hardlines Digest Sun, 01 Mar 1998 00:03:02 -0500 V01 #27730 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27729' 'Murphy bed hardware' 'Error message when posting' 'Hanging stuff' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 01:09:53 EST From: Short54321 Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27729 Thanks Frank, but my name is Curt, not Chuck. How can I become a legend in my own time if you can't get my name right. Just kidding. Thanks for the input on the Triad Meeting, but the real credit goes to Doug smith. without him and his knowledge, the meeting would not be very effective. Lunch was on time, so I did well. Chuck Short, oops, Curt Short Tru Serv Retail Consultant Southern Oregon ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 18:28:25 -0500 From: gjninc@aol.com Subject: Murphy bed hardware I have a customer that wants to build a Murphy bed and needs the hardware. Anyone have any ideas? Send me an e-mail if you have a possible source. Thanks. Gary Johnson Johnson's True Value Remember, no matter how bad today seems, the sun will rise tomorrow!! To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.50@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 18:36:38 -0500 From: gjninc@aol.com Subject: Error message when posting I believe you are already aware of this, but I received the following message after I posted a message to the board. Mailer-Daemon@ww message rejected by system Reason: Error copying file to destination:Error copying header: Error processing header lines. Gary Johnson Johnson's True Value Remember, no matter how bad today seems, the sun will rise tomorrow!! To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.51@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 22:00:57 -0500 From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> Subject: Hanging stuff Dear Folks, Could someone suggest a decent line of "hanging hardware?" I used to stock wooden coat racks which were 18 to 36" with brass hooks from ICOMA, but the pricing was getting too high. TruServ doesn't seem to have much in the warehouse to support the catagory which was at one time a good one for us... so long as the pricing doesn't go through the roof. My market seems to becoming a bit more affluent. The new houses, where there is room for them, are going for BIG money. We don't know what people do to afford those things. They're certainly not in the hardware business. I need to have more storage items to appeal to these people. Any suggestions? Bill Round Round's True Value. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27730 ********************************** hardlines Digest Mon, 02 Mar 1998 00:04:07 -0500 V01 #27731 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27730' 'EFM vs Paint' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 1 Mar 1998 02:01:55 EST From: JCcop828 Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27730 Dear Curt,,, So sorry about the Chuck,, where it came from ,, I know not, but I will watch it lol Your friend,, John,, er Frank LOL Frank Thayer True Value Veneta, Oregon or was it john day????? ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 1 Mar 1998 06:31:06 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: EFM vs Paint Hi: Did anybody feel the Earthquake that must have hit Chicagoland? This week's EFM (Electronic File Maintenace) now lists the product code for the Paint Line (not all yet, but....): EX: old new 124370 12OZ BLU Spr Enamel XO 12OZ BLU Spr Enamel 127384 5GAL SAT Pastel Base SHP 5GAL Pastel Base 127483 5GAL SAT LTX Deep Base SHP 5GAL SAT Deep Base 127545 5GAL FLT LTX Deep Base EZF 5GAL FLT Deep Base 127552 5GAL Semi Pastel Base EZS 5GAL Pastel Base 127566 5GAL Semi LTX Deep Base EZS 5GAL Semi Deep Base 151172 GAL BRN Oil FLR Enamel VE GAL BRN FLR Enamel 151194 GAL GRN Oil FLR Enamel VE GAL GRN FLR Enamel Comments? Have Fun, Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27731 ********************************** hardlines Digest Tue, 03 Mar 1998 00:04:51 -0500 V01 #27732 Today's topics: 'Error message when posting' 'Laser Printer Problems' 'Re: Laser Printer Problems' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 02 Mar 1998 08:22:53 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Error message when posting I haven't figured out the error message yet, but it's harmless. John To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.54@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 02 Mar 1998 15:14:21 -0500 From: chank@sunsix.infi.net Subject: Laser Printer Problems I am using Triad's label program and with it they included an Okidata LED laser printer. I am also printing on Triad's vinyl labels. The trouble I keep having is that the labels come out "flakey" from time to time. Usually the labels toward the edges are the worst. This printer has been sent in to depot repair but this is still an ongoing problem. I thought it might have been a static electricity problem on the labels but that does not seem to be the case. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.55@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1998 18:27:40 -0500 From: "Katherine St.Cyr" Subject: Re: Laser Printer Problems Replacing the "fuser" corrected the problem for me. -----Original Message----- From: chank@sunsix.infi.net To: Multiple recipients of list hardlines Date: Monday, March 02, 1998 3:15 PM Subject: Laser Printer Problems >I am using Triad's label program and with it they included an Okidata LED laser printer. I am also printing on Triad's vinyl labels. The trouble I keep having is that the labels come out "flakey" from time to time. Usually the labels toward the edges are the worst. This printer has been sent in to depot repair but this is still an ongoing problem. I thought it might have been a static electricity problem on the labels but that does not seem to be the case. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. > > > >To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.55@hardlines.cornells.com >To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com >To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines >*************************************************************** > Hardlines Mailing List is an unmoderated Internet mailing list > for hardware and building materials industry members. Back > issues are available at > > http://www.cornells.com/hardlines/ > > 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 #27732 ********************************** hardlines Digest Thu, 05 Mar 1998 00:02:13 -0500 V01 #27733 Today's topics: 'Security' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27729' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 04 Mar 1998 10:24:15 -0500 From: rickss1@aol.com Subject: Security Hi: Well, got more mug shots of Merchandise going under people clothing. Very interesting. Now to get the police into the act. Have fun Rick Schwartz To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.56@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 Mar 1998 08:38:38 -0700 (MST) From: gkhj@netrix.net (Gary Hanson) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27729 >Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 02:21:16 EST >From: JCcop828 >Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27728 > > >Hi! > >Just wondering if anyone has the Triad Rain Check that actually works as one >would like.. > >Ours prints out one copy of the raincheck, and does not create or maintain a >special order for the raincheck.. or was it even designed to be functional, of >what value is one piece of paper reading Rain Check.. hmmmmm is something >missing some where??? > >Frank Thayer >All In One True Value >Veneta, Oregon > >------------------------------ Frank We use rainchecks as a price gaurantee for the item but we also ask if the customer would like a "special order" to gaurantee the item to them at that price. We give the "special orders" to those customers first what is left over goes on floor then customers with rain checks can have the item at the sale price. We do not hold the rain check items for them. It would be great if they would make rainchecks fall into the lost sales area of IMU so one could see how many calls you had for that item when you could of had a sale. Gary Hanson Cardinal Home Center Kalispell, Montana ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27733 ********************************** hardlines Digest Fri, 06 Mar 1998 00:01:56 -0500 V01 #27734 Today's topics: 'Re: More Raincheck' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27733' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 5 Mar 1998 07:42:09 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: Re: More Raincheck In a message dated 3/5/98 2:28:29 AM Eastern Standard Time, hardlines- request@cornells.com writes: << >Just wondering if anyone has the Triad Rain Check that actually works as one >would like.. > >> If you are on Level 18, you have the capability to print 2 copies. When you press the key a message on the bottom says: REMOVE RECEIPT PRESS TO PRINT DUPLICATE OR Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Mar 1998 11:11:49 EST From: JCcop828 Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27733 Gary,, Yes placing that in IMU for lost sales would be a GREAT IDEA, it seems that so much more could be done in the area of Rain Checks to assist our amount of paper flow ,,, form for this and form for that thing. Maybe someday,, Thank You for your imput,,, good idea... Frank Thayer True Value Veneta, Oregon 97487 ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27734 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sat, 07 Mar 1998 00:02:58 -0500 V01 #27735 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27734' 'New Servistar site...' 'Data' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 5 Mar 1998 23:27:43 -0800 From: "Jay, Will and Linda Farr" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27734 I just bought out a competitor's 5 gal Harbil paint shaker and paint tinter (with quart size electric stirred canisters). I would like $3000 FOB Coos Bay, OR for the two of them. Anybody know of anyone interested? Jay Farr Farr's True Value 800-603-FARR fax: 541-269-5430 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Mar 1998 06:36:43 -0600 From: "Bobby Dill" Subject: New Servistar site... This is my first post... Has anyone checked out the new Servistar site yet ?? What about the Bargain of the month page ??? Comments ??? http://www.servistar.com/index.asp http://www.servistar.com/bargains/bargains_index.asp Bobby Dill - www.unclejoes.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Mar 1998 12:38:40 -0500 From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> Subject: Data Dear Folks, What is going on? Rather than hearing my golden voice first thing this morning, my wife awoke to the Round's True Value Hardware assistant manager requesting my presence at the receiving dock.... at 5:05am. I was supposed to be there at 5. I stayed up a little too late last night. Our receiver is on vacation this week. I'm filling in. I used my IST scanner to do tote boxes on Tuesday, and as today's order was small, I scanned the entire order in. The equipment worked well. I was shocked by the number of bar codes I added to the system. TruServ has apparently added a "sub" program where equivelant merchandise is used to fill an order line. The warehouse picker writes "sub" on the pick ticket. One "sub" instance featured a Vermont American drill bit instead of a Master Mechanic. Not quite the same item, but it will do the same job. I accepted it and added the bar code. So nice to know I found it instead of the cashier... One less strange warble coming from the front desk to make me jump. I added bar codes for Hy-Ko signs. Cole lost out? I added bar codes for steel wool. The packaging was the same. Am I missing something here? I was not aware the we had changed steel wool vendors. Damn, the last time I changed sign and letters manufacturers, I swore I wouldn't do it again. As one TruServ Member said during the face to face meeting at Manchester, why the hell are we doing all this changing for the sake of 2%? I figured that I personally blew out any profit I could realize by changing all my skus to Cole National from whatever I had had in the past. I think I will stay with Cole and take the increased cost hit. The time I say I'll spend with my children. No, wait! My wife may insist that extra time be spent painting the bathroom! I'd rather change skus. I encountered a new TruServ term today: a "Go Forward Vendor." This is a vendor who was chosen to suppy TruServ under the commonized assortments. Eagle Electric is one. I gues they are supplying the manchester RDC. Time to change all the F packs and order multiples, part numbers, sequence numbers, etc. At least the skus remained the same. I wonder just how much it will cost for us to do this? How much will it cost TruServ to take the 25 pack switch plates and remove 5 to fill my order quantity, which was set up years ago to generate 2 standard packs of 10 whenever the sku showed up on an RSO? I know it will cost me 3% Gosh, if the commonizaton advantage is 2%, but mis-cast standard packs are generating break-pack charges of 3%, does that mean I've lost something? Time to go out and enjoy the early Spring air. I can't wait for the Spring blizzard to arrive and destroy the Spring business which we hoped would make up for the Winter business we didn't get!! Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware Stoneham, MA ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27735 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sun, 08 Mar 1998 00:03:18 -0500 V01 #27736 Today's topics: 'RF scanner' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27735' 'ServiStar Web Site' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 07 Mar 1998 16:01:11 -0600 From: mike jones Subject: RF scanner HI folks, We're thinking of getting the RF scanner from Triad. Does anyone have one? What can you tell me about it: expense, how it works, etc. Thanks, Mike Jones ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 07 Mar 1998 15:56:33 -0700 From: James Burns Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27735 hardlines-request@cornells.com wrote: > > hardlines Digest Sat, 07 Mar 1998 00:02:58 -0500 V01 #27735 > > Today's topics: > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27734' > 'New Servistar site...' > 'Data' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Thu, 5 Mar 1998 23:27:43 -0800 > From: "Jay, Will and Linda Farr" > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27734 > > I just bought out a competitor's 5 gal Harbil paint shaker and paint tinter > (with quart size electric stirred canisters). I would like $3000 FOB Coos > Bay, OR for the two of them. Anybody know of anyone interested? > > Jay Farr > Farr's True Value > 800-603-FARR > fax: 541-269-5430 > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Fri, 6 Mar 1998 06:36:43 -0600 > From: "Bobby Dill" > Subject: New Servistar site... > > This is my first post... > Has anyone checked out the new Servistar site yet ?? > What about the Bargain of the month page ??? > Comments ??? > > http://www.servistar.com/index.asp > http://www.servistar.com/bargains/bargains_index.asp > > Bobby Dill - www.unclejoes.com > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Fri, 6 Mar 1998 12:38:40 -0500 > From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> > Subject: Data > > Dear Folks, > > What is going on? > > Rather than hearing my golden voice first thing this morning, my wife awoke > to the Round's True Value Hardware assistant manager requesting my presence > at the receiving dock.... at 5:05am. I was supposed to be there at 5. I > stayed up a little too late last night. > > Our receiver is on vacation this week. I'm filling in. I used my IST > scanner to do tote boxes on Tuesday, and as today's order was small, I > scanned the entire order in. The equipment worked well. > > I was shocked by the number of bar codes I added to the system. TruServ > has apparently added a "sub" program where equivelant merchandise is used > to fill an order line. The warehouse picker writes "sub" on the pick > ticket. One "sub" instance featured a Vermont American drill bit instead > of a Master Mechanic. Not quite the same item, but it will do the same > job. I accepted it and added the bar code. > > So nice to know I found it instead of the cashier... One less strange > warble coming from the front desk to make me jump. > > I added bar codes for Hy-Ko signs. Cole lost out? I added bar codes for > steel wool. The packaging was the same. Am I missing something here? I > was not aware the we had changed steel wool vendors. Damn, the last time I > changed sign and letters manufacturers, I swore I wouldn't do it again. > As one TruServ Member said during the face to face meeting at Manchester, > why the hell are we doing all this changing for the sake of 2%? I figured > that I personally blew out any profit I could realize by changing all my > skus to Cole National from whatever I had had in the past. I think I will > stay with Cole and take the increased cost hit. The time I say I'll spend > with my children. > > No, wait! My wife may insist that extra time be spent painting the > bathroom! I'd rather change skus. > > I encountered a new TruServ term today: a "Go Forward Vendor." This is a > vendor who was chosen to suppy TruServ under the commonized assortments. > Eagle Electric is one. I gues they are supplying the manchester RDC. Time > to change all the F packs and order multiples, part numbers, sequence > numbers, etc. At least the skus remained the same. > > I wonder just how much it will cost for us to do this? How much will it > cost TruServ to take the 25 pack switch plates and remove 5 to fill my > order quantity, which was set up years ago to generate 2 standard packs of > 10 whenever the sku showed up on an RSO? I know it will cost me 3% Gosh, > if the commonizaton advantage is 2%, but mis-cast standard packs are > generating break-pack charges of 3%, does that mean I've lost something? > > Time to go out and enjoy the early Spring air. I can't wait for the Spring > blizzard to arrive and destroy the Spring business which we hoped would > make up for the Winter business we didn't get!! > > Regards, > Bill Round > Round's True Value Hardware > Stoneham, MA > > ------------------------------ > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27735 > ********************************** After reading that, I'm sure I don't need a computer. Thanks, James Burns Burns Hardware Do-it Center ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Mar 1998 19:22:36 -0500 (EST) From: Richard Filion Subject: ServiStar Web Site I recently had the pleasure of meeting at the Manchester RDC, during one of our many Face-to-Face meetings, all of the Rounds Hardware VIP's except Jasper, who must have been left behind to run the store. Or they have a company policy preventing all key personnel from travelling in the same vehicle. I too was somewhat taken aback by Gene Odonnell's use of that "go-forward" phrase, but had encountered it before. In correspondence with Paul Lemerise about TS's internet site development I had received this communication: >I have just recently completed a 3 year Strategic Plan for IS that is 100% >aligned with the 3 year strategic plan of the business. IS took the lead >and the functional business groups gave it their total support. One of the >initiatives is in the area of Electronic Data Commerce and the business >units will take the lead in defining the go-forward requirements and IS will >provide the technological solution. However, with everything we have >on our plates, it is not a short term high priority. Apparently "go-forward" is the buzz word for the post-merger company. For the ServiStar-Coast-to-Coast merger it was "synergy". I am always amazed at corporate speak. Is it no wonder that we think of them as being from another planet. The next time one of my customers asks me why we again changed vendors on one of our sku's I am going to tell them: "They were selected as the go-forward vendor to align the functional business groups requirements with the long term high priority 3 year strategic plan of the business." I hope they do not have me committed to a nut house. I just remembered that during one of ServiStar's catatonic changes of hardware counts on screw, nuts, and bolts, from eaches to boxes, some one was smart enough to set the ServiStar computers so that when counts of 100 were ordered, just one box was shipped. You would think that they could also set the computers to automatically change the order quantity to maintain a full case count. Is there no communications within TruServ? I checked out the ServiStar web site. It is alright, but nothing terribly exciting. I see little potential for linkage, which I consider to the the most important way to get surfers to the retail sites. I have tried desperately in every way I can, but to no avail, to find out what the TruServ philosophy is regarding the commercial use of the web. Interestingly enough, I found a Georgia-Pacific web site which was fairly good and posted a message on it asking about the availability of co-op funds for web site development and advertising. I soon received an answer that they had as yet no such funding, but were considering it strongly for the future. They obviously see the web as having commercial potential. Of course you are complaining only about changing vendors on some of your items. We on the ServiStar side will soon only have the sign on the store and our paint to remind us that we are "ServiStar". As the new Farm and Garden catalog indicates we have even lost all of our warehouses. I am still waiting to hear back from TruServ as to how I am supposed to figure out how to order items from that catalog which have an sku unique to my warehouse. Have we hired the Psychic Friends Network to transmit our orders? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27736 ********************************** hardlines Digest Mon, 09 Mar 1998 00:04:27 -0500 V01 #27737 Today's topics: 'Re: RF scanner' 'SKU Descriptions' 'Central Ship' 'Re: Central Ship' 'Help Wanted' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 8 Mar 1998 07:57:59 -0500 From: "Wade Doss" Subject: Re: RF scanner Mike, >We're thinking of getting the RF scanner from Triad. Does anyone >have one? What can you tell me about it: expense, how it works, etc. >Thanks, >Mike Jones Yes I have been using the RF scan guns for about a year. I had been using the IST guns before the RF. The RF offers instant posting in receiving right to RP and also has flags notifying receiving clerks of specials orders. It can also print bin labels on the go in receiving also. There are other features also such as shelf manager that can changes user codes, quantity on hand, order points, link upc's etc. and these can post direct to IMU or through a editing function i.e. PIP or FIL. Bin labels can also be printed out of shelf manager. There is no upload of file information to the eagle as everything is real time. That has been the real time saver as it is a hand held terminal. Other modes of operation are purchasing to build po's , location capture, upc capture, or just quantity checking. You must have a eagle pentium box . You would then purchase a network card for the eagle and an access point to connect to the network card or a hub. The RF gun then communicates back to the eagle via the access point which has two antenna to receive the radio transmission. I have been able to communicate up to about 125 feet from the access point. This will vary from site to site and your would need a site survey to determine what would work best at your location. Cost approx. for the network card, access point and scan gun in the $10,000-$12,000 range depending on which RF gun you selected. I use the one that looks like the IST or is a pistol grip model (though it cost the most it seems easier to handle). ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Mar 1998 08:44:29 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: SKU Descriptions Hi: We need another Battle Cry to Chicagoland -- They (who????) have determine that 23 Characters is enough for a proper product Description (how???). If you count your spaces on Tru-Trac or TRIAD one could easily use 27 Characters which would immensely help the descriptions and get ANT into the White descriptions of the Paints.......... To Arms?? Rich Schwartz Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ Date: From: tomhanson@POBoxes.com (Tom Hanson) Subject: Central Ship Have I missed another one? Is there anyway to identify items that are Central Ship before you order them? We have promised a few items would be on Friday's truck only to disappoint a customer. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 08 Mar 1998 21:31:45 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: Re: Central Ship "usually", if you've got CIS it'll tell you which warehouse the item will ship from. however, during the transition sometimes the information given to mccs (where triad, tru-trac, and cis get their data) isn't "complete".. the only way to make absolutely sure is to call chicago or the warehouse and ask them... in the future, an item will either be stocked in the rim or in c/s. right now it's possible for the item to be in hub, rim, and c/s and you'll get it from one of them - it's a crap-shoot.... At 08:13 PM EST 3/8/98 -0500, you wrote: >Have I missed another one? Is there anyway to identify items that are >Central Ship before you order them? We have promised a few items would be >on Friday's truck only to disappoint a customer. > > >*************************************************************** > Hardlines Mailing List is an unmoderated Internet mailing list > for hardware and building materials industry members. Back > issues are available at > > http://www.cornells.com/hardlines/ > > 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 >*************************************************************** > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Swift jswift@up.net N8WAV@W8YY.#UPMI.MI.USA.NA 47.119N 88.572W Swift True Value Hardware 402 Shelden Ave. Houghton, MI 49931 906-482-0530, 0531, 7766 Alpha Phi Omega Epsilon Lambda Chapter Advisor Houghton County Amateur Radio Emergency Service Dereliction IS! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Mar 1998 19:45:53 -0800 (PST) From: Ralph Witkin Subject: Help Wanted I'm considering re-locating to the North East (greater NY area) -- does anyone know of any job opportunities there? I'd like to move this Spring. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks == "It's just not necessary to do extraordinary things to produce extraordinary results." RALPH M. WITKIN Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818/905-5306 _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27737 ********************************** hardlines Digest Tue, 10 Mar 1998 00:01:05 -0500 V01 #27738 Today's topics: 'Re: Item Description Field' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27737' 'Re: Item Description Field' 're:Central Ship' 'Triad pricing for multiple store locations' 'Triad pricing for multiple store locations' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 00:23:55 -0600 From: hardware Subject: Re: Item Description Field In response to Bill Round's call for action, I think I may be able to shed some light on the basis of 23 character count item descriptions vs 27 character count descriptions. A finite number of spaces are available on green bar computer paper. This is the driving force of the decision to limit item descriptions to 23 characters. There was some consideration given to the various computer software capabilities also, but in the end the decision was laid to rest mostly on the shoulders of the "What information do you want to give up?" category. With margins, costs, retails, order points, sales history, ect., we have to determine what is the least amount of workable space. 