Latest news with #GuitarCenter
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto is facing new competition from brands in the retail space – but it isn't phasing him
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Having recently discussed how he plans to restructure the Guitar Center business model to compete with the burgeoning online gear market, the retailer's CEO Gabe Dalporto has now made his feelings known regarding new brand-backed retail rivals in the form Fender and Gibson. Over the past few years, Guitar Center has had to cope against the backdrop of an online retailer boom, with digital giants and direct-from-factory producers such as Amazon all posing new competition to physical brick-and-mortar stores. Not only that, Guitar Center is now also being forced to compete in the physical store space against the likes of Fender, Gibson, Yamaha and other big-name brands, all of whom have launched flagship stores in huge cities across the globe. There are now Gibson Garages in Nashville and London, and Fender even launched a futuristic location in Japan. Speaking exclusively to Guitar World in a new interview, Dalporto has now offered his own thoughts on such brands entering Guitar Center's ring. 'This is a competitive market. It always has been. We welcome it,' he says. 'I think if we give an amazing experience, we win.' In his response, Dalporto also draws similarities between Fender and Gibson's strategic moves to those seen in the sports market – moves that weren't especially successful. 'Nike tried to go direct and tried to pull back from retailers,' he explains, 'and Nike got crushed. It's important, if you are a brand, to have those relationships with your vendors, but bring the competition on. I just think we have a much larger, more integrated experience. You can experience all the products, not just one.' That mindset explains Dalporto's decision to pivot towards 'high-quality, premium product where experience matters', while firms like Amazon establish a stronghold on the budget end of the scale. He accepts Guitar Center needs to cede ground in one place to make gains in another. Having said that, the increased retail space competition from Gibson and Fender hasn't stopped Guitar Center's collaborations with the two American guitar-building heavyweights. In recent months, it's dropped exclusive Gretsch Streamliner builds, a lunar-inspired finish for Fender favorites, and brought a highly illusive Gibson colorway to the Widow Les Paul. That's helped cement its relationship with the firms, even if they are rivals elsewhere. 'These Epiphone Widows are the hottest thing ever,' Dalporto continues, 'and they are only at Guitar Center. Hats off to our team and the team over at Gibson for coming up with something really unique. That's absolutely part of our strategy: only at Guitar Center.' Elsewhere in his Guitar World interview, Dalporto also reveals Guitar Center has identified another new priority for 2025: lessons. 'One of our priorities is lessons,' he reveals. 'I talk a lot about 'the serious musician' and that's our opportunity to create the next generation of serious musicians. 'One of the biggest challenges we have as an industry is, if someone picks up a guitar for the first time, for every 10 people who start playing guitar, a year later, one person is playing, and nine are not. 'What can we do to change that ratio? How do we connect with people early in their music career and really get them deeply embedded so they're going to be in it for the long term.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
UPS told California man his son's guitar was destroyed in a wildfire — and then he found it for sale online
Tony Diaz purchased a rare guitar for his son, but when the package never arrived and UPS claimed it was lost, Diaz wasn't buying it. UPS actually offered several explanations for why the guitar didn't arrive, including a claim that it was destroyed in the recent Southern California wildfires, but Diaz was unconvinced. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) "I just had an intuition that the guitar was stolen and that it wasn't damaged and destroyed," Diaz, who lives in Hayward, California, shared with ABC7 News. His hunch paid off. After searching online, Diaz spotted the exact guitar for sale on Guitar Center's website, identified by its unique serial number. Adam Hulsey, who sold the guitar to Diaz, immediately 'snatched it up' before Diaz made the roughly seven-hour round trip to Bakersfield to retrieve it. "It was 3.5 hours to get up there and it was 4 hours to get back," said Diaz. 