Emibub
PFG, Picture Framing God
I have an interesting situation with a particular distributor. I want to support them, they are small. They carry a couple of cool lines that I am interested in, and seem to have good prices. Recently I made a decision to order more from them and even gave them more space on my wall. I haven't even ordered I'd say more than six or seven frames from them. Well, out of those 6 or 7 orders I have encountered 4, count them 4 out of stocks. This is not good.
Today as I got a call saying the one frame I had ordered is out of stock, I voiced my dismay. I want to work with these people. I was told as nicely as possible that it is as slow for them as it is for me. He pretty much told me that they are hurting as badly as the retailers are. I guess they are trying to fine tune what they have on hand so they aren't carrying unneeded inventory. That must be a very hard thing to tell a customer. It gave me perspective that I am not the only one hurting out there.
My dilemma is how do I continue to support them? As a little guy I know how important it is to support the other little guy. This whole thing feeds on itself. They don't have the stock because I don't have the customers, and when I do have the customers if I can't get the stock I run the chance of upsetting my customers because I have to delay their purchase. This could end up affecting my business. I just had one that took an extra three weeks to get in because something happened somewhere in the shipping process and we all looked like idiots. My customer was eventually pleased but I can't help but think she is always going to remember her first experience with me took forever. Even though I kept her informed every step of the way for the most part nobody knew where her frame was and when it would get here. It was an illuminating example of what happens when you are probably delaying ordering.
I realize I can just call to check availability from here on out. But I'm thinking it is a pain to do that. My first instinct is to take the stuff off the wall and make room for something else, but then that furthers the distributors difficulties. It would be so much easier if they weren't nice people. Plus it is just a sign of the times too..........if business is down for us it will be for them too.
What to do.....what to do..........
[ 07-21-2003, 08:16 PM: Message edited by: Emibub ]
Today as I got a call saying the one frame I had ordered is out of stock, I voiced my dismay. I want to work with these people. I was told as nicely as possible that it is as slow for them as it is for me. He pretty much told me that they are hurting as badly as the retailers are. I guess they are trying to fine tune what they have on hand so they aren't carrying unneeded inventory. That must be a very hard thing to tell a customer. It gave me perspective that I am not the only one hurting out there.
My dilemma is how do I continue to support them? As a little guy I know how important it is to support the other little guy. This whole thing feeds on itself. They don't have the stock because I don't have the customers, and when I do have the customers if I can't get the stock I run the chance of upsetting my customers because I have to delay their purchase. This could end up affecting my business. I just had one that took an extra three weeks to get in because something happened somewhere in the shipping process and we all looked like idiots. My customer was eventually pleased but I can't help but think she is always going to remember her first experience with me took forever. Even though I kept her informed every step of the way for the most part nobody knew where her frame was and when it would get here. It was an illuminating example of what happens when you are probably delaying ordering.
I realize I can just call to check availability from here on out. But I'm thinking it is a pain to do that. My first instinct is to take the stuff off the wall and make room for something else, but then that furthers the distributors difficulties. It would be so much easier if they weren't nice people. Plus it is just a sign of the times too..........if business is down for us it will be for them too.
What to do.....what to do..........
[ 07-21-2003, 08:16 PM: Message edited by: Emibub ]