infernox
So today I was feeling better as I could drive more than 10km without having to run into a garage toilet, (Been hectically Ill for the past 2-3 days with a stomach bug) and thus decided to go and look for the amp I decided was going to be my first amp, a Roland Cube 15x or 20x or Line6 Spyder IV 15.
So started phoning around for prices just to find that 90% of my favorite stores are closed. Now I can understand that on this Sunday, the holy day most stores are closed, but when your in places which are business (shopping) central then it becomes very stupid as most consumers only have 2 days to really go and shop. Fine and dandy, I shall look for another shop, phoned a store in Sandton City and asked prices... No stock of 15x but Line6 is R1700 on special for you... ok... next store (one of my favorite brands) but this time in the South (Glen) R1800 for the Line6 but special just for you R1600 no stock on any Cube's.
I phoned about 10 stores this morning who were open, some home office/internet order type place and some legit stores, either no stock or hectic prices on the stuff they got. Now I know 1600 for a Line6 aint much, but I can get it at a better price from my normal store if I wait a day.
Strange thing is that I asked each store if their pricing was competitive... and their reply was, 'yes we would have the best pricing due to 'buying power/influence/customer status with suppliers etc' '
Does being open on a Sunday mean you can charge higher prices due to you running on skeleton staff on a day no one else would? If it is then I think thats a joke. I like supporting all my local stores with good service and with that I like going and browsing in a store which offers me this as I would like to make future purchases there, yet no one really wanted me in their store.
I hope some people at my favorite stores read this and realize that, keep 2 sales guys on a Sunday, they dont need to be super specialists. I, just like any consumer, want to be noticed and just given a Hello and if you cant help tell me. "X isnt in right now, heres his/her card, maybe give them a call tomorrow or let me get them to phone you". Instant happy customer as there is nothing else the salesman can do. 60% of people who walk in would in any case know what they want so youll just get more sales.
Keira-WitherKay
i agree.......... i can never understand why major music stores close on sundays.........
as you said most people work all week or are too far away from the "better stores" to just pop in on a biz day but yes surely sunday trade might cost em overtime or sunday rates but surely the sales will compensate for that .......
just imagine all the muo's who have got GAS and bored on a sunday drifting down to the stores with time on their hands to demo gear and lets face it once you tried something you like unless the bank is foreclosing on you you whip out that credit card on the spot ......................say no more......
i also hope they(people in prominant positions in music stores) read this
Wizard
I used to love it when Bothners was open on a Sunday morning and was very sad when they changed this.
It doesn't, however, take too much financial maths to compare the profit from sales on a Sunday to the expense of keeping the shop running on this day ...
... realizing most specialist places in this recession period would run at a loss being open on Sunday.
Sad for me - but logical from a business perspective.
I was told about another interesting angle too.
The salesmen working on a Sunday would be working on a "low commission day" due to the low sales.
Unless they worked an extra day each week, they'd have to swap a "high comm" day with a "low comm" day, which also isn't good for them.
I think it's much easier for the mega stores with guaranteed minimum sales to be able to cope on Sundays.
Let's just all wish this recession to be over already ... we'll have more money to buy musical equipment ... and they'll be prepared to stay open more to take our money ...
?
djpauw
dunno what you guys are complaining about... My local store (in Windhoek, Namibia) is ONLY OPEN Monday to Friday 9 to 5.
AlanRatcliffe
...and I don't even have a local shop! Four hour's worth of driving to get to the closest and return. Not that that stops me though... ?
Keira-WitherKay
Alan Ratcliffe wrote
...and I don't even have a local shop! Four hour's worth of driving to get to the closest and return. Not that that stops me though... ?
ha alan i know the feeling my fave store is now almost an hours drive from me now that i'm living in pta......
infernox
No sissy 'i dont have a local shop' permitted in this thread ?
Ray
Dunno, maybe they want a day off to rest and all.
infernox
I used to work in retail. When your in business/shopping areas like Sandton and now Woodmead I would think you would like to stay open.
IceCreamMan
some of them used to be open on sunday but have no started closing so i guess it was not viable,,,i guess sundays you gotta pay staff a premium..
only the stores in shoppiung centres are now open on a sunday
Bob-Dubery
Well I like to have a weekend off, so I don't begrudge anybody else putting their feet up on a Sunday.
Personally I'd like to have one day a week where no commerce goes on. This would be a day less of rat racing, a day with a more chilled vibe, a day where we everybody can just braai, or go for a picnic, or chill underneath a tree or whatever non-commercial activity floats their boat. Spending a little bit of time thinking about life and what you're going to do with it would be good, but one can't enforce that.
In fact I'd go further. I have from time to time threatened to start my own political party. When asked about my platform I always say that key plank would be this: All current public holidays would be abolished. All of them, wether they have a cultural, religious or political motivation. In their place their would be a legislated long weekend a month simply known as the "ballesbak". There would be January Ballesbak, February Ballesbak and so on. And over the ballesbak all commerce, except where it directly supports an essential service such as healthcare, is forbidden and you WILL chillax, braai, picnic, surf, swim, birdwatch, play guitar etc etc.
infernox
Bob, Mondays sound good for no business!
Look I understand, but when I worked retail, I have one weekend on, one off. I know if was kaka, but I made sales on Sundays. People are more chilled and normally go out looking for something they want.
vic
X-rated Bob wrote
Well I like to have a weekend off, so I don't begrudge anybody else putting their feet up on a Sunday.
Personally I'd like to have one day a week where no commerce goes on. This would be a day less of rat racing, a day with a more chilled vibe, a day where we everybody can just braai, or go for a picnic, or chill underneath a tree or whatever non-commercial activity floats their boat. Spending a little bit of time thinking about life and what you're going to do with it would be good, but one can't enforce that.
In fact I'd go further. I have from time to time threatened to start my own political party. When asked about my platform I always say that key plank would be this: All current public holidays would be abolished. All of them, wether they have a cultural, religious or political motivation. In their place their would be a legislated long weekend a month simply known as the "ballesbak". There would be January Ballesbak, February Ballesbak and so on. And over the ballesbak all commerce, except where it directly supports an essential service such as healthcare, is forbidden and you WILL chillax, braai, picnic, surf, swim, birdwatch, play guitar etc etc.
Nothing new here...they already have it in Utopia ?
Spyke
The simple solution to this all is to run your store in the same fashion 365 days of the year. The company I used to work for operated like this and has only been closed twice in the last 15 years.
Staff members are given the option to select which 5 days of the week they'd like to work - no difference in the Sunday pay as it works on hours a week and not individual days. The chances of you getting your requested schedule is based on your seniority and length of time at the said company.
This works great because you get to have Monday and Tuesday off (for example) where you can go into town and do what needs to be done without all the ques and traffic. Everything is also open. You actually want to work on a Sunday because business is better - once people know that you're open until 5pm on a Sunday.
The company benefits due to extended hours. Employees get a little freedom and the service levels are commended. Employees are still only working 5 days a week and the company has someone who doesn't mind working a full Saturday and Sunday.
Public holidays are double time - employees then start wanting to work on holidays! I did. I worked Christmas and New Years, July 4th and Thanksgiving. (Yes it was an American co.)
LMinnie
And dont forget payday was on a Tuesday! Wednesday and Thursday off rocked!
Walmart was never busy.... ?
Spyke
Payday was Thursday bud... Wednesday was golf days!
