Black Korina/Wenge Les Paul

[Cagey]

All that stuff sells - some things just sell faster than others. Then they're replaced by the same things, so it doesn't look like there's any movement. They've got a centrally located Computer of Doom that analyzes stock movement and profit margin by product and personnel, and that's how they decide what to hang/shelve. All distributors do that any more, or they die. They've got to make about 10%-12% net after everything, or they dry up and blow away. It's just not worth it to keep the doors open below that rate.

 

[anorakDan]

That's true, but inadequate communications and/or planning on their part does not create an obligation on my part. What it does create is a serious business problem for them, which may result in their eventual dissolution. It's happening all over the place, and I'm not at all happy about the loss of local suppliers, but reality is what it is. What am I supposed to do, suffer when simple solutions to my own problems are readily available?

I don't mean to be heartless, but that's just not going to happen. Adapt or die. It has always been thus.

I couldn't agree more. Having just come from a pretty long-term stint in retail hardware (Ace) every day I faced the same situation. A customer comes in looking for a specific item that's either rare as hen's teeth or completely imaginary. Some were very grateful that we would even bother to offer to try to find that hard-to-find item for them.

As a consumer, you are not obligated to patronize any business. But when you do patronize a brick-and-mortar retail business, try to remember that the person you're dealing with face-to-face is actually a person, just trying to do a job the best they can on something very, very short of a living wage. When you find a person who actually does care about doing a good job (and yes, they are still out there) try to give them the respect you feel you deserve.

And if you're really concerned about losing local businesses, again when you do find one that needs to stay in your community, patronize the hell out of it and tell everyone you know how great their service, or attitude or whatever is.

Sadly, a happy customer tends to tell one or two people about a great experience with a local retailer, but an unhappy customer will tell everyone they know.

 

[keeper006]

Definitely black hardware, awesome top! :headbang1: