Best Buy - Giving GC/MF a run for the money?

[Fusioninspace]

I noticed a radio ad the other night about Best Buy starting to have a musical instrument department... I know they've had some inexpensive guitars and amps in the past. But when I went on their web site today, they actually have a full fledged line up of stuff!

... Martin acoustics, Marshal tube amps, etc.

I'm guessing this is a pretty new roll-out, so it might not be available in your area. Anybody have any other information on this?

I'm betting that we get the benefit of competitive pricing even more than what we've seen in the last 10 years. Now that $150 Daisyrock LP clone will be $125

[guitar junkie]

I think Best Buy may be owned by the same corporation as GC MF and Music123...

[pohaku]

AFAIK they are unrelated. Best Buy is a publicly traded corporation based here in the Twin Cities. I've cruised through their guitar/music department locally and I'm not particularly impressed. Local GC has more variety. Both are mediocre when it comes right down to it. For guitars, our local specialty stores are still much better.

[elenore19]

Through bestbuy.com there isn't much of a selection really at all. Sort of pathetic in my opinion.

One thing I found sort of amusing was the photo for "Electric Guitar Amps" was a fender amp. And you click on it, and they don't have any fender amps.

Mildly amusing.

Otherwise, just wasted 5 minutes.
But I hope everything is all of the sudden half price because of competitiveness That sure would be nice...

[dogsferatu]

there was a blurb in last months Music & Sound Retailer:
Best Buy Officially Enters MI
It’s no longer a test. What has long been rumored has come true. Best Buy officially announced it is entering the MI retail game as it is rolling out 85 music stores-within stores, named Best Buy For Music, this year. That would make Best Buy the second-largest MI retailer in terms of retail locations.

The Retailer and VNewsletter twice reported earlier that this rollout was expected to take place, following the concept being “tested” in a few markets including Southern California and Best Buy’s home state of Minnesota. We previously reported Best Buy plans to open 300 such music instrument stores. Each store-within-a store will be about 2,500 square feet with more than 1,000 products housed in each. Individual and group guitar lessons will be offered. Fender, Gibson, and Roland are among those who will have their products displayed in the stores.
The first test store was opened in Riverside, Calif., in 2006. “The introduction of musical instruments is a natural progression for Best Buy,” Steve Hehir, senior vice president of musical instruments for Best Buy, told Business Wire. “Consumers have always looked to us as a resource for music in a variety of formats. Now they’ll be able to rely on us for help with musical performance and creating too.”

Some analysts questioned Best Buy’s move in terms of margins however. For example, Brady Lemos, retail analyst at Morningstar, told the Associated Press: “It’s not a high-growth area and obviously it will take up a lot of real estate.”
msretailer.com

[Guitarer]

I like how on a lot of the pedal descriptions on their website they say "for most electric guitars"

[Hard2Hear]

They're going to have to adhere to map pricing like everyone else, so I really don't see what the benefit is.

[AMcB]

I was talking to a guy at bestbuy and he said they are definatly going to be competing with GC and the will be giving lessions as well.

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by AMcB

I was talking to a guy at bestbuy and he said they are definatly going to be competing with GC and the will be giving lessions as well.

Well, I wish them good luck with that one.

[Zaphod B]

From what I could tell with a quick look, they're not exactly discounting anything.

Funny, all the guitars they offer are low-end models, but they're selling a Roland Fantom G8 for $3600+.

[guitar junkie]

So are they gonna have the same idiot selling HD TV's trying to explain guitar tone from plywood to solid top instruments?


"This guitar here is better because has a solid wood top on it so it's HD"

They have a store within a block from my GC store, so this could be interesting....

[Fusioninspace]

One thing to keep in mind is that they are just getting started. I'm betting that once they get things rolling it'll either end up very big or they just divest it and be selling that Roland Fantom G8 for $48.94 (open box parts missing).

[Zaphod B]

Originally Posted by guitar junkie

So are they gonna have the same idiot selling HD TV's trying to explain guitar tone from plywood to solid top instruments?


"This guitar here is better because has a solid wood top on it so it's HD"

Just like anything else in that store, you had better know what you want when you walk in the door.

[pohaku]

It will be interesting to see what kind of deals they will have and whether they will negotiate (given the changes at GC). They had basic Fender and Gibson gear when I took a quick walkthrough in Bloomington the other night. PA selection was pathetic. They weren't particularly busy. We'll see how it develops. Often GC and BB are located in the same malls or relatively close to each other (they are across the parking lot in Roseville here) so the competition could be entertaining. I figure they will do the same as GC and as they have done for other items they sell, which is to arrange for special models of instruments that no one else carries that they can then advertise at attractive prices to draw in customers. MAP of course doesn't apply then since they are the only vendor of that particular model. Then they will try and sell you something else once you are there.

[Hard2Hear]

map still applies to special runs of products. when Gibson or Fender issues a special line, there is still a msrp, dealer cost, and map applied to it.

[lpdeluxe]

Doesn't anybody buy from a local dealer any more? I go to mine and wheel and deal with the owner and bring home all kinds of goodies I couldn't afford to buy outright.

Hopefully, I'll be dead before BB or GC shows up here.

[pohaku]

Originally Posted by Hard2Hear

map still applies to special runs of products. when Gibson or Fender issues a special line, there is still a msrp, dealer cost, and map applied to it.

AFAIK Best Buy advertises on a national basis. There may be a MAP, but it is likely irrelevant as only BB will have the particular product and be advertising it. There won't be any competitive advertising for that product.

[Tadpui]

This is actually an incredible opportunity for the country.

Best Buy has perfected the hiring and training of the most aloof, eye-contact-avoiding, know-nothing jackasses known to man. Now if you take that base of talent and mix in the Guitar Center philosophy of uneducated bullshit spewing, fake buddy-buddy, lax work ethic bastage, you may actually have created the perfect breed of irritating customer service representatives!

A whole new strain of retail scourge could then take over big-box stores all over the world. Just imagine the new heights of frustration and high blood pressure that you could experience when dealing face-to-face with a salesman armed with the combination of sales tactics taught by Best Buy AND a musical instrument outlet!

[tdukex]

The BB in Temecula has had music gear for about a year now. I've only been there once. It made me feel silly just walking in there. At lest both GC and BB have a 110% price guarantee. So, with a little patience and effort, you can get yourself an additional 10% off of items they both stock. On the other hand, I can usually talk GC down 20%-30% even without price matching.