27 was better than 23 and at first thought to be necessary, until someone realized that if we were to remove the manufacturer code from the descriptions, it would free up a lot of space. So the "go forward" :-) plan is 23 characters for item description and a separated manufacturer field. Or at least that is what I was told. Linda Cottin's Hardware hardware@lawrence.ks.us ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 00:44:11 -0600 From: Chuck Hank Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27737 tomhanson@POBoxes.com (Tom Hanson) wrote: >Have I missed another one? Is there anyway to identify items that are >Central Ship before you order them? Tom if you have cataloge on your system with level 20 it will show the items that are central ship. On level 18 it only showed the quantity for the items in your selected wharehouse and the central ship showed as quantity zero. Now with level 20 it will show those items that are central ship as such with their respective quantities. If you do not have cataloge I would recomend it. It makes adding new items a breeze and a scanned item at pos can reference the cataloge file and be a life and time saver. Chuck Hank Hank Bros. True Value Hardware chank@sunsix.infi.net ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 09:42:27 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: Re: Item Description Field linda's close -- but the original controlling element was the number of columns on a keypunch card (80).. the original system was built to use keypunch cards as input so the mainframe file records are all 80 characters. once they got the system in place and started adding functions it became impossible to change any of the field sizes because they'd need to find every reference to that record in every program and change it. there is an additional 27 character description field (item description expanded) that's currently unused. it is possible that they could use it but they seem to have gone to using a separate file containing the 'long descriptions'. that's easier than changing all the program code references from "description 1" to "description2". At 12:23 AM EST 3/9/98 -0600, you wrote: >In response to Bill Round's call for action, I think I may be able to >shed some light on the basis of 23 character count item descriptions vs >27 character count descriptions. A finite number of spaces are available >on green bar computer paper. This is the driving force of the decision >to limit item descriptions to 23 characters. There was some >consideration given to the various computer software capabilities also, >a lot of space. So the "go forward" :-) plan is 23 characters for item >description and a separated manufacturer field. Or at least that is >what I was told. > >Linda >Cottin's Hardware >hardware@lawrence.ks.us ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Swift jswift@up.net N8WAV@W8YY.#UPMI.MI.USA.NA 47.119N 88.572W Swift True Value Hardware 402 Shelden Ave. Houghton, MI 49931 906-482-0530, 0531, 7766 Alpha Phi Omega Epsilon Lambda Chapter Advisor Houghton County Amateur Radio Emergency Service Dereliction IS! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 14:29:09 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: re:Central Ship Hi: Found another method with Central Ship, as well as CIS, ----> Member Dial-In. After the order is transmitted and re-processed by Chicagoland all Central Ship items are identified by being ship UPS in the order file. I then delete these items from the PO and put them into a purchase file CS for future receiving (up to 2 weeks after ordering!!!!). Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 PS -- Tom did you defrost yet?? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 19:19:57 -0500 From: kez@gcnet.net Subject: Triad pricing for multiple store locations Hi, my name is Jay and I'm from Naylor's True Value. We have 5 stores and would like to keep separate prices at each store in order to help compete in very different market situations. 3 of our 5 stores will basically need the same price and the other 2 could do "their own" thing. Is there anyone out there with some "real life" experience? We have to do something to do war with Lowes! I can be reached at kez@gcnet.net. Thanks. Jay Kestner Naylors True Value To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.63@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 23:33:16 -0500 From: chank@sunsix.infi.net Subject: Triad pricing for multiple store locations Jay, we have 3 stores basically in one town and have the flag set on our Triad to "keep all prices the same". We made this decision when we put in the Triad in 89 since our stores are within 15 miles of each other. To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.64@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27738 ********************************** hardlines Digest Wed, 11 Mar 1998 00:03:46 -0500 V01 #27739 Today's topics: 'RE: hardlines Digest - V01 #27738' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 08:28:42 -0500 From: "David A. Durfee Ph.D." Subject: RE: hardlines Digest - V01 #27738 Basing database information on how much will fit on "green bar" paper sounds strange to me. Wouldn't it be ok to have more information online and then let it be formatted to the paper differently? The lack of decent descriptions has been a constant problem. (Granted there are a lot of historical reasons for short records but should ancient history have to repeat itself?) dave -----Original Message----- From: hardlines-request@cornells.com [SMTP:hardlines-request@cornells.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 1998 8:18 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27738 hardlines Digest Tue, 10 Mar 1998 00:01:05 -0500 V01 #27738 Today's topics: 'Re: Item Description Field' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27737' 'Re: Item Description Field' 're:Central Ship' 'Triad pricing for multiple store locations' 'Triad pricing for multiple store locations' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 00:23:55 -0600 From: hardware Subject: Re: Item Description Field In response to Bill Round's call for action, I think I may be able to shed some light on the basis of 23 character count item descriptions vs 27 character count descriptions. A finite number of spaces are available on green bar computer paper. This is the driving force of the decision to limit item descriptions to 23 characters. There was some consideration given to the various computer software capabilities also, but in the end the decision was laid to rest mostly on the shoulders of the "What information do you want to give up?" category. With margins, costs, retails, order points, sales history, ect., we have to determine what is the least amount of workable space. 27 was better than 23 and at first thought to be necessary, until someone realized that if we were to remove the manufacturer code from the descriptions, it would free up a lot of space. So the "go forward" :-) plan is 23 characters for item description and a separated manufacturer field. Or at least that is what I was told. Linda Cottin's Hardware hardware@lawrence.ks.us ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 00:44:11 -0600 From: Chuck Hank Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27737 tomhanson@POBoxes.com (Tom Hanson) wrote: >Have I missed another one? Is there anyway to identify items that are >Central Ship before you order them? Tom if you have cataloge on your system with level 20 it will show the items that are central ship. On level 18 it only showed the quantity for the items in your selected wharehouse and the central ship showed as quantity zero. Now with level 20 it will show those items that are central ship as such with their respective quantities. If you do not have cataloge I would recomend it. It makes adding new items a breeze and a scanned item at pos can reference the cataloge file and be a life and time saver. Chuck Hank Hank Bros. True Value Hardware chank@sunsix.infi.net ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 09:42:27 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: Re: Item Description Field linda's close -- but the original controlling element was the number of columns on a keypunch card (80).. the original system was built to use keypunch cards as input so the mainframe file records are all 80 characters. once they got the system in place and started adding functions it became impossible to change any of the field sizes because they'd need to find every reference to that record in every program and change it. there is an additional 27 character description field (item description expanded) that's currently unused. it is possible that they could use it but they seem to have gone to using a separate file containing the 'long descriptions'. that's easier than changing all the program code references from "description 1" to "description2". At 12:23 AM EST 3/9/98 -0600, you wrote: >In response to Bill Round's call for action, I think I may be able to >shed some light on the basis of 23 character count item descriptions vs >27 character count descriptions. A finite number of spaces are available >on green bar computer paper. This is the driving force of the decision >to limit item descriptions to 23 characters. There was some >consideration given to the various computer software capabilities also, >a lot of space. So the "go forward" :-) plan is 23 characters for item >description and a separated manufacturer field. Or at least that is >what I was told. > >Linda >Cottin's Hardware >hardware@lawrence.ks.us ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Swift jswift@up.net N8WAV@W8YY.#UPMI.MI.USA.NA 47.119N 88.572W Swift True Value Hardware 402 Shelden Ave. Houghton, MI 49931 906-482-0530, 0531, 7766 Alpha Phi Omega Epsilon Lambda Chapter Advisor Houghton County Amateur Radio Emergency Service Dereliction IS! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 14:29:09 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: re:Central Ship Hi: Found another method with Central Ship, as well as CIS, ----> Member Dial-In. After the order is transmitted and re-processed by Chicagoland all Central Ship items are identified by being ship UPS in the order file. I then delete these items from the PO and put them into a purchase file CS for future receiving (up to 2 weeks after ordering!!!!). Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 PS -- Tom did you defrost yet?? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 19:19:57 -0500 From: kez@gcnet.net Subject: Triad pricing for multiple store locations Hi, my name is Jay and I'm from Naylor's True Value. We have 5 stores and would like to keep separate prices at each store in order to help compete in very different market situations. 3 of our 5 stores will basically need the same price and the other 2 could do "their own" thing. Is there anyone out there with some "real life" experience? We have to do something to do war with Lowes! I can be reached at kez@gcnet.net. Thanks. Jay Kestner Naylors True Value To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.63@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 23:33:16 -0500 From: chank@sunsix.infi.net Subject: Triad pricing for multiple store locations Jay, we have 3 stores basically in one town and have the flag set on our Triad to "keep all prices the same". We made this decision when we put in the Triad in 89 since our stores are within 15 miles of each other. To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.64@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27738 ********************************** ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27739 ********************************** hardlines Digest Thu, 12 Mar 1998 00:01:04 -0500 V01 #27740 Today's topics: 'Field lengths' 'Price Changes, Descriptions, etc.' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 17:25:36 -0500 (EST) From: Richard Filion Subject: Field lengths Having seen all the current plausible reasons for the length of she sku description field I would like to add one more: Most data bases and now spread sheets require you to enter the length of any fields of information you may require. It is obviously desirable, and was very important with earlier computers and their limited memories, to make those fields as small as possible to accompish your goals. In earlier systems you often had to limit the length of descriptive fields to make room for more fields or more records. Depending on the type of data storage system used, the lengths and number of fields directly impacted the number of records you could have. Some database systems would create as many empty blocks in your computer as it could hold, to store the anticipated records. Other systems would just keep adding blocks as they were needed until space ran out. Possibly the length of the sku descriptive field that TruServ computers use is the result of that. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 20:05:07 -0500 From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> Subject: Price Changes, Descriptions, etc. Dear Folks, When I take price changes from TruServ, I update the matrix pricing. The downside is that the date of last retail price change updates as well. This is misleading. This field changes when either MATRIX or retail prices change. As the TruServ price change file seems to be a dumping ground for temporary cost changes, warehouse clearances, retails (suggested TruServ retails), department manager mistakes, and cosmic corrections for sunspots and planatary alignments, I do not adjust my regular retails based on this. Since many costs have been adjusted DOWN with the merger, why not take the extra $$$? Does anybody have a suggestions on how to isolate this? I like dates as a way to select, especially as a way to back out of bad price changes.... Didn't Triad say that one pricing technique is price up 25% of the store whether it needed it or not based on old dates? The price change date problem makes this unreliable. The description thing is a function of old technology. It happens to be one of the most annoying. They are getting better, and until the older, restrictive software is updated, we will have to play with what we have. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27740 ********************************** hardlines Digest Fri, 13 Mar 1998 00:02:15 -0500 V01 #27741 Today's topics: 'Warehouse DS Paint Orders' 'Central Ship Setups' 'CAT Data for TruServ' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 06:08:06 -0500 From: rickss1@aol.com Subject: Warehouse DS Paint Orders Hi: For those dealers that have multiple weekly deliveries (2 runs) and place Paint Orders via the Warehouse, we have a timing problem starting next week 3/15/98 to get the order on the correct delivery date. The new (updated) warehouse program goes into effect, but the Paint Factory is not up to speed. Oh well, more Challenges. Have fun Rick Schwartz To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.66@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 17:16:34 -0500 From: rickss1@aol.com Subject: Central Ship Setups Alan: >Ship program. His solution to the extreme time delays in CS is just work around it. When the CIS program in The work around is also to prevent duplication in the ordering process. However, I found one shipment after calling CS to be "lost" by UPS. My telephone experience with CS was extremely good. Not only was the person easy to talked to, she went out of her way to assist me. The phone number : 1 888 881 7447 Now comes the fun of learning how to order by Purchase Order Numbers. Have fun Rick Schwartz To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.68@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 20:58:06 -0500 From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> Subject: CAT Data for TruServ Dear Folks, Since Chuck Hank mentioned the Triad Level 20 TruServ catalog, I guess I can, too. What is extremely useful in the software release is the ability to put TruServ ("Cotter") information on the same report or screen as the store's information. You can select and sort on either CAT or store system information. This makes it easy to, say, select all your A movers and make sure the packs are correct, or select all your D and C movers to make sure you are breaking packs when they are permitted. I still have lots of items set for the old "F" packs which do not deserve to be purchased that way. Given the way the labor market in Massachusetts has gone, I will gladly accept a 3% break-pack charge to avoid sending merchandise to my beloved warehouse on the second floor... I think I lose money every time someone goes upstairs to get something. The question for the day: is TruServ set up to handle all the broken carton merchandise? It is a joy to receive the jumbled boxes of stuff from the Allentown Hub shipment. I am amazed that more merchandise is not damaged. We see very little that is non-presentable. Paint seems to be a problem; too many cans are damaged, but that is a manchester issue. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27741 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sat, 14 Mar 1998 00:03:48 -0500 V01 #27742 Today's topics: 'Some help with marketing' 'Re: CAT Data for TruServ' 'Store profiles' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 06:58:28 -0500 From: "David A. Durfee Ph.D." Subject: Some help with marketing I just went to a marketing seminar. The "new" thing in marketing is "1 on 1" marketing or "customized marketing". While I think that half of this stuff is "bull chips", there is some valid information there. What it depends on is individual information on your customers. I've been bugging trutrac for quite a while that they should provide information from the charge card customers as well as house accounts. The information you need is an input to the system but nothing is done with it. I was simply asking for a list of my charge card customers (the bank will not provide it to you due to privacy reasons). Since that information passes through the machine, why can't they capture it?? The seminar I went to also wants you to get the list of products that these people buy to help you in your product choices and how to target your best customers. Sounds so obvious, I still wonder why it wasn't designed in from the beginning. dave ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 20:15:59 -0600 From: "David Casaletto" Subject: Re: CAT Data for TruServ What is extremely useful in the software release is the ability to put TruServ ("Cotter") information on the same report or screen as the store's information. You can select and sort on either CAT or store system information. This makes it easy to, say, select all your A movers and make sure the packs are correct, or select all your D and C movers to make sure you are breaking packs when they are permitted. I still have lots of items set for the old "F" packs which do not deserve to be purchased that way. Bill Round Bill, Can you go into a little more detail about how you are merging the data from CAT and from Triad? I'm on level 20 but I haven't used this feature yet. Thanks, David Casaletto True Value Home Center 1701 N. Broadway Pittsburg, KS 66762 truevalue@pitton.com 316-231-0900 316-231-1011 (Fax) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 17:24:45 -0500 (EST) From: Richard Filion Subject: Store profiles Anyone who has not provided a store profile for the various web site store search features should do so by going to "www.membersonline.com. It offers a web presence for free. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27742 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sun, 15 Mar 1998 00:00:05 -0500 V01 #27743 Today's topics: 'Re: "New Marketing" but old....' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 14 Mar 1998 12:07:22 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: Re: "New Marketing" but old.... In a message dated 3/13/98 10:22:04 PM Pacific Standard Time, hardlines- request@cornells.com writes: << asses through the machine, why can't they capture it?? The seminar I went to also wants you to get the list of products that these people buy to help you in your product choices and how to target your best customers. Sounds so obvious, I still wonder why it wasn't designed in from the beginning. >> Dave: If you are using TruServ -->Merchants Bank (Boatman), you can get a software program from them to download this info for a nominal fee. Thought --> set up a customer record file on your "good" repeating crediting card customers that allows cash and/or credit card to track their purchases (can be done in TRIAD --> * acct and I think also in TruTrac). Some of the Supermarkets do this (Stop & Shop) where they create a buying history on "card" carrying members. Thought --> do you have time to this??? And the return on investment??? Have fun, Rick Schwartz Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27743 ********************************** hardlines Digest Mon, 16 Mar 1998 00:01:20 -0500 V01 #27744 Today's topics: 'Information' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 16:17:14 -0600 From: mike jones Subject: Information Hi folks, Does anyone remember an industry magazine article some months back about a retired hardware store owner that bought stores and helped someone else get setup? If you have any information or remember the magazine or the gentleman, please let me know. Thanks. Mike mjones@ccipost.net ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27744 ********************************** hardlines Digest Tue, 17 Mar 1998 00:01:21 -0500 V01 #27745 Today's topics: 'Accidents do happen' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27744' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 10:54:31 -0500 From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> Subject: Accidents do happen Dear Folks, = Just to depart briefly from how we can sell more merchandise and make mor= e money with far less effort, I offer the following. There are hardware store themes here. I opened up the New York Times magazine section this Sunday morning. The= re was an interesting piece on why the United States Government still maintains a nuclear arsenal. I pointed out for my wife a picture of a raised truck body lowering a missile into what appeared to be a chain-lin= k fence enclosure out on the Great Plains somewhere. There were soldiers with big guns supervising the procedure. I told her that one of my part-time employees was an "old missile man." Back in the sixties, my gu= y ran a missile site maintenance crew. I mentioned that one of his duties was to go down into the missile silo "capsule" with a big gun to kill the= launch crew if they went crazy and threatened to blow up Martha's Vineyar= d, or some other future vacation spot for members of the loathsome Clinton administration. Karin was impressed by this information. Always quick with a pithy observation, she thought my guy's ancient job training might show up agai= n in some sort of "postal incident." I do spend too much time locked up in= my "capsule" of an office. I'm half-crazed, and perhaps more so. I'm in= the hardware business, for Heaven's sake. How often have I felt like blowing something up? I wonder if I should add this responsibility to somebody's job descriptio= n in the store=85. As I write, Jasper the basset hound is howling in my back yard. He shou= ld be home with his master this afternoon, and would have been if Dear ol' D= ad hadn't sailed into the street last night and broken his ankle. = Dad found one of the few patches of black ice in the neighborhood, and do= wn he went. He said that it felt as though his ankle had snapped clean. He= crawled from the street to the nearest house. No one was home. He crawl= ed next door and rang the doorbell. No one was home there either, or he was= being treated to some of that famous New England hospitality. It was nine-thirty at night. He was crawling on the ground. He had a basset hound on the end of a leash. This was Lynnfield, Massachusetts, after al= l, and anyone without a car was up to no good. Why, that dog could have bee= n the latest version of the infamous inner city pit-bull, an animal bred fo= r mayhem. The crawling-guy could be a clever way to open up the unsuspecti= ng suburbanite's front door. Obviously Dear ol' Dad must have appeared as a= professional home invader! Giving up on private homes as a way to summon help, and feeling the ankle= injury was less severe than he thought, Dad hobbled a few hundred yards t= o a convenience store. The police were called. Dad refused the ambulance offer, but he accepted a ride home. = I picked Dad up at eleven o'clock after putting the hound to bed. We then= spent the rest of the night at the hospital, where the following morning surgeons installed new stainless steel hardware in the hardware store guy= =2E = A few screws and pins would ensure a fast and properly aligned repair. = We have always said at Round's True Value Hardware that if your feet, kne= es or back went, you were out of business; but if your mind went, that was n= ot a problem=85 = It was worth a little extra for the stainless hardware to put Dad's foot put back into commission. Besides, who else in the store under the age o= f forty knew the difference between stainless and regular steel, electropla= te and hot-dipped, grade 5 and grade 8 bolts? Cheers, Bill Round, = Round's True Value Hardware Stoneham, Massachusetts. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 20:16:42 EST From: AlannnnT Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27744 Hi, I'd like to open an old can of worms for a moment. It seems that the Hardlines group feels that dealers who don't buy circulars should be excluded from the lower warehouse pricing offered during a circular's 'life'. Acccording to our Tru-Serve advertising manager, all dealers pay the national advertising adder [tax] on warehouse purchases. Some of that money is used subsidize [sp?] the cost of the circulars to participating dealers. That should be enough participation to allow all dealers access to equal pricing. We chose not to use circulars for the following legitimate reasons: 1. They do not work for us. We do not sell many of the items featured. The cost of buying those items far out ways the smal benefit realized. 2. We tried them for a while, some circulars brought us as little as $85 in revenue. And yes, we bought the merchandise, end capped specials, trained employees, accepted coupons, hung signage etc.. 3. The customers that did come in with the circulars did not return to the store until the next circular. We call them 'Caldor shoppers'. It seems when you looked in Caldors the customers were trained to buy only what was in the circular. Which may be why they [Caldors} just went bankrupt. 4. The leftover merchandise turns to junk. We don't have room in the store to display the leftovers. We are sort of a 'high end' hardware store. We have zero housewares and appliances. We stock mostly the best tools, no B&D etc., no coffee makers or cookie sheets. [Out best selling hedge trimmers sell for $149.00 and $219.00] So why should I subsidize the dealers doing circulars with national advertising money and pay more for a one gallon gas can than they do? P.S. before I get major hate mail, let me say that business is good and getting better. Our store ranks in the middle in volume of purchases from our warehouse. It just pisses me off when a store that doesn't do circulars is treated like a nasty stepchild. The two stores near ours that do buy circulars, buy less out of warehouse than we do. [And less total volume] Is anyone from Tru-Serve listening? Alan Talman Karp's True Value East Northport, NY ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27745 ********************************** hardlines Digest Wed, 18 Mar 1998 00:03:39 -0500 V01 #27746 Today's topics: 'triad Thursday nite trainning meeting at Dallas' 'Re: Circular Effectiveness vs' 'Re: Flyers' 'Circular subsidies' 'Flyers and Promotions' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27745' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27745' 'Hate mail....' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 23:32:58 -0600 From: "David Casaletto" Subject: triad Thursday nite trainning meeting at Dallas This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000E_01BD5133.DA317C20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi Group, Has anyone else got the invitation to the $100 Triad "Power-User" = training seminar? It's Thursday nite from 4 to 7 p.m. Covers the = windows/network stuff and downloading and uploading via Excel. If you aleady have the capabilities to do this with FREDWARE do we need = to attend this meeting? (I'm just in the learning stages on this but = already have all the PC software in place.) John- Are we having a group dinner this market? I really enjoyed the = Cajun feast! Let's do it if at all possible. See ya! David Casaletto True Value Home Center 1701 N. Broadway Pittsburg, KS 66762 truevalue@pitton.com 316-231-0900 316-231-1011 (Fax) ------=_NextPart_000_000E_01BD5133.DA317C20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hi = Group,
 
Has anyone else got = the invitation=20 to the $100 Triad "Power-User" training seminar? It's Thursday = nite=20 from 4 to 7 p.m. Covers the windows/network stuff and downloading and = uploading=20 via Excel.
 
If you aleady have = the=20 capabilities to do this with FREDWARE do we need to attend this meeting? = (I'm=20 just in the learning stages on this but already have all the PC software = in=20 place.)
 
John- Are we having = a group dinner=20 this market? I really enjoyed the Cajun feast! Let's do it if at all=20 possible.
 
See ya!
