Shopping locally, just a little rant

Maxmosbey

Final Approach
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I need to get serious.
This is not a huge deal, or anything that important, but it is an observation. I do a lot of my shopping on the internet, but with all that is going on, I decided to shop locally to help out the local economy. I like these sleeveless Underarmor shirts for working out. The problem is, I only have one. So I went up to the mall a couple of weeks ago to look for another one at the local, not a franchised, sports store. They didn't have what I wanted, but they did carry the brand. So they said that they could order one for me. I said that would be fine, and I paid up front. I figured that I paid a little more for the shirt, but when you figure in the shipping if I buy it over the internet, there isn't two bucks difference, and I'm supporting a local business. Now it has been over two weeks, and the local shop says maybe next week. I don't really need this shirt that bad, but if I had bought it on the internet, it would have showed up in two day, right on my door step. So the real problem is that I keep calling the store, and they don't seem to be too concerned. I ask them what the hold up is, and they don't know. I ask them if they have some sort of tracking number for the order, and they don't konw. I ask them when they expect it to come in, and they just don't know. They like to **** and moan about the internet hurting them, but they are not even trying. OK, that is it. Not the end of the world.
 
Lack of service is a nation wide problem in all sectors. It really is a sad commentary on our society as a whole.:frown3:

I wish you well in obtaining that which you have paid.
 
Bummer. I'm sure I know the store you're talking about. Mostly college kids working in there. Have you tried moving 'up the chain' to talk to someone that gives a rip if the store succeeds or not?

Either way... Kudos for actually trying to support locally. Especially with the local politics involved with that mall.
 
Kudos for trying Max.

I too try to buy locally and not go straight to the Internet or the big shopping mall several towns over. But it is hard. These little shops cannot hope to keep the level of inventory in to cater to the large customer base. So when tney order they try to get only what they need, but ordering onzey, twozy things can cost them a ton and eat into their margins. They are probably trying to wait until they can place a larger order. But then they are also losing a customer. It is a lose/lose situation. My suggestion is to go back and tell them that you no longer want the item as they are taking too long to get it in and ask for a refund. If you can talk to the owner I would also let him know why you will not be buying form him in the future.
 
My guess is that the order was never placed. It could also be that they are waiting to do their normal order with that supplier so as to get their wholesale discount.

Many suppliers have a minimum order that they will accept from a retailer and will not process an order for a single item.

I guess the worst scenario would be that the store, during these very tough retail times, just flat out can not afford to place any order at all.

My advise would be to go back and get a refund, in this particular case, that might be just what the manager would like you to do.

I've been in retail all my life.

John
 
Lack of service is a nation wide problem in all sectors.
I think part of the problem is that the front line jobs which deal with the customers are many times the lowest paying ones. The people who take these jobs are often young, and/or inexperienced and only stay long enough to find a better job. I'm not sure what the solution is but I agree that it is a problem across the board.
 
>#STORE CLOSINGS AND LAYOFFS
> If you have gift cards, hurry up and use them!!
> Just passing this along - FYI


