Members bp Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 No discounts except for price matching. Bye bye GC.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 Got a link on that? I couldn't turn up any news links referring to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators MrKnobs Posted April 16, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2008 Got a link on that? I couldn't turn up any news links referring to it. Yes, please. They just cut a deal with me this weekend. Terry D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 I suspect we are about to see the end of the downward slope of music/technology prices... As they say on Wall St... it was a fun ride while it lasted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 I bought 8 Hosa speakon connectors and 250' spool of 10 ga bulk cable at a substantial discount (connectors for $1.49 ea and $109.99 for the cable) from GC about four hours ago.I used to work in music retail and I know, for a fact, the salesman got less than 18 points on that deal.20 points is usually bare minimum, even for "discount" chain stores.Of course, I fudged the "price I was quoted from their competettion, across town", a bit, but I used to work tat "the competetiton", and can still get close to the employee discount, so I wasn't exaggerating that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators MrKnobs Posted April 16, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2008 I suspect we are about to see the end of the downward slope of music/technology prices... As they say on Wall St... it was a fun ride while it lasted. The future has arrived and it has a price tag of $44. Terry D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deanmass Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 Seller beware...When I did Music retail, we shot for 25 points, but went to 15 if it was a big package...what ever gets the money is the policy of the day. GC for me is pretty much always haggle free...I don't shop there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 If true, I think what you're seeing is a reflection of the desire of manufacturers to see MAP become the new "list price." At NAMM a couple manufacturers asked why EQ still printed list prices, and how anything other than MAP was pretty much obsolete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bp Posted April 16, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 A manager at one store who always cut me a good deal broke the news to me today. I confirmed it elsewhere. It seems a new directive. Thanks Bain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members matthewmilner Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 i thought that guitar center's mode of operation was to open a store in a new town or area - make stupid deals & discounts until they force the mom & pop stores under - then enforce strict map pricing and lock the sales people out of making discounts in their system. i try not to shop there - last purchase was an emergency - an optical cable took a dump. i stared at their cable wall amazed that nothing had prices on it. when i got to the counter i realized why: they try to sell their cables at full list price. man o manischewitz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TOOL_5150 Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 my friend works at the GC here in the bay area. As of last monday NOONE was allowed to give discounts. they can now only give a 5% discount on a purchase over $500 with store managers approval. My friend called me the saturday before and told me this, I went in a dropped $1400 on a couple pedalboards, mics, and some racks - all at cost. I have no reason to go to GC anymore now. Ill just shop online now. ~Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spokenward Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 Wouldn't something like this cause an exodus of the senior sales people? The ones who are making a living on their commissions? Is that Bain's tactic or objective? I think we can say with some certainty there is a freaking recession going on and gas is going higher. Why do this now? Yes you can say that they have critical mass - but I can think of an alternative source for anything that I would want at GC. Even places like Best Buy, allegedly can be shaken down on larger purchases if you have the patience (or a borderline personality disorder).. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members matthewmilner Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 Wouldn't something like this cause an exodus of the senior sales people? The ones who are making a living on their commissions?Is that Bain's tactic or objective?I think we can say with some certainty there is a freaking recession going on and gas is going higher. Why do this now? Yes you can say that they have critical mass - but I can think of an alternative source for anything that I would want at GC.Even places like Best Buy, allegedly can be shaken down on larger purchases if you have the patience (or a borderline personality disorder).. good point - you know when i read about this my first thought was: maybe gc is feeling the recession pinch so they think this scheme will put money in their coffers? i don't know - it seems like really lousy timing. i would think that now is 'let's make a deal' time! plus - this is totally off topic - but the gc here in town only carries 4 brands of guitars - fender, eip, gibson and ibanez. i guess it just irks me that they're 'guitar' center and you have such a limited selection there. sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Magpel Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 gthis is totally off topic - but the gc here in town only carries 4 brands of guitars - fender, eip, gibson and ibanez. i guess it just irks me that they're 'guitar' center and you have such a limited selection there. sorry. That's hilarious. I mean, think of all the Reverends they could move. All my friends seemt o be buyng Reverends, and they're great. You'd think they'd look at Guitar Player's "Best 30 Guitars Under $500" and see it is dominated by brands like Daisy Rock, Eastwood, and G&L for pete's sake. I have a hard time taking GC seriously. Fortunately as a resident of NY's Mid-Hudson valley--home base of Alto Music--I don't have to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thrashy Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 The selection is sometimes dictated by local competition. Our "local" Mesa dealer never seems to be open, does nto post business hours etc, but since they are within "xxx" miles, GC is not allowed to stock them at my closest location. As far as no haggling... I really wish more industries would go this route. The thought of having to be a good negotiator just to make a quality purchase is absurd, most people would scoff at haggling for groceries or prescriptions, why a guitar pedal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alndln2 Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 I still think they'll cut deals when the heat is on regardless. Sure, they'll adhere to the new protocol in the beggining, but the world turms a diffent way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ViLo Posted April 16, 2008 Members Share Posted April 16, 2008 Yep! they broke the news to me 3 weeks ago...I used to buy everything from GC because of the substantial discounts that I got, I buy for different churches in my area just to help them out, and also try to change my PA equipment once a year, but now....Bye Bye GC! Hello Craigs List and my Neighborhood's store: www.lancasterpromusic.com If I'm not getting the deal, I'll buy from this guys. Great service, knowledge and attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 My understanding, from what I've read in online discussions and from my conversations with folks at the two local GC's is that they are definitely going to the "no haggle" thing, but so far, it isn't in effect at all GC locations, so it may be a case of them trying it in certain locations to see how well it works out. That's speculation on my part, but I can't imagine any other reason why it would be in effect at some stores but not in others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rabid Posted April 17, 2008 Members Share Posted April 17, 2008 I thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amplayer Posted April 17, 2008 Members Share Posted April 17, 2008 I was just in a GC in Boston today. The salesman didn't mention anything about "no haggle", but when I tried to negotiate a deal on some Mackie speakers, all he offered was the MAP and that GC would beat the competition. As a result, I didn't buy. In the past, GC has always been willing to deal, so I guess the "no haggle" thing must be true. Too bad.I've found an online store that IS willing to sell them at a discount from the MAP, so they will get my business. Even with the shipping, it's a savings from the MAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted April 17, 2008 Members Share Posted April 17, 2008 Yeah...the music store I used to work at is the largest music dealer in Alabama. They realized long before GC ever came into the state that the advent of the web dealer changed all the rules, and that MAP was going to be the best you could hope for, unless you were dealing with a total novice or non-musician who didn't use the web. I would give my bandmates 15-18 points (and the mgt was ok with that...two of the members were also former employees). But for the average customer, I always stayed firm for MAP price (and in my dept - keys and recording - you'd be an idiot to cut deals, anyway, since the MAP on that gear has the smallest profit margins in all of music retail) unless the customer was very savvy. Even then, I never gave in to anything under 20 points. Ugh...I am so glad I got out of that soul-destroying business.I wasn't dishonest enough to make it in retail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Duddits Posted April 17, 2008 Members Share Posted April 17, 2008 I've found an online store that IS willing to sell them at a discount from the MAP, so they will get my business. Even with the shipping, it's a savings from the MAP. Who do you use? TIA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members shesky Posted April 20, 2008 Members Share Posted April 20, 2008 I have notice no more exciting deals on the used market either. You used to see 1 or 2 amazing blowout deals a day and now all they push are full price prs's. It's a shame, I went from buying 1 or 2 guitars a week to 0 in the last 6 weeks. shesky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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