Hypothetical Free Swag

[Artie Owl]

Ok, over my short time as a member of these forums I've seen a fair number of posts regarding "what will come with my gibson."?

 

I myself am a salesperson and I KNOW quite well how offers for branded swag move product. Case in point every year Telus has offered a reusable white shopping bag branded with whatever critter was popular that year. I have had customers sign up for phones and the first thing they ask me is when will the bags come out.

 

IF Gibson was to announce that with the new purchase of any Gibson guitar you got X (t-shirt, belt, belt buckle, Guitar Strap, Frisbee, Mug, Flash drive with lessons on it, underwear model, hell even just underwear.) what would you like to see the most?

 

It can be anything reasonable as a promotion, but say you were on the fence about if you could afford that new Les Paul, what item would light a fire under your seat to get you lined up outside your local guitar shop?

 

Me personally? I would be down with pretty much any of the stuff I listed as that extra incentive to buy now instead of later.

[jimmiJAMM]

Personally, I 'm not the least bit swayed one way or another by branded swag of any kind. If I believe in a companies product, I'm a consumer for life or until I'm given a reason to abandon them and seek quality elsewhere. Certain brands live up to their name while others slip, losing their once loyal customers in the process.

 

So for me, a free t-shirt, coffee mug or branded inflatable doll aint gonna tip the scale.

[Artie Owl]

Ok, think of it instead of a nice surprise when you open your guitar case under the guitar, or at the register, what would make you extra happy with your purchase?

[Andre S]

Ok' date=' think of it instead of a nice surprise when you open your guitar case under the guitar, or at the register, what would make you extra happy with your purchase?[/quote']

 

Like Case Candy...

 

Straps picks cable would be nice....

 

Especially for a intermediate to pro player, can't have enough 3 ft cables

[Riverside]

10 $100 bills?

[Shnate McDuanus]

Well...a strap would be nice. There are lots of other things which would be nice to get in theory, but are really too personal (i.e. picks, strings) in their usage to really be practical.

 

A shirt that doesn't cost $85 would be very nice, too.

 

Doesn't matter to me. I buy a guitar for the guitar, and don't need or even necessarily case candy.

 

...Although a shirt would still be rather nice to have.

[sgman]

If a major guitar company like Gibson or Fender were (as a promotion perhaps) selling a guitar and with each guitar sold (for eg. a Les Paul or Stratocaster) they included a branded gear bag, I reckon I'd go for that. Yeah sure!

[Artie Owl]

I only ask because I know it works. Not on everyone but it works. I remember I went to Musicstop (Now called Long and McQuade) and all of their Fender amps had this sticker on them

"Test drive an amp and get a free t-shirt"

 

I asked and there was no catch, if you plugged in a guitar to a fender amp and strummed a few chords you got a voucher for a t-shirt to be mailed to you free of charge, so I played a Blues jr. As my sig says I now own that amp and that was definately motivated by the time I spent "test driving" it in store.

 

A few weeks later I got a package in the mail from Fender and it was a black t-shirt that was much appreciated.

This is the graphic on the t-shirt

[milod]

I think personally the case or gear bag would have something to do with a purchase, but only if the product was something I planned on in the first place.

 

For example I can't imagine getting any hollow/semi hollow without a hard case. But it might be a deciding factor on a specific model's price tag vs. a different model.

 

Ditto on the bag - but I'd only use one of those with a solid body of a different brand, not a Gibson.

 

<grin>

 

m

[Silenced Fred]

Honestly, I would like it if they threw in a cable, some picks, a strap, but I wouldn't use most of that. It would be cool to have a mini duffel bag that said Gibson on it to throw gear in or something, but I can't think of really anything because all of the stuff I want is personal taste.

[Hall]

no flaws

[pippy]

Artillery Owl;

 

I liked your tale of "I tried it and I liked it so I bought it."! That shows Fender knows a good idea; they are obviously aware of the quality of the product they are selling.

 

If someone is in the market for an amp then how can Fender get that person to try out their amp? Offer a 'free' t-shirt. Person is so impressed with the product they buy the amp!

 

As far as 'What would lure me in?' goes;

 

I wouldn't choose one product over another just because of some freebies. If PRS were giving away ten t-shirts with every purchase I wouldn't think "Oh really? Well, in that case I won't have the Les Paul Custom '54 re-issue. Give me that PRS McCarty model instead."

 

It would be nice, however, if, on opening the box, I found something special - and branded - which is only ever given to those people who buy a new guitar. Something like the highest quality strap known to mankind, for instance.

 

I know what people mean about 'you can never have enough cable/strings/picks etc but all of those are, in effect, consumables - when they get broken/worn out they will be dumped. Something which gives a lasting memory of that purchase would give more pleasure.

[retrosurfer1959]

Strap - nice leather well made not disposable crap I got one with My Wilshire and a few other guitars over the years and it was always the most impressive case candy. I also got a very nice leather and wool varsity style jacket with a large embroidered logo from Taylor after buying a high end special model acoustic it was a very cool gift and I wear it every year as one of my main jackets.

[Notes_Norton]

Price break.

 

I buy stuff for their features first, value second, and don't care what comes with it.

 

So if the features are there, and they give me another 10-20% off, it might swing me over from a competing product that offers similar features (including quality).

 

But that's just me.

 

Insights and incites by Notes

[TommyK]

I think the 'bag' fettish is usually an affectation of the female of our species.

 

Gimme the HSCase, patch cord and a strap. A good set-up .... and picks for life.

[ShredAstaire]

Free PRO set up.

[MojoRedFoot]

I'm a sucker for the warrenty cards

 

 

Seriously? If I shell out a good chunk of cash for a big brand name (Gibson or Fender), I wouldn't mind a simple t-shirt w/ the brand name. Fender gives lots of case candy for the high $ guitars. Strap, cable, bumper sticker (which I have been meaning to put on my car for years).

[dleth]

I received a whole bunch of stuff with my R0. A T shirt as well as a strap, cable, picks, polishing cloth etc. I packed it all up, t shirt included and put it away. Kinda fun to keep all the candy in new condition for whoever is the next owner. Probably my daughter.

 

Dave