JohnnySomersett
Senior Member
A comment over in another part of this forum got me thinking yesterday and I thought I'd offer out the idea to see what the DW community thought about it when posed with a question of ethics over financial benefits.
The comment made was something along the lines of "go to your local shop, hit every cymbal they have to see what you like. Then, of course, go and buy used"
Now, this sits uncomfortably with me for a few reasons. Being in a sort-of service industry (plumbing supplies) I often get thrown at me, while negotiating, the now classic "but I can get it cheaper on the internet" line. This grates me somewhat as there is a world of difference between the sort of attentive service they would get from me as opposed to the faceless world of e-commerce they so easily namecheck. Namely the lack of support if something goes wrong and the experienced advice I can give! So, how this is relevant to drumming and gear? Well, I'm sure you can figure that out...
In my humble opinion, intentionally going to a drum/music store to try products out only to then going somewhere else to buy it is morally wrong. Not only is it rude, but extremely insulting to the shop owner trying to eek out a living in this tough economy! I think if you're willing to USE the service of a shop then you should at least have the common decency to buy the product you liked on the rack from them (as long as the price isn't ridiculous!). Music shops - especially independents - are disappearing every single day thanks to eBay, online-only shops, and the big National companies. In the UK there are pitiful amounts of places to go. There is a tiny shop in my town that is destocking for closure, the one 4 miles away is gone, another 5 miles away is out of business, and the only one half decent is 14 miles away and is more of a chain modeled store than a nice welcoming 'local' place.
These small or independent places need our support more and more, and abusing them shouldn't be tolerated - let alone encouraged!
Now, I buy online, I won't lie, but I buy from online shops that have a real shop too, the ones trying to claw back some of the lost trade by moving into the new era of sales. In that way, because of distance I can still spend my money where it's deserved. I buy used when I want something that isn't available anymore (vintage or discontinued), otherwise, I'll save my money and buy new - supporting our great industry so they can continue to provide quality gear and develop and embrace new ideas and evolve our drumming world!
If everyone always bought used, eventually all we'll have left is head & stick companies...and no shops left for you to go and honestly try things out and BUY them from the trader.
So, can you live with putting places out of business? Using and abusing little drum stores? I can't.
Peace
JS
The comment made was something along the lines of "go to your local shop, hit every cymbal they have to see what you like. Then, of course, go and buy used"
Now, this sits uncomfortably with me for a few reasons. Being in a sort-of service industry (plumbing supplies) I often get thrown at me, while negotiating, the now classic "but I can get it cheaper on the internet" line. This grates me somewhat as there is a world of difference between the sort of attentive service they would get from me as opposed to the faceless world of e-commerce they so easily namecheck. Namely the lack of support if something goes wrong and the experienced advice I can give! So, how this is relevant to drumming and gear? Well, I'm sure you can figure that out...
In my humble opinion, intentionally going to a drum/music store to try products out only to then going somewhere else to buy it is morally wrong. Not only is it rude, but extremely insulting to the shop owner trying to eek out a living in this tough economy! I think if you're willing to USE the service of a shop then you should at least have the common decency to buy the product you liked on the rack from them (as long as the price isn't ridiculous!). Music shops - especially independents - are disappearing every single day thanks to eBay, online-only shops, and the big National companies. In the UK there are pitiful amounts of places to go. There is a tiny shop in my town that is destocking for closure, the one 4 miles away is gone, another 5 miles away is out of business, and the only one half decent is 14 miles away and is more of a chain modeled store than a nice welcoming 'local' place.
These small or independent places need our support more and more, and abusing them shouldn't be tolerated - let alone encouraged!
Now, I buy online, I won't lie, but I buy from online shops that have a real shop too, the ones trying to claw back some of the lost trade by moving into the new era of sales. In that way, because of distance I can still spend my money where it's deserved. I buy used when I want something that isn't available anymore (vintage or discontinued), otherwise, I'll save my money and buy new - supporting our great industry so they can continue to provide quality gear and develop and embrace new ideas and evolve our drumming world!
If everyone always bought used, eventually all we'll have left is head & stick companies...and no shops left for you to go and honestly try things out and BUY them from the trader.
So, can you live with putting places out of business? Using and abusing little drum stores? I can't.
Peace
JS