How much extra would you pay to support your local guitar shop?

dennisg
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:16 pm

Here's a situation I'm facing: I'm considering buying a Taylor 814ce. My Seattle Guitar Center has a floor price of US$3000 from which they'll usually discount 15 percent, making the actual purchase price close to $2600. My local guitar shop has a floor price of nearly $3400. It's probably unreasonable to expect my local shop to lower their price all the way to meet GC's price. They are, after all, small-business people who are entitled to make a profit, and I respect that. So, assuming that you were willing to show your support of a small, local business, how much more would you be willing to pay than what GC is charging?


michelew
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:31 pm

Dennis, that's a hard question, which I can't answer for you. I think I would be considering a few things - what can you afford, are you getting good service, do you expect to get good after sales service, how small are they, how much do you want to support small business, how have they treated you in the past, are they good business people? I'm sure there are other questions, but it obviously will come down to how you feel about the store.

Wow - maybe I need to take tips from you, Tony and Chas about how to shop for a guitar. I'd like to get a new classical - at some point relatively soon - but the idea is freakin' me out a bit. I feel like a fraud when I walk into a guitar shop. I haven't had the guts to sit down an play one yet. I imagine that you 'd quickly have an audience cheering for more.


suziko
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:37 pm

Like Michele, I can't give a percentage more that I'd pay, but I am completely willing to pay more for a guitar at my local guitar shop than what I'd pay at Guitar Center. The people who work at my guitar shop are very knowledgeable, the guitars are kept in pristine condition, and shopping there is just a pleasure. I also very much enjoy the experience of building a relationship with a local store and I try whenever I can to support local businesses. I'm not trying to bad-mouth chain stores in general or Guitar Center in particular. It's just a personal preference thing for me.


That said, I was lucky in that both of my Taylors which I bought at my guitar store sold for the same price as what I would have paid at Guitar Center.


tovo
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:39 pm

Good question Dennis. I generally try to support my local businesses but when the price difference is very substantial (as it is in your case and as it was for my Yamaha silent) I go the cheaper option. You could speak to your local store and see what they are willing to do. If I were a small business owner and someone said "look I'd like to support you but I can do much better, what can you do for me?" I would appreciate that and see the opportunity to cultivate a very loyal customer. Good luck buddy, I'll wait for the 614 to arrive in the post shall I?


Michele, just go and play some nice guitars. Seriously nobody cares much about how you are playing. You're there to buy a guitar not put on a concert. I'm not saying it isn't intimidating, it sure is, but really, playing a range of great guitars is so worth it. Deep breath and go for it. You play fine.


haoli25
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:58 pm

Dennis, it depends on the local business. Some of them are not worth saving, the good ones are, even at a slightly higher price. If the price difference is several hundred dollars, I don't love them that much....tough luck little guy! :)
I don't mind paying more to get more. The luthier that I take my guitars to is over 100 miles away from me and he charges a LOT, a LOT more than any of the others in the area. But he is that good. He truly is a master and he knows me and what I like and he knows my guitars. That is worth paying extra for.



Bill


dennisg
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:14 pm

You know, I feel funny mentioning specific prices, because it's not my custom to let people know how I spend my money. But I want to take this question away from the hypothetical and bring it more toward the actual. I think of myself as a fairly generous guy who's totally willing to support his local store -- but I guess there are limits to everything. I'm trying to put my finger on what those limits are by getting a sense of your comfort level when supporting a little store whose existence is important to you. Would you be okay paying the full asking price, which is $800 more than GC? $600 more than GC? $400 more? $200 more? Would you insist they match GC's price? Your input is appreciated.

The truth is that I don't really have an established relationship with this store because I'm a new guitarist. I can't tell you that they're wonderful people or talented luthiers or that I'll get sterling service -- although I've heard good things about them. They are simply a locally owned store versus the giant corporation that is Guitar Center. It's on that basis that I'm asking the question.

Michele, Seattle is a city of great guitarists, and almost every time I go into my local store, there are guys in there testing out the Taylors, Martins, and Collings whose talents would blow your mind. I ignore them. I sit there and play my little "Here comes the sun" riff, switch to another guitar, then play the same thing so that I can compare the same song coming out of multiple guitars. I've been in the shop on days when I'm clearly the worst guitarist there, and to tell you the truth, I couldn't care less. Yeah, I move as far away from other players as I can, but only to avoid the distraction of having two guys playing different things so close to each other. But you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, Michele. If I walked in to a store and heard you playing Scarborough Fair or Greensleeves, I'd be very impressed.


suziko
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:21 pm

I'd probably be willing to pay somewhere around 10% more at my local store. Probably not much more. But that's just me.

You have to start a relationship with a store at some point. If people have recommended this store to you, then you'll probably not regret doing that.


MarkM
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:25 pm

Dennis,

As you know I'm going to be in this situation very very soon. There are a couple of things at play here as far as I can see. Although I try to support the little guy as often as I can, there comes a time when economics come into play. GC will list a price that generally is less expensive. OK Great. Now I'm not going to dump on GC as the majority are run pretty well. However I think it is safe to say that they are there to move merchandise. They usually focus on electric guitars even though they have that nice little acoustic room off to the side. I know, in my experience, that I seldom play a guitar in there that has fresh strings and isn't covered in dust. Especially the nice expensive models that are hanging up high on the wall. Take that for what it is worth. Now for the little shop that is pretty much acoustic guitars only (I'm assuming this is your local shop) you know the store. You go there when ever you want to play a handful of instruments. You know the condition of the guitars and know the staff. Speaking in generalities they usually "care" about their customers more. They are the ones having the roadshows not GC. I would go to them and say I'd really like to buy this guitar from you and then tell them that you are looking at a $400 difference. Tell them you are going to buy a guitar in the next couple of days if not there on the spot and ask them to meet the price. This is a highend instrument you are looking at. What year is it? 2008? If so it has been sitting up on that wall for a while (taken care of ofcourse). Not many folks are buying these guitars right now. Certainly not in the past year. Maybe they meet your price, maybe the meet you half way. You won't know unless you ask. It isn't being rude if done in a nice way. Once you have determined what they will charge then you can make a good decision. Personally I would probably pay an extra 150 to 200 more if I really liked that local shop.


MarkM


haoli25
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:29 pm

Ebenezer Scrooge here. Dennis, for me it would have to be less than $200 difference in price to get my money. I like local businesses and I like to see them do well, but the sad fact is that no one owes you a profit. It is a very competitive world we live in and if you want to charge more for your product or service, you do have to justify that to your customers. If you can't, I have a good friend that is a bankruptcy attorney. (His fees have to be competitive also. lol)



Bill


suziko
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:39 pm

Bill- the reason I would justify paying more at a well-run independent store is that you're buying more than just the guitar; you're also buying a relationship with that store and a certain kind of experience. It's like getting your hair cut- you can go to a $15 barber (or have your wife cut your hair the way I do for Eric) that is no-frills, or you can spend $60 and get a scalp massage with some sort of aromatherapy oil, plus have your hair blown-dry and styled, etc. In the end, you're getting a hair cut at both places, and the quality of the hair cut itself might not even be different. But you might be willing to pay more if you want the "pampering" experience. I see it sort of the same way with an independent guitar store (or at least mine). I like going in there, I like how the guitars are arrayed in a shiny row, I like that guitars are clean and in tune, I like that the people know who I am and remember what I've bought. I'm willing to pay a bit more for that experience.


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