Yes , a little bit .................................. 18 % I already tried to shop local ............ 25 % Not really ........................................ 22 %
During the pandemic , buying habits have been relatively the same for 29 % respondents , with the rest being very evenly split on either side of that equation . Thus , it would seem there weren ’ t major changes in consumer habits before and after the pandemic as a whole , though that can vary widely on an individual level .
Pre-pandemic , on average , how much did you spend per year on instruments and accessories in total ?
$ 0-100 ............................................ 34 % $ 101-200 .......................................... 4 % $ 201-500 ........................................ 21 % $ 501-1,000 ..................................... 27 % $ 1,001-2,000 .................................. 29 % $ 2,001-3,000 .................................... 8 % Over $ 3,000 ...................................... 7 %
During the pandemic , do you think you spent more or less on instruments and other music gear / accessories as compared to an average pre-pandemic year ?
Significantly more ........................... 14 % Slightly more ................................... 21 % About the same ............................... 29 % Slightly less ...................................... 21 % Significantly less .............................. 14 %
For the remainder of the survey , we tried to get a snapshot of where musicians go to make big- versus small-ticket purchases , and what drives those decisions . It breaks down as such :
Currently , where do you get the majority of your small-ticket items ( picks , strings , reeds , drumsticks , etc .)?
Online ............................................. 17 % In-store ............................................ 59 % Roughly evenly split between in-store & online .............................................. 24 %
Currently , where do you get the majority of your large-ticket items ( instruments , speakers , etc .)?
Online ............................................. 19 % In-store ............................................ 56 % Roughly evenly split between in-store & online .............................................. 25 %
Currently , when purchasing small-ticket items like accessories , what ’ s the primary factor in where you ’ ll shop ( online , mega store , local store , etc .)?
Convenience ................................... 33 % Price ................................................ 16 % Existing relationships ....................... 30 % Selection .......................................... 11 % Service ............................................... 6 % COVID-related concerns .................. 2 % Other ................................................ 2 %
Currently , when purchasing big-ticket items like new instruments , what ’ s the primary factor in where you ’ ll shop ( online , mega store , local store , etc .)?
Convenience ................................... 12 % Price ................................................ 26 % Existing relationships ....................... 27 % Selection .......................................... 26 % Service ............................................... 6 % COVID-related concerns .................. 2 % Other ................................................ 0 %
As the pandemic ( hopefully ) recedes , do you think your music purchasing habits will go back to how they were pre-pandemic , or have they changed permanently ? How and why ? ( Selected responses edited for clarity )
“ Unfortunately , I will probably continue online . The convenience of having exactly what I need delivered to my door at no or minimal cost , as opposed to phoning multiple stores , speaking to uninformed staff to find what I want , and then driving around in Toronto traffic .”
“ I ’ ll probably use Reverb about as much for hard-to-get items . For local stores , I ’ m much happier to shop in-store again , but I ’ ve always window shopped online .” “ I ’ m 67 years old . I don ’ t believe in going backwards . My time is precious and valuable . The new tools I need to facilitate my growth can come to me while my daily energy remains focused on the production at hand .”
“ I don ’ t expect to make too many changes as I have accumulated a lot of gear already , though I ’ m liking the idea of wireless cables more and more . I need to get some setups for my guitars and flutes so maintenance has been hurting .”
“ I expect they will return to pre-pandemic levels . Much of my purchases were to allow for recording and online collaboration .”
“ No . My habits will remain as is ... buying from those I know and trust and always trying before buying ; only buying what I need when I need it .”
“ I purchased more during the pandemic to add to my home recording studio . Most of it I purchased online and through our local store . I plan to stay the same and look at both scenarios . I like selection , and price is major .”
“ No , I enjoy going to the store for the ability to try anything out before purchasing . That will never change .”
“ I do even more online research post- COVID . I will shop online more compared to in-store purchases going forward because it ’ s very convenient .”
“ They won ’ t change too much , but I have realized online shopping is a viable option that I did not really consider pre-pandemic .”
“ I think that the pandemic isolation helped me develop better habits with music . More organization in my practice . This enabled more comfort in spending money on the tools required for the craft . So , I ’ ll probably keep spending money on music .”
“ The only thing that has really changed is the fact that I am purchasing more things because I am doing music more as a result of the pandemic . Where I purchase them , online vs . in-store , has not changed .”
Ahmed Haroon is an Editorial & Content Assistant at Canadian Music Trade .
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