hardlines Digest Tue, 01 Jul 1997 00:04:23 -0500 V01 #27541 Today's topics: 'Re: ROP, RSO, Multiple orders.' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 12:28:10 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: Re: ROP, RSO, Multiple orders. At 07:44 AM EST 6/24/97 EDT, Bill Round wrote: >Three orders a week? I wish I could do that. I'm o'k with two, but I will >agree with you that it seems that we're always doing RSO's or putting orders >away. It almost seems as though we need more help... or at least more >specialized help. > i get so little freight a week that multiple orders would increase my item cost because of the cost of opening the freight door being spread over so few items . seriously, i'd think that a 'proper' sized order would be one that two people can check in in one day (16 man-hours) and the whole crew can put away by the end of the next (80 man-hours). if it takes longer than that, you'd be better off splitting the order. the problem is to be able to split the order so that you aren't ordering 'one of two' twice... i'd split by location. with the 'new' delivery system cutting one day off the cycle (we'll order at 9am and they'll actually pick that day instead of letting the order sit in the mainframe for a day to 'age'), we'd be able to handle an extra order a week much easier. right now we order thursday and our scheduled delivery day is monday - that's a 5-day lag. admittedly, we've browbeat jo larson into delivering on saturday for the last couple of years and taken 2 days out of the cycle so we have everything on the shelf by tuesday night so i can order wednesday. if we got the order friday, we'd be able to place another one monday for tuesday delivery. the only real problem is that the truck-time is 24 hours from the warehouse. >A few comments: > >1. I used to be a BIG advocate of "if it's worth buying, it's worth COUNTING!" >I am no longer such. I am looking towards divorcing the counting activity from >order creation. Counting takes time, and with multiple primary vendor orders in >a work week, time is something that slips away too quickly. > if it's selling, it's worth ordering. if it's worth ordering, it's worth counting. but counting isn't ordering.... we cycle-count to control errors - even if the error is caused by shoplifting. when we order, we assume that the computer count is correct except if it looks really wierd. >2. Location control is the BIG thing to control. This makes the counting >easier. I want to make a LOWER level staff member responsible for scanning ZERO >quantities on the morning before the Cotter order comes in. The two things on >an RSO which are important: Those items which have been selling and print on >RSO, and those which don't appear on RSO which are in fact zero on the floor. >The justification of zeros on the sales floor with zero QOH in the system is a >key item in my opinion. > zeros aren't the only problem.. i have stuff with 12 on the hook and the customer wants 13 so he goes somewhere else. then i find that the computer thinks there are 25 on the hook and won't order till there are less than 20. curse, swear, check the back room again.... we print a list of "less than 0" as part of our order creation process. this identifies mis-sold merchandise and we find a 'like' item and check it's quantity and usually find the problem and therefore know what to order... >3. If you sell stuff, you should buy more, unless skus have been targeted to >sell to zero. This includes discontinued, promotional and seasonal items near >the end of their run. Even if counts are off, your inventory position does not >become less favorable if you are buying to replace SOLD merchandise. > valid... in fact this is (IMHO) the most important point! >4. I've heard that lots of people are doing cycle counts. One 4' panel a day >will do just fine. Well, maybe 8'. 12'? This is a "lower level" task which >will go a distance towards keeping things under control. > we broke up our locations into groups of about 200 skus each and run 4 reports each night for the morning shift (it's slow from 8-10 but we have to have 1 or 2 people on the floor). if they finish all 4, fine - if they don't, we re-run the next night. what happens, you say, if the printout is wrong because of sales while we're counting? the answer is simple - we have an old employee who's a stickler and he resolves all differences (by reference to current computer quantity) before we make any adjustments. he also corrects the mistakes that the 'novice' counters make. >5. Rick@Cole, you have 5 or 6 turns.... What is the composition of you >inventory file X movers? Do you have nuts an bolts on there? Well, I guess you >don't have a trailer loaded with rock salt and snow shovels out there in San >Francisco.... > i can't answer for rick, but we have everything but servalite/midwest in the file. since i can view sales since 1990 on my ordering screen i can tell what needs to be stocked for the regular once-a-year emergency. i figure that if nuts and bolts sell in volume, i'd like to be sure i'm never out and the only way i can tell if my stock level is too low is to watch the sales. however, want to buy a 6" gate valve? >6. I'm still item pricing out here in the Happy People's Commonwealth of >Massachusetts, the state with the highest debt load percentage in the country, >more scandalous Kennedys per capita than any other piece of real estate on the >planet. Sorry, I