>From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Sat Jan 04 09:37:52 1997 Date: Sat, 4 Jan 97 14:35:51 UT From: "MIKE JONES" Subject: RE: Triad End of Year Hardliners, Our comptroller checked with three different Advice Line technicians to make sure our End-of-Year ran properly, that we were set up right, etc, etc. Guess what? It ran EOY but didn't run End of Month! That meant no finance charges were added to accounts and other problems. Oy vay! Did anyone else have any problems on End-of-Year? Mike Jones Hardware_Man@msn.com Arcola True Value >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Sun Jan 05 18:05:33 1997 Date: 05 Jan 97 18:04:19 EST From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@CompuServe.COM> Subject: The Warehouse War, Continued. Dear Folks, The orange angel of death fluttered briefly by my doorway, then flew off to settle at an alternate site just outside my market area. Now some other big joint can take the recently-rejected site and create traffic problems as people scramble to buy cut-rate matresses, partical board furniture, 40lb boxes of cornflakes, etc. Caldor, a Northeast regional discount operation is just down the road with a 50 or 60k squ. ft. store is not doing well company-wide. The bankruptcy courts may do something drastic, and open up a store for a healthier and more troublesome competitor. Is there no end to this? While all the warehouse outfits are indeed battling one another in a state of total warfare where wounded and non-combatants alike are summarily executed, my dispatch comes not from the greater retailing battlefield but from the front of my own personal war, the war with my warehouse. Some of you may know that I do not like my 2nd floor warehouse. It is a sump which catches cash fed by full-case pack requirements, relay orders, unreasonable or improper direct ships, bad weather, and off-the-mark buying decisions. I've never had a good way to utilize the warehouse , which should work as hard or harder than the salesfloor space. Inventory came out fairly well this year. The inventory service was shocked at the decrease in inventory value in the store warehouse. Here are a few things we've done which may have had some impact: 1. Two orders per week. We really leaned on the warehouse. 2. Less relay and DS buyiing (yes, margin has DECREASED, but turns have improved and CASH FLOW has improved dramatically. 3. Have used IST hand-held in the following ways: a. Used the physical inventory funtion to count UPSTR warehouse merchandise with a location of UPSTR then sent the count sheets out to the sales floor to count... and fill... the displays. b. Used the same function to do quick and easy PICK LISTS(!) for the sales floor. I shot barcodes and entered the quantity needed for the shelf using the location PICK. The uploaded physical inventory file went up to the Triad. I ran an RPI for the PICK location and used this to pick items from the warehouse. I then deleted the records from PIP without updating via RPI. Quick. No lengthy downloads: Grab the gun, do the work, hand the paper over to someone else. Downside: RPI is not a friendly report. It lacks part numbers and other key inventory figures. RQ is no help, either, as the fields in the physical inventory data dictionary are limited. Who would forget to put a sku description field in an inventory function? 4. Pulled lots of stuff out of boxes. It's amazing how staff members can find things when the labels are visable. 5. Did appropriate seasonal markdowns before the seasons ended. 6. Did lots of work in the warehouse myself while my own duties I neglected. I can't win. Someday I'll get this all figured out. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware Stoneham, Massachusetts.... The great state where public employees are commonly though of as walruses or elephants; The just feed off the body politic and wallow around.... >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 09 09:24:23 1997 Comments: Authenticated sender is From: "Mark W. Bates" Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 08:22:17 +0000 Subject: Accounts Payable Checks, Grand Opening Priority: normal I'm currently doing one large check run before the 10th of the month on the Triad. The rest of the month I print checks on a PC based check writing program on a laser printer(much easier than changing out pin fed checks). Check writing is much easier on the PC, but you have to load your check run numbers on the Triad. I am contemplating doing all my checks on the PC, but will miss passing off on 80 checks. Anybody switched from writing checks on the Triad-- regrets? I am laying out a Grand Opening circular for my new 14,000 sq ft store(Grand Opening date-April 11-13). Any suggestions on items I must include in my circular to create a competitive image for my new store. Thanks for the info on the RDS. It helps to read all of the tip. I didn't read far enough and left off the 99/99/99 in the date field the first day. My bookkeeper went crazy. Wade, thanks for the info on the RQ procedure. Mark W. Bates, President, Bell & Bates, Inc.,13 North Madison St., PO Box 205 Quincy, FL 32353-0205 e-mail:mwbates@gcn.scri.fsu.edu Voice:904-627-6215 Fax: 904-875-1288 URL: http://gcn.scri.fsu.edu/~mwbates/b&bates.html >From owner-Hardlines@cornells.com Wed Jan 08 19:19:49 1997 Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 19:19:36 -0500 (EST) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Catalog, Advice Line, ETC Hi: Why is everybody so Quiet?? Not trying to make a TRIAD salepitch, but, if you have not yet gotten the Cotter Catalog (True Value Dealers), you are missing out. Since my cashiers have learned how to use the CAT, there are less calls for PRICE CHECKS and customers requests are being answered faster by the SalesForce. I quess you can say the MicroFiche is almost dead --the only savior of the Fiche is Pictures. Except, the CIS program is better for that, but not all through the store. Problem -- The CAT can slow the system down in the search mode. Advice Line -- great -- why can't TRIAD create a "Hot Line" for emergencies and not advice!!!!!! Tried the Quick Assist --22 minutes gave up went into the normal mode under Priority 1 - 1.5 later gave up --found the reason why my hard drive was running for 2 hours straight (lucky no crash!!!). CAT searches do not show up as a hard drive activator but if a CAT is bugged it will continue to search until the Terminal is Quitted. Have Fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value P.S. Hope you checked your year's Advertising Bills -->the charges are interesting and expensive. I found 3 wrongbillings. Cotter Credit called me, never Advertising -- oh well. >From owner-Hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 09 11:38:11 1997 Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 10:38:03 -0600 (CST) X-Sender: myxtsea@gulf.net From: Dana Whitton Subject: Re: Catalog, Advice Line, ETC Only 22 minutes on Triad quick assist?... you did get quick service Our average has been 40-45min and we found out a month or 2 ago that we get charged $35.00 per call to quick assist. Did you know that? At 07:19 PM 1/8/97 -0500, you wrote: >Hi: >Why is everybody so Quiet?? > >Not trying to make a TRIAD salepitch, but, if you have not yet gotten the >Cotter Catalog (True Value Dealers), you are missing out. Since my cashiers >have learned how to use the CAT, there are less calls for PRICE CHECKS and >customers requests are being answered faster by the SalesForce. I quess you >can say the MicroFiche is almost dead --the only savior of the Fiche is >Pictures. Except, the CIS program is better for that, but not all through >the store. >Problem -- The CAT can slow the system down in the search mode. > >Advice Line -- great -- why can't TRIAD create a "Hot Line" for >emergencies and not advice!!!!!! Tried the Quick Assist --22 minutes > gave up went into the normal mode under Priority 1 - 1.5 later gave up > --found the reason why my hard drive was running for 2 hours straight > (lucky no crash!!!). CAT searches do not show up as a hard drive activator >but if a CAT is bugged it will continue to search until the Terminal is >Quitted. > > >Have Fun > >Rick Schwartz >Schwartz True Value > > >P.S. Hope you checked your year's Advertising Bills -->the charges are >interesting and expensive. I found 3 wrongbillings. Cotter