Hello Music - a year's worth of botched orders and questionable business practices

[Danhedonia]

Recently saw Hello Music advertising a US Standard Strat for $798 and pulled the trigger.  Didn't hurt that it was in the color combo I'd been wanting.  Took them two weeks to ship, and yesterday I received my ... brand new US TELECASTER.

This my third order / fourth item from Hello Music, and there have been problems with each order but one (an EHX pedal, tough to mess that up).

In order:

1. They sold me a Squier CV Tele as new.  It arrived with heavy strum marks in the pickguard plastic and dead electronics.  It's clear someone played it and killed it, and it was packaged up and sold.  Wouldn't have felt too bad if they advertised it as used (they were good about the return). 

But I thought it "iffy" that a supposedly new guitar was very clearly a guitar that had been ridden hard and put away wet.

2. Purchased a Red Witch Titan delay at the same time.  Switch was defective; popped on release.  Required my time and money to fix.

3. EHX "The Worm" pedal.   No problems.

4. American Standard Stratocaster ordered.  Sent email inquiry about shipment date two weeks later - simply had "order is confirmed" response.  Other email to previous CSR ignored.

Incorrect item shipped - US Standard Telecaster received.

Given that they tied up $800 that I had scraped together to get a Strat, during one of the better deal-making times of the year, I'm a little frustrated.  I wish I hadn't tried to save $100 by shopping from them.

However, I reflected a bit on this - no other vendor that I've ordered from has ever performed so poorly.  I should hope that my order is correct!  A cursory google search or two tells me that my experiences are, sadly, fairly typical. 

So, if you're tempted by their great pricing, I'd think twice.  Just sharing my frustration and hoping others learn from my mistakes.

[LOLRECONLOL]

Never been tempted by them before, and I don't see it happening. Guess I haven't missed much!

[Marko]

 

 

I bought a few things from them, back when they had a few actual good deals, and all went well, but then again, none were musical instruments.

 

I suspect that would be where the problems are, and I don

[docjeffrey]

By the way, I just want to share something else about buying from discount websites like Hello Music.

If I am looking to buy a really nice guitar--pretty much anything from Fender's US Standard Line, anything by Gibson, US made Martins (yes they make guitars in Mexico now), Taylor (yuck) etc., I'm not going to buy from a place like Hello Music. There's a reason that their merch is marked down, sometimes signficantly, below fair traded prices elsewhere on POPULAR guitars and amps. There are likely small defects or the merchandise has been returned. Can they advertise it as new? Probably. But read between the lines and use your BRAIN. 

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what they are doing and as long as you are OK with it, you will be thrilled and often surprised when something arrives factory fresh, which most of my purchases have.

But when I'm ready to buy a cool guitar that I have been saving up for, places like Hello Music will NOT be my first choice. Sweetwater, Daves, and Wildwood are great because you can see the actual item that you are getting along with how much it weighs, whether it's a demo model, etc. The extra 10-20% that I might be able to save at Musician's Friend or Hello Music is not important.

[billybilly]

Good-bye hello music.

[brucebennett]

 Hello Music is not a safe place..

 

 When I first heard about it I looked into them.

 Right away on the Google page where I looked up the website I see a disclaimer  ON GOOGLE.. telling me that by clicking on this link I agree to terms and conditions that are not set forth for me to read yet.

 

Then I get there and find that I must give them non-personal identifing information about myself such as my email address.. Ok.. not likeing this . but I do.

 

 then I see the deals.. not all that great really. I can get better deals myself at my local stores.

 then I read the privacy policy and thats where to whole thing becomes very clear.

 

 They sell ALL information that they gather to third parties! such as email lists ( some of those lists can bring 10K + easy)

 your PERSONAL information collected from cookies and web beacons THEY embed in YOUR browser.

   They know what website you came from, what you looked at while on their site, and where you go when you leave their site.. and they SELL this infomation to people doing deomgraphic stuides..

  Then I found the the straw that breaks the camels back..

  they will sell your personal information collected DURING A SALE! includeing shipping info!

