Want a ridiculously over-priced guitar starter pack for Christmas?

[dave_mc]

Just spotted this, my sister was in next today and brought home a catalogue. Cue much ranting from me.

http://www.next.co.uk/shopping/women/search/29/6?extra=sch&n=homeware&pid=475-292&exclude=00R00&returnurl=%2fsearch%3fp%3dQ%26lbc%3dnext%26uid%3d8248845%26ts%3dv8%26w%3dguitar%26af%3d%26isort%3dscore%26method%3dand%26filter%3dsubset%253a4201%26nxtv%3d0%26nxti%3d0&bct=%26quot%3bguitar%26quot%3b

or

http://www.next.co.uk/shopping/women/search/29/16?extra=sch&n=homeware&pid=476-737&exclude=00R00&returnurl=%2fsearch%3fp%3dQ%26lbc%3dnext%26uid%3d8248845%26ts%3dv8%26w%3dguitar%26af%3d%26isort%3dscore%26method%3dand%26filter%3dsubset%253a4201%26nxtv%3d0%26nxti%3d0&bct=%26quot%3bguitar%26quot%3b

I'm not even laughing, this kind of cr@p makes me sad and pisses me off. Plenty of kids (and maybe some older people) will end up with cr@p quality guitars and amps when they had enough cash to get something fairly decent.

:(

[dave_mc]

wow, this thread went down like a lead balloon. Everyone else likes next? :oops:

[Jonny]

wow, this thread went down like a lead balloon. Everyone else likes next? :oops:

No, those prices are retarded - I just thought I had replied earlier lol

[dave_mc]

haha, no worries, just glad i'm not going insane. I was actually shocked at them (i know i shouldn't be, it's not like i haven't seen similar stuff before). Cashing in on the guitar hero generation, i guess. :(

[Jonny]

haha, no worries, just glad i'm not going insane. I was actually shocked at them (i know i shouldn't be, it's not like i haven't seen similar stuff before). Cashing in on the guitar hero generation, i guess. :(

T'is a sad time for the people who actually go to NEXT to buy a guitar..

[Philly Q]

wow, this thread went down like a lead balloon. Everyone else likes next? :oops:

Nothing against Next, but I'm not sure they should be branching out into the music gear business!

About the price, whenever catalogue companies sell things like guitars, DVD players etc they're always at full RRP, they don't discount them at all.  I suppose there's the convenience of home delivery and easy payment plans, but I can't imagine who'd buy them.

[Nadz1lla]

Just spotted this, my sister was in next today and brought home a catalogue. Cue much ranting from me.

http://www.next.co.uk/shopping/women/search/29/6?extra=sch&n=homeware&pid=475-292&exclude=00R00&returnurl=%2fsearch%3fp%3dQ%26lbc%3dnext%26uid%3d8248845%26ts%3dv8%26w%3dguitar%26af%3d%26isort%3dscore%26method%3dand%26filter%3dsubset%253a4201%26nxtv%3d0%26nxti%3d0&bct=%26quot%3bguitar%26quot%3b

but I can't imagine who'd buy them.

People who don't have a clue and want a beginner set for their kids. Basically typical Next customers. As mentioned before, the Guitar Hero generation. These Solicitors, Insurance Salesmen and other "Shirts" who wouldn't know a Les Paul if it came hurtling towards them shouting "I'm a Les Paul" and hit them square in the face, love to buy this stuff, and with the "Next" seal of approval then they MUST be good.

I just think of it this way, todays n00b is tomorrow's egg-faced, resentful connoisseur. 

[FELINEGUITARS]

Nothing against Next, but I'm not sure they should be branching out into the music gear business!

About the price, whenever catalogue companies sell things like guitars, DVD players etc they're always at full RRP, they don't discount them at all.  I suppose there's the convenience of home delivery and easy payment plans, but I can't imagine who'd buy them.

If a starter guitar and amp cost £200 back in 1980 for it to cost £200 in 2009 doesnt seem so far fetched
there may well be outlets selling these packs cheaper

Next are selling them because they are under a lot of price competition for clothes as their regular customer base knows clothes prices for comparison.
but by selling something that their customers dont have such a handle on where to get cheaper they can charge the list price for the goods .(the profit they make will pay for things like shop rent, heating lighting, wages for staff, business rates on their shops - need I go on?)
Tescos make a profit when they sell a pint of milk , but we dont accuse them of unfair tactics on a daily basis

Or maybe we do
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1228740/Tescos-rivals-accuse-supermarket-giant-trying-dupe-customers-half-price-turkeys-dont-add-up.html

[Philly Q]

Yeah, I'm not accusing Next of unfair pricing - just pointing out that they don't sell these kinds of goods at discounted prices. 

(Not that I'm expecting anyone reading this to be considering buying a guitar starter pack from Next...!  )

[mikeluke]

Well, they are in the womens' section..........


Mike

Stands well back and awaits the flaming....

:-)

[Philly Q]

Well, they are in the womens' section..........


Mike

Stands well back and awaits the flaming....

:-)

What, from our many women members?!  :P

[mikeluke]

You mean Johnny does not look like his/her photo?

 :lol:

[CaptainDesslock]

Someone explain to me "next,".....

Is this like the wal-mart of the UK or something?

[Philly Q]

It's a mid-market retailer with high street stores and a big internet business.  They sell mostly clothes plus home furnishings, so not as diverse as Wal-Mart.

http://www.next.co.uk/

[AndyR]

You mean Johnny does not look like his/her photo?

 :lol:

Yeah, that always gets me too - surprised no-one's added him to the Crushes thread :lol:

Good luck to Next though. I wouldn't buy it, and I'd ask relatives to think before they buy... but who this is most likely gonna go to is the kid that goes "I want a real guitar" and the parents don't know much about it, but they do know the thing is most likely to gather dust after a week or two at most.

It'll play, it's got an amp as well, it's better than what I started on - LOADS better - and if they can afford it, and would pay it rather than do a bunch of research, then let 'em pay.

The kid that is going to end up playing will get a start on it - good kit is not going to make that happen or not. I started on things that wouldn't intonate, sounded awful really... but I made music with them. After a year or so and I was still doing it, that's when relatives started thinking it was worth getting something decent.

From the point of view of the people looking at these ads with interest, is it any worse than the dad who, when number two son expressed an interest, went out and got him a US Fender Strat, and then the kid didn't touch it?