Credit called >me, never Advertising -- oh well. > > >*************************************************************** > Hardlines Mailing List is an unmoderated Internet mailing list > for hardware and building materials industry members. > > Address articles you wish to send to list members to: > > hardlines@cornells.com > > To remove your name from the mailing list, send email to > listserv@cornells.com with the following line in your message: > > unsubscribe hardlines firstname lastname > > For any other questions, send email to postmaster@cornells.com >*************************************************************** > > >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 09 11:46:18 1997 Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 10:46:11 -0600 (CST) X-Sender: myxtsea@gulf.net From: Dana Whitton Subject: True Value Mastecard Purchasing Card Is anyone else living the nightmare created by the declining of old True Value charge cards. Many customers did not understand the letters sent out and thought they were being solicited for an additional card. They didn't want 2 True Value accounts so they threw the letters away. Now even though the old cards show expiration dates in 1998 and 1999 they are being declined. I am loosing sales and having to open house accounts without proper paperwork in order to keep long time customers happy. Anybody know who's bright idea it was to change these accounts? I'd like to give them a piece of my mind! >From owner-Hardlines@cornells.com Sat Jan 11 11:11:22 1997 Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 11:10:56 -0500 (EST) From: CHank1@aol.com Subject: no mail I think that I may have been dropped from the mailing list since it has been about 3 months since receiving any mail. Please add CHank1@aol.com Thanks, Chuck Hank >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Mon Jan 13 10:45:39 1997 Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 10:45:36 -0500 (EST) From: RDMS1@aol.com Subject: Self introduction - Mark Elmer - Retail Data Mgmt Svcs, Inc. I would like to introduce myself to all Hardlines subscribers, I am Mark Elmer, President of Retail Data Management Services, Inc. (RDMS). I am joining the Hardlines group via Cornell's because I feel that I can be of help to you. With over 15 years of experience in the Hardlines industry (10 with Triad, 5 as independent Consultants) RDMS has always been committed to so lving the clients issues. RDMS specializes in the implementation of business application (Accounting, Point of Sale, Inventory, Purchasing) and General Ledger intergration. If you don't get what you feel is a proper solution to your system question(s) call RDMS at 561.439.2766 or E-mail at RDMS1@aol.com Visit our website at http://members.aol.com/rdms1/RDMS.htm "We know how to make your system work for you" >From owner-Hardlines@cornells.com Tue Jan 14 09:26:26 1997 X-Sender: "John Fix 3rd" Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 09:26:28 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Re: no mail At 11:10 AM 1/11/97 -0500, you wrote: >I think that I may have been dropped from the mailing list since it has been >about 3 months since receiving any mail. Please add CHank1@aol.com >Thanks, Chuck Hank You're still on the list... but AOL seeems to bounce a few users each time a message goes out. It mightbe something related to a "spam" filter, but when hardlines messages go to AOL folks I see a lot come back. You might see if AOL is doing something weird to stuff from Hardlines. John ********************************** Via John's new notebook computer, somewhere in the Lone Star State ********************************** >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 16 03:24:07 1997 Date: Thu, 16 Jan 1997 03:24:05 -0500 (EST) From: Rlbeard@aol.com Subject: AP to GL Passoff Are there any Triad customers out there using the Accounts Payable to General Ledger passoff? We at FISCO Farm and Home Stores are using the AP to GL Passoff, and have run in to some problems. We started looking to see if other Triad customers use this product, and we haven't had any luck finding anyone. Thanks... --Roger >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 16 08:41:37 1997 X-Sender: "John Fix 3rd" Date: Thu, 16 Jan 1997 08:41:32 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Re: True Value Mastecard Purchasing Card At 10:46 AM 1/9/97 -0600, Dana Whitton wrote: >Is anyone else living the nightmare created by the declining of old True >Value charge cards. Many customers did not understand the letters sent out >and thought they were being solicited for an additional card. They didn't >want 2 True Value accounts so they threw the letters away. Now even though >the old cards show expiration dates in 1998 and 1999 they are being >declined. We had a few customers who were confused, but overall I think the transition was a success. I was always unhappy with the private card for two reasons... 1: Not very popular with my customers - I'd guess we had 100-200 customers who had TV cards, and we would get about seven transaction per week. 2: Not supported by other processors - Face it, the MAPP network stinks, but in order to accept the TV card you nhad to process it through MAPP. Cotter should have done a branded Visa/MasterCard right from the start, so members could process the card through their current credit card provider.Now I'm back with NDC, since I don't have a TV card showing up every other day for a $10 sale. John ********************************** Via John's notebook computer, somewhere on the road in America. ********************************** >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 16 16:47:31 1997 Date: Thu, 16 Jan 1997 16:47:22 -0500 (EST) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: 1997 EDCON Hi: A note about the 1997 EDCON. It was great seeing all the TRIAD and Cotter Key people. Also, the many discussions about TRIAD and Cotter were great. Unlike the regional meetings, I hope all the comments have reached the respective homes. Now where was all the other Dealers?? True some will argue the expense, but how does one measure knowledge. (Then again --TRIAD hinted ugh they maybe testing our knowledge! Comments?) Oh well. Back to cleaning up the mess created and the mess EDCON presents. Have fun. Rick Schwartz True Value >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 16 22:47:01 1997 Date: Fri, 17 Jan 97 03:44:57 UT From: "MIKE JONES" Subject: RE: TRIAD BACKUPS - REDUX GREETINGS FROM THE FROZEN PRAIRIE, THURSDAY JAN 16 WIND CHILL IS RIGHT NOW -38 DEGREES. SOME MONTHS AGO I WROTE CONCERNING OUR BACKUP PROBLEMS WITH TRIAD. WE FINALLY GOT THOSE CLEARED UP AND RAN FINE FOR 6 - 8 MONTHS. THE OTHER DAY THE BOOT LOG SHOWED THAT "BACKUP DID NOT COMPLETE SUCCESSFULLY" WHEN THE FE GOT TO LOOKING, WE HADN'T HAD A GOOD BACK UP ACCORDING TO "MBC" FOR A WEEK, EVEN THOUGH THE BOOT LOG NEVER INDICATED A PROBLEM. HE REPLACED THE TAPE DRIVE (AGAIN) BUT WE STILL CANNOT GET AN AUTOMATED BACKUP. TONIGHT I AM RUNNING ONE MANUALLY. THEREFORE, WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A COMPANY WHO CAN PROVIDE US WITH A SYSTEM THAT WILL WORK SO WE CAN SELL HARDWARE, INSTEAD OF BEING COMPUTER OPERATORS. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM SOME OF YOU DIMENSIONS USERS ABOUT HOW YOUR SYSTEM IS WORKING. HEY, JOHN. SAW YOUR NAME IN MEMBERS MAG. GOOD ARTICLE. FROZEN MIKE JONES ARCOLA TRUE VALUE HARDWARE_MAN@MSN.COM PS FOR ANYONE ON MSN: THE "NEW MSN" IS A QUANTUM LEAP BACKWARDS. IT IS THE SLOWEST SYSTEM I HAVE EVER SEEN. >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Fri Jan 17 09:43:29 1997 X-Sender: "John Fix 3rd" Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 09:40:53 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: RE: TRIAD BACKUPS - REDUX At 03:44 AM 1/17/97 UT, Mike Jones wrote: > > THEREFORE, WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A COMPANY WHO CAN PROVIDE US WITH A >SYSTEM THAT WILL WORK SO WE CAN SELL HARDWARE, INSTEAD OF BEING COMPUTER >OPERATORS. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM SOME OF YOU DIMENSIONS USERS ABOUT HOW >YOUR SYSTEM IS WORKING. > Mike, It still sounds like you're problems are the exception rather than the rule. One of the best things I've found with the Triad system is that we are never down, and it runs with little or no intervention. We've had the system since 1982 (DX-10 and now Eagle), and I'd estimate we've been down a total of three days over the course of fourteen years. Based on my experience with systems, I'd say that's a very reliable record. Have you gone to other folks at Triad (possibly Bruce Jones who heads up support) with your backup problems? >PS FOR ANYONE ON MSN: THE "NEW MSN" IS A QUANTUM LEAP BACKWARDS. IT IS THE >SLOWEST SYSTEM I HAVE EVER SEEN. Agreed... you really need a fast line (I use ISDN from home) and a fast machine, otherwise it crawls. John >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Fri Jan 17 10:07:54 1997 From: Scott Ellenson Subject: Used Triad Equipment Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 08:05:06 -0700 Hardlines Group: I have another POS (quicksale) station available. 1 NCR (short) slip printer 1 cash drawer w/pack board 1 terminal * Price is $350 * This is from a DX-10 and was on support up until recently. Call Dave Renstrom 612-780-6996 Thanks Scott Ellenson sellenson@dimen.com >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Sat Jan 18 13:42:28 1997 Return-Path: truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 13:42:16 -0500 From: truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27414 HA>Subject: RE: TRIAD BACKUPS - REDUX HA>At 03:44 AM 1/17/97 UT, Mike Jones wrote: HA>> HA>> THEREFORE, WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A COMPANY WHO CAN PROVIDE US WI HA>>SYSTEM THAT WILL WORK SO WE CAN SELL HARDWARE, INSTEAD OF BEING COMPUTER HA>>OPERATORS. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM SOME OF YOU DIMENSIONS USERS ABOUT HO HA>>YOUR SYSTEM IS WORKING. HA>> HA>Mike, HA>It still sounds like you're problems are the exception rather than the HA>rule. One of the best things I've found with the Triad system is that we HA>are never down, and it runs with little or no intervention. We've had the HA>system since 1982 (DX-10 and now Eagle), and I'd estimate we've been down a HA>total of three days over the course of fourteen years. Based on my HA>experience with systems, I'd say that's a very reliable record. Hi Mike, I'm going to agree with John on this one. Although in place only 5.5 years, my system (DX10 & Eagle) have similarly excellent reliability records. I'm sure you've already been through this, but in the "been there, got that T-shirt" department. Clean the heads of the tape drive on a simi-regular basis. Be sure that the tapes are labeled correctly. (both exterior stickers and computer format labels) Be sure that whoever is inserting that day's tape knows how to find out which one to use. If one particular tape is giving problems try re tensioning and/or re- labeling the tape. If that doesn't work replace the tape. They tend to have a few year life. Sorry if this is all repeat stuff for you. Good luck. Paul Poirier Park Ave. True Value Hardware Inc. Worcester MA truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us http://chamber.worcester.ma.us/truevalue >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Sat Jan 18 20:30:24 1997 Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 19:29:13 -0600 From: Wayne B Youngblood Organization: Youngblood's True Value Subject: A/P Passoff Roger: We at Youngblood's True Value use the A/P passoff to G/L. We are generally happy with this passoff feature although I think there are too many steps, and data is never updated until posting reports are done. That's the same problems I have with all the G/L, A/P, and A/R Triad packages. For sevreal months now, I've been intending to start passing off departmental sales and cost of sales, but have been dreading the work setting up the accounts and constants. I would be interesting in hearing of anyone's thoughts on that. For the past two year-ends, I have promised myself that I was dropping G/L and A/P and going to Quick Books (by Intuit) on a PC, but I always back out at the last minute when I consider the conversion problems. Also, QuickBooks' only disadvantage stems from it's biggest advantage: It's so easy to obtain instant answers, balances, and financial statements that a part-timer can get a better view of confidential data in 30 seconds with QuickBooks than our CPAs can get in 6 months with TRIAD. Also, 2 or 3 months of Traid's SSA charges would pay for the entire cost of off-the-shelf software. Triad's Inventory System has been the Cadillac for 10 or 15 years, but I'm beginning to see the limitations the operating system has on the software, and the GL, AP, and AR systems have generally been inferior for 5 - 10 years in my opinion. Hopefully, they are making rapid plans to transfer their vast body of knowledge about our industry to current operating systems. Wayne B Youngblood Youngblood's True Value Mayfield, KY youngblood@apex.net >From owner-Hardlines@cornells.com Mon Jan 20 21:56:51 1997 Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 21:56:35 -0500 (EST) From: CHank1@aol.com Subject: scanning from LOD / IMU. I was thinking there was a key sequence where when you are in LOD / IMU that you could press something like the query and then scan a upc code. (that is if a scanner is hooked up). But I don't seem to get it right or remember the key sequence or the keys. Anyone happen to know this. I know you can manually type in a UPC and press PRINT / UPC but that is not what I am asking about. Thanks, Chuck Hank. >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Tue Jan 21 01:02:23 1997 Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 01:02:20 -0500 (EST) From: Rlbeard@aol.com Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27414 In a message dated 97-01-18 00:09:18 EST, John writes: << Mike, It still sounds like you're problems are the exception rather than the rule. One of the best things I've found with the Triad system is that we are never down, and it runs with little or no intervention. We've had the system since 1982 (DX-10 and now Eagle), and I'd estimate we've been down a total of three days over the course of fourteen years. Based on my experience with systems, I'd say that's a very reliable record. >> Hello John, Boy, I wish we had the reliablility your Triad system has shown! We've been having nothing but problems for about 3 1/2 months running now. Triad doesn't seem to have a clue as to what the problem is, or rather, how to fix it. They know the problem lies in the communication subsystem, but they aren't sure exactly what the problem is. What we experience is EXTREME system slowness. And I do mean EXTREME - from the input side. Meaning, when the system goes in to one of it's fits, you can't type worth beans. You can hit any given key about 20 to 50 times before it finally excepts the character - so you can guess that going in to OSPREY (and counting the number of steps the cursor moves for the password) is quite a chore. We then do option 16 to reboot - and the systems comes back up and usually starts working correctly again. We've got a meeting scheduled this Friday night with the Triad guru's again - as I will duplicate the problem for them and watch them scratch their heads whilst they try and figure it out. :-) Just one jealous Triad user to a contented one... :-) :-) --Roger >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Tue Jan 21 11:03:25 1997 From: "Wade Doss" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27416 Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 11:04:04 -0500 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal ---------- > From: hardlines-request@cornells.com > To: Hardlines > Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27416 > Date: Monday, January 20, 1997 7:04 PM > > hardlines Digest Tue, 21 Jan 1997 00:04:11 Eastern Standard Time V01 #27416 > > Today's topics: > 'scanning from LOD / IMU.' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 21:56:35 -0500 (EST) > From: CHank1@aol.com > Subject: scanning from LOD / IMU. > > > I was thinking there was a key sequence where when you are in LOD / IMU that > you could press something like the query and then scan a upc code. (that is > if a scanner is hooked up). But I don't seem to get it right or remember the > key sequence or the keys. Anyone happen to know this. I know you can > manually type in a UPC and press PRINT / UPC but that is not what I am asking > about. Thanks, Chuck Hank. > Chuck, You might be confusing that with the MUPC function press query and the scan the upc into the upc file. A quick way to load upc's be hand. Wade Doss batesace@acehardware.com >From owner-Hardlines@cornells.com Tue Jan 21 11:39:20 1997 X-Sender: "John Fix 3rd" Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 11:39:04 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Re: scanning from LOD / IMU. At 09:56 PM 1/20/97 -0500, Chuck Hank wrote: >I was thinking there was a key sequence where when you are in LOD / IMU that >you could press something like the query and then scan a upc code. (that is >if a scanner is hooked up). But I don't seem to get it right or remember the >key sequence or the keys. Anyone happen to know this. I know you can >manually type in a UPC and press PRINT / UPC but that is not what I am asking >about. Perhaps you're thinking of the NO SALE key in IMU/LOD? That brings up a UPC display window where you can scan a UPC by pressing QUERY. This feature is on Level 17 and up. It's a lot more user friendly than MUPC, and shows more info about the UPC. John >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 23 07:30:17 1997 X-Sender: squangle@tiac.net (Unverified) Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 07:28:48 -0400 From: squangle@tiac.net (Scheman and Grant) Subject: Is Cotter going out of business I'm glad that Cotter has put so much energy into their advertising campaigns and development of the true value web site. It is comforting to know that all the free time that I have (since I don't have any products to sell) can be used to watch True Value TV ads and surf the Cotter site. Specifically, I find it difficult, if not impossible to own and operate a True Value store without USG compound, 2 x 4's, #12 THHN wire, and black plumbing fittings to name just a few of the products that Cotter has backordered in the last three weeks. Is anyone out there aware of impending doom ?????????????? I'll see you, my fellow store owners, at home depot, where I will be picking up merchandise to fill my shelves. >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 23 23:03:29 1997 Date: Fri, 24 Jan 97 04:00:10 UT From: "MIKE JONES" Subject: RE: Triad backup problems Hardliners: Since I last wrote about my backup problems, I have heard from a number of Triad people. (By the way, it's nice to know that Triad employees monitor Hardlines. Greetings to all of you) The very able and helpful Luke Gallagher phoned me last Monday, I had a Salesman stop by on Tuesday (he had copies of all my Hardlines correspondence - welcome to the internet and the 90's), our very capable Field Engineer, Shawn Ward, stopped by on Wednesday with a Triad computer Wizard. And I had a follow-up call Wednesday night. All were affable, helpful, concerned, professional people. The one thing Triad does well is hire very good people. The employees of Triad have never been our problem. They are usually very helpful and very good. Shawn replaced our tape drive ( the second replacement in ten days, and about the fourth in nine months) and we finally began getting good backups again. This is the problem: Why does it normally take two or three tries to get a good piece of equipment? Even the Wizard agreed that a component that won't work on our unit, may work fine on the test bench! Maybe we're the only ones experiencing problems like this, but it does not seem like the best bargain for us and I hope that the Triad Powers-That-Be will take my whining with a grain of salt and seriously look at the problems we are having. I believe we have some real concerns about the hardware and the software platform. So my note on Hardlines has done some good - I've gotten Triad's attention and my problem was solved for now, but how long will this component last? Thanks to all of you, from Triad and from the Dimensions users, who responded. I appreciate hearing from you and you've been very helpful. If I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to contact me. Mike Jones Arcola True Value Hardware_Man@msn.com >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Fri Jan 24 10:41:32 1997 Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 09:40:26 -0500 From: Gary Schwake Organization: Zettler True Value Stores Subject: Corian/WilsonArt Wholesale Supply I have a long distance customer in North Carolina who is looking for a wholesale supplier of sheets of Corian and/or WilsonArt. Thicknesses range from 1/8" to 1/2". Length and width are not as important. We have tried contacting both manufacturers, but haven't received much help. Any Ideas? -- Gary Schwake Zettler True Value Stores Director - Store Operations >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Fri Jan 24 10:20:35 1997 From: "True Value" Subject: fractional QOH report Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 09:19:31 -0600 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal Hi Group! Somewhere in the last month I saw or heard about someone using RQ (request) on Triad to pull all fractional QOH, such as 1.65 or 19.40, etc. Except for some unusal reasons, these are normally problems and needs corrected. I just can't figure out how to pull only these items. If someone is doing this or can figure out how, let me know. Thanks! David Casaletto True Value Home Center Pittsburg, KS 66762 P.S. I don't think Cotter is going out of business, but I do agree with this: Cotter needs to spend more time helping us sell products (and having them in the warehouse would be a big help!). Some of these fancy ad schemes are no help at all-we just need to get back to the basics. >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Fri Jan 24 13:47:58 1997 From: "Jason Federspiel" Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 13:47:49 -0500 Subject: Sending the RSO to Cotter Does anyone have any advice on the procedure for sending the RSO to Cotter. How do you prepare your orders, have you had many problems with incorrect F-packs, etc. We've been using using Triad for over 10 Years and finally feel that we can start sending parts of the RSO over the phone to Cotter. Thus, eliminating the need to input the order into a Telxon machine. If anyone out there is currently doing this, I would appreciate any suggestions you could offer up. Thanks. Jason Federspiel Maxfield's True Value Pittsfield, N.H. Phone: 603-435-8008 email: Maxfieldtv@aol.com >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Fri Jan 24 14:12:38 1997 X-Sender: "John Fix 3rd" Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 14:11:59 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Re: Sending the RSO to Cotter At 01:47 PM 1/24/97 -0500, Jason Federspiel wrote: > > Does anyone have any advice on the procedure for sending the RSO to >Cotter. How do you prepare your orders, have you had many problems with >incorrect F-packs, etc. We've been using using Triad for over 10 Years and >finally feel that we can start sending parts of the RSO over the phone to >Cotter. Thus, eliminating the need to input the order into a Telxon machine. > We use the New Order Quantity field to create our weekly Cotter order. The procedure is to run your RSO for vendor COT. Look over the RSO, and items which you need to order get entered in IMU (S) in the New Order Quantity (NOQ) field. On the morning when the Cotter order is due, run another RSO, option "F", with select option S (I usually run it to the spooler). This will create a Cotter PO, and select all the items you've entered a NOQ for. You can check your PO total, and still delete or change lines via MPO or from IMU using the DISC key and multiview. The beauty of creating your order via IMU and NOQ is that you can view sales history, see QOO, update the retail price (if you send Retails to Cotter), etc. When you are real comfortable with the suggested order quantities that come up on your RSO, you can actually have RSO enter the NOQ (option E in "other"). That way you can just change or delete the NOQ's you want to adjust. It's a little more "dangerous" (you sometimes wind up with a snowthrower that you didn't really want to order), but also a lot faster. Bill Round wrote up an excellent electronic want card procedure that covers a lot of these details. If he doesn't have an up-to-date version on file, I can post his original document to the list. In the meantime, I put his document up on our web server at http://www.cornells.com/hardlines/wantcard.htm