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Joined: Apr 2004
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OP
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Can someone explain why in the Piano business stores ask people to make an apointment to buy there pianos during a sale or store closing I have not heard of this in any other industry. Has anyone really made an apointment and how was your experience?
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Joined: Aug 2005
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I really hope Piano*Dad gives you his take on this. There are many reason why they do the things they do.
But, to answer your real question, educate yourself. Learn what YOU like. Learn what you're willing to pay. Learn. Learn. Learn.
And enjoy the process!
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I've never made an appointment but wished I had on several occasions. The reason I personally believe it is sometimes called for: It's difficult to evaluate the tone of a piano when others in the store are banging away at some other piano (or three)! Bottom line is it's quicker for you AND the salesman to have you there by yourself and get the evaluation completed. That way you can get on with the negotiation process (if that is in the cards)and everyone has saved time in the long run. Plus you have the pick of the litter to choose from when you're there! - Climber
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JRoss :
It's a service to (serious) potential customers to ask them to make an appointment - often made, by the way, when the store is closed to "walk-in" customers. It gives the potential buyer the opportunity of trying out pianos without having to try to judge what he's listening to without having to listen to other customers trying pianos at the same time. If you've ever tried seriously to judge a piano's tone while others around you are playing (and while Mr. and Mrs. J. Q. Smith's three-year old is pounding the yam out of the Yamaha) you'll appreciate the quiet calm of the appointment. It also gives the salesman a scheduled opportunity to devote his/her full attention to you.
Make the appointment and enjoy the service!
Regards,
BruceD - - - - - Estonia 190
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A few possibilities I can think of:
1. So you can have a time slot dedicated just for you to try out the pianos in a quiet environment, no multiple customers playing multiple pianos simultaneously in cacophony.
2. So the sales staff can give you undivided attention.
3. So the sales staff can give you opinions and pricing information taylored just for you (presumably depending on their observation of you) without worrying about other potential customers overhearing either.
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Actually, when you're seriously shopping (as opposed to seriously negotiating) what you really want is to be totally alone, without any sales people. Have you ever tried to really listen to the piano's tone when the Yamaha salesman is pounding the Yam out of you?
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Because I was travelling out of state to do my piano shopping, I always called ahead and told the salesperson what pianos I was wanting to play, and arranged a mutually satisfactory day and time, so that they would actually be ready to play when I arrived. I believe in some cases they had their techs tune them for my appointment. None of the places I went to closed their stores to others (although I was offered the option to come in on a day when the store was normally closed), but arranging things in advance did ensure that the pianos I was interested in were ready and (usually) well-tuned.
So, I see no reason NOT to make an appointment. At the least it establishes you as a serious potential customer rather than a lookie-loo.
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OK, we've already got two terms on this thread that ought to go down as classics!
1) "Pound the Yam out of Yamaha"
and
2) a "lookie-loo"
These are great!
Now, I notice that many of the responses are tangential to what is being asked. The original question is about piano "sales" and "store closings."
I've never been to a store closing, but I have been to my local "university sale" managed by the local Yamaha dealer (where some kids did indeed pound the Yam out of them!)
The first day of the university sale is for appointments only and appointments are recommended throughout the 2-3 day event. I had a good long chat with the owner of the dealership. He knew I wasn't buying, but that I was a very well-informed local with whom he could talk turkey.
His argument for appointments was logistical. He wanted to gauge the flow of people he would be dealing with in part to adjust his staff accordingly throughout the day and during the event as a whole. And Yamaha had sent a regional representative. I suspect they wanted to maximize the benefit associated with his presence.
Other than that, I don't think I have any great insight here. As others have noted, there are positives and negatives from personal attention. An appointment does establish credibility, especially if the phone conversation that sets it up alerts the dealer that you are serious and already well-informed.
On the other hand, an appointment can change the pressure inside the room in ways that are not always helpful, but this is governed as much by the personalities of the customer and the representative as it is by the appointment process per se.
I am inherenty suspicious of "sales" and "university events." In those contexts, I think the pressure of the appointment is perhaps more designed to benefit the dealer than the customer. On the other hand, making your own appointment to visit a dealer can be a very productive way to get information very efficiently and ensure that you evaluate pianos in the best possible condition and circumstances.
Best,
David F
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Originally posted by Piano*Dad: Now, I notice that many of the responses are tangential to what is being asked. The original question is about piano "sales" and "store closings."
There you go, Piano*Dad, showing off again by actually reading the question closely. I have to confess I overlooked the reference to piano "sales" and "closings," and that does put an entirely different complexion on things. I agree with piano*dad that the motive there is to manage the (hopefully) large flow of customers so as to ensure ample opportunity to exert maximum sales pressure. At these events, they know they have a bunch of relatively uninformed suckers (er, customers) coming in, and they want to make sure that none of these customers has the chance to walk out without having undergone a lengthy sales pitch. Requiring an appointment also creates additional psychological pressure on the customer; they've made the initial commitment to piano shopping that sets up the foot-in-the-door effect, and it adds to the feeling of "I've gotta make a decision NOW because it's by appointment only so I can't just decide to drop back in later."
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Thank you all for your insite I really enjoyed all your responses.
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When I was piano shopping recently, I ran into the same situation. One dealer was "going out of business" at Location #1 only to be opening at Location #2 the next month. Another dealer has been having warehouse sales once a month in all points N, S, W of Chicago. He, too, wanted an appt.
With one dealer, I called ahead and made the appt. When I got there, needless to say, I was NOT the only person in the store, and the sales associate I made an appt with was with another client. So my experience was play in between the other players while they were looking.
The second dealer with the warehouse sale, I didn't make an appt. Just showed up. Showroom was empty. Heard everything I wanted to.
Where I bought my piano....went there early afternoon. Dealer left me completely alone to play every piano in the showroom if I wanted to. Then I motioned when I was ready with questions. Most enjoyable experience I had shopping for a piano, and I this was where I made my purchase.
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