Re:Guitar Center Pricing

[Roland Eberle <eb@jps.net>]

Another dos centavos
Chris Chovit wrote:

> OK...here' my 2 cents:
>
>  We, as consumers, must demand more from retailers!  In this spirit, I
> try to avoid Guitar Center (etc.) and give my business to establishments
> like Sweetwater Sound (etc.) that don't bullshit you.  Exchanging price
> information on a list like this is a great way to keep these places in
> check.
>

I have to disagree...I have bought tons and tons of gear...and time and 
again
Guitar
Center matches or (usually) beats the competition...most of the gear is 
tagged
with
a current sale price...almost always 25% off list or more...frequently as 
high
as 50%
ALL guitar Center merchandise is tagged with bar code showing MSRP and NO
GC salesperson has ever tried to charge me full price for 
anything...perhaps
there are regional differences...I shop at the 4 Bay Area stores and I 
beleive
they automatically assume they are dealing with savvy shoppers who went to 
the
trouble to travel to their store to get a bargain. Now...the mom and pop 
stores
are cool in a home town way
and very convenient for picks,mags , lessons etc...but THEY are the ones 
who
are most likely to ask List price (or MORE) for any given piece of gear.
PLUS...try  using it for 30 days and decide you dont want it...return to 
the
mom/pop
and try to get a full (or ANY) refund. Guitar Center absolutly RULES for 
that
reason alone...I have employed that return policy on many occsions with no
questions asked
or hassles...and truth be told...that is the reason I shop there so 
frequently.

Yes, Musicians Freind and AMS and other mail order outfits do a GREAT job
and also offer extended length return priveledges (MF for example is 45
days...which is great)...but to be able to walk in to a store...walk out 
with
the gear..knowing you can
mess with it for a month and still bring it back...all at rock bottom
pricing...is quite
amazing in this retail age.

No...I don't work for GC...and actually hate going in the place because of 
the
ambient
noise...but hey..a deals a deal...and I havent found anyone who can beat 
them
consistenly.