> Page 28 Women of NAMM
E-COMMERCE REVERBERATIONS I BY MARK ANZELC TURNING NAMM LESSONS INTO SUCCESS B y now, we’ve all have always sold old gear to spruce up their rig, it represents an opportunity for stores that either don’t have a trade-in strat- egy or have left theirs neglected. This year is already a quarter
recovered from yet another NAMM show — even if our ears are still ringing with the repetitive sounds of a select few guitar riffs. While the show itself is certainly chaotic and loud, it remains a one-of-a-kind oppor- tunity for the entire industry to get together and celebrate the instruments that make music so special. Whether it was put- ting faces to names or talking about how to make the most of 2025, the Reverb team had great conversations with so many of you on the convention center floor, and now, armed with fresh inspiration and a number of big ideas, we’re sharing our biggest takeaways from the show. Music shops are the lifeblood of the MI industry. Full stop. While there are more ways than ever to buy music gear, a place to learn and play guitars, synths, and more is invaluable. Having these local touch-points gives players confidence they can quickly get the gear they need, and get help if any issues arise. We like to think of shops as the home base for local mu- sicians, and these days, that means offering even more services. By doing the little things like offering returns and providing mods, you give play- ers more reasons to come into your store — creating more opportunities to buy your gear.
of the way over, but there’s still plenty of time to spruce up your trade-in program, making it more visible both in-store and online. You should always be looking to give players more reasons to walk into your shop, and taking used gear, which you can then sell yourself, provides your buyers with more chances to expand their sound. NOW WHAT? After NAMM, my team and I try our best to take a few days off to rest and recover … but while many think that surviv- ing NAMM is half the battle, it’s only just the beginning. Musicians change their minds more than anyone, and our job is to give them all the options they could possibly want, from that new Fender to a vintage Les Paul. No matter how small the changes you make might seem, they can have a massive impact, and it’s impor- tant to be just as flexible as your customers. Don’t be afraid to add new instruments to your inventory, or complement all the latest and greatest new gear with some more affordable used offerings to entice your buyers. After all, sometimes, it’s as simple as making some demo units available for purchase. MI
“By doing the little things like offering returns and providing mods, you give players more reasons to come into your store.”
However, the gear they’re buy- ing is changing. DIVERSIFY YOUR INVENTORY. It’s no secret that music-makers are playing a wider variety of instruments than ever. It’s also unsurprising that they’re seeking out a variety of price points. One thing we heard over and over again at NAMM was that used gear is an increasingly intriguing option to add to an inventory mix in or- der to meet demand. From unique used gear local buyers can’t find anywhere else, to used gear at price points that meet their budget, of- fering secondhand instruments is another great way to attract buyers into your shop — and something that 94% of the top 300 sellers on Reverb are already taking ad- vantage of, accounting for 53%
of their growth over the past five years. In fact, you might already be doing so too, even if you don’t know it. These days, B-stock isn’t just a term you hear at Apple Stores or Best Buy. From open-box re- turns or demo units on the floor of your shop, you might have used gear to sell that you hadn’t even considered — and you can get even more of it from the players walking into your shop. SELLING TO BUY. Another big takeaway from the show is the increasing number of players walking into shops to sell gear … so they can buy more gear! As a player myself, I recently sold a MXR M87 Bass Compressor Pedal to buy a JHS Packrat. And while musicians
Mark Anzelc is the director of sales at Reverb.
26 I MUSIC INC. I APRIL 2025
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