From fortepianonj@yahoo.com Fri Jul 02 19:05:22 2004
Subject:Re: XK3.. who cares?

I agree. Though, I do think the smaller music dealers
need to improve their business acumen and become more
tuned into their customers. Specializing and finding
their own niche would be one answer to some of these
problems. But we're not going to solve this here. It
is too deeply rooted.

Here's another thought.....
As Summer NAMM show approaches, I wonder if the
manufacturers will exhibit the drawbar keyboards this
year in Nashville. For the last couple of years,
Roland and Korg have not always shown their drawbar
clones at Summer NAMM. The answer to the "why"
question that I was given was that "This is a small
show, and we can't bring everything." Translation:
They aren't important enough in our line of products.
I understand HS and Voce will be there, which will be
good.

Summer NAMM caters to the smaller dealers, and they
aren't given the opportunity to see/hear the products
that many of you want to try out. So, how can they
assess whether they should stock them or not. If a
dealer doesn't ever go to Winter NAMM,, they'll never
see them. We'll see if they exhibit them later this
month.

Also, another thing I sometimes wonder about is the
lack of advertising in music industry trade mags
(Music Trades, MMR, Music Inc, Music Retailer) on
their drawbar clones. I NEVER see an ad for a clone
except for HS. About a year ago, there were a few for
the new Voce keyboard. But I don't recall seeing any
ads from Korg, Roland, Nord, Viscount, or anyone
else's clones. So, one has to wonder.....

If the dealers aren't seeing them at NAMM nor in the
trade mags, then it's no wonder that so many of them
don't have them in stock. Of course Guitar Center and
Sam Ash may have them - or maybe not. But if the
manufacturers made the incentives attractive for the
smaller dealers and the pricing the same as the "Big
Box" dealers, then I believe we would see more of
these products in the smaller music shops. Also, if
they would advertise them, support them and exhibit
them, then the dealers will be more interested in
stocking them.

That would be a good thing, and it would give some of
us an alternative to the mail order/internet stores.

my $.02,
FP

--- Stephen wrote:
> I completely agree with you there.
> It is a sad fact that consumers don't appreciate the
> smaller retailers in
> their eternal persuit to get the lowest price. The
> depressing conclusion to
> this move to mail order is that the smaller shops
> will close and we'll be
> left with just faceless mail order outlets and
> supermarkets. Neither of
> which will have any Hammond experts on hand to
> answer any questions.
> Globalisation sucks.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "S S"
> To:
> Sent: Friday, July 02, 2004 3:09 AM
> Subject: Re: [CWSG] XK3.. who cares?
>
> > As someone who works and has worked in music
> product
> > retail and manufacturing, it is a shame what is
> > happening to the dealer network in the music
> products
> > industry. If you're wondering why a lot of dealers
> are
> > NOT stocking the XK-3, it is because Sweetwater
> and
> > Musician's Friend have it, amongst others. There
> is no
> > way that a smaller dealer can compete.
> >
> > It is NOT the dealer's fault that this has
> happened.
> > This is a manufacturer issue. If the dealer could
> sell
> > it without fighting over price with the "big
> guys,"
> > you would find a lot more dealers stocking it. But
> why
> > should they, when what usually happens is that an
> > individual will visit the store just to try out
> the
> > product, and then go purchase it on-line from
> their
> > favorite mail order company? Put yourself in their
> > shoes ----- if you can.


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