SECRET SHOPPER RETAIL Planet Music
JUST DOWN the street from Music World, Planet Music may not have the same attention-grabbing ability visually, but stepping inside reveals an awesome selection of acoustic and electric guitars. The man who turned out to be the owner immediately ended his phone conversation and came straight over – very pleasing – and I began describing what I needed. Similarly to Music World, a guitar that was in all likelihood successful with the ladies was thrust into my hands, but this time it was a nice Cherry Red Tanglewood model. This chap made no secret of the fact he
was a Tanglewood main dealer, which might not have meant much to a non- musician, but he went on to explain the benefits of choosing this brand, without waffling on for too long. Although there was not much in the
store that fell into what I could afford, he made a good job of making sure that
Jack White Music
HERE IS a perfect specimen showing why being located outside the city centre – but in a much larger premises as a result – is often an intelligent decision. Jack White has so much space to play
with here, which is why it is able to offer not just more or less everything in moderation, but an excellent selection in virtually all sectors. Admittedly, it did take a while to be
seen to, but as there was so much to look at, this was not as big an issue as it would have been in a smaller shop. This store easily had the largest choice for what I was looking for, but this would have been the case if I were looking for pretty much any instrument, which is why Jack White’s status as the biggest MI retailer in the area is almost certainly undeniable. What also set the service apart was the way that the owner wanted to find out as
stretching my budget would be better – to make sure the purchase was a significant step up fro my sister’s existing instrument – and although some might find this a bit cheeky, it was certainly convincing and not at all irritating. Also, instead of just picking out a guitar with a pretty colour, I was taken through almost the whole acoustic display and I was shown several models that were all a strong possibility for various reasons. It would just be nitpicking if I were to
much as possible about my situation, in order to help me find the perfect guitar. Instead of simply acting on the fact that I was buying for a girl, he wanted to know
what she already had, how much it is worth and whether buying a guitar for the price I was proposing was worth it. He then went on to stress that perhaps
CONCLUSION
ideal level of assistance and keenness. Having explained what I was after, he immediately pointed me to a nice blue Aria acoustic – perfectly within my budget – and proceeded to play a quick demo and point out why it was an ideal solution for my request. Music World had clearly had success selling this particular model to female customers before and he straight away went on to list the possible accessories that could be thrown in to seal the deal, which was nice to see. To eliminate the reasons not to buy further, I was then reassured that I could bring the guitar back with the receipt and swap it for something else, which was nice to hear, especially as I was buying a present. I was then left to consider my options instead of hassled to commit to the
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purchase, but was left feeling that perhaps a couple more guitars could have been shown to me, to give me more choice, as there were others in my price range. Admittedly, there were other customers neding attention, which gave me the opportunity to eavesdrop. When talking to an elderly couple and a young man looking for sheet music, he seemed to get both parties to warm to him – the man walking out with a book and the couple considering a purchase, too. Being fussy, some of the guitars
displayed on the floor appeared a bit disorganised and randomly assorted, but this is looking for negatives, when there were almost none.
4/5
THE HIGH marks all round aren’t a result of Secret Shopper just being nice, these are genuinely three excellent shops and I could have happily found the solution to my problem in any of them. If I had to choose the best all round shop – as the scores suggest – I would simply have to go for Jack White Music. A brilliant variety in all categories, pleasant displays, a great balance of hard selling and helpfulness and I could go on.
Music World is ideal for the entry level and was marginally the friendliest of them and if I was completely clueless with instruments, I would probably be most comfortable shopping here.
For guitarists, Planet Music is the best option, with its superb selection and staff knowledge. Jack White may have got the
honours, but they’re all great in their own right – and one thing they all prove is that Ipswich is better suited than many UK locations in offering any musician a store that will cater for hid or her needs.
As our new secret shopping
experiment continues, one point we will be keeping an eye on is whether it is the isolation of an area, such as Ipswich, that necessitates a higher quality of service, or whether the home of the Tractor Boys is simply a lucky town with some turned-on retailers.
miPRO MARCH 2011 77
find worthwhile issues with Jack White Music. Other than it being a fair old trek out of town and the fact that it could have done with an extra member of staff on the day I visited, there is very little to moan about here, which is why I have awarded it top marks.
5/5
there was something there for me and even encouraged me to have a play – despite my admission of not being a guitarist – just to have a feel of the quality. This was a nice touch, and the exact opposite of many guitar specialists that seem to watch with unsettling intensity when a customer puts his grubby mitts on their precious stock. It’s a shame there’s not more space to
play with here, as there is perhaps too much product on show, with guitars covering a lot of the floor space by the door, which perhaps could have been kept clear to decrease the slightly cramped feel. Also, Secret Shopper’s visit may have come at the wrong time, with several boxes lying around and this is difficult to avoid during the period after a delivery. It is difficult to fault the actual service
offered, though, as my assistant came across as very knowledgeable and experienced in everything guitar related
and when I said I was to go away and think about it, I was given a card and a Tanglewood brochure to help with my decision making. These little examples of professionalism would make me want to return, if I was shopping for real. Another result of the space restraints is a window display that doesn’t exactly entice you in, but the nature of the building makes this difficult. On the other hand, as experienced guitarists are the target audience here, there isn’t much for the impulse buyer here anyway. It would be harsh to dwell on the
problems caused by the shop’s size, but this really is the only real area of criticism that is worth mentioning here, and as most guitarists probably couldn’t care less about a detail such as this, they would surely enjoy the experience that is Planet Music.
4/5
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