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If you shop at local music stores, does your store have an exchange and/or return policy? My store changed theirs, no longer accepting exchanges or returns for store credit. The owner says that "too frequently folks buy books, photocopy what they want, and return the books". Ugh. I don't do that. On rare occasions I have tried to return/exchange a book that wasn't right and asked for store credit and was told I was stuck with it.
I know times are tough out there and it's good to shop local but I'm considering internet purchasing now.
What do you do?

The only time I've ever returned music was when the print job was plainly defective. The store thought the same as I did, and made the exchange on the spot.

Truly speaking, I should have looked at the book more closely at the time of purchase.

My local store will order anything for me if they don't have it on hand, and their price is competitive. So, I like to support them. Also, I like to look at things like the quality of the print, paper, and binding with my own eyes when deciding what to buy.

I'm sorry your local store has had to tighten up their policy because of piracy. It is saddening. In the end, this makes local music stores go out of business--- let these people try returning the music then.

Barb, how well do you know the owner/manager of the store? Are you frequently purchasing teaching music there? If so, I would encourage you to discuss the matter with them. Our local store has the same policy as yours, officially, but a few of us, who are high volume music purchasers, enjoy a more liberal return policy.

Hi John,
I buy music almost exclusively from this store and yes I know the owner. Rarely have I exchanged or returned anything, but like Jeff Cleff says above, there are times when you get the books home and realize the print is bad, etc. Store owner says he can't get credit himself for those books...?
And then recently a student's mom changed her mind about paying for a pop collection I had secured for her child, so now I'm stuck with that. I like to purchase music for students, but perhaps there are some situations when we may not be able to have that type of relationship/understanding with the parents.

My local music store is fine with returned music. So much so that I have, on occasion, purchased a piece of music only to find it's been written in by another teacher. But my music store also gives teacher discounts, so I buy almost all my music there and they know me well.

I rarely return music. They have a piano in a back room, and I try to play through new music before I buy it, to make sure it's what I want. Even so, I get a lemon now and then. But I have a huge library of music that I rely upon for recitals and such, and don't mind an extra book now and then. (It's tax deductible, too.)

I also buy music for my students; it's just easier that way. I do have a set of method books I bought for one student who then decided to quit before needing them, so those are sitting here waiting for the next student who needs them.

Barb, perhaps the time has come to be upfront with them. Bricks and mortar stores do compete with internet sales. If they want your continued business, they need to be a bit more flexible. Some local businesses "get it" and others do not, usually a prelude to their demise.