 
David = Casaletto
True Value Home=20 Center
1701 N. Broadway
Pittsburg, KS  66762
truevalue@pitton.com
316-231-= 0900
316-231-1011=20 (Fax) 
------=_NextPart_000_000E_01BD5133.DA317C20-- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 08:53:02 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: Re: Circular Effectiveness vs In a message dated 3/17/98 5:01:25 AM Pacific Standard Time, hardlines- request@cornells.com writes: << 2. We tried them for a while, some circulars brought us as little as $85 in revenue. >> Alan: Interesting points. I am even more curious how you determine the revenue input from a flyer? How can one judge the effect and who the flyers attract? I have discuss this numerous times and curious in your input. My yardstick is several -- I review the sales (increase or decrease) from merchandise point of view -- RPM (promotion file), actual activity of each item through RIS (stock status report) comparing present and past 2 months of that item and the reaction from the employees. I have also learned that customers like excitement (Las Vegas Show?) and datelines which the flyers (may) do (especially for some strange reason the coupon book). If I judge each individual flyer -- there are some real "dogs". In total, they do create traffic -- good or bad?? But either I have my customers trained or the market has trained them, the customers are always looking for a pamphlet. This discussion also hinges on a more bigger subject -- DISCOUNTING-ouch! Alan, I am not trying to sell you on flyers, but curious how you came to your decisions. Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 08:05:08 -0600 From: mike jones Subject: Re: Flyers > It just pisses me off when a store that doesn't do circulars is treated like a > nasty stepchild. The two stores near ours that do buy circulars, buy less out > of warehouse than we do. [And less total volume] > Alan Talman > Karp's True Value Greetings, I understand your complaint, Alan, about leftover merchandise. I believe that the flyer often offers an item that the MANUFACTURER wants to unload or promote and I am sure that he offers the item to TruServe buyers and subsidizes the deal elsewhere with lower prices on other items. My suggestion is that we put items that our stores NORMALLY SELL and price it at a REGULAR PRICE. In other words, don't discount EVERYTHING on a flyer. Sometimes I look at flyers as if I'm looking at a catalog: I just want to see what's available. The price is often NOT the most important part of my buying decision. I've always said that there are three facets in any buy-sell relationship: price, quality, and service. The buyer may pick ANY TWO but I, as the seller, get the other one. I will be glad to sell a quality item and provide excellant service, but I get to set the price. When we, as retailers, get smart and we stop giving the customer ALL THREE PARTS of the deal, we finally have a win-win situation and maybe we will look differently at sale flyers. Obviously, the regular priced items will have to be moderately-shopped or blind items, but the opportunity is there and we should take advantage of it. Food for thought. Mike Jones ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 09:12:37 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Circular subsidies At 08:16 PM 3/16/98 -0500, Alan Talman wrote: > >Acccording to our Tru-Serve advertising manager, all dealers pay the national >advertising adder [tax] on warehouse purchases. Some of that money is used >subsidize [sp?] the cost of the circulars to participating dealers. That >should be enough participation to allow all dealers access to equal pricing. > > Alan, Dealers who don't participate in flyers get the benefit of national advertising and regional advertising. Even if they don't mail flyers, they get coattail consumer impression due to national advertising and circulars run by other dealers. So, you do get some value for your advertising adder (tax). I'm not so much bothered by non-participants getting promo costs... I just don't like to see out-of-stock situations due to warehouse orders from folks who didn't do pre-season orders. Perhaps TruServ could set up an allocation system to limit non-participating members to a certain quantity of sale items? This would be pretty tough to set up, so for now I'm all for the proposed policy. It will hopefully make sure we have stock to back up our sale flyers. John **************************************************************************** *** John Fix 3rd http://www.cornells.com/john.htm John3@cornells.com (914) 961-2400 Cornell's True Value Hardware Manager/Cashier/Webmaster PGP Fingerprint - BF56 ACBE 27BC 907D B8C5 D1AE A881 6299 ******************************************************************************* ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 09:39:57 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: Flyers and Promotions Hi Just another thought regarding flyers -- are there toooo many?? Remember this cry from the old days? We are now being forced to have more and more flyers and they are more and more with overlaps and cross-pricing. Anybody (TRIAD users) want to see my DEF Report on the Flyers, e-mail me and I will pass it onward. I use as well as user fields -- price conversion (not lumber program) and FIFO ( an open field for sorting). Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 14:20:42 -0500 From: Mary Brinkmann Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27745 please unsubscribe. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 21:03:24 -0500 From: Bud Howe Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27745 hardlines-request@cornells.com wrote: > > hardlines Digest Tue, 17 Mar 1998 00:01:21 -0500 V01 #27745 > > Today's topics: > 'Accidents do happen' > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27744' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 10:54:31 -0500 > From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> > Subject: Accidents do happen > > Dear Folks, = > > Just to depart briefly from how we can sell more merchandise and make mor= > e > money with far less effort, I offer the following. There are hardware > store themes here. > > I opened up the New York Times magazine section this Sunday morning. The= > re > was an interesting piece on why the United States Government still > maintains a nuclear arsenal. I pointed out for my wife a picture of a > raised truck body lowering a missile into what appeared to be a chain-lin= > k > fence enclosure out on the Great Plains somewhere. There were soldiers > with big guns supervising the procedure. I told her that one of my > part-time employees was an "old missile man." Back in the sixties, my gu= > y > ran a missile site maintenance crew. I mentioned that one of his duties > was to go down into the missile silo "capsule" with a big gun to kill the= > > launch crew if they went crazy and threatened to blow up Martha's Vineyar= > d, > or some other future vacation spot for members of the loathsome Clinton > administration. > > Karin was impressed by this information. Always quick with a pithy > observation, she thought my guy's ancient job training might show up agai= > n > in some sort of "postal incident." I do spend too much time locked up in= > > my "capsule" of an office. I'm half-crazed, and perhaps more so. I'm in= > > the hardware business, for Heaven's sake. How often have I felt like > blowing something up? > > I wonder if I should add this responsibility to somebody's job descriptio= > n > in the store=85. > > As I write, Jasper the basset hound is howling in my back yard. He shou= > ld > be home with his master this afternoon, and would have been if Dear ol' D= > ad > hadn't sailed into the street last night and broken his ankle. = > > Dad found one of the few patches of black ice in the neighborhood, and do= > wn > he went. He said that it felt as though his ankle had snapped clean. He= > > crawled from the street to the nearest house. No one was home. He crawl= > ed > next door and rang the doorbell. No one was home there either, or he was= > > being treated to some of that famous New England hospitality. It was > nine-thirty at night. He was crawling on the ground. He had a basset > hound on the end of a leash. This was Lynnfield, Massachusetts, after al= > l, > and anyone without a car was up to no good. Why, that dog could have bee= > n > the latest version of the infamous inner city pit-bull, an animal bred fo= > r > mayhem. The crawling-guy could be a clever way to open up the unsuspecti= > ng > suburbanite's front door. Obviously Dear ol' Dad must have appeared as a= > > professional home invader! > > Giving up on private homes as a way to summon help, and feeling the ankle= > > injury was less severe than he thought, Dad hobbled a few hundred yards t= > o > a convenience store. The police were called. Dad refused the ambulance > offer, but he accepted a ride home. = > > I picked Dad up at eleven o'clock after putting the hound to bed. We then= > > spent the rest of the night at the hospital, where the following morning > surgeons installed new stainless steel hardware in the hardware store guy= > =2E = > > A few screws and pins would ensure a fast and properly aligned repair. = > > We have always said at Round's True Value Hardware that if your feet, kne= > es > or back went, you were out of business; but if your mind went, that was n= > ot > a problem=85 = > > It was worth a little extra for the stainless hardware to put Dad's foot > put back into commission. Besides, who else in the store under the age o= > f > forty knew the difference between stainless and regular steel, electropla= > te > and hot-dipped, grade 5 and grade 8 bolts? > > Cheers, > > Bill Round, = > > Round's True Value Hardware > Stoneham, Massachusetts. > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 20:16:42 EST > From: AlannnnT > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27744 > > Hi, > > I'd like to open an old can of worms for a moment. > > It seems that the Hardlines group feels that dealers who don't buy circulars > should be excluded from the lower warehouse pricing offered during a > circular's 'life'. > > Acccording to our Tru-Serve advertising manager, all dealers pay the national > advertising adder [tax] on warehouse purchases. Some of that money is used > subsidize [sp?] the cost of the circulars to participating dealers. That > should be enough participation to allow all dealers access to equal pricing. > > We chose not to use circulars for the following legitimate reasons: > > 1. They do not work for us. We do not sell many of the items featured. The > cost of buying those items far out ways the smal benefit realized. > > 2. We tried them for a while, some circulars brought us as little as $85 in > revenue. > And yes, we bought the merchandise, end capped specials, trained employees, > accepted coupons, hung signage etc.. > > 3. The customers that did come in with the circulars did not return to the > store until the next circular. We call them 'Caldor shoppers'. It seems when > you looked in Caldors the customers were trained to buy only what was in the > circular. Which may be why they [Caldors} just went bankrupt. > > 4. The leftover merchandise turns to junk. We don't have room in the store to > display the leftovers. We are sort of a 'high end' hardware store. We have > zero housewares and appliances. We stock mostly the best tools, no B&D etc., > no coffee makers or cookie sheets. [Out best selling hedge trimmers sell for > $149.00 and $219.00] > > So why should I subsidize the dealers doing circulars with national > advertising money and pay more for a one gallon gas can than they do? > > P.S. before I get major hate mail, let me say that business is good and > getting better. Our store ranks in the middle in volume of purchases from our > warehouse. > It just pisses me off when a store that doesn't do circulars is treated like a > nasty stepchild. The two stores near ours that do buy circulars, buy less out > of warehouse than we do. [And less total volume] > > Is anyone from Tru-Serve listening? > > Alan Talman > Karp's True Value > East Northport, NY > > ------------------------------ > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27745 > ********************************** To Alan Talman: Thank you for your honest remarks. I couldn't agree with you more. The true value tabloids do not work for us. I get much better results advertising in our local "pennysaver". I can pick the items that i feel will attract customers and set my own sale prices. We used to do true value circulars bit i just didn't have anymore room for trash bags and storage containers. I know send them back. I have better things to do with my time then fill out more paper work and wait and wait for a credit. Nice job Alan. Budh@worldnet.att.net ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 20:49:40 -0500 From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> Subject: Hate mail.... RE: Alan Talman's comments about direct mail. Dear folks, Mr. Talman's comments about direct mail can be echoed by many members in suburban markets, particularly those in more upscale ones. I've never considered my market upscale. My Father always referred to our town as a "working man's community." It is now a town with a good school system, no real space available for new housing development, a place where real estate prices are rising. The houses which have gone up are in the $350,000 to $450,000 range. Old houses are torn down and new expensive ones are put up. Our town is not filled with people who scrape for dimes anymore; I just haven't figured out how to get the dollars from the people who have moved in recently. I have traditionally been more comfortable with nuts and bolts rather than $100 bird houses. The though of $200 hedge clippers drives me up a tree! I have been critical of direct mail the last few years, but I have trouble finding an alternative which works the way direct mail used to work. Leaving a marketing method behind on which the whole store's marketing efforts where based is a tough one. Regards, Bill Round ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27746 ********************************** hardlines Digest Thu, 19 Mar 1998 00:04:51 -0500 V01 #27747 Today's topics: 'Re: Circular subsidies' 'Advertising' 'Re: Circular subsidies' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 22:53:03 -0800 From: "DAVID D. PILGRIM" Subject: Re: Circular subsidies > I'm not so much bothered by non-participants getting promo costs... I just > don't like to see out-of-stock situations due to warehouse orders from > folks who didn't do pre-season orders. Perhaps TruServ could set up an > allocation system to limit non-participating members to a certain quantity > of sale items? This would be pretty tough to set up, so for now I'm all > for the proposed policy. It will hopefully make sure we have stock to back > up our sale flyers. > How many out-of-stocks are due to an over demand for an item that a member just under ordered on? How do you know that the out-of-stocks come from folks who didn't do pre-season orders? Agreed, this may happen once in a while, and you may find some of the large chains draining the warehouse when a great deal comes along, but for us small guys, we do not have the financial resources or the space to do large volume buys like that. I agree with the Alan on many of his thoughts on this issue. There should be a way to allow folks to reorder merchandise at promo pricing so that individual store ads, either inhouse circulars or newspaper, can be made up and distributed and still allow the store to be competitive on price. David Pilgrim Village True Value Maple Valley, WA ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 07:04:24 -0500 From: "David A. Durfee Ph.D." Subject: Advertising I don't understand arguments that customers won't care about price. Our store is too large to be a "convenience" store for hardware. We need to service a larger market. Given that, and the fact that there are 3 home depots within 20 miles (and a fourth one coming), our store MUST present an image of being price competitive. [By the way, we have a walmart nearby but we don't even consider that competition when you compare it against home depot.] Flyers (with low prices) have been very helpful. Oh, too bad I brought up flyers. Now I'm starting to get angry that we used to be able to put a map on the back of our flyer to show customers where my family's store is. While we've heard promises all this time, there has always been something more important than getting that ability back. