Gene wrote:
On Sun, 16 Aug 2009 09:04:20 -0400, H the K
wrote:

Gene wrote:
On Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:07:14 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

But they always seem to be back ordered because some bean counter told
them they were stocking too much inventory. So just about every time
I'd place an order the parts or units weren't on the shelf.
Sounds like West Marine.

"Sales associate", beaming.... "Sir, we don't have any in stock, but
you can order that online!"

Me, scowling.... "Why the hell would I have driven 50 miles and be
standing here in your store, if I wanted to buy that online? You can't
sell me what you don't have."

"Sales associate", now assuming the deer-in-the-headlights stance....

I keep a Defender Catalog for punishment.....



Up here in Yankee-ville, we have telephones, so I call one of the three
local stores *first* to check inventory, and if that store doesn't have
it, the clerk on the other end can check via his computer to see if
either of the other stores do.

Of course, I don't restrict that sort of phoning ahead to boating supply
stores...

:)

You are, of course, correct. It was a lesson I learned the hard way
because at one point I drove over with the reasonable expectation that
they *did* have what I need and I was rarely disappointed.

Something changed.

Last week, I tried (via telephone) to find a hatch closer at the
Wilmington, Raleigh, and Myrtle Beach Stores. All of them wanted me to
order online and pick the item up in person at the store, so I could
save the shipping cost. I'm sure they thought getting me in the store
would convince me to buy something else. Again, I let them know that
the couldn't sell what they didn't stock and that saving $7 shipping
wouldn't justify a 100+ mile round trip. Bottom Line? I rarely shop
brick and mortar with them any more.

The loss of two major boating stores as competition hasn't helped,
either.


What you are reporting is true of many retail operations. There are a
lot of factors at play here...including the loss of our ability to
manufacture, the willingness of retailers to sell precisely the same
goods as competing retailers, the homogenization of society as a result
of national media, the herd instinct and 50 other factors.

There are very, very few retails stores I visit anymore. I like
Restoration Hardware, the Apple Computer stores, the large bookstores,
L.L. Bean, Bass Pro, the MicroCenter computer stores, a good local
boating supply store in Annapolis ( http://www.fawcettboat.com/ ), but
when I get dragged to a mall, I spend my time there walking briskly from
one end to another and back and so forth until I am "paged" on the cell
phone and told it is time to leave. :) My guess is that I do 90% of my
non-food shopping on the internet.