get carried away... I'm toying with the idea of stopping that >for vast stretches of the store. Throw it up on the shelf and be done with it.. >More effort into signage, cycle counting, and sales. > since michigan requires item pricing, i ought to bitch. but i'm happy because that requires my freight checkers to put the right sticker on the right merchandise or get caught when one of the sales people is putting it on the shelf. if i don't watch the accuracy of the receiving, i *know* that my inventory would get screwed up. and i also know that the 'big boxes' have to spend labor-dollars item pricing no matter how efficient their receiving process is . >7. The Cotter Manchester warehouse has a higher than normal level of picking >mistakes. Nobody is perfect, but there seems to be too much stuff creeping >through the cracks which shouldn't. More frightening is that too much is >making it past the back room guys. I would really like to discontinue the >detailed backroom check in. We find the problems on the floor. Why not >formalize that? > mankato is about as far from 'perfect'. you ought to see some of the goofs that come through. it's obvious that they pick from the bin without comparing the description to the merchandise! and then sometimes they pick from the wrong bin... how can we tell? if it repeats, it's wrong stuff in the bin - if it doesn't, it's 'hand in the wrong bin'.. >8. Negative quantities in the inventory file. Why bother counting? Why not >just put them to zero and go forward? Rick Schwartz and I have discussed this >many times and our opinion is that your chances for things to eventually "right" >themselves. Any more informed observations? > no, no, no... if you have a white switchplate and a white receptacleplate both priced at $.39 and the cashier rings up both under the switchplate sku (works with scanners, too...) then: 1. you're going to have the switchplates go negative and be reordering excessively 2. you're going to physically run out of the receptacleplates and won't re-order until a cycle count catches the error(s). this means that you've got to at least double your minimums for each sku or count weekly - neither is very attractive compared to checking the short-list of negatives weekly. >9. Timing has become critical in our business. Our counts get screwed up >because count are done with merchandise in receipt. Call-in items from Cotter >result in ERP records which follow with the NEXT order's batch, There is >sometimes cross-over items which are coming off the truck on the moring the >order is being worked. It is sometimes a mess. Holidays are not fun. >Vacations are not fun. > we keep a 'purchase history' file so we can check what's been processed as 'received' to check on things that might still be in the 'pile' or on one of the carts heading for the shelf. but the key thing is that we set 'priority 1' on putting away the freight and 'priority 2' on doing the cycle counts. but the key thing is that we order based on sales (well, minimums or order points) and assume that (for the purposes of ordering) the computer count is 99% accurate. i don't care whether the 6 flashlights are in the 'pile' or on the hook - if i want at least 7 on hand, i'll order another 6-pack. the critical element is the crew bitching about us being low or out of stuff. they'll check the computer first and go hunting and then adjust the computer-quantity or come to me and bitch. >10. Given the timing issues, It is almost imperative that the store have >tighter organization and more clearly-defined roles. I fall short of this. I >read yesterday that teamwork is evident when everybody performs their defined >task in the proscribed way; it is a result rather than a process. > since we're small (7 full-time and 1 part-time), we've got a lot of overlapping duties. but we've got the advantage of (relatively) low turnover so we can give people a 'job description' which includes a priority list (customers, freight, displays, cycle counts) and after a few months while seeing how the 'ancient ones' keep hopping the newer ones get the picture. additionally since we're small i do the ordering and rely on the crew to bitch about low order points, excess stock, customer complaints, new items/lines so i can 'adjust the ordering system'.... i've found that making decisions about the monthly computer-suggested order-point changes and the weekly computer-suggested order-quantities is a quick process if you've got an 'intuitive' sales history screen. with interruptions, i find i can review/modify a 600 line order in a couple of hours. one distinct advantage of me doing the ordering is that i don't have to train each 'new department manager' and pay for what comes in during his/her learning curve. >11. Got to go! > try pepto-bismol >Regards, >Bill Round >Round's True Value > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27541 ********************************** hardlines Digest Thu, 03 Jul 1997 00:00:14 -0500 V01 #27542 Today's topics: 'Delivery & Where is TRIAD??' 'Where is TRIAD??' 'Re: Delivery & Where is TRIAD??' 