Haggling at Guitar Center

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Richie's given some great advice! If I'm needing to cut the price on a large purchase, I'll have the info ready walking in and the routine is simple: "I'm about to close this deal with x but I figured I'd let you give it your best shot." But the very best way is to know who you're dealing with and make sure that the guy never loses money doing business with you. As Richie said, the environment is different - it is cooperative.

On the other hand, if that isn't yet in the cards, a big purchase can be like buying a new car. You never negotiate after driving the damn thing. You negoitate only on price and lot availability. You test drive what you want at one lot and buy from another unless you want to dance with the salesman. As you approach the close, none of the sales tricks are working. It can be quite a lot of fun.

My last car was purchased on January 2nd because I had learned that the lot's purchasing inventory count for the next quarter happened as of closing on that day. I did pretty well and closed on the purchase at 5:30 PM and on my terms. I also had done enough homework to know how much the dealer was going to make on the unit and that one more sale would allow him better purchasing choices for the next quarter. He received more than one kind of benefit from that sale at that hour of the day on that day - so I accommodated him. And he made enough money to make it work as well.

But I drove off in better shape than if I had bought a day earlier or a day later.
 
Don't buy things at bad prices. Just leave.

I called up a GC last week, told them I was looking for a Mackie Onyx 800r, and I could get a factory repack on eBay for $899 or best offer + shipping. They sold me a new one, shipped to my door, for $925. Fullcompass had offered closer to $960.
 
Treeline is certainly right on...Definitely buying on the final day of the month or quarter is best. They're almost always willing to make deals to hit their sales targets.

One question for you though is why drive at one dealership and buy at another? I don't follow the reasoning there.
 
Yeah, that's advice on car buying I don't subscribe to, but then again, in a former life, I was a Customer One certified Dodge sales specialist. My approach may be a little different- " I'm a Dodge Sales Specialist. I'll give you $100 over invoice. There's the car. Write it up." In the end, it's like this- The salesman knows he's going to make minimum comission on a car deal with me. That's usually $50 or so. He can make that money in 10 minutes, which sounds pretty good, or he can make that money with 3 hrs of mind games that won't work. His choice. It's still going to be $50.
Generally, I'll let the salesman go through his whole qualification process and the test drive, because I want him to have something invested in me. If he has taken an hour or so to present the car. that's an hour he wants to get paid for. It's always to my advantage if he wants to sell the car more than I need to buy one. Best rules for car buying- Buy a car before your old one dies, so you're not desparate. Avoid locates. Either buy a car that is sitting right there, or have the factory build it. Locates are a PIA that the salesman wants to get paid for, and the car will already have miles on it. Never give them your car as a trade. Sell the damn thing privately, or as a separate transaction with another dealer. Always deal from invoice. Refuse to play mind games-"How much will you give me in addition to your trade to buy this car?" Fuck that. In my experience, I've met pleasant, honest, thoughtful, hard working car salesmen, and I've never met a car sales manager who wouldn't stab his own mother in the back for a quarter. It's a job requirement.
Most of the suggestions I made above work in car sales also, except that it's OK to remember that the car sales manager is *always* evil, and *always* dishonest.
 
I've only made my bigger purchases at GC but I can say that since day one I've never, ever, paid full price. When I first went in i wanted some software and a mixer. I got cubase se and the yamaha 12/4. I think the total was almost 400 bucks and the guy(pro audio dept manager) took 50 bucks off. Two months later I went to get a 002r. He point blank asked me what I wanted to pay. I laughed and said I sell houses and negotiate for a living, don't ask me that. He said "Shoot". I then said ok 1300, he chuckled and said nice try so I came back at 1400, he said sold. I got over a hundred bucks off the factory bundle, I was psyched about that. I also got the baby bottle with shockmount and pop filter for the same price as a bluebird. Paid $450 for a roland juno d, 250 for a gt57. The list goes on and on. Just tell them you won't pay full price and they'll cave, the worst they'll do is counter your offer. BTW I know they'll do a rode nt1a for 170 out the door also. Try not to ever pay even the sale price. The key is to find someone that works there that isn't an idiot. I have tons of respect for the guy I deal with, when I bought the 002r I was still a noob and said something to the effect of "pro tools kicks everything else's ass right?". He just laughed and said "no, but you'll be happy with it." Honesty is key, find the honest one and you'll be happy.
 
I don't buy that much stuff anymore almost everything is a letdown anyway
 
Advice so far is great, very interesting.