>#
>#Ann Taylor#closing 117 stores nationwide A company spokeswoman said
> the company hasn't revealed which stores will be shuttered. It will
> let the stores that will close this fiscal year know over the next
> month.
>#
>#Eddie Bauer#to close more stores
> Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops in the first quarter and
> plans to close up to two more outlet stores by the end of the year.
>#
>#Cache closing stores
> Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing 20 to 23 stores
> this year.
>#
>#Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines#closing 150 stores nationwide
> The owner of retailers Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherine's Plus
> Sizes will close about 150 underperforming stores this year.
> The company hasn't provided a list of specific store closures and
> can't say when it will offer that info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said
> today.
>#
>#Talbots & J. Jill#closing stores
> About a month ago, Talbots announced that it will be shuttering all
> 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the company says it will close
> another 22 underperforming stores.. The 22 stores will be a mix of
> Talbots women's and J. Jill , another chain it owns. The closures w
> ill occur this fiscal year, according to a company press release.
>#
>#Gap Inc. closing 85 stores
> In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also owns Old Navy and anana
> Republic . The company said the closures - all planned for fiscal
> 2008 - Will be weighted toward the Gap brand.
>#
>#Foot Locker#to close 140 stores
> In the company press release and during its conference call with
> analysts today, it did not specify where the future store closures -
> all planned in fiscal 2008 - will be. The company could not be
> immediately reached for comment
>#
> Wickes is going out of business
> Wickes Furniture is going out of business and closing all of its
> stores, Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that targets middle-income
> customers, filed for bankruptcy protection last month.
>#
>#Goodbye Levitz / BOMBAY#- closed already
> The furniture retailer, which is going out of business. Levitz first
> announced it was going out of business and closing all 76 of its
> stores in December. The retailer dates back to 1910 when Richard
> Levitz opened his first furniture store in Lebanon , PA. In
> the 1960s, the warehouse/showroom concept brought Levitz to the
> forefront of the furniture industry. The local Levitz closures will
> follow the shutdown of Bombay .
>#
>#Zales, Piercing Pagoda#closing stores
> The owner of Zales and Piercing Pagoda previously said it plans to
> close 82 stores by July 31. Today, it announced that it is closing
> another 23 underperforming stores. The company said it's n ot pro
> viding a list of specific store closures. Of t he 105 locations
> planned for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are stores.
>#
>#Disney Store#owner has the right to close 98 stores The Walt Disney
> Company announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from
> subsidiaries of The Children's Place Retail Stores. The exact number
> of stores acquired will depend on negotiations with landlords. Those
> subsidiaries of Children's Place filed for bankruptcy protection in
> late March. Walt Disney in the news release said it has also obtained
> the right to close about 98 Disney Stores in the U.S. The press elease
>> didn't list those stores.>#
>>#Home Depot#store closngs ( E. Brunswick , Rt 18 just put up their
>> closing sign)> ATLANTA - Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive said thee were
>> no plans to ct the number of its core retail stores, The Home Depot
>> Inc. announcd Thursday that it is shuttering 15 of them amid a
>> slumping U... economy and housing market. The move will affect 1,300> employees. It is the first time the world's largest home improement
> sore chain has ever closed a flagship store fo r performance
> resons. Its shares rose almost 5 percent. The Atlanta-based compay
> said the underperforming U.S.stores being closed represent less han> 1 percent of its existing stores. They will be shuttered within the
> next two months.
>>#CompUSA#(CLOSED) clarifies details on store closings Any xended
>> warranties purchased for products through CompUSA will be honored by
> a third-party provider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rain checks,
> and rebates purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any
> time during the final sale. For those who have a gadget currently in
> for service with CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget
> will be returned to owners.
>#
>#<http://www.kez999.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.news.com/8301-107>http://www.kez999.com/exchweb/bin/re...s.com/8301-107
>> 84_3-9834177-7html
>>#
>> <<http://www.kez999.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.news.com/8301-10>http://www.kez999.com/exchweb/bin/re...ws.com/8301-10
>> 784_3-9834177-7.html%253e;
>>#
>>#Macy 's#- 9 stores#
>>#
>>#Linens-N-Things#- all stores
>>#
>>#Mervyns#- all stores
>>#
>>#
>>#Movie Gallery#- 160 stores as part of reorganization plan to exit
>> bankruptcyThe video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500 Movie
>> Gallery and Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the
>> video
>> rental chain closed last fall.
>>#
>>#Pacific Sunwear#- 153 Demo stores
>>#
>>#Pep Boys#- 33 stores
>>#
>>#Sprint Nextel#- 125 retail locations New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse
>> appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the
>> thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on
>> 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000
>> postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a
>> total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last
>> year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while
>> remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its
>> headquarters in Kansas . Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or
>> nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.
>>#
>>#J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot#are scaling back
>>#
>>#Ethan Allen Interiors: The Company announced plans to close 12 of
>> 300+ stores in an effort to cut costs.
>>#
>>#Wilsons the Leather Experts#- 158 stores
>>#
>>#Pacific Sunwear#will close its 154 Demo stores after a review of
>> strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four
>> underperforming Demo stores closed last May.
>>#
>>#Sharper Image: The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection
>> and announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer
>> will still operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores
>> have performed poorly and also may close.
>>#
>>#Bombay Company: (Freehold Mall store closed) The company unveiled
>> plans to close all 384 U.S.-based Bombay Company stores. The
>> company's online storefront has discontinued operations.
>>#
>>#KB Toys#posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing around the
>> United States as par t of its bankrup tcy reorganization. To see the
>> list of store closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and
>> click on Press Information
>>#
>>#Dillard's to Close#More Stores
>> Dillard's Inc.. said it will continue to focus on closing
>> underperforming stores, reducing expenses and improving its merchandise in
>> 2008. At the company's annual shareholder meeting, CEO William Dillard II

