Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Here's some inside scoop on why the evil Empire no longer
sells Ricks. This was divulged to me by some folks in the upper levels back in '03. At that time, GC didn't hang to many Ricks on the wall and in fact, in my store, they were
special order only.
The reason given to me was that Rick did not approve of GCs very liberal return policy. Basically, about 1/2 of the stuff
that was being sold as New, had in fact left the store on one occasion or another. According to apocrypha, Rickenbacker strongly feels that the guitar is new until it is
bought the first time; something that I whole heartedly agree with. So GC has the nerve to sell something as new and fully warranted when in fact, somebody had it for up to 30 days on a free rental.
Kudos to John Hall for standing up to the evil empire!!!!
I think it maintains the integrity of the make

Who would ever take a Rickenbacker back!?!

Sell it as an "open box" or "return" but not as "new." Circuit City for instance sells "open box" items, original warranty applies, but it's discounted.

I think that Rickenbacker's point is that they
feel that the warranty only should apply to the original purchaser. No open box or what ever. I agree with them.
As for taking one back, I would want to either, but there
are folks out there who view GCs return policy as a free
rental- They buy whatever, keep it for thirty days, bring it back with any lame excuse and get a full refund....
I've even seen some folks get a refund after 35 days(watch the fake waterworks flow from some of these people...).
Again- Ricks stance on this maintains integrity of the product.
GC also likes to control the manufacturers, and again,
Rickenbacker stood their ground.
FIGHT THE POWER!!!!!!!
USE THE FORCE!!!!!

The only reason GC is no longer with us is an ordering/fulfillment process that's akin to Walmart's or Target's. I'm sure it's a great system for bulk goods or items available in quantity off-the-shelf but not for craftsman-oriented products that take some time to be produced.

We worked with them for the longest time to find a procedure that we could compromise with them on but only when they did not keep the agreed upon schedule, we took dropped them.

Shortly thereafter, however, we found counterfeit product in their stores and offered on eBay. When it was characterized by their CEO as "an isolated incident" in the magazine Business 2.0, I knew we had made the right decision.

I've seen Rickenfakers in GC three times. I pointed it out to the floor guy, but they didn't retag the item.

As I said John-
Kudos to you for doing so
Seeing the backorders and such, it doesn't seem
the Rick needs GC to sell them anyway.