Sweetwater Deals in General

[Shooshie]

The only problem I ever had with Sweetwater was when I bought a Kurzeil 2600 a number of years ago. I do not remember who my sales engineer was at the time, but he quoted me a price that was about $1000 or $1500 more than I was able to get locally. Granted, my local connections were pretty amazing at the time, but he should have given me his best deal up front. I honestly thought nothing of it until he called and asked me when I was going to buy. I told him I'd already bought, and he asked me what I'd paid. I didn't mind telling him. He hit the ceiling and started screaming at me! He asked why I didn't come back to him and ask for a better deal. Well... maybe because I don't have time for games? I was shocked at his aggression. I'd never had anything quite like that happen with a music store.

The next time I called Sweetwater, I asked for someone else and got Brad. He's been my "Sweetwater Guy" ever since, and I don't mind saying that he's been superb. I once asked him if he could help me find a mouthpiece for my Yamaha WX5. The one that came with it was wearing through from teethmarks. Brad got back to me about an hour later and had found it. The thing was, these cost about $7. Really cheap little suckers. So, to make it more worth his while, I bought 3 of them. Brad never asked for me to do that, but I just so appreciated his finding that for me, even though it meant only a few bucks, that it made a loyal customer out of me. Not everyone would have bothered to call me back, you know?

I've sent tens of thousands of dollars of business to Sweetwater, not only from my own pockets, but from clients and friends. I'd guess that all told they're at least $40,000 richer for it, if not more. Of course, I'm sure Brad has customers who do that much business in a single call, so it's not so impressive, but hey, we little guys add up! Those little solids that lock in customer loyalty bring in the bounty, I tell ya.

Shooshie

[qwerty]

Brad's the reason I know about Sweetwater. He was the original guy I talked to there a few years ago. Turned out, at the time, after all the great free information that I got from him, I wasn't able to buy certain Apple stuff from the USA (I'm in Canada ant there were some trade issues?) Since then, I've called Sweetwater a few times for stuff and they always steered me in the right direction and the prices have always been among the best. Unfortunately I haven't run into Brad on the phone but the people that I talked to were always quite helpful
So , dig : I don't get free shipping because I'm in Canada. I don't get to be in the Sweetwater Motu giveaway draws either BUT, I still recommend Sweetwater to my fellow Canadians because they still are a great deal, have gear that isn't readily available here, have knowledgeable people, and seem to care about their customers and their own reputation.
What more can a customer reasonably want or expect?

[bayswater]

Brad saved me from buying a piece of rubbish that I was hell bent on getting. He could have said nothing and I would have it now. When I do figure out what to get instead, it will be from SW.

[Frodo]

I'm still scratching my head on this. One questionable experience ought not totally ruin things. Sweetwater has been great for me and helped me work things out with the right "sweet" talk. I've gotten great deals from them, one of which happened to be so radically discounted that I had to call the manufacturer to confirm that the item was not being discontinued!

As for the "assigned rep", isn't it nice to know that someone is on your side for a change? It's better to have that kind of support and not need it than to need it and to wish you had it, imho. Some distributors are only interested in getting your money even when they may ship you something that is defective or had been damaged in shipping. I was having trouble setting up one very expensive item and my rep put me in direct touch with the manufacturer rep who called me AT HOME to sort things out for a step-by-step walkthrough!! That was a customer support FIRST.

Don't know how much this matters, but Sweetwater is in Indiana. My mom's family is from Indiana, and there's just a certain Midwest personal touch there that doesn't always exist in a lot of other places. I know because I now live in LA (and was born in Chicago). I've been fortunate to have a personal merchant in LA who treats me very well here, but I firmly believe that there is no issue too great for Sweetwater to sort out. Their reputation is at stake, and I've felt a great deal of genuine concern from this company of all the companies I've patronized.

Now-- referring back to the OP, there was a gift certificate involved. No, that doesn't mean that every nickel of that gift certificate out to be tossed at something close to list price "just because". On the other hand, if someone gave me a gift certificate from Borders, I wouldn't haggle with Borders if what I wanted could be had for cheaper elsewhere and they didn't want to budge. That's not saying that Sweetwater wouldn't budge with a little "sweet talk". I know: gear is different from books and DVDs, but the principle is the same.

We are fortunate (and quite entertained!! ) to have Brad around here. The guy is such an earthly human being-- just like all the other Motunation members. It's AT LEAST worth it to ask 'our guy' with an inside scoop about how a problematic situation might be resolved satisfactorily and peacefully. That's a tremendous benefit to being an MN member: there are some major players here who honestly take USER INTEREST to heart.

If it's unfashionable to do this publicly on a thread, then we do have the option of private messaging for this purpose.

"All we are saaaaayyy-iiiiiing
Is give 'em a chaaaaaaaaaaance...."

[BradLyons]

To the original poster--- did you receive my PM?

[wylie1]

I just want to send out a big thanks to the reps a Sweetwater.
Not only where they great at beating any price I could get here in Canada but their service to me over all was the best.
One of the units I got from them was bad (manufactures defect) they had no problem sending me a loaner cross boarder while we waited for some BOs to come in.
To bad I couldn't the deals here but money talks.
Thanks Sweetwater.
--

[James Steele]

They're good folks to deal with, hence their the only company I've agreed to have advertise here. They also help to support this community, so keep that in mind as well!

[wylie1]

They also help to support this community, so keep that in mind as well!

Yup that's why I gave them a try.
Not to mention our $ close to par lately.

[bayswater]

I just want to send out a big thanks to the reps a Sweetwater.
--

Same experience here. They helped me figure out what would work best for my setup, and helped follow up on a couple of issues with the manufacturer, and still came up with a better price than I could get here. (and they don't ship to Canada via UPS)

[wylie1]

I don't know if its the same in Vancouver but Toronto prices are way out of whack they don't change in sync with the $.
I saved quite a bit with SW.
Not using UPS is also a bonus.

[jgest]

another grateful and overall satisfied customer over a 10 year span (a few "bumps" on occasion, but nothing too spiteful)

[kgdrum]

is Brad still with us as well as w/ SW I have not seen him here in quite a while

[bayswater]

I don't know if its the same in Vancouver but Toronto prices are way out of whack they don't change in sync with the $.
I saved quite a bit with SW.
Not using UPS is also a bonus.

Same here. When the $C was about 70 cents US, prices were still a little lower at SW but with shipping more or less the same. Now with the dollars close to par, and the $C having more purchasing power, we get even a better deal at SW than locally. The stores here have not passed on any of the gain in the $C to customers. It's disappointing.

[funkyfreddy]

I always felt that Sweetwater treated me well. They're not always the cheapest but their support is great, have always had my questions answered anytime I bought software from them.

Wish I had the budget to buy more stuff from them right now, LOL!

[TheHopiWay]

I like getting them all in price wars he he...
Who ever beats the others price I go with but I have never just went to one place for all my needs... no company can sell everything!
I just find the cheapest on the net then find stores that meet or beat the competition then once the dust settles... buy it!
I do like munching down the candy while I'm setting up the new gear though!

Different strokes I guess. I use any purchase I make as an opportunity to help support whatever business I perceive as the most ethical and service oriented.
I'm fine with paying more for any product as long as it supports a business model I respect.
If you beat up the owner operated stores over price you'll eventually be left with no choices but the big boxes.