“I do think it’s slightly sad when you see Tescos selling guitar packs”: Lee Anderton on keeping his brick and mortar store alive in the Amazon age
Guitars and groceries might both fit in your shopping cart, but for Lee Anderton, that’s where the similarity ends.
In a time where e-commerce dominates and the average consumer can get anything from a vintage fuzz pedal to a boutique tube amp delivered by drone, the Andertons Music CEO continues to invest in something many see as a relic of the past: an actual physical store. And it’s not just any store – the Guildford-based Andertons shop remains one of the UK’s most respected and recognisable musical instrument retailers, despite the immense pressure of online retail giants and shifting consumer habits post-pandemic.
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Speaking in a new interview with Guitar.com, Anderton reflects on why he still believes in keeping the in-person experience alive, even as he acknowledges that the landscape has changed forever.
“Anybody who’s in the music business, we’re fundamentally trying to enable people to make music somehow,” the founder explains. “I’m still a complete sucker for getting a lump in my throat every time I see parents with their 10-year-old kid coming in and buying a starter guitar pack.”
It’s moments like that, he says, that no online transaction can replicate.
“We mustn’t take for granted what a profound moment that could be for that kid’s life… So I never want to lose that. And I suppose to a certain extent, I do think it’s slightly sad when you periodically see [UK supermarket giant] Tescos selling guitar packs at Christmas.”
“I do accept that if it reaches a wider audience and gets more people playing, it’s a good thing,” he adds. “But do I really think that the best way for you to start your guitar playing life is chucking it in with a half a chicken and a pound of potatoes in your shopping basket? No, I’m not about that.”
That said, Anderton isn’t oblivious to the realities of modern retail.
“People like the selection and the freedom to shop online that bricks and mortar retailers just can’t compete with,” he admits. “If I add up the number of guitar amp and pedal products that you could order today on the Andertons website – I’m not even counting strings and cables, just guitars, amps and pedals – there are 14,000 different products. And 10,000 of them are in stock! How on earth is your average bricks and mortar store gonna get close to that? It’s financially not possible to have that kind of operation in every major city.”
Still, he argues there’s value in shopping in-person with people who live and breathe the craft: “I buy lots from Amazon, and I don’t necessarily have a bad word to say about Amazon,” says Anderton. “But I don’t suppose Amazon is as passionate about music and instruments as we are.”
“I kind of feel it’s still nice to know that you are shopping with people who really care, you know?”
The post “I do think it’s slightly sad when you see Tescos selling guitar packs”: Lee Anderton on keeping his brick and mortar store alive in the Amazon age appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
