One of real story suddenly came back to my brains when I put a link above in this thread . It is so vivid that I cannot help to let others know. Here is the story.
A Piano Purchase Story
Five years old girl registered in MYC and needs a piano now. As a Chinese Canadian, like all regular local consumers, we need to do some research. Larry Fine's Piano Book certainly is one source and some piano forums too. However, we had to physically look at and touch the piano if we are going to buy.
The first store we noticed unfortunately was Intercontinental Music, located in Donald St at St Laurent, 50% off on Sale ads on the paper. Before we took off, I called the store to know store hours. A lady on the phone told me that they are close at 4:00 pm. We had some delay on the way to the store and got there around 3:45 pm. Not much time left, but we still decided to go in and had a quick look. Then, we found out that there is clear indication at the door sign : store close at 5:00 pm on that day. Terrific. we can have more time to talk with sales. To our surprise, we were left in cold while a sale lady sitting at the counter motionless and an older man wandering round showroom seems daydreaming. I came up to the older one and politely gave him my budget range and asked what piano he recommended since none of my family knew or played music before.
I was so confounded that I was taken to a post that said IT IS NOT ABOUT MONEY. IT IS ABOUT MUSIC. I was completely lost and said: I don't know what you are talking about ? I don't even know which piano I should buy yet. Anyway, we fled the store without delaying a single second. On the way home, I was wondering hard what went wrong today and I could not figure out. Until late night, I still could not wipe out the experience I had in Intercontinental Music from my brains.I was in sleep and half sleep. Suddenly, I woke up. Chinese! Chinese! My Chinese name in his caller ID display and my Chinese accent on the phone told the store everything about who I am. Whom was going to come. A Chinese wants to come his store to buy piano. That what I got. Sorry, Mr. Intercontinental Music. For you, please forgive my obtuse and I might deserve that kind of treatment in your store. For me, one bite double shy. I should stop at the door when I knew your actual business hours.
Believe or not. The second store we went to had better experience than the first one, the Campell Douglas in Merivale Rd. Sales guy were so friendly and nice, a lot of details and background introductions and demos. They deserved our business I thought. Okay. We sit down and talked about the deal. I was told K3 was about $10,000 not long ago. I could get it just over $7000 + tax. I was a straight shooter and told then frankly what I knew the K3's price in TO, which easily found it out in a Chinese forum. Mr. Doug was quite frank too. He said it straight forwards that you are a Chinese and Chinese always bargain hard. I interrupted him and asked: is there any paint store near your shop? He was pazzled and said: about 5 minutes on the corner. I said: I would be back in 10 minutes and you would see I had changed to a black man, then we talk about a deal.
Mr. Doug is a good businessman and he's certainly not a racist. He must have been through lots of Chinese customers.
I had special taste in the third piano store, Lauzon Music in Wellington St, which also attracted a lot of comments in this forum a few days ago. We went there on a Saturday. Wow. Full house. in about 3 hours, 3 upright, one of them worth about $20,000 and one $ 50,000 grand piano sold. We stayed there quietly and watched a deal after a deal done. Then, Mr. Lauzon came to me and we had a nice chat about pianos and China. Mr. Lauzon's wife is a Chinese from Shanghai. We talked about Shanghai man's house work and cooking duties at home, etc. Then, come to deal, I told him that I am a Chinese and you, Mr.Lauzon married my country girl and slept with her. You must know very well that every Chinese is good at bargain. But I am not a good bargainer although I am 100% Chinese. I knew you have a business to run and a payroll to meet. You gave me the best price you can offer. I won't bargain one penny with you. I either take your offer or drop it and walk out the store. Mr. Lauzon did some calculation and wrote the price he could give. I looked at it and took out the wallet from my jeans and threw it at his desk and said : A deal.
I am 个人会员 and this is my piano purchase story. Don't you get some hints from it?
BTW, I normally don't say much in this forum. If any offends or misunderstands, please accept my apologies in advance.
