Lee Anderton, the head of Andertons, suggests that launching your guitar journey by shopping for a chicken and potatoes alongside your instrument might not be the optimal approach, as he advocates for the continued relevance of specialized music shops.
In the face of stiff competition from massive online retailers and superstore giants, dedicated music stores are adapting to stay afloat and thrive. According to Lee Anderton, the main man of UK-based guitar store Anderton's, in-person retail isn't going away anytime soon.
One of the key strategies for these stores is offering a hands-on, high-end experience. Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto emphasizes the importance of catering to serious musicians by overhauling store inventory to feature high-end, specialized gear that customers can physically interact with. By creating a welcoming, well-maintained, and inspiring destination space, music stores can compete against online giants like Amazon by offering something digital platforms cannot: tactile experience and expert guidance.
Another strategy involves fostering brand and vendor relationships while embracing competition. Stores can leverage their ability to showcase a wide range of brands and products in one location, curating an integrated experience that brand-specific flagship stores cannot match. Maintaining good vendor relationships and offering customers access to multiple brands under one roof is a significant advantage, as opposed to the exclusivity of brand flagship stores opened by Fender and Gibson.
Diversifying business models and embracing hybrid analog-digital models is also crucial. Physical music stores may need to expand beyond just retail sales of physical products by diversifying into services, events, or other revenue streams. The vinyl revival business, for instance, has had to adapt to supply chain challenges and balance analog offerings with the undeniable utility and discovery benefits of digital streaming.
Building and supporting community is another essential aspect. Music stores can emphasize their role as local cultural hubs, creating spaces for musicians to meet, share knowledge, and learn. This builds customer loyalty and a sense of belonging that online retailers struggle to replicate. Providing expert advice and personalized service also differentiates physical stores.
Maintaining store standards and staff pride is equally important. Improving the physical environment and instilling a renewed sense of pride and professionalism among staff help create positive customer experiences that encourage repeat visits.
Lee Anderton expresses approval of an innovative campaign by Paul McCartney's favorite music store, Hobgoblin, to ensure their survival and thrive as part of local communities. He also suggests focusing on used gear and giving it a good overhaul for resale, finding and selling "weird and wonderful" brands making unique products that struggle to be heard due to the noise made by mainstream brands, and moving away from mainstream brands like Fender, Gibson, PRS, and Ibanez.
However, concerns about the financial stability of stores like Anderton's have been raised. The closure of Guitar Store Sam Ash Music last year in the United States and the bankruptcy of GAK, Bax Music, and PMT in quick succession in the UK and mainland Europe has led to questions about the viability of dedicated music stores.
Despite these challenges, Anderton remains optimistic about the resilience of the underlying guitar business. He finds the moment of a parent buying a starter guitar pack for their 10-year-old child to be a profound moment in the child's life, and believes that starting a guitar playing life with a guitar pack in a shopping basket containing food is not ideal. If the child goes on to become a superstar, it could be a profound moment for millions of people.
In conclusion, dedicated music stores survive and thrive by leveraging experiential retail that online and superstore competitors cannot replicate, specializing inventory for serious musicians, diversifying business models, and deepening community engagement. These strategies transform stores from mere points of sale into irreplaceable cultural and creative destinations.
- Dedicated music stores, like Anderton's, are adapting their strategies to stay afloat, emphasizing a hands-on, high-end experience with specialized gear for serious musicians.
- Guitar Center's CEO, Gabe Dalporto, highlights the importance of maintaining a wide range of brands and products in one location, offering an integrated experience that digital platforms cannot match.
- In addition to retail sales, music stores are diversifying into services, events, and other revenue streams, as seen in the vinyl revival business's adaptation to supply chain challenges.
- Building a strong community and local cultural hub is crucial for music stores, fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty that online retailers struggle to replicate.
- Maintaining store standards and staff pride is equally important, creating positive customer experiences that encourage repeat visits.
- Despite financial difficulties faced by some music stores, like the closure of Guitar Store Sam Ash Music and the bankruptcy of GAK, Bax Music, and PMT, Lee Anderton remains optimistic about the resilience of the guitar business, focusing on used gear, niche brands, and transforming music stores into irreplaceable cultural and creative destinations.
