Source: AP | Big Drum Thump
It appears the retail giant, Best Buy, wants in on the music retail business and plans to start offering gear at their stores.
Each site will use about 2,500 square feet of retail space and include roughly 1,000 different products with well-known brand names such as Fender, Gibson, Drum Workshop and Roland.
“We’re not just extending the shelf space in the store, we’re creating a designated area specifically for this experience,” said Kevin Balon, the company’s vice president of musical instruments. “And we’re trying to create an authentic and genuine musical instrument store look and feel inside of Best Buy.”
I don’t know about you, but I think this is an awful idea and will be a losing proposition for the yellow-tagged juggernaut. I just don’t see me walking into Best Buy to drop $5k on a DW kit from some part-time high school kid when I’d MUCH rather go to a real music store and talk to drum professionals who can really take care of me.
I can see mom and dad getting their kid’s Christmas drumset there, but no real serious musician would buy into this. The only real department that would be a logical benefit for Best Buy would be pro audio because it lines up alrady with their existing market base as an electronics retailer.
Oh, and I’m sure Guitar Center is worried about this.
Related Posts
We are back from our Christmas break with a show all about stands! Mike tells us all about the drummer of the week, Ed Shaughnessy, we talk about Ramon Samson, the Guitar Center Drum Off Winner, and Carter is late! Show Notes
Direct Download
READ MORE
PRESS RELEASE
World’s Largest Drum Competition Celebrates 20th Anniversary Offering Grand Prize Worth Over $45,000
For 20 years, Guitar Center has been committed to providing drummers across the country the opportunity to pursue their musical aspirations and achieve their dreams by way of the world’s largest drum competition: Guitar Center Drum-Off.
Starting August 1st, drummers can sign up for their chance to win over $45,000 in cash and prizes, joining over 5,000 drummers from across the US to ...
READ MORE
I get on my soapbox, today and answer some hate mail, talk about musicians hating on each other, drummers showing off at their local GC, and building relationships (relationships). We'll return to our regularly scheduled programming next week. :)
READ MORE
So I'm at Guitar Center recently and they've got a nice 1966 Ludwig Champagne Sparkle 4pc drum kit for sale. They've knocked a ton off the price and I am seriously thinking of picking it up. (You can check out pics on the Moblog). And with that, I 've recently dipped into the land of vintage drums and drumming. I can't believe how much information is out there on this gear. ...
READ MORE
I got the call to be a judge this year at Guitar Center's 2004 Drum Off (Memphis Store). I judged tonight and will for the next 3 Tuesdays. Overall, the guys were pretty talented. There seemed to be a lot of drum line influence in many of the players, and that may be a normal thing. I just wasn't expecting it.
Overall, there were two guys that rose to the top. Sure, ...
READ MORE
Drummer Talk 01/14/2010 – All About Stands
Guitar Center Announces Drum-Off 2008 Details
Drummer Talk 03/08/2006 – Dave’s Soapbox
The only up side I see to this is maybe Best Buy’s “buying power” may push down the price on some items, like say sticks for instance.
I totally agree though, no serious musician is going to go there for any kind of significant instrument investment.
i think its a good thing for musician on a budgit….if the $$$ is rite…
I am in charge of one of these “evil yellow tag music Jugernauts” Let me tell you what you have under estimated here.
1. My employees aren’t part time high school Kids.
I myself have a degree in Music Performance. I have worked part time for bestbuy prior to this endevour and I went and jumped on board big time when I was offered a chance to run one. Other employees in my department are ex employees of SAM ASH and G.C. so I am pretty sure I have nothing to worry about here.
2. At least shopping at a Best Buy the Employees aren’t going to be stoned, and unkempt as the G.C. and Sam Ash employees are in my area.
3. Two weeks ago Sam Ash managers came into Best Buy to check us out. Two days later we recieved a call from one of there employees complaining about how they got ripped a new one on how much cleaner Best Buys store is.
Best Buy belongs in the Entertainment Market, and the Musical Instrument Division of the stores fits well in with there stores. G.C. and Sam Ash best be shaking in there shoes because in the few months best buy has been here they are already a big player.
The intrest in respects to Vendors has been nothing but Positive also; companys like Kaman Music and Roland are exstatic about Best Buy carrying there products. It is good for business in a market that has not enough competition. In the Past with Mars, and other major players falling off the Map there are too few retailers that aren’t online providers.
Best Buys biggest Problem is Advertising right now. They are too busy advertising for TV’s, PC’s, and Appliances, and haven’t really started advertising for the Music Instrument Department.
I will say after going in and checking it out that the music department was much higher end than I anticipated. No FirstAct drums or “Starcaster” guitars. Saw some Gibson guitars, Yamaha keys, DW drums, etc.
Aside from the salesmen being to busy showing off his guitar skills to help me, I was impressed. I still think they’re spreading themselves too thin. You can only be so good at so many things.