Klarinet Archive - Posting 001044.txt from 2004/07

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Feeling like Yamaha is one stupidly run company!
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 13:53:01 -0400


> At $900, the average music retail store will make about $50 from =
selling
> this saxophone. And then, will have to be responsible for the routine
> adjustment of that horn (in our shop anyway) for the next two years . =
. .
> Lars Kirmser - Retailer
>=20

I understand what you're saying here but I do think that internet sales =
are
not going to go away. I discovered the convenience of ordering from the
internet years ago. It saves me time and gasoline for reeds, sheet =
music
and accessories and when it comes right down to it, the music stores we =
have
in our town have very poor service. I think though, that if the store
perhaps sets a price that's a bit higher than the $900-say 1050 or so =
and
lets the customer know very clearly that the extra cost includes =
service, I
do think many people prefer that route but that's provided they really =
do
get quality service and that's been a problem with music stores, in my
opinion. I've seen some very shoddy work on my students' instruments. =20
Another option would be to charge the $900 and then let the =
customer
know that at that price, service is not included. If anything goes =
wrong,
they pay for repairs and adjustments. Of course, we all know that =
student
instruments often don't get any maintenance at all unless something goes
drastically wrong with the instrument. Parents simply don't understand =
that
the instrument needs cleaning and adjustments once a year or so.
Inevitably, something goes wrong at an inopportune time. In the town I
live, there is only one person that I know of who will even consider =
doing
emergency repairs and it's the store that does not have all the rental
contracts for the local school kids. The one that has all the rental
contracts seems to rely on that income and they don't want to do much =
else.
If the purchase is made over the internet or mail order, the customer is
going to have to pay to send the instrument back for those adjustments =
or
repairs (if that's even offered) and most people are not going to want =
to
bother with all of that. If they don't want to send it in, they'll take =
it
to the local music store or repairperson for service. =20
I don't like to make any major purchase I haven't been able to try =
out
myself. If I order an instrument from the internet or mail order, I =
still
must pay postage and handling (both ways if I don't like the instrument =
and
wish to send it back). By that time, I may as well have gone to the =
local
music store to try out 2 or 3. The trouble is, they most often don't =
have
two or three intermediate or professional models of anything. Recently, =
I
asked to try some used A clarinets from one local store and I couldn't
believe the junk they sent me! One clarinet wasn't even playable-the =
pads
were old and very worn out. It looked like it had been sitting on a =
shelf
for years and as an afterthought, they sent it along for me to try. =
Now, if
that instrument had been cleaned up and repadded, it may have impressed =
me.
Perhaps they thought I'd ask to try a new one but I had made it clear =
that a
new one was simply not in my budget at the moment. I'll probably end up
purchasing from E-Bay and sending it to the technician I use for an
overhaul. I'll have to say I felt insulted by the junk they sent me, =
since
I would have expected to have something to try from a music store that =
was
at least in playable condition. If I'm going to get a clarinet that =
needs
an overhaul, I may as well try for an R-13 from E-Bay and have it =
overhauled
to my specifications. =20
In summary, I feel that customers like the service and convenience of
having a music store in town and that's what music stores need to become
better at providing. (at least where I live) If the quality and =
convenience
of service is absent, we will continue to make internet purchases.
Christy

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