Comments on: Tower of Power: Record stores aren’t dead yet http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/tower-of-power-record-stores-arent-dead-yet/ How to make, save and spend money in Japan. Sat, 18 May 2013 10:38:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Gio http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/tower-of-power-record-stores-arent-dead-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-14426 Gio Wed, 08 Sep 2010 06:26:31 +0000 http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/?p=1639#comment-14426 I can’t say I agree with the optimism expressed here. I admire Tower’s persistence and the depth of their selection, but unless Tower comes up with a system to allow customers to listen to and preview any product in their store, they will continue to lose sales to on-line retailers like Amazon etc. who do allow this. The days of buying music unheard are over and have been for some time, and it is a bit ridiculous that the cd retailers have yet to figure this out. This should not be that difficult — when I visit Amoeba Records in SF, an independent retailer, they have a system where you can scan the bar-code on a cd at a listening post and have a listen. Tower itself has tried this in a limited fashion at its Kichijoji outlet, but it needs to be widespread and comprehensive.

Another thing they need to figure out is that bright staff with a deep love and knowledge of music are worth keeping on board, even if that means investing in compensating them a bit more. I’ve seen the best and most knowledgeable staff there disappear one by one, and the problem seems to be compensation, or lack thereof. I have dealt with staff at Tower now who have next to no knowledge of the music they are dealing with, which is not a recipe for success. Passionate buyers will search out and find great new music, and that is an essential role that any record store must play, especially one hoping to survive in today’s climate.

]]> By: Jubei http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/tower-of-power-record-stores-arent-dead-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-14065 Jubei Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:58:46 +0000 http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/?p=1639#comment-14065 I remember going to both the Shibuya HMV and Tower records. Think the Tower Records there with its several floors of music is one of the best music stores I have ever gone to. I must say it is a great place for music lovers, with a very nice selection of blues CDs.

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