Adam Savage talks to Castleford-based dealer Mark Abrahams of Vision Guitars

A common move for retailers is to launch a website after establishing a physical shop, but what if you were to do it the other way round? Adam Savage discovered a fast-moving business in Castleford that did just that and continues to grow…

One of the main talking points at this year’s MI Retail Conference was that in order for retailers to survive in the current climate, establishing a good online presence has gone from being beneficial to essential.

As a result of this, many of the event’s attendees may have gone back to their shops and sat straight down at their computer to spruce up their dodgy website rather than their store displays. But Mark Abrahams of Vision Guitars in Castleford knew all about the crucial nature of the internet from the beginning.

The Vision story is actually a bit of an unusual one. The business started as an online-only service back in 2006, but rather than spending the next five years building solely on this, Abrahams did the exact reverse of the typical MI retailer by going from a website to a physical shop. Instead of struggling to cope, he found himself outgrowing the premises in a remarkably short space of time, prompting him to move into a larger building as soon as the opportunity arose.

While working at another store in Castleford, he found that there was a lack of guitar supplies in that area that met his personal requirements, which gave him the idea of starting up a guitar business of his own to cater for customers with similar needs to himself.

Some will call him crazy for not only unveiling a new store in such a tough period with a successful website already in place, but also for opening in an area with a fair amount of competition. Not only are there other stores in Castleford, but nearby Leeds, Bradford and Barnsley also offer a multitude of MI dealerships. Abrahams insists, however, that although it was tricky, he knew what he was doing.

“Setting it up was a challenge, but I’ve worked in retail for a long time – I’ve been in MI for 15 years, spending nine years at Academy of Sound,” he says. “Therefore I knew a lot of people and suppliers, so I was able to get started pretty quickly. I was able to open the shop just two months after leaving the store I was working at previously.”

Once again, after just a couple of years in the original store, Abrahams was already looking to take his business to the next level. With the size of the shop proving to be a major obstacle, expansion seemed like the most logical option.

“The first shop was not much bigger than a living room, but the reason for the move was to expand on the lines as well as just the space,” he explains.

Now, Vision Guitars is able to offer customers entry-level drum kits, along with PA and lighting gear – despite very much maintaining its guitar-related priorities – and there are also plans for entering the keyboard market currently in place.

Back in March when the expansion was announced, Abrahams highlighted the importance of ‘moving with the times in retail’. This might not be a groundbreaking comment, but when you look at just how seriously he takes online retailing – and the success he is enjoying as a result of his efforts – it becomes clear that this retailer is in a good position to advise those refusing to accept that being web savvy is the way forward.

“Some of the shops that have shut down recently didn’t even have websites and many of the others seem like they’re stuck in the 1970s,” comments Abrahams. “If you’ve got a site, you can’t just use it for selling. People need to try before they buy, so you need to use it as a way of attracting people in to your shop.

“I also ensure that I’m high up on the Google rankings, as it’s almost like a free form of advertising. Although it’s difficult to get a good spot on the search engines due to everyone competing for the same keywords, it’s the localised results where you really start to see benefits. I check where I am on Google every day and if I had the time, I’d spend an hour a day doing SEO (search engine optimisation) alone.”

To other dealers, the mere thought of checking your site’s position on Google as regular as this would be a complete waste of time, but if you look into just how many referrals to a website come from the world’s number one search engine, it begins to make sense.

Perhaps the most impressive thing of all is that Abrahams has done this almost singlehandedly. With just one other part timer as company, he now juggles the shop and the website – admittedly putting in some serious hours to do so – but the main thing is that it’s paying off.

So aside from the great website, what are the strengths of the physical store?
“We try to offer amazing customer service, we’ll set up guitars if required and generally go the extra mile to help with the purchase, all while providing top brands like Blackstar, Yamaha and Schecter,” he explains.

“We’re not just here to take your hard earned money, we also try to offer a service to the local community, whether it be supporting local schools and charities, arranging tuition or instrument repairs.”

As for the future, the owner has highlighted a few areas that could do with improvement, which is hardly surprising when you look at its rapid its progression up to this point. One gets the impression that although he is happy with his business, he’s always ready to start a new chapter.

“We’re always looking to expand our lines without going mad. As well as the possibility of entering the keyboard market, we’re looking at expanding our bass and acoustic offering,” he reveals.

You’ve got to admire his bravery. Many other dealers would have struggled to see the last few years through in Abrahams’ shoes, but a combination of dedication and online know-how have kept him on the right path.