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The success of a solution usually depends upon your point of view
posted
Its a trend that I've noticed over the last few years where stores have been carrying less and less inventory. Then when you want sometime they offer to order it for you.

Newsflash; If I wanted to wait for it I would have ordered it myself.

I want to support the storefront business and I'm willing to pay a little more so I can touch it, make sure it fits, and have it right away but if they are not going to carry the inventory then there is no reason for me to waste my time going there.

Today it was work boots. A good selection to choose from. Each pair on display has 6 or 7 boxes under them in 2 or 4 sizes. Ask for a pair in my size and I'm told thats all they carry, but they can order any size I want.

I came home and hit up Timberland's website, they should be here Tuesday.

And yes, I understand that carrying inventory can be a huge cost, but thats the only advantage they have over the online retailers.



“We truly live in a wondrous age of stupid.” - 83v45magna

"I think it's important that people understand free speech doesn't mean free from consequences societally or politically or culturally."
-Pranjit Kalita, founder and CIO of Birkoa Capital Management

 
Posts: 3839 | Location: Jacksonville, FL | Registered: September 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of P250UA5
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And with footwear, I want to be able to try it on first.
When I bought my Ariat boots, I was surprised that they're a full size smaller than my regular shoes.
Would've definitely ordered the wrong size without being able to try on first.




The Enemy's gate is down.
 
Posts: 15154 | Location: Spring, TX | Registered: July 11, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
His Royal Hiney
Picture of Rey HRH
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I would suggest you reconsider. Usually, when I go to a brick and mortar and they don't have it, they offer to order it for me and ship it to my address.

If you expect the store to have something in your size and you're an outlier, you're going to be paying a premium. For example, when I used to buy shoes, I know regular shoe stores have a limited selection of sizes. But when I go to Nordstrom, they have a whole range of sizes that I can try incrementally on hand at the store. But their prices are significantly higher but, especially with shoes, I have the luxury of being able to zero in on the exact fit.

Nowadays, I buy from Amazon and I can return items for free. So I don't mind ordering several sizes at a time or one at a time. The only cost to me is the time to bring it back to the store and I have plenty of time on my hands these days.



"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946.
 
Posts: 19583 | Location: The Free State of Arizona - Ditat Deus | Registered: March 24, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
W07VH5
Picture of mark123
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"I can order that for you" must be the motto of my local mower shop. It's supposed to be a pro service shop but they don't stock anything relevant. They sure do have a lot of farm equipment toys though. I should also mention that they sell off-brand parts as OEM.

I go in, ask for a deck belt with the part number. They don’t know how to find the part by the part number so they ask for my mower model number. 20 minutes looking at part diagrams. Then they get a cross reference number for an off-brand part. Then 20 minutes to search through inventory. “We ain’t got one but I can order it for you and have it here for next week sometime”. I just tell them that I can order an OEM belt myself and have it tomorrow at half the quoted price.

I now keep a spare belt for everything and order a new one when I use one from my inventory.
 
Posts: 45331 | Location: Pennsyltucky | Registered: December 05, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I hate that response from brick and mortar locations. I know you can order the item for me, I can also order the item for me.

The only reason I typically visit a brick and mortar location is for the convenience of being able to immediately take possession of the item I really need or want. If you can't accommodate that, then thanks but no thanks, I'll order it myself at a lower price and without the middle man.


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Posts: 7655 | Location: Mid-Michigan, USA | Registered: February 17, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Back, and
to the left
Picture of 83v45magna
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I'm afraid we're already in for a few years worth of this 'no stock but we can order it' stuff while Bidenomics plays itself out.

 
Posts: 7232 | Location: Dallas | Registered: August 04, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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^^^^I popped in just to post that, but you’ve got it covered.

“Well ain’t this place a geographical oddity. Two weeks from everywhere.” Smile



Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus
 
Posts: 8202 | Location: Utah | Registered: December 18, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Raptorman
Picture of Mars_Attacks
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If you can order it for me, I can get it off eBay or Amazon for less in two days.

Enjoy your going out of business sale.


____________________________

Eeewwww, don't touch it!
Here, poke at it with this stick.
 
Posts: 34084 | Location: North, GA | Registered: October 09, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
"Member"
Picture of cas
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"We can order it."

Yeah, so can I. And for less money. I'm here willing to pay more to get it now.

I don't bother expressing that point anymore, they're at the bottom of the totem pole, no point in it.
 
Posts: 21053 | Location: 18th & Fairfax  | Registered: May 17, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Made from a
different mold
Picture of mutedblade
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It's sad how willing businesses are to shit on other peoples time. I understand that businesses cannot offer everything in every size, but dammit. Make an attempt to have a couple/few of everything in multiple sizes and have parts/accessories for stuff that you do sell.

I've posted this in 2019 and will share once again:

Needed a bar, chain, spark plug, air filter, & fuel filter for an Echo CS-271T chainsaw that I bought new from the dealer 20 minutes from me.

Went something like this:
Go in

Wait in line for the parts guy (about 5 minutes while he's busy doing something else.)

Give him the parts numbers so he can get the stuff I need and ring it up

Him) "Nope, don't have that. Or that. Or that." "Let me check and cross reference to make sure they don't have new parts numbers"

Wait another 2-3 minutes while he does what he does...."No sir, we don't have any of those, but I can order them for ya"

ME) "WELL NO SHIT, SO CAN I. Amazon will have it all here in a day or two. Figured I'd give you a chance to make the money first. How long will it take you to get it?"

Him) "We'll have it next Friday."

ME) "A full 10 days. 10. 10 fucking days to get parts to a saw that you sold me? 10 days to get parts to a saw you still stock and sell everyone else!"