'Was it worth it? Yeah, it was absolutely worth it.' When this dedicated dad couldn't get UPS to own up to its mistake, Hulsey and Diaz contacted ABC7's investigative unit, 7 On Your Side. Reporter Melanie Woodrow reached out to a UPS security supervisor, who claimed the guitar had been stolen but said the company couldn't reimburse Hulsey for more than the insured value. After additional conversations, UPS eventually agreed to revisit the case. Diaz ordered the Dean Dime Slime guitar — a signature model from 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott, former guitar player for the metal band Pantera — from Hulsey, who manages a small shop called Adam's Guitar Addict in Denison, Texas. Hulsey reportedly shipped three guitars that Diaz had purchased at the same time, but only two arrived. When Hulsey contacted UPS to track down the missing guitar, he got a series of conflicting stories. "Burned up in a California wildfire, fell off a truck, fell off a train. So many different stories," said Hulsey. UPS eventually told Hulsey the package was severely damaged during shipping and was discarded. The shipping company did send Hulsey some compensation, but only based on the declared value at the time of shipping, which wasn't enough. After recovering the guitar, which now has a dent and a visible scratch on the back, Diaz and Hulsey filed a police report and contacted UPS again, but the call reportedly didn't go well. "UPS was kind of — 'hey why are you calling with this tracking number, this is already a closed case. The guitar was damaged and destroyed,' and I told them on the phone — well, that's so funny that the guitar was damaged and destroyed because I just bought it from Guitar Center and I have it in my car with me,' said Diaz. Now, with the help of 7 On Your Side, the lime green electric guitar is where it belongs — in the hands of Damian Diaz, Tony's 16-year-old son. "It's a nice guitar. I like its tone a lot," said the boy as he played his new guitar in front of the ABC7 camera crew. In a statement to ABC7, a UPS representative said, "We strive to provide excellent service. We've been in contact with the customer and have resolved the situation." Hulsey and Diaz confirmed that they received a larger refund and were finally satisfied with UPS' response. But the question remains: why were Hulsey and Diaz given so many different explanations? According to UPS, a 'casualty code' was assigned to the shipment and it's possible that customer service representatives didn't understand what the code meant. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it When a package goes missing during shipping, who's on the hook depends on the situation and whether the item was insured. In general: The shipper (in this case, Hulsey) is responsible for getting the item to the buyer. If a package is lost or damaged in transit, the seller typically must refund or replace it, regardless of whether the loss was their fault. The carrier (like UPS) is liable up to the amount declared or insured at shipping time. If the item wasn't properly insured, reimbursement may be limited. This means the buyer may be out of luck when packages are lost or stolen, unless the item is insured or purchased through a platform with strong buyer protections. So, what can you do to protect yourself when making expensive purchases online? Here are a few tips to safeguard your valuable items, as well as your wallet: Insure high-value items for their full replacement cost. Don't underreport the value just to save on shipping. Pay attention to your package's tracking. If the tracking stops or the status seems stuck, contact the seller immediately. The seller can then contact the shipper to get to the bottom of the delayed or missing shipment. Save receipts and documentation. If you need to report a missing package, you'll need proof of value and proof of shipping. Make sure you buy through reputable platforms that offer protection if something goes wrong during shipment. When shipping, request a signature confirmation on expensive items to prevent theft after delivery. For Diaz and Hulsey, it took persistence, a long road trip and an investigative news team to resolve what should have been a routine delivery. And while they're happy the guitar has been given to its rightful owner — blemishes and all — this story is a cautionary tale for anyone shipping or receiving valuable items. Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you'll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
UPS told California man his son's guitar was destroyed in a wildfire — and then he found it for sale online
Tony Diaz purchased a rare guitar for his son, but when the package never arrived and UPS claimed it was lost, Diaz wasn't buying it. UPS actually offered several explanations for why the guitar didn't arrive, including a claim that it was destroyed in the recent Southern California wildfires, but Diaz was unconvinced. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) "I just had an intuition that the guitar was stolen and that it wasn't damaged and destroyed," Diaz, who lives in Hayward, California, shared with ABC7 News. His hunch paid off. After searching online, Diaz spotted the exact guitar for sale on Guitar Center's website, identified by its unique serial number. Adam Hulsey, who sold the guitar to Diaz, immediately 'snatched it up' before Diaz made the roughly seven-hour round trip to Bakersfield to retrieve it. "It was 3.5 hours to get up there and it was 4 hours to get back," said Diaz. 