Google| Subject | Re: Calumet files Chapter 7 |
| From | PeterN |
| Date | 03/15/2014 21:22 (03/15/2014 16:22) |
| Message-ID | <lg2cmn0v6o@news3.newsguy.com> |
| Client | |
| Newsgroups | rec.photo.digital |
| Follows | Scott Schuckert |
On 3/14/2014 9:21 PM, Scott Schuckert wrote:
Scott SchuckertI patronize the local family owned hardware store. there prices are a bit higher than Home Depot, but the service is great. I go in, get what I need am an out in a few minutes. When I first moved into the area,forty years ago, I did not know what size I needed of something. The owner, gave me the part in two sizes, and said bring back the size that doesn't fit, and pay me when you come back. Today, I can still but one or two screws or bolts, and they will take my old one and figure out the size I need. I pay several hundred dollars a year more for our meds, because I think it's important to keep the small pharmacy in business. And they too give me service. OTOH I know where you are coming from. A friend of mine owned a shoe store, and people would come in for a fitting, then purchase the shoes on the Internet.
In article <CF48ED6D.A8DDB%ghost_topper@hotmail.com>, George Kerby <ghost_topper@hotmail.com>wrote:George KerbyScott Schuckert
THAT is EXACTLY what people would do to me when I was a store manager for a local mom n pop store here. Even though, Nikon, Olympus and Canon would give us deals and quantity breaks in wholesale to us, folks would come in and waste hours of my and my staff's time and then leave and buy from B&H or some other mail order outfit back in the late 70's.
Me too, with three stores that survived into the mid-80's. We had a used department, we had a public darkroom, we had rentals, we had a DIY mounting and framing area, we had a gallery, we had contests, we had free training, we had free friggin COFFEE - but at the end of the day, people basically sucked it up and bought from the big New York stores.
Then of course they'd bring their new toy in for help or in-warranty repairs; at that point, the pretense was off, so they'd whip out a copy of Shutterbug before they buy so much as a filter.
(Gee, bitter much, 30 years after I went out of business...?)
The worst part was, the not-customers usually weren't really being mean or selfish - for the most part, it never occurred to them I had rent and salaries to meet: "Geez, Fred, it was seventeen damn dollars! I'm always here for you, and you don't even give me a chance!?"
Then you'd get the blank look, and explain to them about profit and loss: "Doesn't Nikon pay you to demonstrate their stuff?"
RE: camera stores, With one exception, our local stores match Internet pricing, and give good service. I leave it to PAS to say which one doesn't.
-- PeterN
03/13/2014-
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