Told the guy that I would never be back to spend another dollar there. Bottom line is I wasted an hour trying to do business with someone that didn't want my money Mad


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Posts: 2824 | Location: Lake Anna, VA | Registered: May 07, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Page late and a dollar short
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mutedblade, been on both sides of the counter all my working years. Used to be that the counter people and or the managers had a say in what could or could not be stocked. In many cases at least with at least two domestic automakers the manufacturer tells the dealership what and how many of an item to stock and if the dealer goes rogue and disregards the guidelines they are penalized.


-------------------------------------——————
————————--Ignorance is a powerful tool if applied at the right time, even, usually, surpassing knowledge(E.J.Potter, A.K.A. The Michigan Madman)
 
Posts: 8066 | Location: Livingston County Michigan USA | Registered: August 11, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
quarter MOA visionary
Picture of smschulz
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quote:
Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
If you can order it for me, I can get it off eBay or Amazon for less in two days.

Enjoy your going out of business sale.


Really? Confused

You guys are just feeding the algorithm machine.
 
Posts: 22858 | Location: Houston, TX | Registered: June 11, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
quote:
Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
If you can order it for me, I can get it off eBay or Amazon for less in two days.

Enjoy your going out of business sale.


Really? Confused

You guys are just feeding the algorithm machine.


Literally the only point of having the brick and mortar location is to be able to get the item you need immediately. I'll happily pay the premium if I can walk out with the item I needed immediately. If they don't have what I need, and I'm waiting for shipping either way, why would I pay the "immediate possession" premium rather than ordering myself, saving money, and in some cases getting improved shipping times?

Do people really waste money having the brick and mortar location order an item at a premium price when the item is available cheaper online with either the same or a better shipping window?


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Posts: 7655 | Location: Mid-Michigan, USA | Registered: February 17, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of OttoSig
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In fairness, they probably hate having to lose the sale also.

But what else would they say, "Sorry, we don't have it in stock, now get the fuck out"?





11 years to retirement! Just waiting!
 
Posts: 6254 | Location: Maryland | Registered: August 10, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Frangas non Flectes
Picture of P220 Smudge
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Having been the guy who used to go weeks without pay on occasion just to keep the lights on at the store and said many, many times "we can order that for you," this thread stings.

Simply put: if you don't want brick and mortar stores, then the mindset I see in nearly every post in this thread will get you there. Some stores deserve it, some don't, that's going to be your call. If it's stuff like shoes or lawn mower blades, hey, I get it. My brick and mortar store also had music lessons in the back and we worked on guitars for a few hours every night after we locked the front door, so when we fought hard for business with people saying "I can just order it from Musician's Friend," there was a real impact to the community in terms of product support. That's what you're paying for when you order through a store: product support. If the store sucks or that's not something they offer, then I'm not trying to argue in favor of supporting them.


______________________________________________
Carthago delenda est
 
Posts: 17059 | Location: Sonoran Desert | Registered: February 10, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
"The deals you miss don’t hurt you”-B.D. Raney Sr.
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I can think of more than a couple local stores that I don’t just go into for “stuff”. I also go in there for advice on what I need for a project, advice on how to use said product, advice on what to look out for during said project, and a myriad of other knowledge nuggets.
It’s NOT just about the place having WHAT I need, it’s the knowledge behind it.
Lots of times I’ll gladly wait for the “thing” while soaking up the “know how”.
 
Posts: 6289 | Location: East Texas | Registered: February 20, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
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quote:
Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Having been the guy who used to go weeks without pay on occasion just to keep the lights on at the store and said many, many times "we can order that for you," this thread stings.

I bet it does Frown

quote:
Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Simply put: if you don't want brick and mortar stores, then the mindset I see in nearly every post in this thread will get you there.

Yup.

I used to think the way some here do: "If you have to order it, anyway, why should I bother with you?"

Not so much, anymore, for two reasons:

1. Most people, when they're talking about ordering it on-line, are talking about Amazon. Amazon is part of the Big Tech Hegemony that's helping destroy this country. That is not an exaggeration. It's a fact. So we no longer have an Amazon Prime account and Amazon has become my vendor-of-nearly-last-resort.

2. ...

quote:
Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
That's what you're paying for when you order through a store: product support.

Yup, pre- and post-sales. Example: Last year I bought a Jet drill press. I could have bought it off Amazon, but, because I bought it via my local tool store: When a particular part wasn't quite right they got me to their people at Jet and it got taken care of promptly.

About the same time as I ordered that drill press I bought a Delta T-square fence for my table saw. The tool store had to order it, and Amazon was a few bucks cheaper. I bought it from Amazon. I've regretted doing so ever since Frown



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Raptorman
Picture of Mars_Attacks
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Even my local car parts store has reduced inventory to majority oil and filters that are cheaper at WalMart.

When I need a set of brake pads for my car, they have to order them. Shit, I can order them myself and not have to drive to go get them.

I have to order the CVT fluid for my transaxle because the dealer doesn't keep enough in stock to sell.


____________________________

Eeewwww, don't touch it!
Here, poke at it with this stick.
 
Posts: 34084 | Location: North, GA | Registered: October 09, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
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There's another aspect to this whole stocking vs. ordering thing of which some of you may not be aware: Some states and municipalities tax inventory. Hard to believe--I couldn't believe it when I first heard about it--but true.

So businesses can take a double-whammy on unsold inventory: It's money tied-up that could otherwise be invested and it may incur recurring charges.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
אַרְיֵה
Picture of V-Tail
posted Hide Post
quote:
it may incur recurring charges.
ensigmatic -- Are you saying that an item in inventory will be taxed this tax period, and if still in inventory the next tax period it will be taxed again?



הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
 
Posts: 30545 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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