Check it out... John PS - Look for other past Hardgoods Confidential articles from the newsletter to be posted online at http://www.cornells.com/hardlines/ >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Sat Jan 25 19:52:22 1997 Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 19:52:21 -0500 (EST) From: JKSpaur@aol.com Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27418 Sounds like Cotter should spend some money on inventory instead of conversion costs. I hope the members of both companies take a deep breath and hang on for dear life on this ride. I would take odds this one is going to hurt long after the ink is dry !! J. Spaur Hilo,Hi. >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Sun Jan 26 17:37:03 1997 Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 16:36:54 -0600 (CST) X-Sender: myxtsea@gulf.net From: Dana Whitton Subject: Re: Sending the RSO to Cotter If you are already running an RSO with option F you are half way there. If you have been doing this for sometime then you probably already have your order multiples set in IMU so you shouldn't have much trouble with F packs. Also I forget the percentage but if you order partial quantities usually you will automatically get shipped the full f pack amount. If not the item shows up at the end of your A copy with an F/C so you can change your order multiple and reorder. The other area you need to check is items that you sell one way but order from cotter another such as bulk wire, rope, or nails. For instance we order a 50lb bx of nails and sell it by the pound so the order multiple and standard pack are set to 50 and the min.# of standard packs is set to 1. Then you must set your stocking unit to lb and your purchase unit to bx. That way when your RSO says you need to order 50lbs and you transmit to cotter it will automatically order 1 box. Sounds more complicated than it is. I got rid of Telxon a long time ago and never regretted it Good luck!!! Dana At 01:47 PM 1/24/97 -0500, you wrote: > > Does anyone have any advice on the procedure for sending the RSO to >Cotter. How do you prepare your orders, have you had many problems with >incorrect F-packs, etc. We've been using using Triad for over 10 Years and >finally feel that we can start sending parts of the RSO over the phone to >Cotter. Thus, eliminating the need to input the order into a Telxon machine. > If anyone out there is currently doing this, I would appreciate any >suggestions you could offer up. Thanks. > > >Jason Federspiel >Maxfield's True Value >Pittsfield, N.H. >Phone: 603-435-8008 >email: Maxfieldtv@aol.com >*************************************************************** > Hardlines Mailing List is an unmoderated Internet mailing list > for hardware and building materials industry members. > > Address articles you wish to send to list members to: > > hardlines@cornells.com > > To remove your name from the mailing list, send email to > listserv@cornells.com with the following line in your message: > > unsubscribe hardlines firstname lastname > > For any other questions, send email to postmaster@cornells.com >*************************************************************** > > >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Sun Jan 26 19:48:35 1997 Date: 26 Jan 97 19:46:42 EST From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@CompuServe.COM> Subject: Ferretting out fractional QOH with RQ Dear Mr. Casaletto, Steve Kirk is the official Triad Systems RQ geek who does the company's RQ work on an hourly billing basis. He has done a job or two for me which I frankly could not have done at all within any reasonable time period. In our business, who has the time to fiddle? Mr. Kirk suggested this trick to get at fractional quantities: Create a new field from QOH and select those skus where the QOH does not equal the new field. Evidently RQ thinks a QOH of 10 equals a derived field of 10, while a QOH of 10.5 does not equal a derived field of 10.5. Here is a select statement I wrote for a "catch'em soon after the act" report which runs in our store from the POS Daily Quick Recall RQ data dictionary. MOVE QTY-SELL-UNITS TO SELL-STUFF SCALE 6.0. SORT ASCENDING CLERK. SEARCH FOR QTY-STOCK-UNITS <> SELL-STUFF AND STOCKING-UM <> 'FT' AND STOCKING-UM <> 'IN' AND STOCKING-UM <> 'LB' AND STOCKING-UM <> 'YD'. The RQ procedure is qued to run every night and is brought to each cashier's attention who spaces out and sells a fractional quantity of an item which ought not to sell that way. I have trouble with cashiers selling .5 of a mop handle, for instance. The report output is actually a form which explains what happened and why it must not happen again. There is a place for the cashier to sign and the form goes into the personnel file. Conscientious cashiers seldom need more than a couple. Frequent violators are fired. The situation this report handles in our store is where a transaction line for our generic nut and bolt sku, #150, is enter in its entirety in the quantity field of a sku previously scanned into the system. So, the fractional quantity occurs when the cashier merrily scans along, then encounters a bag of nuts and bolts, fails to post the last sku scanned (which leaves the cursor flashing in the quantity field), and then types sku 150, hits ENTER, types the quantity of machine screws, hits ENTER, types the price of .05 (which introduces the fractional number), and finally hits ENTER and TOTAL. The fractional number then becomes the quantity of the last sku scanned into POS. He or she then looks directly at the sale amount due from the customer ignoring the grevious error. The cashiers in our store could sometimes get into the habit of not reviewing the screen to make sure it agreed with what was on the counter. Fractional quantities sold where they not expected are bellweathers of this sorry but common situation. Note that my RQ statement lacks an output section. That's easy enough to do up yourself, as are the mechanics of creating the report and the daily report que. But for the kids at home brewing their own, here is a quick checklist: 1. RQ: Create the procedure in RQ POS Daily Quick Recall. 2. CEQ: Create the report que to carry the report, or add it to a daily report que. 3. MQS: Create a schedule to run BEFORE your Daily POS option F report que. 4. SEQ: Match your que for this procedure with the schedule you created. 5. Get the cashiers under control. The RQ statement could be adapted to run in the INVENTORY data dictionary to scrub the inventory file of fractional quantities. Of course, the time to catch'em is soon after they occur in POS. Final Notes: My system is currently running RQ 3.0, which Triad does not yet have in general release, though I saw a training sesson offering it in the New England recently. It's slightly different that the ReQuest most people have used over the past several years. I've got to go put the kids to bed here. The time to write this up comes from my being the only person in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who is not watching the Patriots play.... or Lose? Sports hysteria has always been used by the facists to blind the citizenry to the government's less than lofty ambitions. Gosh, while I'm up here the kids have been watching network television! That's reprehensible! My wife (out for the evening) will not be pleased... Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware Stoneham, Massachusetts. >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Mon Jan 27 10:35:46 1997 From: "True Value" Subject: Re: Ferretting out fractional QOH with RQ Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 09:34:17 -0600 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal Dear Bill, Thanks for the information! I'll get to work on it. I really appreciate all the infromation you put out to this group. David Casaletto True Value Home Center Pittsburg, KS 66762 ---------- > From: WILLIAM H. ROUND <102753.622@CompuServe.COM> > To: Multiple recipients of list hardlines > Subject: Ferretting out fractional QOH with RQ > Date: Sunday, January 26, 1997 6:46 PM > >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Tue Jan 28 11:34:04 1997 Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 11:33:51 -0500 (EST) From: RMorris95@aol.com Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27418 In a message dated 97-01-24 00:35:06 EST, you write: << Specifically, I find it difficult, if not impossible to own and operate a True Value store without USG compound, 2 x 4's, #12 THHN wire, and black plumbing fittings to name just a few of the products that Cotter has backordered in the last three weeks. Is anyone out there aware of impending doom ?????????????? I'll see you, my fellow store owners, at home depot, where I will be picking up merchandise to fill my shelves. >> I don't know but I think I would be seriously talking to Ace. Trust me, I put it off too long and Cotter allowed me to just go out of business. >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Tue Jan 28 11:57:22 1997 Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 11:57:15 -0500 (EST) From: Rlbeard@aol.com Subject: Lost Sales Tracking Report on Triad Hello everyone, I've heard a rumor that one can track lost sales on a Triad Eagle system via DEF. Is anyone using this feature (should it exist, of course) of the Eagle system? I called Triad Quick Assist and they told me there was no such facility (yet the rumor persists) for tracking lost sales due to out-of-stock situations. The gentleman on the Advice Line did suggest creating an "out-of-stock" department and when someone comes in requesting, say, a hammer, and we happen to be out-of-stock, we can put that SKU in said department and then run an RQ report to pull up the lost sales. I am hoping there is a more elegant solution to this problem than the one proposed. If anyone has any information, please post my direction... --Roger >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Tue Jan 28 12:15:06 1997 X-Sender: "John Fix 3rd" Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 12:14:18 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Cotter problems? At 11:33 AM 1/28/97 -0500, RMorris95@aol.com wrote: > >I don't know but I think I would be seriously talking to Ace. Trust me, I put >it off too long and Cotter allowed me to just go out of business. > Could you elaborate on your situation? Specifically, what did Cotter not do that Ace would have done to keep you in business? My feeling is that the co-ops merely provide the tools you need to survive. Some tools are necessary, some are highly recommended, and some are a waste of money. If you can't get the tools you need to survive in your market, then you need to get the tools from someone else. This is true with computer systems as well. If the system you own is missing the tools you need, then get another system (or push for an enhancement). Overall, I'm quite pleased with Cotter's warehouse stock position... I haven't noticed excessive outs, and backup stock for the promotions has been much better than in the past. I suspect that they also have a lot of overstock on some of the promoted items, but at least they've gotten smarter and are repeating the items in a later flyer to use up existing stock (both in warehouse and in member stores). John ************************************************************************* John Fix 3rd http://www.cornells.com/john.htm John3@cornells.com (914) 961-2400 Cornell's True Value Hardware Manager/Cashier/Webmaster ************************************************************************* >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Wed Jan 29 09:27:28 1997 Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 09:27:23 -0500 (EST) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: New Trick Hi: We just found a new trick in POS (at least new to us) If you type in several lines of data and want to add a line inbetween Press [CHANGE] then [ADD] and the system prompts where you want to insert the next line in --neat for those big sales or quotes where you missed a line out of sequence. Have fun Rick Schwartz True Value >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Wed Jan 29 17:22:08 1997 X-Sender: "John Fix 3rd" Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 17:21:12 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: True Value vs Master Mechanic One aspect of the proposed Cotter - ServiStar merger that I don't like is the proposal to drop True Value labeled product in favor of the Marter Mechanic/Master Plumber/Master Whatever lines. I'm not real concerned with the fact that the lines would be in both True Value and ServiStar stores... I'm more annoyed that this will halt the recent trend towards labeling merchandise with the True Value name. Most of the private label stuff never took off in our store... consumers never seemed to identify these products with our store or True Value. I was thrilled when the antifreeze became True Value, and very pleased to see the new line of True Value power tools that Black and Decker was showing at the fall market. Same goes for the other lines, like the True Value electrical products and True Value sandpaper. Based on the meeting we attended today regarding the merger, these lines will all go back to Master Whatever. That means that we will be unable to capitalize on the True Value name that we've spent millions advertising and promoting via sports affiliations. Any thoughts? John >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 30 00:00:03 1997 Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 00:00:00 Eastern Standard Time From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Reply-To: "Hardlines" Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27424 To: "Hardlines" hardlines Digest Thu, 30 Jan 1997 00:00:00 Eastern Standard Time V01 #27424 Today's topics: 'New Trick ' 'True Value vs Master Mechanic' 'Re: True Value vs Master Mechanic' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 09:27:23 -0500 (EST) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: New Trick Hi: We just found a new trick in POS (at least new to us) If you type in several lines of data and want to add a line inbetween Press [CHANGE] then [ADD] and the system prompts where you want to insert the next line in --neat for those big sales or quotes where you missed a line out of sequence. Have fun Rick Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 17:21:12 -0500 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: True Value vs Master Mechanic One aspect of the proposed Cotter - ServiStar merger that I don't like is the proposal to drop True Value labeled product in favor of the Marter Mechanic/Master Plumber/Master Whatever lines. I'm not real concerned with the fact that the lines would be in both True Value and ServiStar stores... I'm more annoyed that this will halt the recent trend towards labeling merchandise with the True Value name. Most of the private label stuff never took off in our store... consumers never seemed to identify these products with our store or True Value. I was thrilled when the antifreeze became True Value, and very pleased to see the new line of True Value power tools that Black and Decker was showing at the fall market. Same goes for the other lines, like the True Value electrical products and True Value sandpaper. Based on the meeting we attended today regarding the merger, these lines will all go back to Master Whatever. That means that we will be unable to capitalize on the True Value name that we've spent millions advertising and promoting via sports affiliations. Any thoughts? John ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 20:50:08 -0600 (CST) From: Dana Whitton Subject: Re: True Value vs Master Mechanic I agree Master Mechanic has never been a good line for us but at christmas the new True Value power tools sold well. We need to keep our name recognition. True Value is a trusted name in our communities but Master whatever is just another knockoff. At 05:21 PM 1/29/97 -0500, you wrote: >One aspect of the proposed Cotter - ServiStar merger that I don't like is >the proposal to drop True Value labeled product in favor of the Marter >Mechanic/Master Plumber/Master Whatever lines. I'm not real concerned with >the fact that the lines would be in both True Value and ServiStar stores... >I'm more annoyed that this will halt the recent trend towards labeling >merchandise with the True Value name. > >Most of the private label stuff never took off in our store... consumers >never seemed to identify these products with our store or True Value. I >was thrilled when the antifreeze became True Value, and very pleased to see >the new line of True Value power tools that Black