 

NO.. Hello music is NOT our friend.

 just read the prvacy policy to verify this.

[johnnytuinals]

Funny the Email I gave HelloMusic and a few others have not been a problem.

I only been getting emails from companys that I know of and nobody else and

I have been buying on and off at HelloMusic since last May.........................JT

[chrisjnyc]

I would say  the obvious answer is to stop buying from them. The long shipping times are pretty well known at this point.

Also, paying shipping and tax seems to negate a lot of the deals they have going. I have had plenty of issues with M123 and MF, but I have gotten a lot better deals and free shipping too.

[johnnytuinals]

I would say  the obvious answer is to stop buying from them. The long shipping times are pretty well known at this point.

Also, paying shipping and tax seems to negate a lot of the deals they have going. I have had plenty of issues with M123 and MF, but I have gotten a lot better deals and free shipping too.

 

I didnot know HelloMusic charged tax?I do know they are charging for shipping now.

I also agree I waited 2 weeks for my New 2012 Fender American Standard Telecaster(was a long wait but was still New in a sealed box}

Freaking Music123 was sending me the wrong Color in a american standard strat a few weeks ago and had to Not accept the order when UPS came by.Glad they also had the right color on the truck also.

All these companys have problems and some people that are buying from any of these companys have more problems then others.............JT

[Surfinguitar69]

I've purchased some gear four different times from HM when it was a good deal and have only had one bad experience. I bought an Epiphone Les Paul Gold Top and it arrived damaged, Colleen the customer severvice agent was very helpfull with my situation. All conversations were conducted by email and she was pretty quick to respond.  They did send a replacement after I returned the damaged guitar and it arrived in new undamaged condition but more than a month after my original order. Their packaging on the first guitar was way insufficient and I mentioned that to her, the replacement was packaged a little better but not great. I won't purchase another guitar from them.

Another issue that I had was with a $10 credit I got from them, after about a month just as I was going to use the credit it dissapeared. I emailed them and did get it reinstated and used it on the guitar.

Currently I have a $10 credit that I got from taking a survey with them but for some reason now I am unable to access their website with that email address that the credit is assigned to. Another email address I have works to get on the site but doesn't have my credit there of course so I am am done with them. The deals there are way to marginal with CA tax for me and shipping any way.

[bubdude]

I go to on line "music store" to wimdow shop, find out about stuff, see what's new, and browse.

I go to the local   guitar barn. Walk aroud look at stuff. And think about obcessive compulsive behavior.

After doing the research and coming to a decision about my next purchase, I go to one of my local M&P shops,

owned by locals and make a purchase or order the latest must have satorical gizmotron and avoid a lot of opportunities to experience frustration and anxiety.

After all peace of mind is priceless  

Oh and the money I would have saved at the good deal box store ware house given the length of time that own isnstruments, the savings is really insignificant.

When I get the oka-dook, the run around or the smarmy step up bait and switch, I think 

"I'm paying for this?"and the answer is "yes sparky it was your choice, blame yourself"

[Danhedonia]

Sometimes I like a long-term update ...

 

So, I see now that HM has apparently folded. Can't say any of the above turned out to be incorrect. I returned to site once after the above debacle, and the prices were not at all competitive (any more/at that point), so why bother, etc.

 

Oddly, the Strat I eventually got from them is now one of my 2-3 favorites. It's not at all 'damaged goods,' and is in fact a damn good guitar. So was the Squier Tele I eventually wound up with from them.

 

I do remember seeing that their "CEO" was really into giving interviews about how "his new business model" (eye roll) was going to "revolutionize the industry!" Whenever I see those interviews, I assume the company doesn't have long to live. Usually a fatuous idiot who has no idea that the axe is already falling.

 

Still - there were some great deals at one point. I got a FANTASTIC US Standard Strat for $798. RIP, I guess.

[BG76]

Looks like their store is closed. I made one purchase from them and it went ok, but it took a few weeks to ship.

 

Interesting concept but I guess they ran into some trouble,