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 14:23:57 -0600 From: "David Casaletto" Subject: Re: Circular subsidies > I'm not so much bothered by non-participants getting promo costs... I just > don't like to see out-of-stock situations due to warehouse orders from > folks who didn't do pre-season orders. Perhaps TruServ could set up an > allocation system to limit non-participating members to a certain quantity > of sale items? This would be pretty tough to set up, so for now I'm all > for the proposed policy. It will hopefully make sure we have stock to back > up our sale flyers. > How many out-of-stocks are due to an over demand for an item that a member just under ordered on? How do you know that the out-of-stocks come from folks who didn't do pre-season orders? Agreed, this may happen once in a while, and you may find some of the large chains draining the warehouse when a great deal comes along, but for us small guys, we do not have the financial resources or the space to do large volume buys like that. I agree with the Alan on many of his thoughts on this issue. There should be a way to allow folks to reorder merchandise at promo pricing so that individual store ads, either inhouse circulars or newspaper, can be made up and distributed and still allow the store to be competitive on price. David Pilgrim Hi Group, It seems the issue is whether the stores not taking the circular is buying the promo merchandise to fill customers requests on items the cutomers have seen in other store's circulars (if this is the case then the comment that the circulars do not bring in traffic must be incorrect) or if that store wants to run an ad and promote some sale items. In the first case, if you say the circulars don't work and you aren't spending the money to advertise with the circulars then you shouldn't get the promo prices on circular items. And if the circulars don't work for you, then you should have so few customers bringing in other store's circular's into your store that this is a mute question anyway. In the second case, if you want to run newspaper ads, you can buy the merchandise on relay at the promo relay cost and plan ahead like the rest of us. The only thing I see is that there should be a way that if you buy an item on promo relay, you could get the promo warehouse cost on that item for refills if the items sells more than you thought. There are lots of market specials with lots of dating that you could plan for newspaper ads in advance. See ya! David Casaletto True Value Home Center 1701 N. Broadway Pittsburg, KS 66762 truevalue@pitton.com 316-231-0900 316-231-1011 (Fax) ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27747 ********************************** hardlines Digest Fri, 20 Mar 1998 00:02:23 -0500 V01 #27748 Today's topics: 'promo pricing' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27747' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 09:05:40 -0500 From: "supergator" Subject: promo pricing I do not post here often but lurk constantly as I find many new and interesting ideas here. As an ACE dealer, my perspective on whether non-participants should get promo costs is this: We will survive or fail as independent retailers together. Some can or will not participate in advertising, yet their volume helps to get the pricing we all enjoy. ACE is a one price shop - we all purchase at the same cost(in each RSC) and rely on the staff at Corporate to keep in stock, which they do(97% for our stores from Tampa). As for non-participant stores matching prices for their customers - don't we ALL do that for our customers for ads from Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-mart, K-mart, Sears, etc.? Don't we prefer to make the customer happy rather than have them unhappy with an experience in one of our(independent retailer) stores? The real danger is that they may stop shopping in stores of our kind totally! ACE is considering doing away with the bulletin(relay) system all-together as it is a very expensive method of distribution. The costs of assembling and managing these various offers are greater than just forecasting needs with the vendor's assistance and offering the item thru RSC(RDC). There is even some consideration being given to reducing the bulletins(relays) offered at the show(market). One buyer shared with me the results of bulletin(relay) ordering for his vendors at the Kansas City(fall 97) show(market). Only 26% of the lines had ANYTHING purchased! Joe Proctor Proctor ACE Hardware Stores Jacksonville, FL supergator@ilnk.com <> ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 10:12:08 EST From: JCcop828 Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27747 David,,, A question,,, if we order months before on our relays,,, where do you suppose that the stock went that the warehouse is out of when we try to reorder during that sale.. It sounds like some one wants their cake and to eat it all too. Some of us do the relays to get the good pricing,, but get screwed by not being able to obtain additional stock because someone,, now who could that be,,, people that bought relays months ago... think not, has bought out the warehouse,, the new true serve plan should help protect those that suffer overstock of items that don't move.. to me there has got to be something better and fair for all. I wish that Tru Serve would let us pick and choose on the sale,, because what sells good for you in your area is different for me.. something that I end up with a ton of, you may sell out on.. and visa versa... I hate having to sell overstock at below cost just to get rid of it.. Have you any good ideas on that. PS: this is not hate mail.. I think every one respects each other for their thoughts and ideas, as we all sure have them.... lol Frank Thayer True Value Veneta, Oregon ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27748 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sat, 21 Mar 1998 00:02:01 -0500 V01 #27749 Today's topics: 'Warehouse Subs' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 19:27:28 -0500 From: Eric Subject: Warehouse Subs I, too, am dismayed at how bad the "sub" problem has gotten, especially after we put months and months of painstaking work to make sure everything in our store could scan with our new scanners. We spent hundreds of man (and woman)hours removing or "whiteing-out" prices to make the packages look better, and finally got our price changes done quickley by just changing the scan label. Now I see every week a hamper-full of goods that I do not recognize. I have been receiver for many years and I get items brought back to the receiving room all day long. As Assistant Manager, I have more to do then check each item. I do check each relay item, as most is new but I had 99 lines of relay this week and 5 other invoices to work off. Some items are shipped to my second store or split with them so an error here means an error there. It also hurts that after marking down all the Black & Decker labeled tools a year ago, we now may have to mark down all the True Value power tools because Black & Decker is coming back. We spent 70+ years with Vermont American packaged drill bits, then Master Mechanic....and here comes VA again! Don't even start me going on Tesa/Manco. Now the new stuff comes in and the bar codes may work because they have been downloaded, but don't go looking for the right peghook, because the description is still wrong. I may have to ask for a scanner for receiving but I can keep running out to the floor to check them, but when you order an 11A-72 MTD mower on relay, and the big word 'SUB' is scrawled across the front of the 11A-073 different engine mower.....well,try to explain that to the customer looking at the scan tag description AND at the mower itself. Thanks for letting me sound off. See you in Dallas Nancy Badger Rand's True Value Plymouth, NH ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27749 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sun, 22 Mar 1998 00:03:40 -0500 V01 #27750 Today's topics: 'SKU 479 352' 'Price Matching competition' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 09:19:25 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: SKU 479 352 Hi: Doing file maintenance and found a old/new sku The SKU is now 479 352 HEIRLOOMSTNGLDRITWQT665 the extended description is HEIRLOOMSTNGLDRITWQT665 Can somebody explain what is HEIRLOOMSTNGLDRITWQT665 ?? This was a "Rubber Diaphragm" (plumbing!) and is now case pack 320. Thanks Have Fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 18:46:33 -0800 (PST) From: Ralph Witkin Subject: Price Matching competition I don't believe any independent should "match" national chain store prices upon a customer's request. They (the competitors) aren't offering the same selection of product, nor the same level of service and information that we do, so "matching" only prices isn't realistic. However, when you put a "True Value" or "Ace" sign on your store, you should be prepared to sell your merchandise at the same price as the co-op broadcasts it via the media. I know the margins (or lack of margins) hurt, but it's usually less than 100 items (or 2-3% of your total inventory) and normally it's just 2 weeks to a month. Remember, I'm only talking about Advertised Promotions -- not catalog or shelf prices. == "It's just not necessary to do extraordinary things to produce extraordinary results." RALPH M. WITKIN Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818/905-5306 _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27750 ********************************** hardlines Digest Mon, 23 Mar 1998 00:04:46 -0500 V01 #27751 Today's topics: 'item descriptions' 'Re: price matching' 'Re: conversions for scc members' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 09:35:22 -0500 From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> Subject: item descriptions Dear Folks, It is snowing out there. What should be a front lawn almost ready for spring maintenance is now an arctic waste land. I think I will take the kids to see "TITANIC" this afternoon. That will seem cheery after this storm's effect on business... Rick Schwartz was making a few comments about item descriptions from TruServ. Many bizzare descriptions are currently flowing into the system directly from the Servistar mainframe item file. As bad as some of the Cotter descriptions have been over the years, the Servistar ones were worse. The merchandise information office will be updating these over the next few months. Is anybody doing anything with McCloskey varnish products out of TruServ? We had that line in the store when I was a kid. There was a patio furniture finish in the line which always sold well. The redwood stains offered in the warehouse program all seem to be weak and watery. Any suggestions? Regards, Snowbound Bill Round The actic wastes of Stoneham, Massachusetts ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 10:55:44 -0500 From: "supergator" Subject: Re: price matching Ralph: Most of the customers coming through our doors want to shop with us but do not want to pay a lot more for the privilege. We have found matching verified prices on identical items for customers when they bring it up comforts them. They are shocked when we are lower or about the same price as Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-mart, Sam's, etc. I agree members should participate in a co-op's advertising. Some stores do not see the value in advertising and promotion. I do. Our group of 35 ACE stores has been promoting in the north Florida and south Georgia area for 20+ years, producing our own tabloids both weekly and monthly. We participate in ACE's national Best Buy, Incredible Bargain and Super Coupon promotions each month. Many items ACE has on promotion in the RSC are utilized in our local ads. The effect advertised items have on margins is substantial yet necessary. The effect of our price matching is much less yet just as necessary. I prefer to have these customers tell others what a great place we have to shop and how well we take care of them. I was in your neck of the woods in January after the Super Bowl visiting my sister(she lives in Irvine). It was my first time in LA and I enjoyed it immensely. So much to do! I will return in April for the ACE show. Joe Proctor Proctor ACE Hardware Stores Jacksonville, FL ---------- > From: Ralph Witkin > Subject: Price Matching competition > Date: Saturday, March 21, 1998 9:46 PM > > I don't believe any independent should "match" national chain store > prices upon a customer's request. > They (the competitors) aren't offering the same selection of product, > nor the same level of service and information that we do, so > "matching" only prices isn't realistic. > However, when you put a "True Value" or "Ace" sign on your store, > you should be prepared to sell your merchandise at the same price as > the co-op broadcasts it via the media. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 22:07:09 EST From: KWRUN Subject: Re: conversions for scc members I realize that most of you are from the true value side of tru serv, but I am curious to know if any Coast or SCC members read this and are currently involved in the conversion process and what kind of problems they may be having. Ken Runyan Coast to Coast Hardware Boise, ID KWRun@aol.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27751 ********************************** hardlines Digest Tue, 24 Mar 1998 00:00:58 -0500 V01 #27752 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27751' 'July bargain of the month' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 23:28:14 -0600 From: "Bobby Dill" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27751 Bobby Dill - www.unclejoes.com Saved By The Grace Of God, Kept By His Spirit, Prepared For Rapture... Equipped For Tribulation... =========Snipped We have almost completed the paint conversion and that was a real mess. I hope the rest won't be as bad, but am afraid it will be. What we needed from the start was a complete list of all the numbers and we could have been working on this for the last several months. It seems they make all the decisions without asking very many of us anything. We could have helped a lot, but wasn't given a chance to give any assistance... >Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 22:07:09 EST >From: KWRUN >Subject: Re: conversions for scc members > > >I realize that most of you are from the true value side of tru serv, but I am >curious to know if any Coast or SCC members read this and are currently >involved in the conversion process and what kind of problems they may be >having. >Ken Runyan >Coast to Coast Hardware >Boise, ID >KWRun@aol.com > >------------------------------ > > >End of hardlines Digest V01 #27751 >********************************** > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 21:53:54 EST From: GJN INC Subject: July bargain of the month Surprise, surprise. July BOM 9" fan has a cost of $8.01. Guess what? I purchased 20 of this same item on market relay and they cost $10.50!!! So come July I can give away a buck and a half on these 20 fans. I wish we could have some way of knowing what the BOM items are going to be in the future. Not the exact item number, but at least tell us there will be a 9" fan in July, and a 50' hose in July. We could then adjust our purchases for this classification. Having fun, business is good! Gary Johnson ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27752 ********************************** hardlines Digest Wed, 25 Mar 1998 00:00:08 -0500 V01 #27753 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27752' 'No Topic' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 08:53:57 -0500 From: NorthLima@webtv.net (John Crouse) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27752 Have been on CIS for a long time without any problem at all. After the last update we have problem after problem. Any one else on CIS with this. THEY make it sound like it is only us.... Do enjoy all the info that is expressed here, and as time permits , hope to join in....thanks Jack ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 17:57:13 -0500 From: impine@aol.com Subject: No Topic To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.79@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27753 ********************************** hardlines Digest Thu, 26 Mar 1998 00:01:18 -0500 V01 #27754 Today's topics: 'Re: CIS Fun' 'Webboard is down' 'mult store adding new sku's 6,000,in short time?' