If I dood it, I get a whippin'

[adouglas]

The fine folks at Guitar Center make most of their money through what they sell-Commission. If you buy a bass and then bring it back you are taking money from their paycheck.

Um...I don't follow that logic. If I buy the bass and return it, it's exactly the same as not walking into the store at all. Please 'splain how this is "taking money from their paycheck."

As far as taking their time, you said that it would be okay to walk into the store and try out the bass, but, isn't that taking their time? Surely you don't mean that it's unethical to browse and try out an instrument....

I see no *real* impact on the employee at all, but that doesn't change the ethics of the situation. It's still wrong to outright lie, no question of that. Not telling the whole truth is a bit more of a gray area, but I'm still not comfortable with it.

By the way, on the topic of "fine folks at GC," the GC in question is the one where I first picked up a Bongo. After I played it and expressed interest, I gave the sales guy my business card and asked him to give me a quote on one built to my specs (he didn't know you could get one with a piezo...so much for product knowledge), along with delivery time. The store manager was standing there too.

They never called. That's the ONLY EBMM dealer I've talked to that wasn't super-responsive. This guy must not WANT my business. I gave him every opportunity to make a sale, and he blew me off.

So much for earning my respect and making me feel like they deserve a commission! Good service and expertise deserves patronage...blowing off the customer deserves to have the business taken elsewhere. Just my $0.02.

 

[bovinehost]

I'm trying to stay out of this, but there is an old adage: two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[adouglas]

I'm trying to stay out of this, but there is an old adage: two wrongs don't make a right.

Oh, I absolutely agree.

Okay, I've decided. It's ethically okay to walk into the store and try the bass out, so that's what I'll do. (Note...if that's not ethically okay, please explain why...it raises the question of whether it's okay to walk into a store and browse, knowing full well that you do not intend to buy anything.)

It's not okay to buy and return it under false pretenses even if I tell them I'm likely to bring it back, and even if they say that's okay with them.

Therefore, if I don't get the information I need in the store (likely...we all know what the store environment at GC is like), I will offer to rent the bass from them.

Does that pass muster? I think so. What do you think?

 

[tommyindelaware]

just order one to your specs...... from a dealer you respect. you will get it......and you will love it . thats how it works ebmms . the chances of you not liking it are virtually ZERO !!!!!! i'm sure there are respectible dealers that will give you recourse in the event you don't like it. but talk w/ them up front about it. mabey a restocking fee.......or someting to be fair to you , the sales guy , & the manager .
i've been in all positions. there's a way all can win !!!!communicate what you need. someone will want your business. just think it through & be up front.....

 

[bovinehost]

It's ethically okay to walk into the store and try the bass out, so that's what I'll do.

Dang tootin'. Now you're thinking right.

As always, if I can help you with anything regarding Bongos, let me know - and I don't mean just making a sale.

Jack

 

[smallequestrian]

Um...I don't follow that logic. If I buy the bass and return it, it's exactly the same as not walking into the store at all. Please 'splain how this is "taking money from their paycheck."

Just FYI, I have worked retail commision in the past. 99% of the time, when you sell something you consider that money in the bank, you don't expect it to come back and for the most part you shouldn't. Whats worse, is when someone returns something when you are not there, then you get your paycheck and its X number of dollars short, and you don't know why.

Yeah technically the salesmans net gain is Zero, but how would feel if somebody gave you $100 and then took it back 2 days later.

 

[adouglas]

how would feel if somebody gave you $100 and then took it back 2 days later.

Yeah, I get that part...it's obvious. But stating that returning an item in accordance with store policy is taking money out of someone's pocket is factually false. The sales guy will be disappointed, sure, but no worse off than if the customer had just stayed home. Besides, it's not as if they don't KNOW it's possible for the thing to come back.

I've had to make my living as a freelancer from time to time. Worse than losing a commission you thought you had is working your butt off and then getting stiffed or shorted by a client...worst case, you lose the client and get jack, best case you roll over to keep the client. I've learned to never treat income as real until the check clears.

 

[tommyindelaware]

Dang tootin'. Now you're thinking right.

As always, if I can help you with anything regarding Bongos, let me know - and I don't mean just making a sale.

Jack

he said "dang tootin"

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

You are within GC's stated return policy to do this either way. I don't quite understand your situation though.

Is you biggest concern to decide between a new Bongo and your hot rodded Carvin?

That's what I got from your initial post and if so then why did you go ahead and put down a deposit with Bass Central?

 

[adouglas]

Is you biggest concern to decide between a new Bongo and your hot rodded Carvin?

Yes.

That's what I got from your initial post and if so then why did you go ahead and put down a deposit with Bass Central?

Because I wanted to get my name on it while I had the chance. I know it probably wouldn't have flown out the door (given BC's extensive inventory on hand), but I wanted to cover the bases (basses?). Better to wait three weeks than three months...recall that the one I've put a deposit on is already in the pipeline, due to arrive mid-September or thereabouts. I made it clear to BC that if, the Carvin wins my silly little test, I would expect the deposit to be refunded, and they were fine with that. They'd already ordered the bass before I came along, so it's not like I'm sticking them with a guitar that they don't want.

The EBMM dealers I've corresponded with are all quoting prices more or less in line with one another (some more, some less), so I went with BC based on availability tempered by price.

 

[Motojunkie]

You know, I have tried to stay away from this thread because of the ethics issue, and everyone seems to think that doing the GC thing is unethical. I have just a couple of points to offer:

• Many of GC's business practices in general are unethical. Kharma comes around.....
• This is related to the above bullet - Just take a look at GC's auctions on Ebay, and you tell me if they are worried about ethics.....
• The option to do what you want to do is well withing the GC policy. You're not breaking any rules or laws.
• Chances are that once you get the instument, you'll fall so deeply in love with it that you just cancel the one through BC just to avoid the hassle.

I think that since you have to sell one of the instruments, you should do the GC deal that way if you decide to keep the Carvin, you aren't out any money.

I know that my opinion is not in the norm with what most everyone else is offering here, but take it for what it is - an opinion. And, it's worth exactly what you paid for it.....

 

[bovinehost]

I think the idea that companies are unethical based on your limited experience in a few outlets is wrong.

Unethical?

Now you may not enjoy GC and you may not find the salespeople as knowledgable as we are (how could they be unless they're here? It's unfair, really) and you might not like banged up instruments that have been on the floor for a long time, but none of those things are unethical.

Their auctions on eBay are ridiculous, but that hardly qualifies them as unique and it doesn't come close to unethical. Buyer beware on eBay, and that doesn't apply to just the "gcrep" auctions.

Many people have had positive experiences with GC. Many people feel there is value in what they offer and how they offer it. In fact, I've bought a few "big" items from GC - an Ampeg head, a bass or two, some cabinets - and while the wankers in the guitar aisles drove me nuts, the salespeople were nice to me, I got the product I wanted at the price I wanted to pay, and I was happy with the merchandise.

Each of us is free to choose where to shop. Each of us will make decisions about our OWN ethical or unethical behaviors.

I would also remind you guys that Guitar Center is a major outlet for EBMM guitars and basses, and I think it's unfair to our hosts to let this go any further.

Thread closed.

(And I don't do this very often.)