Online guitar sellers - do me a favor

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Dogma

For sites like Dream Guitars and Guitar Gallery that have videos and sound clips, I am glad they don't delete the sold instruments because it's great to be able to listen to them even if they are not currently for sale. Helps with research.

This is true. I've listened to more than a few.

I get the google thing too, makes sense.

[mikealpine]

Originally Posted by TBman

This is true. I've listened to more than a few.

I get the google thing too, makes sense.

Yes, but a filter to hide the sold models would be great.

[The Bard Rocks]

I have no problem with SOLD guitars shown. It can be useful. But I'd want to see them in a special section for sold instruments, or, at the least, at the very bottom. It is particularly annoying to click on one which interests you, only to find it has been sold, just never noted as such on the initial picture.

Some sites are very good at this; others very poor. No, let's not say "very poor"; use "unprofessional" instead.

[TTiimm]

The web based experience should reflect the in-person buying experience to some extent.

When I walk into a guitar shop I typically see instruments available for me to buy. It would be disappointing to find that half the guitars in the shop had sold tags, especially after having made the effort to travel there.

The same should be true of the website. After having taken the time to click through menus and perhaps filter results, the majority of what I see should be available for me to buy.

I don't want to see other people's guitars. I want to see my future guitar.

[TBman]

The good side is that I can go online to a vendor, like Dream Guitars, and listen to models that aren't in stock, but something to consider, should one become available.

[b1j]

As recently as three months ago, I still saw the conventional wisdom everywhere: "go to a dealer and play several versions of the model you are thinking about." Right away I could tell this was bogus advice. It seems to have taken the community a while to say it out loud.

Casino Guitars addressed this topic a few days ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_VXmCp6rS8&t=701s

[Mr. Jelly]

I agree with the OP. I will only put in so much work to do business with someone or business. And I absolutely can't stand poor business practices or poor employees. So, it doesn't take long before I quit looking at sold guitars and move on to other businesses.

[joeappel]

If a vintage guitar shop in Japan had removed its listing immediately after selling then Randy Bachman might never have been reunited with his 1957 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0brgsb5

Also, knowing just a tiny little bit about SEO leads me to think that leaving those images up with their accompanying text, alt-tags, etc. has more to do with web traffic than it does being lazy about taking the listing down.

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by Pdubs76

Yeah this annoys me as well. It’s almost as if they’re saying “ha ha…somebody beat you to it”.

To me, it communicates a store that has little inventory and is probably not doing well. Stores that clutter up their sites mainly with instruments that aren't even there do not inspire confidence.

Contrast that with a store like Dave's Guitar Shop which is always brimming with instruments for sale. The impression it makes is of a healthy, thriving business.