In a recent article, the Guardian (UK) notes that women are turning away from the music retailers due to poor service in-store.
Women using digital downloads to circumvent intimidating record shop assistants are driving a resurgence in music sales, according to research. The fifty-quid bloke, the marketing name for middle-aged men credited with boosting record sales by buying piles of CDs, has been superseded by a new breed of female music fans.... More women now spend more time listening to music than their male counterparts, with record labels speculating that the rise in digital downloads means they now find it quicker and easier to explore new artists.
Will the major retailers put this down to the inevitable shift to online convenience or re-think their approach to customer service in-store? The independent music stores such as Vinyl Junkies, Piccadilly Records and Dub Vendor survive on customer loyalty, so could teach the majors a thing or two. Within the old Our Price store network, the staff were well known for knowing their music. So if the major music retailers believe they have a future on the high street, then first step is to invest in their in-store service and learn from the smaller stores who deliver great customer service effortlessly.