My professor earned commissions from my instrument purchase and the shop lied about its value.
Advice?
Dear Advice?,
It’s not an uncommon thing to have a teacher earn commissions from instrument shops. I am torn about the practice myself, because don’t really estate agents, car salespeople and stock brokers take commissions? They offer expertise, guide the purchaser, and have their reputation on the line? Helping a student buy an instrument takes time, often involving a trip to the dealer and of course playing and selecting the instrument.
Personally, I have had shops contact me to offer a commission if my students buy instruments from them. My choice is to be upfront with both the shop and the student, and have the shop turn the commission amount back to the student in savings. If I have to take a significant amount of time out of my schedule to visit shops, I charge the student my regular hourly rate for the time.
I also suggest that my students get, in writing, a guarantee from the shop to buy back or exchange the instrument in the future at the same rate. I know that the instrument will most likely appreciate in value, but it is a small security that carries weight.
Advice?, you have been duped by both the shop and your teacher. Get official papers from another shop saying the true value of the instrument, bring the paper in, and suggest either a return of the entire purchase or a refund for the overage. They must know their precarious situation. If they do not comply, let them know your next stop is the police.
You can also saddle up with lawyers, but I would bet that a bit of the old pressure might just do the trick.
Slimy teachers, unfortunately, abound. Just keep your distance and get what you need from the situation.
Questions for Alma? Please put them in the comments section or send to DearAlmaQuery@gmail.com
The post Dear Alma, My prof takes a cut from instrument dealers appeared first on Slippedisc.
