man:
What is moral or ethical about taking advantage of a computer glitch and getting a computer to beat it's own quote over and over until it bottoms out on price? How different is it than walking away with a $20 bill given to you as change when you know it should have been a $5 bill? You gained by intentionally taking advantage of someone. Gotta admit I've done it before, but I don't go around saying it's ok. This is not the same as taking a legitimate receipt and getting someone to match or beat the price.

For what it's worth, the rest of your post was on target.

Are we on the same wave length Mr. Man? For the record - I do not endorse "taking advantage of someone", and I would never intentional pocket the wrong $20 change. I had a scathing response all written up, and then I re-read your post. Now I I think I see where you're coming from - so I think we are both in agreement on the concept of legitimate quote pricing, as opposed to questionable loop holes in the system. My apologies for any poor writing skills which may have given you a different perspective than what I was trying to convay. "Commumication continues to be our biggest problem" (my wife's favorite quote).

[redarrow]

Originally posted by sepdrums:
C'ommon Redarrow....give me more credit than that please. I am almost offended...
Erik
SEP

But you do have a sense of humor. I decided this is a gag, probably a troll who is just having fun. No offense intended.

......So remember friends, the Golden Rule.

In the Business World, He who has the gold, makes the rules.
sad perhaps, but true.


[This message has been edited by redarrow (edited February 21, 2001).]

[gingerbaker]

Dear All,

WOW! What a thread! Such emotion, such passion! Such defensiveness! Guess what? I agree with Music Retailer!!

Most likely, this is because we have several great music stores here in Burlington, Vermont. Every one of them has long-term staff people who are very well informed, know who you are, are bulls--t free, and still give discounts. No, the discounts are not as high as some of the posts here, BUT...

These folks have helped me so much, lent me equipment, looked up arcane information, taken their time to educate me, raided their store at night when my equipment failed at a gig, etc...

I buy from them whenever I can and while part of me says " I just spent more than I HAD to", the (better) part of me says, "I just spent money very wisely and well".

Personally, methinks many here doth protest too much. Music Retailer has offered many reasonable arguments and replies (OK, the "lowlife" line was a little harsh, maybe), but the heated partisan response from us here was, in my mind (a rather small place), anyway, a bit too vehement and many times a bit off target.

All I can say is, and I guess I said it before in a similar thread, my musical life would be a much gloomier place without my local store, and that is definately worth spending a little more.

You results may vary. I know I checked out a big city Guitar Center once or twice, and I would never deal with the clowns I found there, but I didn't have to-just visiting, so I definately see where most posters on this subject are coming from.

Perhaps a well-meaning conversation to the manager might result in a different philosophy?....no, I've lost it.

[music retailer]

Originally posted by TNavez:
Hey Music Retailer. I've worked in musical retail too. Stuff like Synths, Vdrums, guitars, amps, Hard disk recorders etc etc. In demand stuff in a quick moving market known for volatile prices and therefore rather volatile relationships!(Note: not friendships or brotherhood or anything more than platonic)
During my time in retail, the enemy for me was all the other musical stores who came in contact with 'my' customer while they were 'hot' to buy.....the customer was the good guy in all this!....you know, the one with the money!
I am confused at to why this tirade has not once been directed towards other music retailers who are matching these 'absurd' and 'unethical' prices, creating and harbouring this 'lowest price' mindset, in effect 'undermining' your moral crusade? Surely we, as musical consumers are only the final link in the food chain? If the musical outlet provides the option to 'beat any price', why can't we use that 'service' provided by the store/site? Maybe your idea of 'service' is a model becoming outdated in light of your arguments? Or your store focus of 'service' is to a different market segment. The catch-cry is first 'Know your audience'. In retail this is called 'market research'. It provides the means to direct the appropriate approach to the appropriate audience to get the appropriate dollars in view of the retail outfits goals. In light of this, the approach taken to this sites particular market 'segment' was not well formed or researched. Result, well you have seen the result......

If the marketing says 'we will beat any price', the market segment targetted will respond.

In the end, do we create the environment, or does the environment create us??

Let me give you an example from me as consumer.

last month I purchased a new motherboard for my computer it was the lowest price I could find, and a Processor form another store which was the lowest price I could find on the processor. The motherboard was defective and in turn "literally" burnt and ruined the processor. The place where I bought the chip from would not replace it, mind you this is only 3 days after I bought it. The place where I bought the motherboard from would not replace it either. I ate $260.00 because no one would give me good "service" or "support" their. I should have went to the guy down the street from where I live. Yes I would have paid an extra $70.00 but I would not be in the situation I'm in right now.

situation of service and support is worth the extra coin.



[This message has been edited by music retailer (edited February 21, 2001).]

[music retailer]

Originally posted by sepdrums:
C'ommon Redarrow....give me more credit than that please. I am almost offended... But in all seriousness I think Mr. Music Retailler is either:

1.) a young punk who is trying to cause a scene
2.) having a slow month during the most busy time of the season

He has no right to blame customers for "haggling"... Thats what its all about.. This dude has a serious attitude problem and is why most consumers hate salesmen... I personally put myself on another level...at least I am not an ass hole.

Never a boring day...

Erik
SEP

[This message has been edited by sepdrums (edited February 21, 2001).]

Let me give you an example from me as consumer.

last month I purchased a new motherboard for my computer was the lowest price I could find, and a Processor form another store which was the lowest price I could find on the processor. Th motherboard was defective and in turn "literally" burnt and ruined the processor. The place where I bought the chip from would not replace it, mind you this is only 3 days after I bought it. The place where I bought the motherboard from would not replace it. I ate $260.00 because no one would give me good "service" or "support" their. I should have went to the guy down the street from where I live. Yes I would have paid an extra $70.00 but I would not be in the situation I'm in right now.

situation of service and support is worth the extra coin.




[This message has been edited by music retailer (edited February 21, 2001).]