Question RE: Cyber Purchase Etiquette...

 
 
If he's anything like me he'll start forwarding you email flyers from JRR shop just to make it easier on everyone.
 
;-)

I'd say you went out of your way to be nice.  Most customers wouldn't do that.

 
'Ol Pal, plug your computer into the internetz and try again
 
 

Well it turns out that is was a simple miscommunication and that he'd actually tried to see if he could "get close" to AD's price.  And I received a very nice, cordial apology email from him regarding his lack of follow up.  Which I told him was not needed.  So everything's hunky dory. 
 
And @Mike:  No, I didn't mean the way you are a douche.  I meant the way I am.  There's a clear difference;-)
 

I'd think that they ALL knew you and Bapu on a personal level by now, and they should be greatful for the amount of business just two of you bring in keeping their company's afloat.
 
You two have enough gear to start your own warehouse biz and can include free T's with every order.  

Just curious, ol pal...what's spam in this thread?

Olpal, I'd like to give you my take if you don't mind?
 
Being in business for a VERY long time, I personally get upset when anyone shares my pricing and I always ask people not to disclose the pricing I give them because I DO give them special pricing. I think each place should give their best price without ever knowing what the other has quoted. You find out how much they want your business really fast.
 
That said, I treat all my sales associates the exact same way. When I see something from another company, I call my Sweetwater guy and say "I'm interested in this. So and so has an incredible deal on it...what's your price?"
 
During this time, I never share what the other place quoted me. My sales guy used to ask me..but I have him so trained now, this doesn't happen any more. But back in the day, he'd say "well what did so and so quote you?" to which I would respond "listen, anyone can just about match or beat a price. I send you a boat load of business...show me I matter and give me the lowest price you can on the first try. Do this enough times and I won't ever look elsewhere...deal?"
 
8 times out of 10, he obliterates the prices without me even telling him. I had a recent issue with strings with a company. I buy them by the case for both bass and guitar. My sales guy from another place sent me a case of strings without giving me the DD discount. I sent him an email that read "Are you serious? Click this link" which brought him to a place that smashed his price. I don't normally do that...but this was goodbye. You get one chance to service me...you blow it, I'm out. I spend too much money to deal with this and there are too many people that would kill for the amount of business I send per month.
 
Well this guy couldn't do enough for me. He took $15 off the string order. I told him "look, you might as well leave it as is...I'm not coming back. When I buy from you and do not check prices because I trust you, you don't take advantage of that." We're not talking a couple dollars here...this other company smoked him by $10. That's a pretty considerable amount. Especially when you look at the last time I bought strings from him....they were $12 cheaper. It goes to show you how fast they forget. He won't forget this one. He not only lost the strings, I was good for $1000 a month on a bad month.
 
Try making them fight for it without telling prices. Just tell them so and so really gave you a deal that you can't refuse but you felt it was only fair to show your loyalty and give them a shot. When they ask how much....just tell them "would you want me to give out the special prices you give me so they could beat you? How much do you want this sale?" Works every time. I did that with all the vehicles I've ever purchased as well. :)
 
No man, you could never be considered a douche no matter what you do. You're too good of a guy in my book. :)
 
-Danny

You need to uncheck the "Enable Slap-back Echo" box Danny.

Danny Danzi
 
 
During this time, I never share what the other place quoted me. My sales guy used to ask me..but I have him so trained now, this doesn't happen any more. But back in the day, he'd say "well what did so and so quote you?" to which I would respond "listen, anyone can just about match or beat a price. I send you a boat load of business...show me I matter and give me the lowest price you can on the first try. Do this enough times and I won't ever look elsewhere...deal?"
 

I can see how that would work in your position, but for us mere mortals who just treat ourselves to a new toy occasionally, you don't get a deal unless you name the vendor/price. I've tried what you said before and the answer you usually get is the price they are already quoting, because they are usually not far off the going rate anyway.
 
Next time, instead of naming the deal, I'm gonna say........" you do realise that Danny Danzi is a personal friend of mine ?" and see where that gets me, lol ! ;)
 

 
"There seems to be some abstract notion that having a chance to compete with a business that uses going out of business pricing to disrupt and undervalue a market is an opportunity of sorts."

 
 
 
They sell some pretty shiny guitars too.
 
:-)

Hi olpal,
 I'm not sure what there is to explain.
 
 We are all at liberty to search out the best prices we can find. I do that all the time.
 
 What I am commenting about is the fact that I have observed, from both sides of the sales counter, that 
 
"There seems to be some abstract notion that having a chance to compete with a business that uses going out of business pricing to disrupt and undervalue a market is an opportunity of sorts."
 
 That idea isn't meant to solve any problems or answer any questions... it is just an observation.
 
 When I was a merchant I learned that as soon as a customer takes you in to the "loosing money just talking to him" part of the ledger that you have to decide if you are going to cut him loose or not.
 
 It's no big deal, and both parties can decide how they want to respond to that circumstance.
 
 For example; I have several friends who own guitars shops and they know I don't shop there. We don't waste a second pretending that we are doing business, but we are still great friends and we speak about guitars and business all the time. I have several suppliers that give me the lowest rock bottom prices, I don't ask them for ANY service and I emphasize that I am ready to BUY if the price is right and all I want them to do is send me the box and not say a word. Like Danny, I discourage the vendors from asking me what the best price I have found is... I want each vendor to decide what they can do and then if it works for me I do it. I have a few suppliers that I count on to treat me like a best friend and I make an effort to remind them that I am happy to pay up charges for their best service.
 
 I try to keep it a win-win, and I use the pricing the vendors put out there as a guide to what each finds acceptable for their own circumstance because as a merchant I learned that most people, even if they are not aware of it, operate as if it is a win-lose system.
 
 I don't like winning, I don't like losing. I like holding hands and making music.
 
 When I was a merchant, I may not have entertained "price shoppers" with enthusiasm but we did maintain a sliding scale of pricing so as to help everyone feel satisfied. Indeed, we would enjoy the graciousness of those who could afford to pay full price and we would also enjoy being able to help the less fortunate with deep discounts, freebies and pats on the back.
 
 That was our privilege.
 
  I was lucky as a merchant, we worked in one of the few businesses that actually requires hands on, real life, service and so, to this day, discount pricing delivers a get what you pay for experience in that business. People get to purchase the level of service they need.
 
 I sincerely feel that vendors that just move sku, (the ones who have to struggle to justify any value they add because it's hard to justify the value of financing inventory in a market that can source product from any where on the entire planet within a few days) are destined to always be pressured out by yet another business that wants to undercut the price.
 
 That is a perfectly natural part of our dog eat dog, shopping as a proxy for hunting and warfare existence.
 
 It is the way it is.
 
 When I say:
 
"There seems to be some abstract notion that having a chance to compete with a business that uses going out of business pricing to disrupt and undervalue a market is an opportunity of sorts."
 
I simply mean to suggest that something can be experienced widely yet not qualify as friendly etiquette.
 
In my personal opinion, I learned to think that my customers who treated me like some sort of adversary just had no idea how we paid our bills, and even more to the point they didn't actually give a flying hoot. They just assumed we had lots of wiggle room.
 
I'm not saying that you are that guy... I am just speaking from a generalized perspective that many people seem to have have not considered.
 
I have learned that some people get so riled up when they put on their shopping war paint that they act like a business can make $110 every time they make a $100 sale. They act like there must be gobs of wiggle room. It doesn't add up... and that's why I said "act", because these postures don't seem to reflect a use of the verb "think".
 
I am not advocating for the idea that any of us should feel obligated to support any particular business. I think that is romantic... but silly.
 
I am merely commenting on the fact that I do not agree with the notion that merely making, or offering to make, a purchase is some sort of friendly gesture. It's only a friendly gesture if it is a win for both parties.
 
The bottom line ends up being the bottom line... it is quantifiable... and in the end it all makes sense.
 
 Anyways...  I guess you think I'm a douche. :-)
 
 At least I feel fresh and clean all over. ;-)
 
 
all the best,
mike
 
 
 
P.S. Have I ever asked you if you know Rick the Printer (Rick Hawkins) from here: http://goo.gl/maps/ftczS
 
 
 
edit spelling

craigb

yorolpal
...(and me actually being a "mom and pop") ...

Our 'Ol Pal is both a mom and a pop?  Well, THAT certainly is an interesting relevation!
 
(Just kidding!)

Always thought there was somethin' funny about that big yeller hair do ;)

Wow. This thread is a total revelation to me. I have never in my life established a "relationship" with a salesperson. Even in the pre-internet days when you could not actually buy anything without interacting with a salesman, I have related to such intermediaries as if we were both cogs in the great commercial machine. I had never even imagined that they would be interested in doing me a favor or vice versa.