'Burpee/Scotts tool handles' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 2 Jul 1997 10:49:20 -0400 (EDT) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Delivery & Where is TRIAD?? HI: Jack Swift : said --> > i get so little freight a week that multiple orders would increase >my item cost because of the cost of opening the freight door being spread >over so few items . seriously, i'd think that a 'proper' sized order Question --> if you can get money back to the Bank faster and carry less inventory, would that make 2 deliveries worthwhile?? TRIAD had a lecturer go around making this point and he also claimed that what makes the Auto Business succesful --> low inventory and fast replenishment. Lecturer : Jerry Loney -- Return on Inventory Investment Try to get TRIAD to bring him into your area if he is still lecturing or his book. On another note: Where is TRIAD! TruServ Corporate Advisor writes about TruTrac Computers but NO TRIAD!! This has been since Ruben left Chicagoland! Oh Well. Have Fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jul 1997 11:17:10 -0400 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: Where is TRIAD?? At 10:49 AM 7/2/97 -0400, Rick Schwartz wrote: > > >On another note: Where is TRIAD! TruServ Corporate Advisor writes about >TruTrac Computers but NO TRIAD!! This has been since Ruben left Chicagoland! >Oh Well. > > Check Page 4 in the July 1997 edition... it's Triad stuff. The next page has Tru Trac and True Start. The Triad report is about Home Depot and expenses, plus a workshop schedule. John ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jul 1997 12:21:02 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: Re: Delivery & Where is TRIAD?? At 10:49 AM EST 7/2/97 -0400, you wrote: >HI: > >Jack Swift : said --> > > i get so little freight a week that multiple orders would increase >>my item cost because of the cost of opening the freight door being spread >>over so few items . seriously, i'd think that a 'proper' sized order > >Rick Schwartz said --> >Question --> if you can get money back to the Bank faster and carry less >inventory, would that make 2 deliveries worthwhile?? TRIAD had a lecturer go >around making this point and he also claimed that what makes the Auto > Business succesful --> low inventory and fast replenishment. > one of the ignored points is that you only get the 'benefit' one time when you shift asset dollars out of inventory and into cash. after that, you're right back where you were before - your gross margin per week is the same because your sales are the same. the gmroi formula fails to take into account any additional handling costs unless you follow the internal revenue code 'to the letter' and include the freight room and stocking costs in inventory. (cotter got bit by them on this...) at some point you start getting in trouble with your costs of handling the deliveries. if i have a $100 item that sells (1 each) 7 days a week and i get 7 deliveries a week, i'd only keep one in stock and order one daily and make a killing. but if a line on an order costs me $.15 to handle (order, receive, stock) then i get in trouble when the line value drops below a certain point. i'm sure there's a formula in one of dad's books (he was a cost accountant, i'm a cpa), but just using gut-hunch, i'd say that $5 would be about it... and most of our fast-turn items are in the low-dollar category. the other problem i run afoul of is that many of our 'fast-movers' sell sporadically during the week - 10 here and there. i could cut the minimum from 30 to 20 and shift assets from inventory to cash if i got 2 deliveries and really paid attention to my minimums as i should be doing even now. i've found that letting any computer program change minimums without personal review is suicide. there are so many external factors which a program can't consider (i.e. weather changes from year-to year affecting hose sales). the key gains from multiple deliveries will be realized when i can check-in the merchandise using a scanner/price-gun. that'll drop my handling costs significantly regardless of the number of picker errors. i'd suggest that initially the greatest benefit from multiple deliveries (like our local auto-parts stores have) is that you can safely be out of stock today and promise the item for 10am tomorrow, thereby increasing sales. not that you could get away with being out of 3/8" bolts, but i'd guess that we could drop 20% of our stock on that basis and it'd be the high-dollar/low-margin stuff... i like this discussion -- it's not about which report to run, but how to meet payroll (especially my bonus...) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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: Wed, 02 Jul 1997 13:16:50 -0400 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: Burpee/Scotts tool handles Does anyone have any of the old Burpee/Scotts tool handles they'd be willing to sell? We have about twenty tool heads (Crumbler, Cultivator, etc.) but no handles left. Email me directly (john3@cornells.com) if you have any available. Thanks! John ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27542 ********************************** hardlines Digest Fri, 04 Jul 1997 00:02:02 -0500 V01 #27543 Today's topics: 'Natural Gas resellers' 'Consumer seeking wrought iron railing' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 03 Jul 1997 12:44:33 -0400 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: Natural Gas resellers Any store owners heating with natural gas... have you been able to take advantage of deregulation by buying from a different vendor than the "normal" utility service? We use Con Edison here in metro-NY, and have received some info from a company called MC2 (mc squared) in Lombard Illinois. They promise 10% savings on our