Originally posted by John DiLeo:
What bothers me in the big chain music stores is that they hardly carry any mid to top arrangers anymore. Most places I have been to look at us older adults & tend to ignore us as if we dont know what we're doing. Or when asked about a product they just shrug their shoulders in bewilderment & say "What's That"? Most look like their on drugs also, what happened to a shirt & tie? It's a shame what has happened to music stores in the last 20 years from the help through management. You can't blame the customers for shopping on the Internet at much better prices. With so many unknowledgeable employees in stores you sought of have to be your own salesman in the know. And after you buy if you need help the Internet again can deliver it with forums like this and such. So its a no brainer as to why there is a downward slide & probably in years to come the demise of retail music stores as we knew them. It's sad.
You are going to the wrong stores. We don;t dress in ties but we are all over 40 and specialize in every aspect. Professional players in every area of expertise. We don;t work on commission so I have no qualms calling the bass player to sell a bass, no does he have issues calling on me to sell recording or keyboard gear that needs more than a rudimentary knowledge.
Thats said,,,,,,Believe it or not Keyboard Arrangers are primarily sold to Joe Six Pack by a HUGE margin. the HOME user. Joe is impressed with making a full band out of two fingers. Joe has no clue how to operate a keyboard with so many buttons and screens. Joe needs A LOT of support and local stores are in a much better position to offer that. I will spend hours with Joe on a Clavinova or PSR700. That's the difference. Joe won;t even know what a keyboard arranger is on the Internet. Joe buys what he see's demoed in the store and KNOWS he will be coming back with questions.
Joe has no problem laying out $400-$7000 for a Home Arranger Keyboard once he SEES and HEARS them.
Few Arranger sales are made to Pro OMB players when compared to the whole. The buyers of these things would be harraging the poor sales guy at Musicians Friend for "lessons on the use of a PSR or PA800"
[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 11-30-2008).]
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