'Was it worth it? Yeah, it was absolutely worth it.' When this dedicated dad couldn't get UPS to own up to its mistake, Hulsey and Diaz contacted ABC7's investigative unit, 7 On Your Side. Reporter Melanie Woodrow reached out to a UPS security supervisor, who claimed the guitar had been stolen but said the company couldn't reimburse Hulsey for more than the insured value. After additional conversations, UPS eventually agreed to revisit the case. Diaz ordered the Dean Dime Slime guitar — a signature model from 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott, former guitar player for the metal band Pantera — from Hulsey, who manages a small shop called Adam's Guitar Addict in Denison, Texas. Hulsey reportedly shipped three guitars that Diaz had purchased at the same time, but only two arrived. When Hulsey contacted UPS to track down the missing guitar, he got a series of conflicting stories. "Burned up in a California wildfire, fell off a truck, fell off a train. So many different stories," said Hulsey. UPS eventually told Hulsey the package was severely damaged during shipping and was discarded. The shipping company did send Hulsey some compensation, but only based on the declared value at the time of shipping, which wasn't enough. After recovering the guitar, which now has a dent and a visible scratch on the back, Diaz and Hulsey filed a police report and contacted UPS again, but the call reportedly didn't go well. "UPS was kind of — 'hey why are you calling with this tracking number, this is already a closed case. The guitar was damaged and destroyed,' and I told them on the phone — well, that's so funny that the guitar was damaged and destroyed because I just bought it from Guitar Center and I have it in my car with me,' said Diaz. Now, with the help of 7 On Your Side, the lime green electric guitar is where it belongs — in the hands of Damian Diaz, Tony's 16-year-old son. "It's a nice guitar. I like its tone a lot," said the boy as he played his new guitar in front of the ABC7 camera crew. In a statement to ABC7, a UPS representative said, "We strive to provide excellent service. We've been in contact with the customer and have resolved the situation." Hulsey and Diaz confirmed that they received a larger refund and were finally satisfied with UPS' response. But the question remains: why were Hulsey and Diaz given so many different explanations? According to UPS, a 'casualty code' was assigned to the shipment and it's possible that customer service representatives didn't understand what the code meant. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it When a package goes missing during shipping, who's on the hook depends on the situation and whether the item was insured. In general: The shipper (in this case, Hulsey) is responsible for getting the item to the buyer. If a package is lost or damaged in transit, the seller typically must refund or replace it, regardless of whether the loss was their fault. The carrier (like UPS) is liable up to the amount declared or insured at shipping time. If the item wasn't properly insured, reimbursement may be limited. This means the buyer may be out of luck when packages are lost or stolen, unless the item is insured or purchased through a platform with strong buyer protections. So, what can you do to protect yourself when making expensive purchases online? Here are a few tips to safeguard your valuable items, as well as your wallet: Insure high-value items for their full replacement cost. Don't underreport the value just to save on shipping. Pay attention to your package's tracking. If the tracking stops or the status seems stuck, contact the seller immediately. The seller can then contact the shipper to get to the bottom of the delayed or missing shipment. Save receipts and documentation. If you need to report a missing package, you'll need proof of value and proof of shipping. Make sure you buy through reputable platforms that offer protection if something goes wrong during shipment. When shipping, request a signature confirmation on expensive items to prevent theft after delivery. For Diaz and Hulsey, it took persistence, a long road trip and an investigative news team to resolve what should have been a routine delivery. And while they're happy the guitar has been given to its rightful owner — blemishes and all — this story is a cautionary tale for anyone shipping or receiving valuable items. Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you'll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Guitar Center targets optimized inventory planning, visibility
