I don't understand the business model (local guitar shop rant!)

[Twinfan]

I have asked them bluntly why they won't drop their price a bit and they always say their business model runs on customer service and not price. I think they still have some very loyal customers.

I'd like to know exactly what the customer service entails, and why it causes a 25% price hike.  Unless they're providing a room full of Playboy Bunnies for the evening, it can't be worth it.

[Dazza1004]

if it was me I would figure out what the maximum I would be willing to pay was and go in the shop with that amount of cash. Seeing the money may just persuade the boss to think again, especially if he knows you will walk away.

[dave_mc]

I like Guitar Village too.  And I was very impressed with Mark Hopkin at Guitars4You when buying my Mira X last week - extremely helpful and nice chap.

(But both those shops have good customer service and good prices)

yeah, see that's the thing. Does this supposed "good customer service" cost anything? I'm not talking about online stores, obviously if their warehouse is out in the middle of nowhere they have lower overheads (plus need fewer members of staff etc.), but I mean the kind of service you get in a shop which claims to have good service versus one which claims not to have. Does it cost anything to be nice to the customers etc.?

I should point out that my previous post was not in relation to sounds great, it was just in general (i've never been to sounds great)- there are also some good shops here too, which do treat you welll; often their prices are good, too. In my experience, the shops advertising good service etc. often have the worst service :lol:

[nfe]

When I talked about good customer service, I wasn't talking about being friendly and giving people cups of tea. I couldn't count the number of times I or collegues have gone and engineered a customers band to help them out with new gear they've bought, or set up someone's home studio. Neither are really relevant if we're purely talking about guitars, but those are the things I think of when I talk about good customer service, and I think they're worth paying for.

[Matt77]

Generally the service is good at Sounds Great. Just not several hundred pounds good.
Dmoney has had a bad experience if I recall.

[dave_mc]

When I talked about good customer service, I wasn't talking about being friendly and giving people cups of tea. I couldn't count the number of times I or collegues have gone and engineered a customers band to help them out with new gear they've bought, or set up someone's home studio. Neither are really relevant if we're purely talking about guitars, but those are the things I think of when I talk about good customer service, and I think they're worth paying for.

that's true, and it probably is.

Thing is, though, I don't need that. All i need is for the shop people to be nice, to let me try what i want (at a reasonable volume), and to at least attempt to get fairly close to "good" prices. Some of the shops here do that, but some don't.

[Dmoney]

Generally the service is good at Sounds Great. Just not several hundred pounds good.
Dmoney has had a bad experience if I recall.

word!
I had the worst experience. I haven't forgotten either! Never Forgive, Never Forget.
I've heard of a another dude or two who've had trouble with sounds great. They didn't tell me what the issue was though.
To be fair, I've also heard one pretty good story about them too. However, I'll never buy anything from them again.

I was looking into a 2 channel Soldanos recently, Hot Rod 50+ or something, and since they are the only UK importers, its difficult to avoid using them... but in the end I came up with a new plan (NAD on the horizon!)

But now i've just totally given up on ever buying anything from them ever again.

[Bainzy]

If the only thing standing in the way of you getting this guitar for 1900 or less is their stubborn mindset, and not cost, why not try ringing them and asking if they'll sell it for what you want to pay, every single day for the next 3 months? Don't budge or change your offer, and see how long it takes them to crack. Ethical? Probably not. I've never tried it but its worth a shot...

[Twinfan]

I don't want it THAT much  :lol:

I was just surprised at the lack of excitement from them to sell a 2 year old guitar!!!

[martinw]

I don't think the service is that good at Sounds Great. They always treat me like I've got a disease...maybe I just don't look wealthy enough, despite me having bought a few guitars, amps and posh pedals there.

Not bought anything there for a while and never will now.   :D

[Ratrod]

To put things in perspective: we're talking about two planks of wood bolted together.

Were the trees cut down for that wood planted by the founding fathers or declared holy by someone or something?

Is that guitar made by God himself? Was it made on the thighs of virgins instead of a work bench?

[shobet]

I've touched it.

[Afghan Dave]

I've touched it.

I've been dreaming about you touching it.

[Dmoney]

when in rome

[shobet]

when in rome

touch Italians?