DOLPHIN MUSIC RETAIL
Which is all very valid. Everybody with an ounce of understanding has known for years now that internet retailing is here to stay. The question is how do we embrace (or reject) the phenomenon and what does that do to our business model? One thing is for certain, no-one can ignore it. The industry got itself into palpitations
recently when Amazon launched its dedicated MI ‘tab’ and quite understandably. It was Amazon, after all, that put paid to the UK’s record and bookshops. Of course, the pricing and convenience were major reasons for Amazon’s success, but there was also the ability the retailer has for allowing customers to get hold of more obscure items that would rarely make it into stores simply because it would not be worth the dealer’s time or money. This had the effect of bringing a whole new market sector into the mainstream. I put it to Tavaria that this might well be the same for MI. Let’s say I wanted a Gretsch White Falcon. I know for a fact that none of the stores in my immediate vicinity would have one – I would have to go online to find it. “Well, you could drive around a whole
number of stores – and people do that happily – but if you are so precise in knowing exactly which guitar you want, chances are that when you find one, it won’t be exactly right,” he muses. “The hardware might be different, or the colour or the trimming – there’s a lot that can vary. When you go online, you find what
you want – exactly – and wait for it to be delivered on exactly the day you want.” “Customers have so little time these
days,” says Watson-Cave. “You can talk about the intimidation factor of going into a store, which does exist, but it is not as big an issue as having the hassle of delivery or collection taken out, the 30- day customer returns protection and the fact that online purchasing is really very safe these days. Online buying gives the customer time.” “And this is a really important point,” interjects Tavaria. “We are always hearing about how much cheaper it is to run an online operation, but it’s simply not true. It is completely different, yes, but to run a successful and efficient online business is as expensive as it is difficult.” “We have spent so much on staff and systems to monitor customer traffic, reactions and feedback in order to target our marketing better. This is neither cheap nor easy,” adds Watson-Cave. “What we are doing here is working in
the realm of big business,” continues Tavaria. “How many small retailers can carry out this sort of research? Only a couple. If anyone wants to sell online, I say ‘do it’, but don’t expect it to be the same as working in a shop. Everything is very different and it is very easy to fail.” Indeed, when functioning on the level that Dolphin is these days, there is a lot to take into account. With the beginner and mid-range market having grown up with
Taking advantage of cool images helps keep punters on the page
the internet as a daily tool for commerce and socialising, there is a need to be involved in all of the networking sites, communicating messages and gaining feedback, as well as having staff at a level of understanding at least equal to that found in a bricks and mortar operation. This means that when an enquiry comes in, someone in the team needs to identify what sort of customer it is and deal with him or her accordingly – again, just like any retail operation – whether via the website or the telephone. These enquiries come when the customer feels confident with the portal,
so the combination of lifestyle-centric videos and demonstrations with careful imaging, and the communication through the social networking sites creates exactly that sort of all-round confidence. That most MI retailers using the internet are still concentrating on simply listing products and prices as though it is an interactive catalogue shows that, once again, Dolphin is a step ahead in this new market, although, as Tavaria and Watson- Cave point out, that means the company is simply staying abreast of what the rest of the commercial world is doing. DOLPHIN MUSIC: 0844 815 0888
Quality Brands Sell DR Strings DBZ Guitars
Eden Bass Amplification
Clayton Picks Parker Guitars Spector Basses
First Line Distribution Ltd
www.firstlinemusic.co.uk 01626 830336
Carl Martin Effects WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 69
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