Guitar Center shoots themselves in the foot again

[4pickupguy]

Also, we had a guitar brand we carried in the early 80’s whose quality had become so poor we ask for a visit from the local rep. He assured us that that quality issues would soon be sorted for this reason or that…
We eventually discontinued the line….. that line was Fender.

 

[Marc Morfei]

How can anyone there afford to live on what they pay? They only hire trust fund babies and high school kids and retired people?

No different than any other retail job.

 

[burntfrijoles]

But it ain't just a GC thing. For all the layoffs in well-paying jobs, low-end jobs are a dime a dozen and everybody gets hired. Heck, my 16 yo just started part time just because he could.

And worse, a lot of these kids have a really [choose your word] attitude, whether they work at GC or the doctor's office. Many completely lack the ability to communicate outside of Instagram and TikTok.

It is scary to think what's next.

Much of GC’s staff are young people and that‘s a big change from 20 years ago When they had more mature reps who were practicing musicians. However it’s not the fault of the kids who are working. They are poorly (or not) trained.
I don’t get the constant berating of young people. Not just now, but always. “This younger generation…” had been uttered repeatedly throughout the ages. Because society, technology etc change.
Also, I don’t see any correlation in higher end job layoffs, everybody getting hired for low end jobs. There is a labor shortage across all sectors: durable goods, finance/service, retail, professional, leisure/hospitality.

Which is why I always try to shop at local shops. When they’re gone, they’re gone forever.

Yep. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area with locally owned shops consider yourself lucky. I live in a metropolitan area of over a million folks and the only authorized Fender or Gibson dealers are the big box stores. There‘s not a single mom/pop local dealer listed on Fender or Gibson’s websites.
The collapse of GC will not automatically increase the number of smaller shops. Gibson, Fender, Taylor, Martin etc would have to drastically lower their minimum purchase quotas for smaller shops.

 

[John Stephen]

How can anyone there afford to live on what they pay? They only hire trust fund babies and high school kids and retired people?

They only hire high school kids (they likely are the only ones applying for jobs there).

 

[middy]

They only hire high school kids (they likely are the only ones applying for jobs there).

Well, there you go. I wasn't exactly a model employee at 17, myself.

 

[Brent Hutto]

At 17 I was flipping hamburgers for the McClown. Standing around listening to folks butcher Metal licks has to beat going home smelling like grease.

 

[John Stephen]

I'm not so sure. It's close.

 

[Tele_Tom64]

Just wait until someone posts that they just bought their Fender Strat through Walmart.com

The last time someone asked about their guitars in a certain group, it started a HUGE argument about how Walmart shouldn't even be selling guitars. And everybody had to put their 2 cents in about it.

Walmart sells perfectly good guitars. Or rather, people sell perfectly good guitars through Walmarts Marketplace, which is different than Walmart actually selling them.

 

[WRHB]

At 17 I was flipping hamburgers for the McClown. Standing around listening to folks butcher Metal licks has to beat going home smelling like grease.

Sure, as long as you don’t mind going home smelling like butchered Metal licks.

 

[Papanate]

But that's the problem - the staff are a direct reflection on the store itself. It's not like GC isn't responsible for that.

Maybe so - but poor clerking isn't limited to Guitar Center - it's everywhere - So IMO you have know how to circumvent the Lousy Clerk.

The problem as I see it is that GC is yet another business which keeps itself open by making its employees bear much of the cost - they pay poorly, set commission structures that are impossible for most people, and they can't keep staff, which is sad, because I've met a number of nice people working there at times. There are costs to that kind of business model which aren't recorded anywhere.

Actually they don't make anyone bear the costs - The young Clerk - what do you think if anything he took away from your Exchange? - My Guess is nothing - it had less than zero impact on him - but you have a Coronary over it - but no one knows - so you had less than zero impact on the store - but you are all worked up -

The independents get most of my actual money though. MusicGoRound in Natick. The Music Emporium in Lexington. Sometimes Mr. Music, but I find them hit-or-miss these days, I no longer live down the block, parking is miserable there, and taking the Green line is like gambling with half your day...

Taking the Green Line is a risk? How come?

 

[cyclopean]

But that's the problem - the staff are a direct reflection on the store itself. It's not like GC isn't responsible for that.

The problem as I see it is that GC is yet another business which keeps itself open by making its employees bear much of the cost - they pay poorly, set commission structures that are impossible for most people, and they can't keep staff, which is sad, because I've met a number of nice people working there at times. There are costs to that kind of business model which aren't recorded anywhere.

I'm in the greater Boston area, and there are six guitar centers in a 30 mile radius, and eight within 40. I keep my expectations low, and typically only go in for used stuff I see online. That said, I recommend the GC in Nashua, NH for very nice staff and for whatever reason, the best used inventory in the region. When I'm at that store, I see more time being spent with customers, and care taken to actually make eye contact and speak to people who are just buying strings. I don't buy that it can't happen in other stores.

The independents get most of my actual money though. MusicGoRound in Natick. The Music Emporium in Lexington. Sometimes Mr. Music, but I find them hit-or-miss these days, I no longer live down the block, parking is miserable there, and taking the Green line is like gambling with half your day...

I’ve almost never had a problem parking by mr music. You do know about that parking lot behind the buildings across the street?

 

[cyclopean]

Maybe so - but poor clerking isn't limited to Guitar Center - it's everywhere - So IMO you have know how to circumvent the Lousy Clerk.



Actually they don't make anyone bear the costs - The young Clerk - what do you think if anything he took away from your Exchange? - My Guess is nothing - it had less than zero impact on him - but you have a Coronary over it - but no one knows - so you had less than zero impact on the store - but you are all worked up -



Taking the Green Line is a risk? How come?

Well, it hasn’t caught fire in recent memory, unlike the orange line.

 

[cyclopean]

Just wait until someone posts that they just bought their Fender Strat through Walmart.com

The last time someone asked about their guitars in a certain group, it started a HUGE argument about how Walmart shouldn't even be selling guitars. And everybody had to put their 2 cents in about it.

Walmart sells perfectly good guitars. Or rather, people sell perfectly good guitars through Walmarts Marketplace, which is different than Walmart actually selling them.

If you shop at Walmart, you support union busting, and that’s a line I’m not willing to cross.

 

[WRHB]

If you shop at Walmart, you support union busting, and that’s a line I’m not willing to cross.

I give you credit for standing up for what you believe in.

 

[Buckocaster51]

With those last two posts, this thread comes to an end.

Please no politics