I do not know just how valid this list is, or who made it. It was an e-mail

John
 
>>#Sprint Nextel#- 125 retail locations New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse
>> appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the
>> thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on
>> 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000
>> postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a
>> total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last
>> year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while
>> remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its
>> headquarters in Kansas . Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or
>> nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.
I can recall an article a from a couple years ago that showed the annual turnover rate of a half dozen different cellular companies. Nextel was the lowest at half of all others with it being 16%.

What they failed to mention was Nextel was at the top of the market for the direct connect communications. It had a captured user base in the local trucking/courier businesses and in construction. I was forced to use them from 1996 until just last year when I got out of courier work. I carried another phone because Nextel's coverage was worthless once I left any interstate route anywhere in Georgia.

Since that time, Verizon has come along quite well and made an impact on Nextel's market share. Nextel's customer service was somewhere less than sub par and pathetic. I'm not at all sad they are enjoying a downturn in business.
 
I just don't think anyone can focus on shopping locally anymore. I wanted a used Microsoft Flight Simulator X...type it in, there it is...18 bucks...one-click purchase...thank you very much...took all of 2 minutes.

I went into Game Stop once.....they didn't have anything...
 
Bummer. I'm sure I know the store you're talking about. Mostly college kids working in there. Have you tried moving 'up the chain' to talk to someone that gives a rip if the store succeeds or not?

Either way... Kudos for actually trying to support locally. Especially with the local politics involved with that mall.

I'm sure you know where I'm talking about. I tried to go up the ladder, but the kid I talked to said he was the manager, which I think is nothing more than a title. Anyway, I'll just wait. It is only a twenty dollar shirt, and it will show up sooner or later. I will let them know that I'm not too happy with waiting so long, but that is exactly what the rant is about. It isn't that it is taking so long to get my shirt, it is that no one there cares when I get my shirt. No one has yet said, "gee, I don't know what the deal is, let me make a couple calls, and I'll get back to ya." That's what I'm talking about.
 
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My guess is that the order was never placed. It could also be that they are waiting to do their normal order with that supplier so as to get their wholesale discount.

Many suppliers have a minimum order that they will accept from a retailer and will not process an order for a single item.

I guess the worst scenario would be that the store, during these very tough retail times, just flat out can not afford to place any order at all.

My advise would be to go back and get a refund, in this particular case, that might be just what the manager would like you to do.

I've been in retail all my life.

John

I would guess that you are right. They probably sat on it until they could get a bigger order. Who knows, maybe they are still sitting on it. Anyway, it is less of a big deal, because I went down to DesMoines last night, not looking for anything in particular, and found the same shirt down at Dunhams, so I bought one there. The only reason I wanted another one is so that I don't have to wash my workout clothes every night. Now when the one on order shows up, I'll have three. I'll be workout shirt rich.
 
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