But if I were going to spend $8K on gear, I would go in and make sure that the salesperson knew I was serious about the biggest piece of gear. Let's say that big piece costs $4K. But I would say that I needed that piece only and would act like I had no intention of spending the other $4K on the other stuff.

Then once the sales person knows that you are going to buy the main item, say something like, "What price would you give me if I bought such and such at the same time? I don't need it, but if you give me a good deal, I'd probably buy it at the same time."

In other words, let them think that they are "upselling" you, which all sales people love to do. It should be great fun for the both of you!

And this sets up a situation where the sales person thinks they have to deal to get the larger sale. And the bigger the purchase, the more margin they will be willing to shave off.

Repeat for the rest of the items. Do cables last, see if you can get them for free. Places *always* sell cables at list with huge margin.
 
I got a tax ID so I don't have to pay sales tax. Then I made friends with the manager.
 
Well, I work for GC as the Pro Audio department manager, and by far, Richard Monroe has given the best advice on getting "the good guy deal." I love to do deals, but I also know how to hold margins. We are a performance based company on every level and my pay check depends on how well I can move gear out the door. Our pay is based on both gross sales and gross profit, so if we're giving huge deals, we have to make up for that in quantity of items being moved out. Dudes like Richard that bring in all of their friends definately get a great hook up just because of the extra business they're bringing in. A good salesperson at our store also NEVER looks at the computer to figure out margins. A good salesperson makes sure that the customer leaves happy everytime, regardless if they got an item at cost or paid the advertised price.

And, just to throw it out there. Any homereccer's that contact me for purchases will get the "good guy deal." It's a win win.
 
Nope, He's my partner back in Hi-tek though. I should clarify, I'm technically the "Keyboards" dept. manager... My main focus though is on the pro-audio side dealing with studio gear. Greg is the man w/ live sound though. I definately learn a lot from the dude.
 
And I'll just throw out this tid bit of info for everybody. If a deal is given on the main high dollar item on a sale, 98% of the time you can hold advertised cost on any add ons to the sale. And for the most part, the high dollar items on a sale do not have the highest gross profit percentage, whereas stuff like stands, cables, rack mounts etc. have huge profit margins.

I would also advise folks not to haggle on cables.. Most manufactures, (Monster, Mogami, Live Wire...) have hard minimums which prevent selling below retail cost.
 
Oh I see, I talked to Greg today, seemed very nice on the phone.

I am still in the looking phase for a good vocal mic, and I was just checking on if you guys had some mics or could get them. Talked to him about the 4050 and the GT67.
 
One of the best ways I've found is to find out who is the guy/gal to talk to before you even enter the store. And once that person gives you a deal STICK WITH THEM. I've been dealing with the same guy at GC for years he's a manager with the gcpro department now. I even go to school with some of the folks that work at GC and I won't deal with them either. They know when I come in there I'm looking for one person and if he isn't in I'm not buying.
 
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What Earthboundrec says about cables is generally true- so- I often spook around looking for slightly used cables. There's usually a box of used and closeout cables sitting around in Pro Audio. Often they have been used as demos for guitarmageddon, etc., so as a used demo, they get past the hard minimum. Due to this, I have scored 8 used B.L.U.E. Kiwi quad cables at $12 apiece. This is the kind of stuff the salesman will tell you about if you don't treat him like dirt.-Richie
 
earthboundrec said:
A good salesperson makes sure that the customer leaves happy everytime, regardless if they got an item at cost or paid the advertised price.
Click to expand...

I worked for Daddy's Junky Music in Boston years ago, and went MANY times to 48th Street in NYC for years. I'd like to pitch in a cent or two...

"Salesmen", in the generic sense of music guys, are usually neither musicians OR salespeople. Many players in the past were there because they ultimately need a gig, and they have no real experience. That's always been the way to merchandise- have a 'real' musician to help seal the deal. They didn't know how to sell, but you get great deals- and get the "Hey dude, before I walk out with my $150 POS, can I play that $4000 Martin for a while before I go home?" "Sure, dude. You POS is still new in the box- the Martin is full of dings for everyone to J/O on the new expensive guitar with my other buddies- that's our way of doing business".

Over the last 10-15 years, the corporate guys helped stores stay in business from the musicians, but now have made the wrong people dealing with the wrong things- now musicians are confronting with salespeople who LIKED playing music- but weren't musicians

The 'local guy' is basically non-existence anymore- they really can't compete. It's like anywhere- Lowe's and Home Depot types will merchandise to create the illusion of a corporate guy showing how 'real' they are. It's tough, IMO

So what can you do? Many things... and I think Richie's post is excellent.

