What's the Secret?

Independent shops are closing down all over the country, and traditional music shops have been hit especially hard. Yet here in Alford, a small rural market town in Lincolnshire, Music Bits Company is thriving. People sometimes ask us what the secret is. Honestly, there isn't one. There's just a handful of things we get right that don't get talked about very much.

We're a specialist, and people are willing to travel for that

We're not trying to be everything to everyone. We're a specialist musical instrument retailer, covering everything from acoustic guitars and electric guitars to keyboards & pianos and ukuleles, and customers are genuinely willing to travel some distance for the products and service we offer. That's the nature of specialist retail: when you know what you're looking for and where to find real expertise, a few extra miles stop mattering.

We operate like a shop should

It sounds obvious, but it's rarer than it should be. Too many independent, owner-operated shops seem to open and close whenever it suits them, with no consistency at all. That's bewildering for customers, and it leads to wasted journeys. Once someone has driven out to a shop only to find it shut for no obvious reason, they often simply don't come back. Music Bits Company keeps regular, dependable opening hours, because we know your time is worth something.

We also offer support services directly in-store, including setups and repairs, with no sending instruments away to a third party. We have our own luthier and workshop on site. And when it comes to paying, we have no preference: all major bank cards and cash are equally welcome, whatever suits you best.

Our staff are friendly, approachable, and happy to give honest, unbiased advice.

None of this is revolutionary. These are basics that every shop should be able to get right, and customers comment on them often enough that we think they're worth spelling out. But this is also where our similarity to the traditional music shops of old ends.

Old-fashioned values, modern approach

We use a good deal of technology to cut down on staff hours and overheads, which lets us compete with much larger companies on price. Our prices are highly competitive, and we run a thriving online store alongside our physical shop, selling through multiple channels including Reverb and eBay. We aim to be available wherever our customers are.

You can order from us online for home delivery or click and collect, or shop with us in the traditional way, in person. Our in-store prices match our online prices exactly. It is not cheaper to buy from us online. In fact, counterintuitively, it costs less to buy in-store than online, simply because you don't pay shipping.

It's not really a secret

None of this is really a secret. It's just things that don't often get spoken about or thought about. Assumptions like "shops are more expensive than online" quietly sway a lot of people's decisions on where to buy, and in our case that assumption is simply wrong. Sometimes it pays to go and find out for yourself rather than relying on assumptions, or on other people's assumptions.

Music Bits Company always welcomes new customers, so why not come and experience the Music Bits difference for yourself?