Retail Innovators – Scott and Monique Robbins, G-Brat’s Guitars (2018 Summer NAMM)
Scott and Monique Robbins of G-Brat’s Guitars built a $2 million-a-year music retail business from their home—without employees—using online selling platforms, such as Reverb. During “Retail Innovators” at 2018 Summer NAMM, the husband-and-wife couple revealed their success strategy in an interview with NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond.
According to Scott and Monique, reputation is everything when selling through third-party platforms, as it removes the fear of buying from the consumer. “You’re paying somebody a lot of money that you’ve never met for a guitar you’ve never touched,” Scott said.
“You’ve got to build a reputation. You’ve got to be honest. You’ve got to be over-the-top honest.”
They’ll often film YouTube videos upon request that point out any particular imperfections on a guitar. “I’ll say, ‘You have a nick there and a ding there,’” Scott explained. “By the time they get it, they know exactly what they’re getting. There’s no question. If they don’t buy it, that’s fine. I’d rather them not buy it but know.”
Scott and Monique also pointed out the importance of excellent photography in selling online. “The presentation is huge,” he said. “That’s what we do. I’ll take every guitar myself. I’ll test it out, make sure it’s working. I’ll polish it up. I’ll make it look great. And then I’ll take pictures under photo lighting, darken up the background. So by the time it hits the internet, it looks pristine.”
Check out more interviews here:
Joe Lamond, President and CEO of NAMM: Session Introduction
Mark Hebert of Cosmo Music (with Chris Bates of TeacherZone)