Shopping locally is crucial in ensuring the long-term viability of the local economy - simple as that. Purchases in one location creates store-turnover and enhances other businesses located in the same vicinity by attracting customers to that area. But importantly, trade asssits local business in creating employment as well as other pursuits such as student work experience opportunities.

As music professionals, we completely understand our customers desire to save money and get the best overall value for their purchases. We also understand that the musical instrument and equipment market is highly competitive and flooded with many options - which is why McCann's offers pricing that's competitive with national 'street prices'.

Not only can you purchase items here at great prices, but you receive friendly personalised after-sales service that's based on years of extensive retail sales, live music and studio experience. But there's a few 'big-picture' reasons which make buying locally an important consideration.

Local music stores are also a source of specialist information from staff who often have expertise in a range of music related areas - which is ideal for those who may be unfamiliar some of the more technical aspects of products available to musicians. Music stores also function informally as a meeting place for musicians to network in ways that Facebook and MySpace never could.

The internet does provides consumers with certain conveniences, but there are a myriad of intereactions that just can't be repalced by talking face-to-face with a person who's job it is to assist you on your musical journey.

THINGS YOU SHOULD BE AWARE WHEN SURFING THE NET TO PURCHASE INSTRUMENTS

Musical instruments are often regarded as highly personal items which form an 'extension' of the musician who's playing them. That's an immensely important consideration when purchasing instruments and equipment sight-unseen over the internet.

Online purchasing sometimes appears to provide certain advantages, but do be aware that costly pitfalls do exist. From the point of view of a business that's continually in contact with a diverse range of customers, it's worth understanding the reality of purchasing goods from companies whose relationship with their clients is purely electronic ...

• Instruments that don't quite measure up to their attractive 'air-brushed' web-marketing

• Badly or simply not set-up instruments

• Unchecked faulty-on-delivery instruments

• 'Dead on arrival' electronic equipment

• Incomplete packages (items missing due to misunderstanding fine-print conditions)... and so on.

Further, if purchasing items from overseas sources, be aware that Australian warranty service for instruments or equipment in all probability DOESN'T EXIST with local retail outlets or service agents - so any money you may anticipate saving at the point-of-sale could eventually be wasted on costly freight/insurance back to the place-of-purchase for assessment and service OR local non-warranty labour costs PLUS spare parts charges.

It certainly raises the point: why purchase something that has no Australian warranty or free technical support? The vast majority of Australian music retail outlets and the importers who supply them goods will bend over backwards to help individuals in need of information or service. How fair is is to expect local after-sales support on an instrument or a piece of equipment when the money for that purchase directly supports overseas business?