This story was originally published on Supply Chain Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Supply Chain Dive newsletter. Guitar Center is seeking greater inventory visibility and management to improve its store replenishment planning processes by minimizing stockouts and overstock, per a May 12 press release. The retailer will use specific modules in Relex Solution's forecasting and replenishment product ahead of this holiday season to manage distribution centers to store purchase order and inventory allocations, Matt Tull, VP of merchandising and inventory management support at Guitar Center, told Supply Chain Dive. Some of the technology tools Guitar Center has previously used were rigid in design, making it difficult for the retailer to adapt or add metrics to assist with decision-making, Tull said. The inflexibility proved especially challenging in the face of macro-economic events like the COVID-19 pandemic and recent tariff hikes, he added. Guitar Center aims to launch the project prior to the holiday season, Tull said. While the retailer did have the option to roll out the software in phases, Guitar Center decided against it as a phased approach would require a significant amount of integration and code changes. 'More than likely, we'll take a crawl, walk, run approach, starting with low-impact areas when we go live and gradually ramp up to more significant categories as we evaluate the deployment and expand it out to include additional categories,' Tull said. 'The intent is to ramp up within hours or a few days to be fully live.' Guitar Center has more than 300 retail locations and operates four enterprise distribution centers located in California, Missouri, Indiana and Maryland, in addition to a supporting network of hubs across the U.S., according to the company's website. Other companies have also tapped Relex products to help unify and optimize supply chain operations. Last year, convenience store chain Wesco integrated technology from the service provider to help automate its supply chain and retail planning processes. Meanwhile, United Natural Foods partnered with Relex to improve its demand planning and procurement operations. This story was first published in our Operations Weekly newsletter. Sign up here. Recommended Reading Wesco taps Relex to upgrade supply chain operations Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto lays out one of the store's biggest priorities – and it isn't selling gear
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto has spoken at length in the past about how he's hoping to safeguard the store's future by improving its stock of electric guitar gear and beyond, but there's another priority he's passionately pursuing as the company looks to get back on track – and it has nothing to do with selling gear. In a new interview with Guitar World, Dalporto laid out his plans for restoring the retail giant's prestige and reasserting its reputation as a go-to destination for players, and while there's understandably a huge push on improving the quality of the gear it sells in order to cater to 'the serious musician', there's also a big impetus on developing the next generation of players. Because, not only is Guitar Center hoping to cater and sell gear to existing players, it's also hoping to get new players started on their guitar journey by overhauling and improving its lessons base. 'One of our priorities is lessons,' Dalporto tells Guitar World when asked about the store's upcoming strategies for the rest of 2025. 'I talk a lot about 'the serious musician' and that's our opportunity to create the next generation of serious musicians.' Guitar Center has been catering to the lesson space for some time now, but Dalporto has clearly identified it as an area that needs some TLC. After all, as he notes to Guitar World, the ratio of those who start playing, and those who continue to play after 12 months, is diminishing. That's something he hopes to change. 'One of the biggest challenges we have as an industry is, if someone picks up a guitar for the first time, for every 10 people who start playing guitar, a year later, one person is playing, and nine are not. What can we do to change that ratio?' 'And that's our lessons effort. It's like, how do we connect with people early in their music career and really get them deeply embedded so they're going to be in it for the long term.' Such a move will no doubt come as welcome news to Guitar Center fans and Guitar World readers, many of whom singled out lessons as one of the key areas that the store could improve on in order to get back on its feet. Guitar Center lessons, though, isn't the only way Dalporto is hoping to innovate the store outside of selling gear. The in-store experience is also set for a significant shake-up, and while Dalporto remains tight-lipped about what exactly such developments will look like, he has teased it could completely revolutionize the guitar-shopping experience. 'The other thing is AI,' he continues. 'Right now, we've got a variety of AI initiatives, and when you walk into a store, how can you deliver an experience that you otherwise just never could have historically, or on the website? We're not ready to share exactly what that's looking like, but we have some prototypes going that are pretty cool.' The full interview with Gabe Dalporto will be published to soon. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
