Squeak,

I agree. And, imagine how much money they're gonna' loose when all those kids that frequent BB begin pounding on those keyboard keys and smashing the buttons. I saw this when I worked at BJs Wholesale Club many years ago. BJ's solved the problem by placing the keyboard and other music gear on the top shelves where the kids could not get at them. Additionall, then usually unplugged the power packs from the power strip, and sometimes unplugged the strip itself so they could not be turned on by anyone other than a store employee. This kept the big kids from pounding on the keys.

The same problem existed with guitars--every one of them that was accessible to the general public had broken strings, and some had soda dumped into them as a prank. Now you know why the independent stores hang their guitars up on racks behind the counter. You can see them, but in order to touch one you have to get assistance from a salesperson.

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

First of all, you can't blame stores for not training their pimply faced help. Sad to say, but as bad as the kids' knowledge of the latest technology is, I guarantee that the store manager knows even less! Or HE would be in the keyboard department, trying to sell the high dollar stuff

I've worked music retail from time to time, and no-one EVER trained me! It was my job to learn the stuff myself, from Elka organs in the seventies, to the debut of Ensoniq samplers in the mid eighties, to whatever is contemporary now. If anyone at the store DID know what they were talking about, they wouldn't have needed me!

One thing that disturbs me is this attitude, though:



This is EXACTLY why you get no service, and no knowledgeable help in brick and mortar stores... If you aren't willing to pay even a BIT extra for your gear at your local store, just exactly where is the money to hire qualified staff coming from..? Musician's Friend don't need to pay a penny for retail store space, they only have a handful of qualified 'experts' to cover sales for the entire country (not just your little town), and most of those are just as dumb as the locals, and you NEVER get to try anything before you buy it.

Unless, of course, you add to the problem by going to the brick and mortar store, waste THEIR time trying it out there and wasting their staff's time asking dumb questions (that you should have researched by downloading the manual first ), then buying online anyway..

Best Buy, and what it represents, is the logical conclusion of your desire to get something at the lowest price possible, and to hell with the consequences...

Music Stores need to open their own Geek Squad sections. Want to ask a stupid question? Need technical help with a purchase. Pay extra, suckers! If you want it as cheap as an online retailer, you should PAY for anything more than the online retailer would give you... Want to actually PLAY the instrument before you buy it? That will be a 25% demo (think 'restocking') fee if you don't buy it...

Don't laugh! It could happen. It might HAVE to happen if brick and mortar stores are expected to match online prices!

You can't bitch and moan at brick and mortar store's dropping standards if you are part of the cause of that problem, gentlemen. I have NEVER in my life tried something at a store and then bought it online. And I have NEVER tried to weasel a store down to online prices after I have had help with the product and taken the store's employees time up trying it.

Do otherwise at your own (eventual) cost, guys. The increasing number of 'buy to try' sad stories here at SZ are all the proof you need. Pay more, get more. Pay Less, get less...

It's that simple.

Diki why do you always have to take something so innocent and put a negative spin on it? What's so wrong with utilizing the online retailers in price matching? You don't like my shopping standards...., well so the hell what.

Maybe you're one of the lucky ones who can actually GO into a local store and find keyboards. The higher price you're paying at the mom and pop stores ain't got sh&%^ to do with "higher price equating to an experienced sale person on staff providing customer support". That higher price 99.99% of the time is because their "cost" per unit is much higher than an online retailer.

You'll have stores that are exceptions to that like George Kaye for example, but the majority of these smaller stores are staffed by guitar/bass and drum players (even if they're selling keyboards). Yes, it's sad these small stores are going out, but this isn't anything new.... That's just business and how it has been for years. Music stores today are just a very hard business to keep open today due to the internet, but it's not right to bust someone's chops just because they shop the net.

Diki, let me give you a good idea of the great prices in my area. When I had the Yamaha NP-30 and had to use the warranty repair due to a hardware defect.., I was able to take it to a local store for service. Mind you this local store was freakin 30 minutes away and damn near the border to Kentucky (I live in West Virginia). Anywho.., this is a piano store and they sell Yamaha keyboards too. As soon as you walked in the door there was the Yamaha YPG-620 for the VERY AFFORDABLE price of $1000.00! He was selling the Yamaha NP-30 for $500.00 ($499.., but close enough). You should have seen this guys prices. He has been in business for years.., didn't know sh*&$^ about the keyboards he was selling other than where the power button was and the demo button. His sales assistant was an 85 year old woman who never came out from behind the desk. Now you tell me..., that YPG for $1000.00.., how much of that do you think included customer support?

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 08-22-2008).]

I may be wrong but I don't envision Best Buy selling top of the line anything. I think it's gonna be a box store Just like Bj's and Costco. I got an email from Bj's and they have now added band instruments to the lineup. I think Suzuki and no choice, one trumpet one violin etc.
So after all the mom and pop stores go out of business go to BB and buy a 1000 dollar guitar then where do you go to get it set up? Maybe the geek squad for instruments, buy the instrument plus the service plan and for 29.95 we'll plug it in before you leave the store.
There's a good use for the Yamaha IDC BB will have the software to plug it in and do a factory diagnostic online...89.95

Best Buy already does sell top of the line keyboard instruments from what I understand. Motif XS, Roland Fantom G, Korg M3, you name it. The BB Music Stores I'm talking about are in the L.A. (California that is ) area. I expect them to migrate down here to the San Diego area fairly soon.

PS: You can bet they will also be selling totl Arrangers there as well. At least it makes a whole lot of sense for them to do so since Arrangers are fairly hot items to a large segment of keyboard players out there. Best Buy will probably circumnavigate planting their Music Stores i.e. "existing BB stores that will add musical instruments to them" anywhere near a Guitar Center in my opinion though because GC is a well known established outfit that also offers a "low price" guarantee.

Best,
Mike

[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 08-22-2008).]

Maybe it's an area thing, around here even guitar center doesn't carry much totl anything. and arrangers? If you wanna spend more that 400 dollars they have nothing and know nothing. I can see a bigger market like LA carrying the top shelf stuff.

I went in to GC once and asked about a Tyros and they said "why buy that crap when you can get a motif." They didn't know the difference between an arranger and a workstation except to them arrangers were toys 'cause all they've ever seen is the entry level ones.

[This message has been edited by mikeathome1 (edited 08-22-2008).]

Musicians Friend Owned by GC
Music123 Owned by GC
Woodwind & Brass Owned by GC
There's probably a couple I missed...

If GC business falls off, where do Yamaha & Roland Go ? Answer: Best Buy ...

I am certain Best Buy is getting excellent terms.

Let's face it....With the closing of Mom & Pop stores all over the country and major chains such as Brook Mays - Woodwind & Brass going bankrupt(I am sure there are others I have missed), this move is all about survival for the music industry.

UPDATE .. Take a look http://www.musictrades.com/

Some of their prices are higher. They're selling the PSR-e413 for $70 more than all the other sites.