I am an alumnus in Hopkins University. That is why I got a letter from Peabody director that they would have a piano sale.
We jumped to our car and went to Peabody directly on Saturday.
We didn’t do any research on pianos and felt like hard to do research on anything that we didn’t know about. Unlike car, both my husband and I have no experience what’s ever on any pianos. We buy piano for our two daughters. The elder one will be four by November.
When we got there, we were required to fill up a form and notice where we got the notice. We chose “alumni” letter. Fine! The saleslady said that we would be entitled to $300 off the price on any piano we are buying. We learnt that those pianos are 1 year old on school service. In another word, multi-people abuse.
We chose Cable Nelson CN116PE. We were told that we would get it for $3,400, which will be half price of new piano value. Also, we will get 1 free tune up service. Plus we can trade in this one in the future and get full value on it. We nodded our head and after 10 minutes, we were in their sales’ office. By then, we signed paper and paid the bill. We learnt that this was the dealer’s sale’s office, which it has nothing to do with Hopkins Peabody. I got nervous. I am not used to take what ever the salesman’s offer. I believe that piano is like car someway. There must be some space for bargain. We didn’t do the homework. I don’t trust the price they gave me.
So, I got home and did research on it right way. I learnt somebody got a brand new one for $2,900 and the piano store near by our home sell for $2,995 for brand new. $3,400 for a used one is certainly not a good price. Plus it is kind of industry standard on trading in price. Hopkins didn’t offer a good deal at all.
We got upset and called them up and canceled the deal.
We went to the store nearby our house and got one Yamaha U1PE for $5,750. We accepted the price and took the deal.
For our knowledge purpose, I studied the company who has been doing school piano rental for years. They really did very good business on school deal. They got rental value, plus some idiot intellectuals would pay them above market value to buy the used one. They never loose. Their business started from 1936. That is quite a long history.
From now on, I will not participate in school sale for any instrument. I pretty much know that it can never be a good deal.
