I've passed by this place so many times because it happens to be right next door to my favorite store: Burlington Coat Factory, but I never had a reason to go in. A couple weeks ago, I was looking for a keyboard for my seven year old niece for Christmas and after visiting several places unsuccessfully, someone suggested "Guitar Center". Had it not been suggested to me, I never would've imagined they carried anything other than guitars. But they do people, they do! Of course their guitar selection is beautiful and impressive but they also have a super collection of keyboards and other instruments, books, sheet music, records and more!
I couldn't find the exact keyboard I wanted to buy in the store. It was more of a simple, beginner's keyboard (because she's 7 and just learning to play) but the employee who helped me said that GW doesn't really carry beginner instruments--more like intermediate and up. He suggested a keyboard they had in stock that was much more nicer than I had in mind and much higher in price. He said she could grow into it and have this same keyboard for years as opposed to having to switch over to a new keyboard once she outgrew the other one.Plus, the PRICE MATCH so he actually looked for a lower price for me on a competitior website and found one for me. and That made sense to me but I needed to think about it so I told him I'd come back later if I decided to go with it. He said, "no problem, I'll be here all day."
Sure enough, I came back only an hour later, ready to purchase. I looked for the employee who had originally helped me since he already knew what I wanted and had looked up the lower price for me and everything. Well, when I asked for him I was told he was on break. Ok, fine, so I just re-explained everything to the employee standing in front of me but I couldn't remember the site the other guy found and this employee wasn't as accommodating and didn't offer to search for me, so I did it myself. I found the price I was looking for and showed it to the employee. He then said that he would need a manager's approval. Okay, no problem. He went to the front and called for a manager. No one came. A minute or two later, he called again. No one came. All this time I was awkwardly looking around the store, while my mom was waiting in the car mind you, and hoping I could get done in the next few minutes. Another employee came over a few minutes later and my guy asked him where all the managers were, to which he replied: "they're probably all outside smoking again."
Umm, 1) why are all the managers on break at the same time, "having a smoke?"
2) And maybe you don't want to say that out loud while a customer's waiting wanting to be helped.
Finally the employee called a supervisor or someone else and they authorized the sale. Before paying for the keyboard they tried to convince me to buy a "survival pack" filled with very useful sounding add-ons like headphones, an adapter, software etc for an extra $35 OR they said, I could JUST buy the adapter (the keyboard didn't already come with one). Since I was already spending more than I bargained for I opted to just buy the adapter. But, wouldn't you know, they left to look for the charger but apparently didn't have JUST the adapter for this particular model in stock so I ended up buying the survival pack anyway.
There was a Yelp check in offer of 15% off and, although I already figured what the answer would be, I still asked anyway if I could combine the price match offer and the 15% off. The other employee, without even looking up from what he was doing, piped up with a very short "nope!" Okay, I figured. Still, it was kinda rude.
In the end, I was happy with the final product of the keyboard and in the end I was happy that I bought the survival pack. The store was beautiful inside and they seem to have a great selection but, the customer service could be improved a bit. read more