New Marshall Music megastore opening soon - is the biz really that big?

Jack-Flash-Jr · 2010-07-27T14:28:26+00:00

So I popped into Builders Warehouse in Constantiaberg (near Muizenberg for fishing villagers, south of Cape Town for others) and lo-and-behold an industrial size Marshall Music is nigh to opening its doors... (there's been no ads or anything, nor is there any opening date posted on the doors, only a bunch of fellars unpacking boxes of awesomeness). I spent a few minutes squinting at the guitars on the back wall, leaving a nose print and evidence of heavy breathing... GAS taps on. But then I wondered how mega retailers like this expand... I have a fair amount of disposable income and I'm not shy to treat myself every now and then but are there really that many folks out there spending mega bucks on equipment? Are strings and cymbal polish keeping these guys in business? Does Cape Town really need so many huge stores? And are small retailers in the vicinity going to cope? Is Marshall Music hoping to tap into the drum circle culture beyond the Lentil Curtain?

BMU

On the original topic, I've wondered the same thing. First time I saw Music Connection I wondered how they make a living with that much stock on the floor. Surely the guitar buying demographic is fairly small even in JHB?

X-Rated Bob makes an interesting point re. warehousing costs, but that doesn't answer the question of why you would keep that much stock in the first place.

FatBoy

@ Fritz: gimme a call when you're in the vicinity next time, coffee/beer and some mutual guitar appreciation!

Will do dude, but was on a tight time schedule!

aubs1

BMU wrote X-Rated Bob makes an interesting point re. warehousing costs, but that doesn't answer the question of why you would keep that much stock in the first place.

I also thought that was an interesting point Bob made........however, I cannot think that ANY music shop would need warehousing like a Pic'nPay, Checkers and the like. They normally have ALL their stock on the floor, and only a FEW more in a storeroom at the back somewhere.

How many times have you walked into a music shop, decide to buy a guitar (or whatever else), but ask what other colours, models, etc they have........and the answer is ALWAYS....: "all we have is what you see here..........." or if you're lucky, they will try to source from another branch.........

I would however agree that moving into an Industrial Park is more cost effective than being in a Shopping Mall!!!

FruitarGeek

The one thing that bugs me about the Plumstead store, is their lack of effect pedals! But all the staff there are seriously kick ass. Marshall in Cape Town has more than enough pedals for me ? just hate the parking issue.. arg.

So is it really true, that when a new store opens there will be MASSIVE discounts?

PeteM

Keira WitherKay wrote to me it's all about "bang for bucks"

Yeah, that's one thing, but I don't discard the 'buying experience' and the knowledge of the salespeople/manager. There's a certain value to intellectual property. To me there is something uncool about getting valuable info from one store and then buying at another because their price is cheaper.

singemonkey

I'm a bit confused. I've recently been back in music stores for the first time in years. Plumstead does indeed have many Corts. Also Gretsches (which I've never really seen in CT before), Fenders, your ltds., various other odds and ends. In terms of pedals they seem to specialise in EH pedals as well as the ominipresent Boss. It's nice to know where to go for those.

The staff in Plumstead are also really good. They may bug me a little much for my liking (I'm not a fan of staff engaging me in conversation about what I'm checking out - it tends to make me want to rapidly move on) - but compared to some of the customer service horrors I have experienced at Claremont (I once waited 15mins at the counter, while a variety of staff members pottered about, chatted to customers, and then left and bought my strings over the course of four minutes in W.H. Heuer) it's brilliant.

Marshall is more of an ogle-fest, I'll admit. They have some kickass guitars in there - Martins, fancy PRSs, a Yamaha SG2000 last time, cool Fenders like a Bigsby armed Tele, and plenty of funky pedals and the like. The staff there are also brilliant and helpful. Those two stores are starting to change my opinion somewhat of music stores as the armpits of customer service.

Jack-Flash-Jr

singemonkey wrote I'm a bit confused. I've recently been back in music stores for the first time in years. Plumstead does indeed have many Corts. Also Gretsches (which I've never really seen in CT before), Fenders, your ltds., various other odds and ends. In terms of pedals they seem to specialise in EH pedals as well as the ominipresent Boss. It's nice to know where to go for those.

The staff in Plumstead are also really good. They may bug me a little much for my liking (I'm not a fan of staff engaging me in conversation about what I'm checking out - it tends to make me want to rapidly move on) - but compared to some of the customer service horrors I have experienced at Claremont (I once waited 15mins at the counter, while a variety of staff members pottered about, chatted to customers, and then left and bought my strings over the course of four minutes in W.H. Heuer) it's brilliant.

Marshall is more of an ogle-fest, I'll admit. They have some kickass guitars in there - Martins, fancy PRSs, a Yamaha SG2000 last time, cool Fenders like a Bigsby armed Tele, and plenty of funky pedals and the like. The staff there are also brilliant and helpful. Those two stores are starting to change my opinion somewhat of music stores as the armpits of customer service.

You don't sound confused at all ?

singemonkey

Confused as to why all non Cort guitars are invisible to you people when you set foot in Bothners Plumstead >☹

?

BMU

singemonkey wrote Confused as to why all non Cort guitars are invisible to you people when you set foot in Bothners Plumstead >☹

?