and Decker was showing at >the fall market. Same goes for the other lines, like the True Value >electrical products and True Value sandpaper. > >Based on the meeting we attended today regarding the merger, these lines >will all go back to Master Whatever. That means that we will be unable to >capitalize on the True Value name that we've spent millions advertising and >promoting via sports affiliations. > >Any thoughts? > >John > >*************************************************************** > Hardlines Mailing List is an unmoderated Internet mailing list > for hardware and building materials industry members. > > Address articles you wish to send to list members to: > > hardlines@cornells.com > > To remove your name from the mailing list, send email to > listserv@cornells.com with the following line in your message: > > unsubscribe hardlines firstname lastname > > For any other questions, send email to postmaster@cornells.com >*************************************************************** > > ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27424 ********************************** >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Wed Jan 29 21:50:24 1997 Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 20:50:08 -0600 (CST) X-Sender: myxtsea@gulf.net From: Dana Whitton Subject: Re: True Value vs Master Mechanic I agree Master Mechanic has never been a good line for us but at christmas the new True Value power tools sold well. We need to keep our name recognition. True Value is a trusted name in our communities but Master whatever is just another knockoff. At 05:21 PM 1/29/97 -0500, you wrote: >One aspect of the proposed Cotter - ServiStar merger that I don't like is >the proposal to drop True Value labeled product in favor of the Marter >Mechanic/Master Plumber/Master Whatever lines. I'm not real concerned with >the fact that the lines would be in both True Value and ServiStar stores... >I'm more annoyed that this will halt the recent trend towards labeling >merchandise with the True Value name. > >Most of the private label stuff never took off in our store... consumers >never seemed to identify these products with our store or True Value. I >was thrilled when the antifreeze became True Value, and very pleased to see >the new line of True Value power tools that Black and Decker was showing at >the fall market. Same goes for the other lines, like the True Value >electrical products and True Value sandpaper. > >Based on the meeting we attended today regarding the merger, these lines >will all go back to Master Whatever. That means that we will be unable to >capitalize on the True Value name that we've spent millions advertising and >promoting via sports affiliations. > >Any thoughts? > >John > >*************************************************************** > Hardlines Mailing List is an unmoderated Internet mailing list > for hardware and building materials industry members. > > Address articles you wish to send to list members to: > > hardlines@cornells.com > > To remove your name from the mailing list, send email to > listserv@cornells.com with the following line in your message: > > unsubscribe hardlines firstname lastname > > For any other questions, send email to postmaster@cornells.com >*************************************************************** > > >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 30 07:03:36 1997 Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 06:01:05 -0600 From: "KENNETH E. HULTGREN" Subject: Patch 619 Does anybody know what patch 619 is? I can see that Triad has been trying to install it on our system for almost a month but has not been sucessful. Also, does anyone have their nightly procedures set up so that after you type SHUTDOWN and leave when BACK-UP has started, if BACK-UP were to abort AEOD would still run? Ken Hultgren Elmhurst Ace Hardware >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 30 07:41:58 1997 Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 07:42:04 -0500 (EST) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27424 Hi: Regarding the name of product -- I have always felt the sale will be determined by the saleperson's perception of the product and not the name. Granted, certain brand names do make the sale easier (and us lazier), but a "Good" Salesperson should still be able to sale Master ### by its quality and price (a little more work then a Stanley Label). We did very well with the Master ### line, and have noticed a lost in sales by the continue dropping of the line. The generic brand did give us a recognizable difference. Yes, the use of "True Value" ### may be better recognized and good be a debate. Oh well. We will have to wait out the Chicagoland Storm to see where the Tru Ship will now leads us sheep. Regarding outages -- We are just as much to blame as the warehouse for not planning stock. However, secondary sources never hurt (or borrowing from fellow dealers). Have fun Rick Schwartz True Value >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 30 10:13:32 1997 Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 10:14:35 -0500 From: Gary Schwake Organization: Zettler True Value Stores Subject: Re: Master Whatever I whole heartedly agree. Going back to the multiple private label names will be a definite step backwards. However, looking at this from the wholesaler and Servistar perspective, it doesn't make a lot of sense to put True Value labeled products into a Servistar store and it would be extremely inefficient to have two private label lines (True Value, Servistar) within the same wholesaler. The real answer is to consolidate the name, either True Value or Servistar. Maintaining two identities is ludicrous. It completely eliminates the economy of scale for marketing AND private label mdse. I am disappointed that Tru-Serv management doesn't have the guts to pick a name and run with it. I'm sure they are afraid of losing members short term, but those who identify the strategic implications of this common name will be much better off in the future. So which is it? True Value or Servistar? Does it matter? If you've got 8,000 stores across the country and a marketing powerhouse keeping that name in front of America, one name, regardless of which one it is, is certainly better than two. -- Gary Schwake Zettler True Value Stores Director - Store Operations 614-672-1327 gschwake@iwaynet.net >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Fri Jan 31 04:22:27 1997 From: "John A. Van Hengel" Subject: Re: True Value vs Master Mechanic Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 11:14:01 -0600 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal ---------- > From: Dana Whitton > I agree Master Mechanic has never been a good line for us but at christmas > the new True Value power tools sold well. We need to keep our name recognition. > >Most of the private label stuff never took off in our store... consumers > >never seemed to identify these products with our store or True Value. I > >was thrilled when the antifreeze became True Value, and very pleased to see > >the new line of True Value power tools that Black and Decker was showing at > >the fall market. Same goes for the other lines, like the True Value > >electrical products and True Value sandpaper. For many years people have trusted the Craftsman line from Sears. I feel that this is because the product was high quality, Consistent, and Sears stood behind it 100% with guarantee, service and advertising. They pushed the name not the individual products. Cotter has pushed the True Value name, which is why it has a good reputation. Regarding the Master/whatever name: 1. For some reason I have trouble with the "Master" name as I don't trust products that have Master, Ultra, Supreme, Giant, or Super in their names. Sounds like fluff to me. 2. It is not one name. It is several Master/plumber, electrician, mechanic, painter, gardener, janitor, housewife, etc. 3. It is not consistent. They change the brand under the name like most people change underwear. First it is cheap Skill then cheap B&D then whatever. 