#1- recognize that GC and others are now like every facet of American business. You are dealing with profits and margins. Period.

#2- recognize as a customer that you are a consumer. A consumer goes out and find the best deals, and is educated. That's why places like HomeRec- even if it's just all the links that other people post, makes you know more than most people walking in the store.

#3- don't accept poor advice. There are so many places to buy goods and services, you can get online and/or look at 800 numbers and faxes and there really is no place where you ultimately can't find a good place of business.

#4- don't be a peenwad! Get a fair deal for a good price, stop burning out a salesguy, don't walk in expecting $100 below price, build a repoire so that you can have a guy recognize you as a regular customer, expect a deal regularly from your guy, stop shopping two salespeople at once, only ask to speak to your regular guy when they are working, etc. etc. I think you'll find that the experience will just be less stress and more playing for most people.

There are losers in the sales store, and there are loser customers. Know you are the good guy and get what you want when you want... and call my buddy at GC- he'll hook you up- ya know wha I 'm sayin yo?
 
i just recorded a drummer last week who works in their drum dept. he explained to me how their commission works. i think it's minimum wage plus 10% of the profit of the sale if their sales % per hour is higher than minimum wage.

this could be why a manager would give you a better deal. his/her base pay is most likely higher and he/she would depend less on commission.

a big problem with GC is their turnover. with that pay structure there is not much incentive to stay unless you want some gear discounts.

side note: i recently ran into a guy online who trains pro audio for the midwest. nice guy but really uninformed.

full compass - excellent people!

Mike
 
I got a vamp2 for 90 bucks including tax. I asked to check out a vamp2 and then the salesperson asked if I was going buy it and I said I dont have enough money for it. I reached in my wallet and pulled out 90 bucks. Looked like that's all I had in there. I'm like i'd like to buy it but this is all I have. So he checked on the computer ended up selling it to me for that price. It makes a big difference whether or not you've bought stuff before there. Say you bought 2000 bucks worth of equipment there not too long ago and then come back to buy something else. They are going to give you a deal no doubt about it. I would never pay the price they ask for their products. They will almost always do at least some sort of deal. I guarantee if you buy a guitar there they will throw in a cable with it and strings too.
 
I think the point about building a cooperative realtionship cannot be overemphasized. Richie made the observation and I have seen it echoed since then on this thread in different ways.

To go back to my tough-guy new car purchase scenario, it helps to add a bit of history. First is that we developed some mutual respect in the purchase of the car. I've been willing to return to the same dealer for any kind of major service - and the sale was in 1996. That's positive payback in that service is a long term profit generator for the dealership. We didn't have to do that and there's an argument to be made that we could easily get decent service for less money elsewhere. But that is only part of the picture.

Customer / dealer loyalty generates the same thing going in the other direction. The dealer has been quick to accommodate our needs if the car is in overnight - last week the vehicle was there for some significant brake and seal work at 100,000 miles and there was a problem with the oil pan; a replacement had to be ordered and took a few days. Between that and their scheduling, the car was down for five days. The dealer handed me the keys to a 2006 Outback with 5,000 miles, free of charge as a loaner, without any restrictions. They just wanted to verify current insurance. Nobody had to do that. But the relationship creates benefits in both directions and last week it saved me at least $ 200 - 300. And since the purchase in 1996, that number may well be a thousand bucks or more.

I keep going back to what my father taught me all my life. He was a country businessman who had a knack as a jack of all trades. His "Lesson #1 - #10" was the same thing: "Always leave something on the table for the next guy. Nobody ever lost money doing business with me." Few of us can say that truthfully and I'm not sure I'm one of them. But if I can imagine myself in the shoes of the other guy and still be comfortable with the deal, then a good balance has been reached that will give something back the next time.
 
i'm kind of scared to go into guitar center now
i wamted a bass amp head on december 30th for the 31st, the one i picked out wasn't in stock. so he called up a store about a half hour away and they had 2 displays for no reason, and said i could pay for it now, take the display model home with me and come back after the weekend and get a new one in the box.
so i paid and went to the other guitar center to pick it up. the fucking place ended up being insanely far, like over 2 hours from my house. so i kept putting off going back to get the new one in a box and now its been like 3 months.

AM I BLACKLISTED IN THE COMPUTER AND FORCED TO NEVER GET A GOOD DEAL AGAIN?!
 
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