Commissioned Sales and Me
I just returned from a trip to Guitar Center, and I am stressed out. My husband can attest to this, as I returned home all flustered. That store just stresses me out...actually, the concept of "Commissioned Sales" stresses me out. I just wanted to go in there to buy some strings, maybe an inexpensive tuner, and some picks...something that should take no more than 2 minutes. However, at GC, you can't just pick out your own strings, picks and tuner. You have to have Bobby Joe (not his real name) suggest strings, picks and tuners to you, recommending what he likes best. I realize that Bobby Joe was just doing his job, but it sure is flustering (is that a word?) to someone like me. I enjoy looking at all the merchandise myself, picking out what *I* want after observing all my options, and purchasing the items on my *own* terms. In fact, when I get the feeling that someone is trying to sell me on something, it turns me off to buying it, whether or not it's a legitimately good deal. In fact, tonight I could have saved 3 dollars on purchasing 3 sets of strings instead of one, which actually would have made sense. But, no, I only bought 1 set, solely because I was annoyed that someone was trying to sell me on something. I guess it doesn't help that that store is loaded with testosterone and noise, and that the salesmen always talk to me like I just learned how to play guitar. Tonight Bobby Joe was showing me how a tuner works ("When the arrows are on this side, it means it's flat"). He was probably just being nice, but in my cynical little world, I perceived it as demeaning.And now I'm home, feeling all guilty that I didn't help Bobby Joe's sales for the evening because I didn't buy 3 sets of strings even though it was a good deal. He's probably just trying to pay his way through college, and I had to be all crabby by saying "no" to 14 dollars more worth of product for no good reason. Now I'm feeling cynical AND guilty.
So...sorry, Bobby Joe and commissioned salesmen everywhere. I don't think I've helped your cause too much.
And maybe I need to be better friends with Musician's Friend.
posted by Nikki @ 6:26 PM
2 Comments:
Unfortunately being better friends with Musicians Friend won't solve your problem compeltely: Guitar Center owns them!
Don't worry you really didn't effect his commission for the day. The guy works in accessories so despite what his managers tell him there's no way he's going to be making any extra cash in that department. Trust me.
When I worked there I actually went out of my way to not be an annoying sales guy. I even got mildly reprimanded on occasion for not following "GC standards" because I didn't want to bother the customers.
My problem at GC is that I don't know what to play when I try out an electric guitar. I'm very self-conscious about my few Chris Tomlin worship song licks when the kid next to me is shredding. What I need is somebody to point me to music, or tabs of some signature lines that will qualify me to proudly try out guitars I'm not going to buy along side the best of them. Somebody should market a tabs book of classic show-off guitar licks.
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