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27752' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 06:35:41 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: Re: CIS Fun In a message dated 3/24/98 9:00:42 PM Pacific Standard Time, hardlines- request@cornells.com writes: > NorthLima@webtv.net (John Crouse) John: The advantage of this network is to network amongst us dealers. If you got on, sorry you missed all my groans about CIS crashing and locking up in the past. In fact, after Friday's download, my CIS will not update nor will transmit orders. I have a new set of programs on route. Cheer up -- there are others out here in Siberia. Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 08:19:52 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Webboard is down The Hardlines Webboard is apparently down right now. Probably related to our install of the latest Windows NT 5 beta release (We're notorious for being on the bleeding edge here at Cornell's when it comes to software). The user names and info is still intact, and the old messages are still there... you just can't see them. I'm still planning on the Online hat for Monday 3/30 at 1PM EST. In the meantime, I'll post again once the old messages are back online. John john3@cornells.com Cornell's True Value Hardware - www.cornells.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 09:17:41 -0500 From: dands@tenforward.com Subject: mult store adding new sku's 6,000,in short time? To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.80@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 21:35:49 -0500 From: dconroy Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27752 hardlines-request@cornells.com wrote: > > hardlines Digest Tue, 24 Mar 1998 00:00:58 -0500 V01 #27752 > > Today's topics: > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27751' > 'July bargain of the month' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 23:28:14 -0600 > From: "Bobby Dill" > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27751 > > Bobby Dill - www.unclejoes.com > Saved By The Grace Of God, > Kept By His Spirit, > Prepared For Rapture... > Equipped For Tribulation... > =========Snipped > > We have almost completed the paint conversion and that was a real mess. I > hope the rest won't be as bad, but am afraid it will be. What we needed > from the start was a complete list of all the numbers and we could have been > working on this for the last several months. It seems they make all the > decisions without asking very many of us anything. We could have helped a > lot, but wasn't given a chance to give any assistance... > > >Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 22:07:09 EST > >From: KWRUN > >Subject: Re: conversions for scc members > > > > > >I realize that most of you are from the true value side of tru serv, but I > am > >curious to know if any Coast or SCC members read this and are currently > >involved in the conversion process and what kind of problems they may be > >having. > >Ken Runyan > >Coast to Coast Hardware > >Boise, ID > >KWRun@aol.com > > > >------------------------------ > > > > > >End of hardlines Digest V01 #27751 > >********************************** > > > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 21:53:54 EST > From: GJN INC > Subject: July bargain of the month > > Promoted items and the 'Market" Truservs' departure from giving us the whole up-comeing seasons' promotional items list at the Market, is a pain. More than a few times, we've gone in and bought items, new items, or whole lines, then found out later that the advertising is supporting a different selection, or placeing it's emphasis elswhere. The new BOM program, also interjects 'different costs' into the whole thing. There was a time, We were given more info. Buying from promotional relays, post market, sucks. dan conroy g.m. maskill tv birmingham, michigan ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27754 ********************************** hardlines Digest Fri, 27 Mar 1998 00:02:41 -0500 V01 #27755 Today's topics: 'John bleeds the way to the future?' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27754' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 07:26:57 -0500 From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> Subject: John bleeds the way to the future? Dear Folks, John Fix made some comments about the web board crashing with an early-release NT 5.0 swimming around somewhere inside his store network. John has always "bled" the way for the rest of us. For some reason, he enjoys the challenge of being on the "bleeding edge" of all of this, and seems none the worse for wear. Cornell True Value seems to be running well. The Cornell.Com web sites appear to function properly unless they are out and out experiments (the web board). He is still married. Things are going well in Eastchester. Perhaps all this energy is the result of giving up on controlling his father's buying habits. I just sudder when to think of it. The sight of that guy running around the market with huge folders of purchase orders (most of which he apparently ignores or modifies extensively) frightens me and reminds me of my own situation. I have effectively controlled my father's buying habits to the point where he can't buy anything without my signature. But, that's a full-time job in itself..... Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 09:52:56 -0600 From: "Chuck Hank" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27754 >There was a time, We were given more info. >Buying from promotional relays, post market, sucks. >dan conroy >g.m. maskill tv birmingham, michigan Dan, I think the thinking behind the promotions not being mapped out into the future at the markets it that TruServ will be able to react quicker and more responsive to changes in the market and maybe even include newer items into the promos. As for the post market prmotional relays, I tend to like the books in that the relays are all located in one place in one easy format. I can remember the time at the markets when I spent a majority of the time running around and looking for the red tag items. Now I can spend more time making direct orders. The big disadvantage is that you cannot anticipate the promo items on your direct order and therefore beef up the quantities on those promoted items. Take care, Chuck Hank Hank Bros. True Value Hardware Paducah, Kentucky ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27755 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sat, 28 Mar 1998 00:01:06 -0500 V01 #27756 Today's topics: 'New SKU' 'web site' 'Chuck Hank's Market Buying' 'web site - reply' 'Credit Card Mania' 'Rick's on the bleeding edge this time' 'Sponsors' 'Credit Card Mania' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 01:43:19 -0500 From: dands@tenforward.com Subject: New SKU Hello Many thanks for the response. I do enjoy the Hardlines information that I'am receive. Glad to see that I'am not alone with Triad and Cotter problems. The first of May we should be in the new building. The PC and Fredware are ordered and on the way I hope to make a dent in the SKU count, Lord willing. Thank You All God Bless Dan Blevins dands@tenforward.com To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.81@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 06:53:33 -0500 From: "David A. Durfee Ph.D." Subject: web site I'm interested in creating a WEB site but I understand that Trueserv has guidelines it requires you to follow if you wish them to add a link to their site. Although I have requested these guidelines more than once, I have yet to receive them. Does anybody out there have an idea of what it takes to make a compliant website? (Must I avoid inserting those naked pictures of our staff?) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 07:45:15 -0500 From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@compuserve.com> Subject: Chuck Hank's Market Buying Dear Folks, I must echo Chuck Hank's comments about the market... for those stores which can still handle market orders. The promotional format now used is an efficient way to get the information to us, less the flyer mock-up page problem. That visual aid was a handy way to judge what might be needed on a flyer. The duplication of merchandise purchased on DS and market relay in the promotion is a hassle. The better term would be replication. This is a systemic issue which we will not be able to handle effectively until the merger settles down and philosophy changes. I need to qualify my statement about those stores which can still handle market orders. My store is in a high wage (extremely!), high employment area. There are not enough enough affordable... or even willing and able... bodies to handle all the stuff I used to buy at the market. My store is in a very expensive neighborhood. We own the building, certainly, but to squander space on storage is not what retailing is about today. The real estate issue must drive the way we buy and the way we select merchandise. My store is in a heavily built up, congested suburban market with multiple shopping malls and big box stores all over the place. It is a savage retail market. The consumer is bombarded with direct mail every day; this consumer has almost unlimited choice and, if willing to spend the time, can always find something cheaper. The TruServ market is not the big buying event for me that it used to be. I want LOOK at the merchandise, handle it, maybe buy some assortments to get me going in a new line, review in the TruServ changes to see what might work for my store, check out the programs, question everybody I run into on the floor to see what they are doing to make money, test what thought I have about the same, and wander about to see what's new. I am not out at the market to spend $150,000 on merchandise to fill the store up to the ceiling and the warehouse and hope that I get a good return on my investment. I know that by the time I factor handling, cash flow, financing, risk, merchandise replication (new skus which offer no discernable choice for the consumber), mistakes, damage, etc.... The numbers don't work for me at my store. The one BIG reason I used to buy LOTS of stuff at the market is that I wanted to insulate myself from TruServ (cotter) warehouse outs. I believed that I telegraphed a message to buyers in Chicago with every line I ordered. I believed that if I ordered 25 to 75% of my needs on relay, there would be enough stuff at the warehouse when the season hit. I can't afford to do that any more. Yet, I find that buyers still work that way at TruServ. They patiently await member orders and plan their needs based on this, and then we have discussions in this conference about promotional stuff running out, penalizing members who don't order on relay, corporate allocations, etc. I am very concerned that this "communications link" where TruServ looks for member orders at the market to base its inventory levels and assumes that the bulk of needed merchandise is alreadyh out in the field will be self-defeating. Members with conditions such as I've described above order less on relay/DS, TruServ brings in less to the warehouse, they run out more often, members loose sales, they order less, buyers order less, etc. Gosh, I've got to run! Sorry about the grammer and spelling! Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 13:49:14 -0500 From: truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us Subject: web site - reply HA>I'm interested in creating a WEB site but I understand that Trueserv has HA>guidelines it requires you to follow if you wish them to add a link to Hi, check out www.truevalue.com/truevalue_banner/banner.html If I've mistyped anything the address is on p. F.4 of the JULY 1998 advertising advisor. The terms are easy to comply with, and are only required if you want to be in the TruServ listing. Check them out, I doubt that you'll find anything objectionable, or difficult. There is an e-mail address for any other questions that you have. If you don't yet have internet access, get back to me & I'll copy it & send it to you. HA>(Must I avoid inserting those naked pictures of our staff?) HMMM! I'm not sure that TruServ has dealt with that just yet. I suppose that if your staff is normally naked while on duty, that they may HAVE to let you publish those pictures. Paul Poirier Park Ave. True Value Hardware Inc. Worcester MA 01603 508-754-1731 508-754-1935(fax) truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us http://www.parkavetruevalue.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 17:24:54 EST From: RICKSS1 Subject: Credit Card Mania Hi: Well, I take back my position regarding the TruServ position with the Merchant Mess Bank -- what a bookkeeping nightmare that has gotten worse. Has anybody tried using their Link program? Does it work? Supposedly, somebody tried to "improve" the program and........... (March 10th or thereabouts). Thanks Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 17:52:09 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Rick's on the bleeding edge this time Noticing Rick Schwartz's post, I have to admit that sometimes I let others ride the crest of the wave. While we were one of the first test sites for Triad's implementation of ICVerify, I've avoided all forms of Cotter/TruServ bankcard processing in the past several years. It seems they either: 1: Pick slow, outdated networks prone to "out of balance" and other errors (i.e. MAPP) or 2: Attempt to build something from the ground up, which is a sure way to both spend too much and provide a beta product at best (compared to what's already available). or most recently 3: Negotiate an incredibly low discount rate schedule with an outfit that apparently is more like Odd Lot Warehouse than Neiman Marcus when it comes to retailer-friendlieness (i.e. you get what you pay for?). Keep us posted Rick... as long as you can hang in there! John **************************************************************************** *** John Fix 3rd http://www.cornells.com/john.htm John3@cornells.com (914) 961-2400 Cornell's True Value Hardware Manager/Cashier/Webmaster PGP Fingerprint - BF56 ACBE 27BC 907D B8C5 D1AE A881 6299 ******************************************************************************* ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 18:21:46 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Sponsors Just for everyone's info, I've signed up a few industry sponsors for the Hardlines Digest. There will be a two line message at the bottom of the digest email messages, along with a banner on the Hardlines web site. It will definitely not affect the content of the digest (which remains unedited and unscreened). The primary reason for soliciting some sponsors was to offset the cost of adding the Webboard system (which is still in beta, like most stuff here), as well as offset a minor part of the monthly Internet connection fee. It is definitely not a revenue source like ads on Netscape's web site or some of the search engines. A few folks suggested asking for contributions from members, but I decided against this for two reasons: 1: Too much bookkeeping! Better to accept four or five $200 sponsors than a bunch of $10 members (though I might actually get more money if I chose the latter option). 2: The sponsors are lurking on the list, seldom posting but always reading (and learning, reacting, etc.). Let them help foot the bill... they can write it off as both advertising AND research. So far, I have two sponsors lined up, CCI-Triad and National Home Center News (thanks Rob and Andrew!). I've approached a few other organizations, but so far no firm committments. If there are others on the list interested in a one-year, $200 sponsorship, contact me privately via email. Details about sponsorship are on the web pages. The sponsorship messages will start in the digests and web page on April 1 (coincidence? yes). Thanks to everyone who posts, reads, lurks, and helps make this list such a valuable resource for hardlines retailers. John john3@cornells.com Cornell's True Value Hardware - www.cornells.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 18:21:52 -0500 From: truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us Subject: Credit Card Mania Has anybody HA>tried using their Link program? Does it work? I can't seem to find anyone who knows how to order it. I've given my information to three different people & have received nothing. Any hints? Paul Poirier Park Ave. True Value Hardware Inc. Worcester MA 01603 508-754-1731 508-754-1935(fax) truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us http://www.parkavetruevalue.