Unfortunately, in order to get a bargain, you'll have to temporarily think of the music store employee as the enemy. The basic fact is - he/she wants your money, and you want to give them as little of it as possible. It is important to remember that YOU are in control - they want your money, and you should make them earn it. Here are some other things to keep in mind during your second trip to the music store:
- Keep the salesperson on a need-to-know basis. Don't tell them "I have to own this guitar!" Mention you've seen some nice guitars in other stores around town.
- Before you begin bartering, make sure you know if the price includes a case. Ask whether the case is hardshell (more $) or softshell (less $).
- Try out several guitars on your return visit. You might want to pretend to be considering a much cheaper guitar. Selling you a cheap guitar means a small commission for them.. so they'll be more willing to give you a deal on a more expensive guitar.
- Don't appear to be in a hurry. Take your time, and carefully consider whether this IS the guitar you really want.
- NEVER pay list price for a guitar. List prices are usually greatly inflated.
Many people have difficulties bringing up the subject of getting a discount with a salesperson. Here's the way I generally approach the issue - ask the salesperson to give you the whole price, including tax and case, for the guitar. When they give you the final quote, simply say "Hmmm, now what can you do for me to get that price a little lower?" Have a price in mind that you'd like to pay - I often aim for a 15% discount. If you know of a store that offers a lower price for the same guitar, make the salesperson aware of that. You might have to use a little bit of pressure, but it's something you'll get used to doing.
Sometimes, if the guitar is already on sale, or is a very budget-priced instrument, you'll have a hard time convincing the salesperson to further lower the price. In these circumstances, try asking them to include some guitar accessories for free, or at least at a heavily discounted price. These might include: a capo, guitar strings, a patch cord, guitar polish, a guitar humidifier, a guitar tuner, or even small items like string winders and picks. It might not be the discount you're looking for, but it will at least give you the satisfaction of knowing that you successfully bargained with the salespeople.
This marks the extent of my knowledge on how to bring home a new guitar you're happy with, at a price that won't bust your budget. I hope you'll enjoy all your newly purchased instruments as much as I'm loving my new guitar. Best of luck, and happy hunting!
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