Well, the central guitar space, the floor itself used to house LTDs, Ibbys and not just Corts like now. The glass room on the right used to have more Ibby's (a few Prestiges) etc...now all Cort too IIRC. The glass room on the left, where the really expensive stuff is with the sign "don't even THINK of touching these" or something along those lines, is now the only non-Cort space. And the floor in front of it which is the Fender corner. (Fender doesn't count, nothing to see there, for me. ? ) Bottomline, it used to be an interesting place to go ogle and build up a good head of gas, now it's not worth the trip. (They have a few Warwicks between all the Cort basses, to be fair.)

Just my opinion. Now if I made a living selling guitars, happened to be the local agent for a bang-for-buck brand that sells easily ( Cort) in economically straitened times such as these, I might do the same. But I'm not, I'm just a guy who wants to ogle nice guitars once in a while, and whine about it if I can't HAHA.

Jack-Flash-Jr

BMU wrote
singemonkey wrote Confused as to why all non Cort guitars are invisible to you people when you set foot in Bothners Plumstead >☹

?
Well, the central guitar space, the floor itself used to house LTDs, Ibbys and not just Corts like now. The glass room on the right used to have more Ibby's (a few Prestiges) etc...now all Cort too IIRC. The glass room on the left, where the really expensive stuff is with the sign "don't even THINK of touching these" or something along those lines, is now the only non-Cort space. And the floor in front of it which is the Fender corner. (Fender doesn't count, nothing to see there, for me. ? ) Bottomline, it used to be an interesting place to go ogle and build up a good head of gas, now it's not worth the trip. (They have a few Warwicks between all the Cort basses, to be fair.)

Just my opinion. Now if I made a living selling guitars, happened to be the local agent for a bang-for-buck brand that sells easily ( Cort) in economically straitened times such as these, I might do the same. But I'm not, I'm just a guy who wants to ogle nice guitars once in a while, and whine about it if I can't HAHA.

Go up the stairs and look on the left wall, there was and may still be a gorgeous SG (looks to be irrepairable unfortunately, and has not 4 sale sign on it) hanging there...

FruitarGeek

singemonkey wrote bought my strings over the course of four minutes in W.H. Heuer

Do you stay in Stellies? Cause I seriously think W.Heuer is OVERLY PRICED!!! >☹

ZarK

To me it seems that Bothners have started to focus more on entry level equipment where Marshall caters for the whole spectrum. It makes business sense to me that Marshall opens up a store in the vicinity of the mayour Cape Town Bothners stores. They should draw a large percentage of Bothners clientele because of their wider range and more professional approach IMO...

Jack-Flash-Jr

They are opening on monday! Promise of opening specials but ads are focussed on the Marshall Birthday 5 - 7 August... I'm sure they'll have a Grand Opening with more specials at some point as well??

singemonkey

FruitarGeek wrote
singemonkey wrote bought my strings over the course of four minutes in W.H. Heuer
Do you stay in Stellies? Cause I seriously think W.Heuer is OVERLY PRICED!!! >☹

Sure. But it was either that or watch my dignity drain away while being studiously (and I mean it, they were carefully avoiding looking in my direction) avoided by Bothner's staff. Claremont this is, ne?

AlanRatcliffe

singemonkey wrote Sure. But it was either that or watch my dignity drain away while being studiously (and I mean it, they were carefully avoiding looking in my direction) avoided by Bothner's staff. Claremont this is, ne?

I was in there a couple of weeks ago and saw exactly the opposite behaviour - It was hard to carry on a convo with staff as they were always breaking off mid sentence and jumping to approach a customer (they know I don't count as a real customer and don't mind). Maybe it has improved since Jerome has taken over as manager...

Tokai-SA

I see it in quite a few Music stores...salesman not concentrating...it's a tough job working in a Music store, imagine having to put up with us insane guitarists all day. ?

Seriously.
I believe when you go into a Music store you have to show that you're the boss, have confidence and be a loud mouth...that's the way to get their attention and service...and the biggest discount. ?

singemonkey

That's BS Lance ?. They want me to buy their crap, I shouldn't have to charm them into showing me any of it, should I.

I ain't romancin' no sales staff y'hear?

Jerome? (btw people, I was talking about bothner's claremont several years ago, not recently). Since James Reynard is/was working there, you're not talking about his brother the drummer, are you?

AlanRatcliffe

Aw hell, Singe - aside from a few lifers, staff turnover is high in most music stores. Leave it more than six months and you likely won't know anyone. ?

James is at Claremont now, Jerome is a drummer, but not the same Jerome the drummer you're thinking of.

singemonkey

'Cos James is as wicked a drummer as he is a guitar player - and he's a smokin' guitar player. Rumour was he taught Jerome to play drums ?

[deleted]

I believe when you go into a Music store you have to show that you're the boss, have confidence and be a loud mouth...that's the way to get their attention and service...and the biggest discount

Wa ha ha, or have an air of starving artist about you, like I unfortunately seem to have. I go shopping so seldom that prices invariably go up drastically in the interim. The look of disbelief on my face must be quite bad, because I get a discount without asking for it. They must think I'm on the wrong side of the breadline or something.

I felt just plain bad last time I went to look at prices for the express purpose of knowing in advance what things cost, but they were so willing to sell that I ended getting another discount because I didn't have just the right amount with me. Is this some kind of complex reverse psychology of sales people to get you to dish out more in the long term because you don't want to look like a cheapie again?

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