Musicians Friend - Distribution Center Closing

[Faraldi]

This just in...

Musicians Friend, owner of MF and Guitar Center, is shutting down it's Kansas City distribution center.

This was broadcast on 98.8 this morning.

Apparently they have another warehouse in Seattle and it looks as if that will stay open.

Might be some good deals waiting for us out there. (The land of the broken headstock)

 

[Cassady]

That's too bad for all the people who will lose their jobs.

I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself because I used to get one-day delivery from this warehouse: place an order Monday, it ships Tuesday and arrives Wednesday.

Oh well, I just have to remember it's a lot worse for those out of work than for me waiting an extra day or two for my order(s) to arrive when I can't find something locally.

Cassady

 

[JohnK24]

Wow, one would think the Kansas City center would be ideal for shipping, being that's it's the middle of the country. Does Guitar Center and Music123 ship from the same location or are they maintained as separate facilities - that might play into this too.

 

[Parma_TeleMon]

I know GC.com ships from this facility. Last month I bought product on both MF and GC websites and they shipped from the same warehouse.

 

[boris bubbanov]

This sounds like some kind of misunderstanding to me.

Unless they have a motivated buyer for this facility. MF/GC/Music 123 cannot serve the country cost-effectively or service/effectively from Washington State. They might as well just liquidate the whole thing if they're gonna give up having a central hub. Unless they're considering a Tire Rack type model.

I hate to be so skeptical about local news sources, but they're so good at getting things all mixed up.

Think about the potential impact this would have on Gibson.

 

[Singin' Dave]

Wow, one would think the Kansas City center would be ideal for shipping, being that's it's the middle of the country. Does Guitar Center and Music123 ship from the same location or are they maintained as separate facilities - that might play into this too.

I agree...Free shipping from Seattle doesn't make a whol lot of sense. Isn;t real estate more expensive in Seattle as well? Odd.

 

[Agave_Blue]

I agree...Free shipping from Seattle doesn't make a whol lot of sense. Isn;t real estate more expensive in Seattle as well? Odd.

Depends.

What is the $$ distribution of their business geographically? That is what % of dollars ship to what parts of the country. Entirely possible that so much ships to Cali that it balances the shipments to the SE, for example.

What about imports? Do they recieve imports on the West Coast, then reship to KC? If enough imports are recieved on the West Coast, then that may create some advantage to keep a single West Coast master distribution center.

Although businesses make errors regarding product/facilities, they do resaearch, cost/benefit, etc into those decision. Rarely do they just "guess". We don't have access to the data that MF used to make this decsion.

 

[smoke]

This sounds like some kind of misunderstanding to me.

It was my understanding that the customer call center and the 'retail' space would close down, not the distrib center. I could be wrong, however. That is how I originally heard it through the grapevine here in KC.

 

[sidneystreet]

It was my understanding that the customer call center and the 'retail' space would close down, not the distrib center...

That is what I heard too. The "Clearance Center" retail space at the distribution center will close on 12/30/09.

They now sell all the scratch and dent stuff online, thus no more need for running the retail space.

The Distribution Center in Kansas City is a brand new MASSIVE building located right across from a giant Fedex center. Closing that location in the Heart of America wouldn't seem to make any sense.

Here is a link:

http://www.musicincmag.com/News/2009/091117/091117_mf.html

 

[cowboytwang]

http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1564216.html

They are laying off 75 employees and closing the call center and retail outlet, not the distribution center.

 

[rangercaster]

Amazon operates out of Seattle ... coincidence ???

 

[scantron81]

What? You mean the "state of the art computer controlled facility" they bragged about whenever I was put on hold? The "fantastic new workplace" that got my order so wrong they didn't know how it happened? The "incredibly efficient functioning" building that sent me the same wrong item once a week for 5 weeks straight last year? The "better than the best" system that managed to mail me 1/2 an item?


GOLLY!
(scratching my head)

 

[Ben Harmless]

What? You mean the "state of the art computer controlled facility" they bragged about whenever I was put on hold? The "fantastic new workplace" that got my order so wrong they didn't know how it happened? The "incredibly efficient functioning" building that sent me the same wrong item once a week for 5 weeks straight last year? The "better than the best" system that managed to mail me 1/2 an item?


GOLLY!
(scratching my head)

Yes. I assume the new changes will improve their 100% incorrect, delayed, or damaged-in-warehouse order status that they currently enjoy with yours truly.

 

[Agave_Blue]

What? You mean the "state of the art computer controlled facility" they bragged about whenever I was put on hold? The "fantastic new workplace" that got my order so wrong they didn't know how it happened? The "incredibly efficient functioning" building that sent me the same wrong item once a week for 5 weeks straight last year? The "better than the best" system that managed to mail me 1/2 an item?


GOLLY!
(scratching my head)

:rofl:

Classic.

 

[Phaze]

What? You mean the "state of the art computer controlled facility" they bragged about whenever I was put on hold? The "fantastic new workplace" that got my order so wrong they didn't know how it happened? The "incredibly efficient functioning" building that sent me the same wrong item once a week for 5 weeks straight last year? The "better than the best" system that managed to mail me 1/2 an item?


GOLLY!
(scratching my head)

That must be why they have the lowest prices/largest market share. If they were insignificant, no one would complain, but it seems everyone does. Is this not true? Where do you think we live? In a perfect world? Valhalla has free '59 Blackguards for every dead Viking. Down here on Earth, it's dog eat dog, red vs. blue, Wall St. vs. Main St.

Out of a dozen orders in the last 3 years, I've never had a problem. Does that count?

Just kidding, sort of.

 

[scantron81]

Out of a dozen orders in the last 3 years, I've never had a problem. Does that count?

Same here, with big multiple item orders, so I figured I'd order a simple kick drum boom stand. They sent me 3 bases, no booms, and then 2 MASSIVE studio booms with no bases. The booms and bases were different sizes so I was stuck with nearly $200 of useless parts when all I wanted was a $25 small boom stand.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend....ds-MS7311B-Kick-DrumAmp-Mic-Stand-?sku=450409

 

[JCSouthpawtele]

They own Woodwind and the Brasswind also . When that purchase was made they got a really nice retail location and a huge wearhouse in South Bend,In. I ordered my Tele through Woodwind and Brasswind and they got it out of the KC wearhouse. Locally there is a GC too so the showroom at Woodwind and Brasswind hase more BOOTEEK stuff(Dr.Z,Bogner,Budda amps, Fulltone pedals and PRS and various custom shop guitars).

 

[FirstBassman]

Amazon operates out of Seattle ... coincidence ???

So does Costco. Well, nearby.

And, of course, Amazon has other distribution points too.

 

[Phaze]

Same here, with big multiple item orders, so I figured I'd order a simple kick drum boom stand. They sent me 3 bases, no booms, and then 2 MASSIVE studio booms with no bases. The booms and bases were different sizes so I was stuck with nearly $200 of useless parts when all I wanted was a $25 small boom stand.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend....ds-MS7311B-Kick-DrumAmp-Mic-Stand-?sku=450409

Did you return them? How much were you charged, in the end?

 

[scantron81]

Did you return them? How much were you charged, in the end?

I tried to return them but they said it was my "gift." I paid $25 and never got what I asked for. I asked for a refund and eventually got it a few months later but I'm still stuck with a bunch of useless stuff I can't give away. I even tried Craigslist to no avail.

I'm not angry about it one bit. It's pretty funny. I explained the specific item on the phone and submitted in written detail where the mistake was most likely made. They said they realized the problem and made a note of it in the system but I continued to get the wrong items.