Update July 9, 2014: Good employees can turn things around. Check here.
I recently purchased a keyboard at Guitar Center: an open-box Yamaha DGX-230 Portable Grand. I've been working with a trumpet player who has a need for a keyboard player that can back him in a performance all by himself; a keyboard like this can do the trick. I played it in the store, asked a few questions since I wasn't 100% sure the keyboard had all of the featured I'd need, asked a few questions about the return policy (more on that below), and bought it.
Well, it turned out that the keyboard wasn't a slouch, but made some of the things I'd need to do a little inconvenient. What I really would want is something more like a Yamaha PSR-S910. (I got the previous model, a PSR-S900, which is just an incredible instrument, off of eBay for a great price.)
So, now I have two keyboards that have overlapping functionality. “Ahhh, but I asked questions of the Guitar Center folks before I bought the first keyboard, so I can take it back without issue!”
Not so fast, young Skywalker. Turns out I wasn't fluent in Guitar Center-ese when I heard their responses to my questions. Here are some examples:
What I heard: “You can return it for sixty days.”
What this actually meant: “You can return it for thirty days, unless we determine that it's a pro workstation keyboard, and then it's only fourteen days.”
Nowhere on my receipt did I see anything about a 60-day return policy. So, in order to translate verbal Guitar Center-ese return-policy days into actual return-policy days, I need to divide by a factor of more than four to be safe. Oh, and by the way, there was also a 15% restocking fee on open-box items, of which mine was. (I didn't ask about that, but they didn't volunteer it, either.)
But wait! There's more!
What I heard: “We'll throw in a two-year replacement plan, which is a $49.95 value.”
What this actually meant: “We'll reduce the amount we charge you for the keyboard by about the price of the replacement plan, and charge you the full $49.95 for the replacement plan.”
You might be thinking: “Hey, isn't that a different way of saying the same thing? Why do you care what they discount as long as you pay the same price?” The truth is that it makes a huge difference. The way the replacement plan work is the following: (1) Something happens to the keyboard and I ask for replacement; (2) they investigate, and if they deem it a valid claim, they (c) issue a third-party check in the amount of the original purchase price. What this means is that if something were to happen to the keyboard, I'd get a check for $45 less than I paid for it. The replacement plan fee is non-refundable if I break the keyboard, or even if I return the keyboard within the item's return period! See how big a difference that makes? If they had done what I thought they meant by “throw the plan in,” which would be to charge me nothing for it, then I'd be getting the full price of the keyboard back. But they didn't, so I can't.
So, since I'm about $80 in the hole ($49.95 plus over $37 in restocking fees) if I return the keyboard — if they'll even let me return it at all — I decided to make some lemonade and keep it as a backup keyboard.
But I really do wish that the folks at Guitar Center would speak in English all the time. Speaking in Guitar Center-ese like I've talked about might lead people to think that they're trying to swindle their customers.
Pretty disgusting.
The ironic thing is that companies with return policies severely skewed against the customer wind up hurting the customer in the short run and themselves in the long run.
My name is Jeremy Cole and I work for Guitar Center. I’m sorry for the frustration that you’re feeling with Guitar Center. We are incredibly proud of our very liberal return policy. You can read about it here: http://gc.guitarcenter.com/financing/30_30.cfm
I assure you that we do not condone our employees misinforming customers, ever.
I would very much like to speak with you about your experience and will do whatever I can to help. Please write or call – jcole@guitarcenter.com or 818.735.8800 ext 2115.
Thanks,
Jeremy
That’s a damn shame! I like Guitar Center and have bought a bunch of equipment there. One big thing is it seems every salesperson is different. Some just want the commission while others really look to help you. It probably depends on the store too.
They should really make these provisions known to you when you purchase the instrument. I can totally understand a pro piece only have a 14 day return but you should be made clearly aware of it.
Jeremy, thanks for stopping by to leave a comment.
I did see the link to your return policy page before I wrote the post, and it’s consistent with the text that’s on the back of my receipt.
What this taught me is that I need to (a) see in black and white what the return policy is before I make this kind of purchase, anywhere, and (b) to see the line-item charges on my receipt before I hand over my credit card.
Craig: The pro-piece clause was on the receipt (and the linked return policy). I don’t know for sure if I bought a pro piece or not, but since I’m not going to return the instrument, it doesn’t matter.
@mbhunter, I don’t want to just leave a comment and move on. I want to help you and I really would like to speak to this issue. The Pro Coverage or upgraded warrant should never be “thrown in” as you experienced for the exact reasons than you have described.
Please email or call me so I can make things right for you.
Jeremy
jcole@guitarcenter.com
818.735.8800 ext 2115
I really hate the restocking fees everyone has these days. I bought a $500 gadget from a big electronics store one time. The box advertised all these cool things that the gadget would do, but I found out, once I got it home, that it didn’t do 80% of the things listed. They were extras that could be purchased for around $200 each. I took it back the next day and they wanted to charge a restocking fee. I never shopped there again. If enough people stopped shopping at bad businesses like this, it would make a difference.
they are charing 15 percent on new items also
it is very misleading
i got charged 15 percent on returning a new item that i didnt like. they were just pissed because it was a large amount. I got accused of being a serial returner when i simply didnt like it. And returned it back
Guitar Center is terrible. They charge you full price for equipment thats been battered by 11 year olds. Honestly how do they charge full price for it?
I prefer supporting local shops, or if worst comes to worst, ordering online as at least its brand new in the box.
Great explanations on their lingo, its pretty disturbing what they do.
I called GC this morning and asked if they had a particular product in stock and did they have one on display so that I could try it out. The salesman told me it was in stock and they didn’t have one on display but I did have 14 days to return it if I wasn’t satisfied. I almost drove over a hundred miles to pick it up and try it since I didn’t have anything to loose.
Now I know better, thanks to your article.
I have dropped thousands of dollars at GC over the past few years. I will be checking other store return policies in hopes of finding a no hassle return policy.
@Ronnie – Which product were you interested in and from which store? I’m happy to help. You can reach me at jcole@guitarcenter.com and I’ll gladly look into it.