It used to be that if you wanted to buy a musical instrument, you had to
find a nearby music store and find time to get there. This traditional
method can be inconvenient and sometimes even impossible with busy
schedules and limited local options. The music store may not have your
preferred instrument in stock, it may be too far away or you simply may
not have the time to get there. Fortunately, the Internet makes it very
simple to purchase musical instruments online. However, it may feel like
you are taking a leap of faith by purchasing such a costly item without
first playing the instrument, listening to it or even holding it in
your hands.
Other issues can arise once you make the step to
purchase - the instrument could arrive at your door damaged, the music
store might charge you the wrong amount or send you the wrong item. It
is imperative to be able to trust the source that you are buying from
before you make the purchase, so that if a problem does arise, you can
be assured that it will be resolved. Here are 10 questions you should
ask in order to ensure satisfaction with your online musical instrument
purchase:
1. How long has the online music store been in
business? There are many "fly-by-night" stores on the Internet. One way
to make sure you are not ripped off is to find out how long the store
has been conducting business online. It's common for a company to list
how long they have been providing services on the "About Us" section of
its website. If you cannot find the answer on the website, try calling
the store to find out.
2. Does the online music store have a
phone number? If a company does not list a phone number on their
website, it's a sign that they may not make contact with their customers
over the phone. Communicating solely through email may complicate your
purchase should any problems arise down the line.
3. Is the
website secure? If the website does not have an SSL (Secure Sockets
Layer) certificate, you may want to think twice before sending your
credit card information to them. Digicert is a trustworthy company that
provides SSL certificates to websites that meet encryption and
authentication guidelines. McAfee Secure is another company that
protects websites from hackers, identity theft, credit card fraud and
viruses. Look for these badges - they often include a check mark or lock
icon - on websites for peace of mind that the online music store you
are purchasing from is taking all possible steps to ensure their website
is secure, which will keep your personal information safe.
4.
Does the online store have a physical location? Music stores that are
experienced in servicing in-store customers directly tend to have more
developed service policies, which will serve you as the customer better.
Check the "About Us" section of the website for information about the
music store's physical location.
5. Does the music store have
good customer service? One way to find out is to call the music store
before you purchase an instrument or piece of equipment. By speaking
with a store employee, you will get a better sense of how knowledgeable
the store and its staff is, should you have any questions about your
instrument once you purchase.
6. Does the online music store have
referrals or testimonials on their website? Typically, an online store
will not post any bad comments about themselves on their website, for
obvious reasons, but having some recommendations and testimonials
available for potential customers is a good indication that the store is
valued by its current customers. If the online store has a forum,
allowing website visitors to post comments and ask questions about
certain instruments, you can tell that they are open and honest, and
value customer opinions.
7. Does the store respond to email? If
you send the store an email with a legitimate question about a
particular instrument in their inventory and they do not respond to your
email within a reasonable timeframe - one full business day - you can
safely assume that your business is not their priority.
8. Does
the music store have a good social media reputation? Check to see if the
store has an active profile on Facebook or Twitter and if the store has
a decent number of "friends" or "followers." Do they interact with
customers online, and do these interactions seem helpful? You might
consider contacting someone through a social media channel that has made
a purchase from the music store and inquire about their experience. At
the very least, you should perform an Internet search on the store to
see if anyone has published complaints about them online or in blogs and
forums. For example, searching "Music Store Name" and "complaints" may
provide you with details about the level of service the store offers.
9.
What is their return policy? The music store should list its return
policy in clear detail on its website. If you change your mind about an
instrument or if it is slightly damaged, you should know what the policy
of the store is before making your purchase.
10. Can you listen
online? Does the store make it possible for you to hear what the
instrument sounds like online? Check for videos on the music store's
website or on YouTube that may feature the particular instrument you are
purchasing.
If you can find the answers to these questions, then
online shopping for the perfect guitar, drum set, keyboard or other
musical instruments will be a more positive experience. Do some
comparison shopping - often you can find instruments at a better price
through online music stores, but remember that prices vary greatly from
store to store.
radial prod2 passive 2 channel direct box, 38 blue student acoustic guitar starter package guitar gig bag strap directlycheaptm translucent blue medium guitar pick, boss bv8966b in dash 7 dvdmp3cd receiver with usb sd card bluetooth and front panel aux input, pyle pro pdwm4300 4 mic vhf wireless rack mount microphone system, emedia piano for dummies 61 key keyboard starter pack, epiphone lp special ii les paul electric guitar vintage sunburst, monster cable ci pro 14 2500 14 gauge 2 conductor in wall speaker cable 500 foot spool, behringer xenyx 1202fx premium 12 input 2 bus mixer, pyle pro pwma200 wireless microphone system, oscar schmidt ou5 concert ukulele, bestduplicator
dvd duplicator built in sony 24x burner 1 to 3 target copier tower
replication recorder free nero multimedia suite 10 essentials cddvd
burner software, casio px150 bk 88 key touch sensitive privia digital piano with tri sensor scaled hammer action, alvarez ad30 dreadnought acoustic guitar blem closeout save over 200, pyle pro pstk103 heavy duty aluminum anodizing dual speaker stand with traveling bag kit, pro tools 10 professional audio recording and music creation software, pyle pro pwma100 rechargeable portable pa system with wireless mic, casio privia px 130 88 key digital stage piano, karaoke system with 7 inch tft color screen and record function gf829, you rock guitar yrg 1000 midi controller electric guitar black, fender starcaster acoustic guitar pack 2 tone sunburst finish with fishman preamp and built in tuner, xtag wireless microphone with usb base for a personal computer, oscar schmidt ou2 ukulele, harbinger ha60 pa system, alesis dm6 usb kit performance electronic drumset, softstep foot controller, fender mustang i electric guitar amplifier, pyle pt8000ch rack mount 8000 watt 8 channel stereomono amplifier, ebtech hum x voltage hum filter, pbone plastic trombone blue, yamaha cgs103a 34 size classical guitar, propellerhead reason 6, numark red wave dj headphones, alesis io dock docking station, tc electronic polytune poly chromatic tru bypass pedal tuner, audio2000 awm6032uh uhf dual channel wireless microphone system with two headset mic, sennheiser me 2 omni directional lavalier ew microphone, blue microphones yeti usb microphone platinum edition, audio technica at2020 side address cardioid condenser studio microphone, numark n4 4 deck digital dj controller and mixer, 12 hole ocarina from legend of zelda
No comments:
Post a Comment