Danielle Tullo

Review of Long & McQuade Music

stopped in the Keyboard department after mistakenl...

stopped in the Keyboard department after mistakenly confusing the guitar shop for that storefront. Looking to see the synthesizers and sequencers available, specifically korg volcas. I have only been in the shop once prior, while that time was memorable and worth-returning (1 yr ago)... today wasn t a good time. I wasn t respected by staff up until they made me feel so uncomfortable that i had to leave. Its strange, I was feeling positively about making the trip all the way uptown to see them until I walked in the door and had a weird interaction and further issues. While walking towards the display room where all the synthesizers are stationed to see what was new, inspired to test a product i was reading about online, I acknowledged the sales associate with a nod hello, non-vocal communication before entering the room (it was very clear that i couldn t hear him with headphones on, they re large) As I gestured he was giving me s sour look, and his lips were moving, he was asking me something. I remember i did even say hi to the people closer to the front as I walked in. As I removed the headphones to respond, he was asking me if i needed help in a way that came across like what are you doing here?! with his own body language, I was shocked. Anxious, why are they looking at me like that? I am the only customer in a store full of 5 or 6 retail salesmen. Is it that unheard of that maybe the customer doesn t have a question yet and that maybe the nod gesture was enough to say that hi hello i see you and that u are available to help me, i am browsing products i am interested in purchasing/learning more about but could you please give me some space i am shy about my music making in general It s common sense that sometimes the best way to help the customer is to leave them alone if they make that clear, verbal or non verbal. I responded instead with im just browsing some things, thank you and after that I was stared at from outside of the encased demo room. I think they thought I was stealing because the man then came in and started breaking down big cardboard boxes next to me, so loud, cutting, crunching, ripping tape adhesive sound. I was shy about demoing equip but now hes in the room with me and he hears what simple sounds i am trying to produce and he s invading the space with aggressive noise nuissance. It s unfortunate, I would have asked the associate to show me some other product features or similar features of a diff brand but I felt like I was attacked for maybe not making a purchase or that they were profiling me for a shoplifter and harassing me because i am a quiet consumer prefers to shop independently until approached. They say the customer is always right, you do whatever you gotta do to make that sale... sometimes it is as simple as stepping back. I didn t have music playing when i left the demo room and heard the associates cracking up laughing, i heard one associate say .(inaudible something bla bla)..not a real customer in a snarky joke to which like a slow domino effect everyone in the shop was apparently laughing at me. Thanks for turning me off music stores like yours, don t judge or scare away future prospective customers/musicians. Everyone there could be replaced by a tutorial or maybe one or two salesmen with experience or atleast common sense in retail. Common sense in body language cues and when a person is feeling nervous. I said thanks guys have a nice day and went on with my afternoon. Gentleman that responded behind the front desk/cash was the only one that said bye thanks or that acknowledged me in an appropriate way:
I suppose I should buy from somewhere else now... or stick to online shopping its just kind of inconvenient when you re investing so much money into it without handling it even once. Unfortunately for sales people, this is how things will be for generations as we progress into a more immensely digital and antisocial age.
- Danielle Tullo