Originally posted by spalding:
The Key to the survival of bricks and mortar stores is to add value which is the same principle for any business to survive in a price competitive environment. The internet based sellers are limited in the additional value they can add as they are driven by price. But it doesnt take a huge amount of imagination to think about aftersales service that would give bricks and mortar shops a competitive edge.
I will give you just a few examples
How about providing a voucher that will enable a purchaser to try the instrument in the shop which they pay for up front but if they then purchase gets taken off the purchase price ???
Or how about after purchase providing the customer a with technical/musical support /advice via email or telephone from its own knowledgeable staff ?
or how about arranging workshops for its customers to get the best from the product after purchase perhaps on days that business is slow ?
The voucher won't work. Besides Everytime I fire up the Tyros or especially the 900 in the store for a demo a crowd develops. I demoed one 900 to a person in December who bought it and all four people that stood around watching the demo came back in January and bought either it or the 700.
I offer FREE in store operating lessons because when someone comes in and I am answering questions and we are teaching each other again a crowd will develop and sales result.
Cannot do this with workstations. Regualr people don;t buy Motifs. They DO buy Arrangers. They do NEED support and DEMOS sell the product to more than the person asking for one. The fact that I know the board INSPIRES CONFIDANCE.
I Always demo the board playing MAry Had a Little Lamb over Cma7 Dm7 and back S I M P L E. Even a caveman can do it. THATS what sells the keyboard. Simplicity creates mega music. Every time I switch up styles I play the SAME THING. Then I bring in the harmony on a playback of tootracks Natural Woman because the harmonies are AUTOMATIC with the MIDI karaoke file.
Keeping it simple is what sells. Not playing NY state of Mind or ant complicated pieces. Playing what the customer can do right there right now whether or not they have ever played before.
There are far more inclined to buy from someone who KNOWS the instrument, someone who is showing off their chops making them feel they "can't do that." That kind of service and demo beats paying the tax every time. Yeah I can sell a Tyros for $3200. But why should I? I can sell two Samich guitars and make that kind of profit in 30 minutes. If I am going to spend an hour demoing a board then HOURS later after the sale. I will not cheapen the board buy discounting it 20% off MAP on the floor and make a couple cheap guitar sales in profits for the store.
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