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27756 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sun, 29 Mar 1998 00:01:42 -0500 V01 #27757 Today's topics: 'Tru-Test Paint' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27755' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27756' 'Tru-Test Paint' 'Voice mail' 'Re: Voice mail' 'New Messages' 'Web Board' 'Triad vs. TruTrak' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 18:56:30 -0800 (PST) From: Ralph Witkin Subject: Tru-Test Paint Has anyone else notice the price increase on EZ-Kare and Weatherall Latex quarts this week? About 30-35%. Interior flat now retails for $9.49 qt! I called Chicago today thinking they made a mistake (the flat galls are still $17.99), and they acted like the bank or phone company: the price is right, why do you ask? I did learn that the galls will go up on April 1st. Or is this just a California/Arizona issue? Great timing with the summer paint season right around the corner, and in this part of the country we have OSH (Orchard Supply Hdwe) to compete with using Sears' muscle (very prominent in paint). I think EZ-Kare is no longer competitive with the chains, now it's become a "premium" priced line. == "It's just not necessary to do extraordinary things to produce extraordinary results." RALPH M. WITKIN Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818/905-5306 _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 06:57:44 -0500 From: NorthLima@webtv.net (John Crouse) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27755 --WebTV-Mail-2039946041-7944 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Many thanks to all who helped me with the CIS problem. Even Chicago voiced their thoughts. They are sending out a new update disc. They said I should have it by Tuesday (5 DAYS) I guess I will paint my floors since I cannot use the system. I also have called in many times to try and unravel our credit card mess . The new procedure that started on March 9, has helped quite me a lot. I am lost at how a friday and saturday deposit does not credited until the next wednesday and the program says it is a 24 hour deposit time frame. Having been with Cotter & CO., (tru-serv) for 29 years I guess I am still sold on them or I would have changed before this. The weather is to be near 80 today, so maybe my winter blues will leave and and everyone will be getting in a better mood. Thanks.....Jack --WebTV-Mail-2039946041-7944 Content-Description: signature Content-Disposition: INLINE Content-Type: TEXT/HTML; CHARSET=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT --WebTV-Mail-2039946041-7944-- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 07:55:56 EST From: AlannnnT Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27756 Last year someone posted about a pro quality leaf rake made by a small company in New England. If anyone has that info could you repeat it here, or send me a private e- mail? The handles on the Tru-Temper and McQuire leaf rakes have gotten so bad, I need another supplier. Thanks, Alan Talman Karps Hardware East Northport, NY ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 08:34:47 -0800 (PST) From: Ralph Witkin Subject: Tru-Test Paint ---2131475428-33463914-891102887=:25660 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline note: forwarded msg attached. == "It's just not necessary to do extraordinary things to produce extraordinary results." RALPH M. WITKIN Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818/905-5306 _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ---2131475428-33463914-891102887=:25660 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Received: from [153.34.71.215] by send1d; Fri, 27 Mar 1998 18:56:31 PST Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 18:56:30 -0800 (PST) From: Ralph Witkin Subject: Tru-Test Paint To: hardlines@cornells.com Cc: ralkin@yahoo.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Length: 997 Has anyone else notice the price increase on EZ-Kare and Weatherall Latex quarts this week? About 30-35%. Interior flat now retails for $9.49 qt! I called Chicago today thinking they made a mistake (the flat galls are still $17.99), and they acted like the bank or phone company: the price is right, why do you ask? I did learn that the galls will go up on April 1st. Or is this just a California/Arizona issue? Great timing with the summer paint season right around the corner, and in this part of the country we have OSH (Orchard Supply Hdwe) to compete with using Sears' muscle (very prominent in paint). I think EZ-Kare is no longer competitive with the chains, now it's become a "premium" priced line. == "It's just not necessary to do extraordinary things to produce extraordinary results." RALPH M. WITKIN Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818/905-5306 _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ---2131475428-33463914-891102887=:25660-- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 16:36:33 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Voice mail As part of my never ending quest to install every electronic device available in our hardware store, I've just completed installing a voice mail system in the business. We have a Southwestern Bell Landmark system installed (very good system BTW), and added a Voice Support voice mail system primarily to handle our Internet/toll-free line. I found that our "live" cashiers were not being consistent with their greeting, especially since we get calls from all over the country for various products (home brew stuff, As Seen On TV stuff, etc.). I also found that many of the calls were for directions, questions about wholesale prices, etc. The voice mail has provided a bunch of nice benefits to our phone operations... Callers on our 800 number are routed directly to the voice mail. The greeting explains that we're Cornell's, home of the Brewshop, Hardware Store, etc. The caller gets a menu, allowing them to get directions, place an order, or ask technical questions about our web site hosting. The directions for our store are pre-recorded, so there's no need for the clerks to spend time giving incorrect driving instructions. Technical questions get routed to my extension. Order requests get routed to one of the folks who is familiar with our web products. Our main hardware store lines are answered by live folks (our cashiers)... I'm not comfortable with putting our main consumer lines directly into voice mail. However, if a caller requests any of the managers (including myself), the call gets transferred to the desk extension for that manager (in the past our cashiers would page us). If there is no answer at the extension, the caller has an option to leave a message, page the person, or be returned to the cashier/attendant. So far (one week and counting), it's been working out better than I expected. I get paged on occasion (and can pick up from any phone or using the cordless phone I carry on busy days), but quite often return to my desk to find several messages from telemarketers, stock brokers, relatives, etc. These calls would have stalled me from whatever I was working on at the time. We're also finding that there are less angry consumers who were left hanging on hold while waiting for one of the managers. They leave a message, and get a call back. The voice mail also has the ability to answer with a custom "closed" message during our off hours. It nice and professional, and also keeps the phone from ringing off the hook during the sometimes crazy few minutes just after closing. I know Wade Doss (Bates Ace Hardware) has been using a voice mail in his store for a while now... anyone else with good or bad stories to relate? John **************************************************************************** *** John Fix 3rd http://www.cornells.com/john.htm John3@cornells.com (914) 961-2400 Cornell's True Value Hardware Manager/Cashier/Webmaster PGP Fingerprint - BF56 ACBE 27BC 907D B8C5 D1AE A881 6299 ******************************************************************************* ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 17:55:57 -0500 From: "Wade Doss" Subject: Re: Voice mail >I know Wade Doss (Bates Ace Hardware) has been using a voice mail in his >store for a while now... anyone else with good or bad stories to relate? Yes we have been using the automated answering system for about 14 months now. The first month was difficult but after tweaking the menu's three or four times we have eliminated the complaints. We had to put in the old timers escape route so that if they didn't want to go through the automated route they can go direct to a live person of if they are using a rotary phone or a bad cell phone their call still get to a live attendant. We have been able to track where the call are going, how many, what times etc if they hang up, give up if they just need directions or hours etc. We are using the same 900mhz portable phones on all the salespeople so it rings right in their department while their on the move. Has been a great time saver. Also with our power equipment calls, service calls go to the service department and sales go to our p/e salesperson. Just like automating inventory years ago I don't know how we did without the phone system, it has made us more productive and allow us to monitor our calls closer and that all calls are being answered at some point and not being stuck on hold hell. The voice mail has improved our own instore communication greatly as it never fails the person I want to ask a question is off that day and I forget the next day so we us the voice mail system alot. My on personal calls go to my voice mailbox so I get all messages no more I let a message with your cashier and of course they never pass along the message. We used the Mitel phones and switch with at&t cordless phones and the Active Voice, voice mail system. Just another employee that never will call in sick, is always on time and works 24 hours a day and never complains, that's just four more reasons why I like the phone system. Wade batesace@acehardware.com wade@batesace.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 20:04:05 -0500 From: gjninc@aol.com Subject: New Messages When I checked the web board today 03/28 1455 I had "3 New Messages" When I clicked on the "3 New Messages" I could not access them. There was not a (+) next to the conference name. What am I doing wrong? Gary Johnson Johnson's True Value Remember, no matter how bad today seems, the sun will rise tomorrow!! To reply: mailto:hardlines-list.84@hardlines.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:hardlines-list@hardlines.cornells.com To login: http://hardlines.cornells.com/~hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 20:22:43 EST From: GJN INC Subject: Web Board I checked the web board today 03/28 at 1655 and had a message "3 new messages". I clicked on the "3 new messages" and could not access them. I then tried to post and recieved an e-mail that it was un-deliverable. Is it me, or are you having problems with the software? Gary Johnson Wapato, WA ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 20:43:58 EST From: GJN INC Subject: Triad vs. TruTrak We are having some difficulty trying to choose between Triad and TruTrak. I would appreciate hearing some of the reasoning used to make the choice. We will be moving to a new location in August that will have a 10,000 sq. ft. salesfloor. We are not currently using a POS system. I have been using TruStart since July "96. We are a combination Variety/Hardware. Because of this our customer average, $7.41 last year, is lower than the typical hardware store. We will install 4 checkouts in the new store, currently we use 3. We do not handle lumber, and we have only the one location (I have been told Triad handles these two areas better then TruTrak) We have heard some horror stories concerning Triad: cost being number one, ease of use, or lack of, number two. I have talked with some very happy TruTrak users at Market and in our area. The stores using this newsgroup all seem to be automated and have a good background with POS systems so I believe I am asking the right people for their opinion. Your responses will be very helpful in our decision making process. Thanks in advance for your comments. Gary Johnson Johnson's True Value Wapato, WA GJNINC@aol.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27757 ********************************** hardlines Digest Mon, 30 Mar 1998 00:03:33 -0500 V01 #27758 Today's topics: 'Fwd: Windows 3.1' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 29 Mar 1998 08:31:30 -0800 (PST) From: Ralph Witkin Subject: Fwd: Windows 3.1 ---2131475428-1932422408-891189090=:10701 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline note: forwarded msg attached. == "It's just not necessary to do extraordinary things to produce extraordinary results." RALPH M. WITKIN Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818/905-5306 _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ---2131475428-1932422408-891189090=:10701 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Return-Path: Message-ID: <19980329162817.17091.rocketmail@send1c.yahoomail.com> Received: from [153.34.88.164] by send1c; Sun, 29 Mar 1998 08:28:17 PST Date: Sun, 29 Mar 1998 08:28:17 -0800 (PST) From: Ralph Witkin Subject: Windows 3.1 To: lcoha@pacbell.net, Fredsvette@aol.com Cc: sfralph@yahoo.com, pgclass84@yahoo.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Length: 483 Hi: I need a copy of Windows 3.1 (or at least the "Program Manager") on Diskette. Somehow I erroneously "archieved" my Program Manager, and am unable to use my computer for anything until I re-load it. I had to send this e-Mail from a "public" computer on a Web-based system. Thanks == RALPH M. WITKIN Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818/905-5306 _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ---2131475428-1932422408-891189090=:10701-- ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27758 ********************************** hardlines Digest Tue, 31 Mar 1998 00:00:03 -0500 V01 #27759 Today's topics: 'Computer backups' 'Re: Computer backups' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 17:24:14 -0500 (EST) From: Richard Filion Subject: Computer backups I would like to remind all of us that it is imperative we keep up-to-date backups for all of our files, and as a very minimum for the Unix based systems, the boot floppy should be kept in a safe place, and for Windows based systems, a boot floppy designated as a "start-up" should contain current versions of "autoexec.bat" and "config.sys". You might also want to make a backup version of the Windows directory. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 17:46:49 -0500 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Re: Computer backups At 05:24 PM 3/30/98 -0500, Richard FIlion wrote: > I would like to remind all of us that it is imperative we keep >up-to-date backups for all of our files, and as a very minimum for the Unix >based systems, the boot floppy should be kept in a safe place, and for >Windows based systems, a boot floppy designated as a "start-up" should >contain current versions of "autoexec.bat" and "config.sys". You might also >want to make a backup version of the Windows directory. > The entire Windows directory could be pretty large, and often contains a lot of orphaned files and junk. Invest in one of the repair/recovery utilities. If you are running Windows (3.x, 95, or NT) in a business environment, then it is probably a good idea to purchase Norton Utilities or one of the similar products. It will copy the necessary files to a Rescue Disk, save registry entries, and recommend that you update your Rescue Disk on a regular basis. If you leave your PC's on at night, it will run maintenance overnight, etc. John **************************************************************************** *** John Fix 3rd http://www.cornells.com/john.htm John3@cornells.com (914) 961-2400 Cornell's True Value Hardware Manager/Cashier/Webmaster PGP Fingerprint - BF56 ACBE 27BC 907D B8C5 D1AE A881 6299 ******************************************************************************* ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27759 **********************************