On the surface, College Piano Sales appear to be a wonderful opportunity to pick up a well-maintained piano at a bargain price. While it's true there are a few good bargains at these events, a smart piano shopper can get a better piano for less money if they know how these events actually work.
To learn how to avoid slick piano marketing tactics that can hurt you financially, read on!
First, it's important that you understand the how and why of College Piano Sales. They exist because the cost of keeping University Music Departments supplied with decent pianos has skyrocketed over the years. To offset this expense, local piano stores and piano manufacturers joined forces to offer the loan of a FEW pianos to the schools music departments each year - in exchange for the opportunity of selling these loaner pianos at the end of the school year, onsite at the school's music department.
This loan program is a legitimate way for University music departments to have good quality pianos in their practice rooms - at no cost. It's a great deal for the school. Selling these pianos at the end of the school year is also legitimate, but we are talking about maybe a dozen or two pianos - total - even at the largest of Universities.
Enter now the local piano store who has supplied these loaner pianos (in cooperation with the piano manufacturer). When it comes time to sell these FEW loaner pianos, out comes the slick marketing tactics, which some people might consider borderline scams. These events are highly hyped and broadly advertised with upwards of $100,000 in direct advertising costs expended to bring in hundreds of prospects to these College Piano Sales. Along with the advertising, in comes truckload after truckload of pianos directly from the showroom floors of the local piano company. Now all of a sudden, you have maybe 100 or 150 pianos billed as "College Loaner Pianos" that "must be sold at drastically reduced prices." Does this sound completely honest?
These sales normally last three or four days, the first two days by appointment only. Up to a half-dozen hotshot piano salespeople typically staff these events. Mass appointments are set at the same time to create a "buying frenzy" atmosphere! When the prospects show up for their appointment, they are given a quick tour while being quickly qualified as "buyer" or "non-buyer." Those considered to be just shoppers can be abruptly dismissed, told that if they want to shop for pianos, they should go to a piano store and browse all they want -because this sale is for buyers who know what they want.
The survivors of this qualifying game are given a bit more time . but hurried along as quickly as possible. The salespeople are trained to close deals fast and move on to the next prospect. The entire process is based on "hurry up and pick a piano - buy now - these great deals won't last long!"
This is NOT the right way for anyone to buy a piano - unless they are well prepared in advance. And that's what the rest of this article is about. How to take advantage of this ruthless system, and get a better piano for less money - even if it's from a competitive dealer who is NOT involved with the College Piano Sale itself.
Before retiring from the piano business, I worked many of these events as a salesperson. I was rarely the top producer, because I tended to give people more time and assistance than the top guns would provide. I gave extra help to people and never regretted it. Now, based on my experiences, I have assembled a strategy for the BUYER who plans to attend one of these College Piano Sales.
There are some good deals at these sales, even though most of the pianos have not been at the college for more than a few hours. But you can't attend an event like this unprepared. So, do yourself a favor and follow these helpful hints:
1. Find out WHO (what piano store) is sponsoring the loan program and sale. Visit this store at least one full week prior to the College Piano Sale and learn all you can about the products they sell.
2. Many of the pianos you see in their store will mysteriously appear at the college a few days later. It costs the store a lot money to move all these pianos to the College for this sale, and then move them back again if they don't sell. What this means is that you can often strike a better deal with the seller IN THE STORE before they have to move the pianos. Tell them that you know about the college piano sale and that you want their best prices now, before the sale. (There were often better deals at the store where I worked before and during the sale if people would just take the time to shop.)
3. Find a piano you like and nail down the BEST PRICE you can get if you buy before the sale. But don't buy it just yet. Now, it's time to play hardball.
4. Your next stop is to visit ALL the competitive stores. Tell them you plan to attend the upcoming College Piano Sale at Wherever University. Tell them you plan to buy a piano for sure. However, tell the salespeople you meet that you would consider making a deal with them BEFORE the College Sale, if the price is right. Using this leverage, you can often get huge price concessions from the local competitors, because they know that the College Sale will take hundreds of thousands of dollars out of the potential piano market, a fact that may cripple their business for weeks to come.
5. If you wish, continue the game by returning to the College Sale vendor and telling him you found a better deal somewhere else. You may be able to get an even lower price on your piano of choice.
6. When you are convinced you've found the best piano at the best price, buy it before the College Sale. You'll have a better shopping experience and get a better deal by using the upcoming sale as leverage.
Frankly, the big stores who sponsor these kind of events often do NOT have the best piano deals in town. I personally prefer a small store like My First Piano in the Phoenix Arizona marketplace, where they have everyday low prices on the best quality pianos. A store like this has low overhead, little or no advertising, and does most of its business through referrals and their website. A wise piano shopper can often find a much better deal at a place like My First Piano than through a College Sale with all its hype, high-pressure, and expensive advertising costs. In fact, at a place like My First Piano, most of their instruments can be evaluated in home without any pressure to buy whatsoever!
If you are still attracted to the idea of a College Piano Sale, at least do yourself a favor. Visit ALL the competitive stores in town prior to the sale. You'll be a much more knowledgeable buyer as a result of doing this extra homework, and may find a much better deal in the process.
Good shopping! May the music be with you!
Author Resource:
For additional information about pianos and an example of pianos for sale from the Phoenix, Arizona area, please see Phoenix Piano and Phoenix Piano Buyers .
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