natural gas billing, which I would guess is due to their purchasing gas in larger volumes and keeping a percentage. Has anyone had experience with changing utility suppliers? Thanks! John ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Jul 1997 14:55:32 -0700 From: "Rob Vomund" Subject: Consumer seeking wrought iron railing I received the following message into our homeimp.com web site. If any of you can help this gentleman please respond directly to him. I hope this represents a business opportunity for one of you. Rob Vomund Triad Systems ---------------------------------------- Received: 7/3/97 (from Triad's homeimp.com web site) Contact: Ron Adam E-Mail Address: AdamR@inac.gc.ca I am looking for ornamental wrought iron railings or some type of similar product much like you would find on apartment balconies. Do you carry or can you acquire this type of item? I require approximately (77) feet of railing and don't know as well what the costs would be. The railing would be exposed to the elements. Perhaps there is something else on the market other than steel? ----------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27543 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sat, 05 Jul 1997 00:03:30 -0500 V01 #27544 Today's topics: 'Office Time' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: From: tomhanson@POBoxes.com (Tom Hanson) Subject: Office Time Fellow Hardware Retailers: What percentage of your store's manpower is devoted to back office tasks? I find that automating our hardware store has the unwanted result of shifting more and more responsibility and work to the back office. Add to that all the bureaucratic requirements, surveys, multiple daily calls from phone service peddlers, etc., etc., etc. I am so far behind in everything that some of the important stuff is not getting done well or at all. I know I am a poor manager and I find it difficult to delegate many of the computer tasks. Many small decisions accompany even the most mundane office chores. How are all of you coping and how much office staff do you employ? Tom Hanson Bangor True Value Hardware ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27544 ********************************** hardlines Digest Mon, 07 Jul 1997 00:01:30 -0500 V01 #27546 Today's topics: 'security, computers, money' 'stove replacement elements' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 6 Jul 1997 08:12:38 -0400 (EDT) From: AlannnnT@aol.com Subject: security, computers, money Gentleman and Ladies, Perhaps all of the recent problems posted have a common thread. Much has been said about security and shrinkage problems. Much has been said about time wasted on computer and office B.S. work. Much has been said about trouble competing with the expert marketers in the big boxes. The link is the time spent off the floor on office work. In our store we have found the following to be helpful: 1. Be unpredictable. If the employees know you might be anywhere at any time they will be more honest. The converse is if they KNOW that you are locked in the office four hours at a time they will use those four hours to be less honest at minimal risk. 2. Spend ALL the busy retail hours helping customers. You are the single best marketing tool you have. YOU are the most courteous, helpful, and best informed salesperson you can hire. Only you can raise the average sale and customer satisfaction. 3. Ask questions. If you prospect your current customers while your are helping them solve a hardware problem they will give you leads for more business. If you are in the back room your employees will not be doing this for you. One good concrete example: When auto mechanics come in our store for a metric nut or a bottle of never-seize, we ask them where they get their nut and bolt rack filled. We've converted many of them to buy from us, at 100% markups , average sale $150., and they are thrilled with the price. How do we make time for this you may ask? We did not computerize our store. In our study of computerized stores [under $2 million annual sales] every one complained about the added expense, and time wasted, and not one owner reported better margins or improved sales. I know this is not the answer for everyone, but we've traded fancy reports for profitability. Business is flat, but we are squeezing out good profits because we work every sale for the max dollars and we hold salaries down because we do alot of the front work ourselves. There's my two cents. Alan Talman Karps Hardware, NY ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Jul 1997 23:21:34 +0000 From: DAVID PILGRIM Subject: stove replacement elements I am looking to put in some replacement stove elements. After reviewing the Cotter catalog, there are more choices than I wanted to carry. I would like to carry the top 4-5 SKU's in this catagory if there are that many. Any help identifying them would be greatly appreciated. Thanks David D. Pilgrim Village True Value Hdw Maple Valley, WA Karrie Pilgrim ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27546 ********************************** hardlines Digest Tue, 08 Jul 1997 00:02:45 -0500 V01 #27547 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27546' 'Re: security, computers, money' 'Re: Office Time' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 07 Jul 1997 00:33:23 -0500 From: hardware Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27546 Alan Talman - Thanks for making me