4. The quality varies all over the place. Look at Bimford. It doesn't even exist and it has a better following. Bimford is associated with power and quality. Just my rambling... What do you Think? >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Thu Jan 30 12:27:39 1997 X-Sender: "John Fix 3rd" Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 12:26:38 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Re: Master Whatever At 10:14 AM 1/30/97 -0500, Gary wrote: > >The real answer is to consolidate the name, either True Value or >Servistar. Maintaining two identities is ludicrous. It completely >eliminates the economy of scale for marketing AND private label mdse. I >am disappointed that Tru-Serv management doesn't have the guts to pick a >name and run with it. I'm sure they are afraid of losing members short >term, but those who identify the strategic implications of this common >name will be much better off in the future. > > You're right Gary... going to one name would be the best idea. However, the problem is twofold (this assumes that the name chosen would be True Value, which is the more recognizable to consumers). 1: In markets where there are ServiStar and True Value stores, a merging of the names would not go over well. One store (probably the smaller of the two) would lose out. 2: Some ServiStar stores conciously choose to avoid association with national advertising such as True Value. This is especially true of lumber yards, as they don't want a homeowner wandering in looking for the Bargain of the Month or the NFL Video Tape. I think they want to go slowly, and assume that as the deadline for implementing minimum purchases grows closer, the smaller stores will drop out. However, I think that they should not try and resurrect lines that were not successful. Some products might do well as private labels, but those that failed should forge ahead with the True Value name. I'd bet that sales of a "True Value" product line in just True Value stores would exceed sales of a "Master Whatever" line in both TV and SS stores. John >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Fri Jan 31 00:01:28 1997 Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 00:01:25 Eastern Standard Time From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Reply-To: "Hardlines" Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27425 To: "Hardlines" hardlines Digest Fri, 31 Jan 1997 00:01:25 Eastern Standard Time V01 #27425 Today's topics: 'Patch 619' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27424' 'Re: Master Whatever' 'Re: Master Whatever' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 06:01:05 -0600 From: "KENNETH E. HULTGREN" Subject: Patch 619 Does anybody know what patch 619 is? I can see that Triad has been trying to install it on our system for almost a month but has not been sucessful. Also, does anyone have their nightly procedures set up so that after you type SHUTDOWN and leave when BACK-UP has started, if BACK-UP were to abort AEOD would still run? Ken Hultgren Elmhurst Ace Hardware ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 07:42:04 -0500 (EST) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27424 Hi: Regarding the name of product -- I have always felt the sale will be determined by the saleperson's perception of the product and not the name. Granted, certain brand names do make the sale easier (and us lazier), but a "Good" Salesperson should still be able to sale Master ### by its quality and price (a little more work then a Stanley Label). We did very well with the Master ### line, and have noticed a lost in sales by the continue dropping of the line. The generic brand did give us a recognizable difference. Yes, the use of "True Value" ### may be better recognized and good be a debate. Oh well. We will have to wait out the Chicagoland Storm to see where the Tru Ship will now leads us sheep. Regarding outages -- We are just as much to blame as the warehouse for not planning stock. However, secondary sources never hurt (or borrowing from fellow dealers). Have fun Rick Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 10:14:35 -0500 From: Gary Schwake Subject: Re: Master Whatever I whole heartedly agree. Going back to the multiple private label names will be a definite step backwards. However, looking at this from the wholesaler and Servistar perspective, it doesn't make a lot of sense to put True Value labeled products into a Servistar store and it would be extremely inefficient to have two private label lines (True Value, Servistar) within the same wholesaler. The real answer is to consolidate the name, either True Value or Servistar. Maintaining two identities is ludicrous. It completely eliminates the economy of scale for marketing AND private label mdse. I am disappointed that Tru-Serv management doesn't have the guts to pick a name and run with it. I'm sure they are afraid of losing members short term, but those who identify the strategic implications of this common name will be much better off in the future. So which is it? True Value or Servistar? Does it matter? If you've got 8,000 stores across the country and a marketing powerhouse keeping that name in front of America, one name, regardless of which one it is, is certainly better than two. -- Gary Schwake Zettler True Value Stores Director - Store Operations 614-672-1327 gschwake@iwaynet.net ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 12:26:38 -0500 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: Re: Master Whatever At 10:14 AM 1/30/97 -0500, Gary wrote: > >The real answer is to consolidate the name, either True Value or >Servistar. Maintaining two identities is ludicrous. It completely >eliminates the economy of scale for marketing AND private label mdse. I >am disappointed that Tru-Serv management doesn't have the guts to pick a >name and run with it. I'm sure they are afraid of losing members short >term, but those who identify the strategic implications of this common >name will be much better off in the future. > > You're right Gary... going to one name would be the best idea. However, the problem is twofold (this assumes that the name chosen would be True Value, which is the more recognizable to consumers). 1: In markets where there are ServiStar and True Value stores, a merging of the names would not go over well. One store (probably the smaller of the two) would lose out. 2: Some ServiStar stores conciously choose to avoid association with national advertising such as True Value. This is especially true of lumber yards, as they don't want a homeowner wandering in looking for the Bargain of the Month or the NFL Video Tape. I think they want to go slowly, and assume that as the deadline for implementing minimum purchases grows closer, the smaller stores will drop out. However, I think that they should not try and resurrect lines that were not successful. Some products might do well as private labels, but those that failed should forge ahead with the True Value name. I'd bet that sales of a "True Value" product line in just True Value stores would exceed sales of a "Master Whatever" line in both TV and SS stores. John ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27425 ********************************** >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Fri Jan 31 08:19:10 1997 Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 08:19:26 -0500 (EST) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Re:John Quinn Paint Factory Hi: Yesterday 1/30/97, I learned that General Paint Sales Rep The John Quinn passed away the day before. His wife is asking no flowers, just a donation instead to the Heart Foundation. Rick Schwartz True Value >From owner-hardlines@cornells.com Fri Jan 31 18:21:11 1997 X-Sender: "John Fix 3rd" Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 18:20:11 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Hardlines archives online I've set up a location for posting old hardlines messages on our web server. Point your browser to http://www.cornells.com/hardlines/ for a listing of the available files. There are currently three past collections, as well as two additional information files. hard1096.txt - October 1996 Hardlines Messages hard1196.txt - Novermer 1996 Hardlines Messages hard1296.txt - December 1996 Hardlines Messages (future months will be stored the same way, and an index will show up shortly as well) rental.htm - Discussion of how to implement a simple rental tracking on the Triad wantcard.htm - Bill Round's excellent article about the Electronic Want Card for the Triad Look for more stuff on the server in the future... as I get free time. :-) John