smile! We've been retail hardware store owners for 23 years. The store we bought five years ago came with a "state of the art" :-) computer system and as much as I love technology, I still believe, there is no room in a REAL hardware store for computers (or non-item pricing...) Before I get tarred and feathered by all those computer worshippers, let me add, an understaffed (and under financed) store does stand a better chance of surviving with the benefits of a computer managed inventory, but only if the inventory integrity is kept in check by an underpaid, over worked, detail nut, like myself. llc Cottin's Hardware Lawrence, KS ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 07 Jul 1997 09:27:25 -0400 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: Re: security, computers, money At 08:12 AM 7/6/97 -0400, Alan Talman Karps Hardware, NY wrote: > >2. Spend ALL the busy retail hours helping customers. You are the single best >marketing tool you have. YOU are the most courteous, helpful, and best >informed salesperson you can hire. Only you can raise the average sale and >customer satisfaction. > Very good point, for both automated and non-automated stores. My main work terminal is out near the front register, alongside the key machine. Some days, I get very little work done, but boy do I help a lot of customers. Has anyone noticed that hardware store owners tend to radiate a magnetic field that draws customers to them? This force is so powerful that the customers are pulled right past several employees on their way to the owner. Of course, that's a competitive advantage... the nearest you might come to a manager in many big box stores is seeing their photo on the wall near the exit. > >We did not computerize our store. In our study of computerized stores [under >$2 million annual sales] every one complained about the added expense, and >time wasted, and not one owner reported better margins or improved sales. > Ouch... that's not a good sign. I need to go back to our experience, which was in 1982. We bought our advanced POS system (two POS terminals and a back-office terminal) for a whopping $60,000, at a time when we were past due with Cotter to the tune of $150,000. The first year, we reduced our purchases from Cotter by $100,000 (cost) while increasing sales by about $400,000 (retail). We used to have two full-time and one part time person in the office, and now we have one less full-time person. We still item price all merchandise (required by law), but our checkouts move faster than ever before. Customers can't swap price stickers anymore due to the fact that we scan at POS, contracter discounts are programmed into the system and no longer at the discretion of the cashiers. There is definitely a lot of time spent managing the computer data, but I found that it was more of a time shift... less time spent chasing down delinquent accounts, pricing sale items with red tags (and peeling them off later), checking shelves (every week), and time spent instead massaging order points, etc. And it's tough to gauge the intangibles... the consumer impression of a computerized vs manual POS system. The employee who enjoys the technology and gladly checks stock or looks up special order items. However, whatever works for you... we're still closed Sundays, and many folks gasp at that notion. John PS - Anyone going to the NRHA shindig next week? I'm heading down for a few days in the sun. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 07 Jul 1997 14:26:26 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: Re: Office Time we started computerizing in 1982 once i finally found an accounting package that gave me access to the data-files. that move enabled me to trim our receivables billing cycle by 20 days. we had been using the hardware association and the mailing time was a killer. i resorted to e-mailing the statement data to the post office so the customers received their statements in the mail the day after the close of the month. that actually saved some office-hours as did the 'instant posting' of journal entries in the general ledger. however, the office-hours stayed the same as we now (then) added more analysis reporting and tracked sales, inventory, and cost of sales by department. we started transmitting orders to the old cotter bbs system because it was a lot less error-prone than the norand/telzon system. before we got the dang triad in '88 we were spending 40 labor-hours per week on ordering and spot-inventory (count what you're thinking of ordering) plus 'some' time on price changes and cycle counts. we had gotten so darn far behind on price changes that the crew were hiding the batches of price tickets. the old paper wpb/cpb system took a full day each week to update (including misfiling ) now i spend about half my time 'masssaging' the inventory system. although order points officially only change once a month, unofficially they change daily as the crew brings things to my attention or an item shows up on an order. i review all changes to 'important fields' in the data-files made by cotter. the crew now spends that 40 'ordering' hours on customer service and bitching at me about bad order-points and new products -- something they are very qualified at... the price changes get done every week in what seems to be a really short time because the list is arranged in store location order and only includes what we stock.... cis updates itself while the store is closed... i even have time to e-mail on the internet and plan roof repairs and front wall remodeling and chat with customers or re-write programs... i budget 260 labor-hours for a 60-hour work-week and have 105 hours of that 'planned' for office and checkout. it usually happens that the office manager ends up spending 20 hours on the register, so that cuts me to just 25 actual office hours. i've got a real fantastic 'girl' in the office and she handles all the 'routine' chores (except payroll and inventory) as well as a lot of the 'special' projects involving mass inventory changes. i've found that 'exception reporting' is the only way to handle the masses of data that computers generate and have 'extra' programs that will do the analyses that triad couldn't comprehend. (oh, i don't count my time in any of the above....) i heard a great way to handle the phone people -- "i don't do business over the phone, you must visit me in person...". might cause a problem for you, but we are 8 hours from *any* metropolitan area... i'm going to guess that you are relatively new to automation. it'll take you a year to develop 'standard procedures' (put them in writing....) for doing 'standard things'. (i'll send you some of mine privately so you can laugh.) once that is done, you will be able to delegate the 'doing' of them. i've found that any major upgrade will take me out-of-commission for as much as a week as i get the new system developed, debugged, and documented. the last one was a complete re-write and took a whole month with the daily/weekly/monthly regular stuff becoming an irritation. it gets easier over time, and one of the keys is to avoid biting off too big a chunk at any one time.... At 08:03 PM EST 7/4/97 -0500, Tom Hanson of Bangor True Value Hardware wrote: >What percentage of your store's manpower is devoted to back office tasks? > >I find that automating our hardware store has the unwanted result of >shifting more and more responsibility and work to the back office. Add to >that all the bureaucratic requirements, surveys, multiple daily calls from >phone service peddlers, etc., etc., etc. I am so far behind in everything >that some of the important stuff is not getting done well or at all. I know >I am a poor manager and I find it difficult to delegate many of the >computer tasks. Many small decisions accompany even the most mundane office >chores. > >How are all of you coping and how much office staff do you employ? > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27547 ********************************** hardlines Digest Wed, 09 Jul 1997 00:00:45 -0500 V01 #27548 Today's topics: 'Back office help' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 7 Jul 1997 22:51:07 -0700 From: "Jay, Will and Linda Farr" Subject: Back office help What we all need is a larger back office and move our backroom to Bill Round's MA. Screw the display area, put in another terminal and glass in the office area so all that noise from the sales floor doesn't disturb getting the real work done ... like redoing the descriptions that Triad messed up last month ... where oh where did my HPX-9 go among all those white latex paints?? Actually, we are running our office just fine ... 3 x's sales, added some sales functions, utility pay station and we've added a part time person. What we have done is turn every sales person into a little bit of what we used to call a back office person. We all are auditing QOH, pricing, maintaining our UPC bin labels, Location codes. The training that we've put all of our employees through is extensive and time consuming. We're much more efficient at POS through-put, but what we should be pushing our computer vendors and wholesaler is to make our jobs more people oriented and less keyboard punching. I think every one of our top executives from both computer and wholesale worlds need to spend a complete week a year with a randomly picked one of us ... nothing in any of our worlds happens until someone solves a customer's problem and gets them to the checkstand with something to buy. Jay ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27548 ********************************** hardlines Digest Thu, 10 Jul 1997 00:04:34 -0500 V01 #27549 Today's topics: 'Hardware Age (oops Home Improvement Market) site' 'Gamma Seal Lid' 'Re: Gamma Seal Lid' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 09 Jul 1997 09:23:20 -0400 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: Hardware Age (oops Home Improvement Market) site Just for everyone's info, Home Improvement Market magazine has updated their web site, and added an online forum moderated by Tom Shay. The web address is http://www.homemkt.com/ Also, the Home Center News has updated their web site and made it easier to navigate. Their URL is http://www.homecenternews.com/ Finally, just to toot my horn, our store web site won the Internet Shopper Choice for best online shopping site for the Home category (Summer 1997 issue). We beat out a number of other sites, including some retailer called Wal-Mart. :-) John ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Jul 1997 08:36:40 -0400 (EDT) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Gamma Seal Lid Hi: A couple of years ago, at the "Cotter" Market, a product called GAMMA SEAL LID was being offered. Does anybody have a phone number on this Vendor?? Thanks Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 09 Jul 1997 10:25:46 -0400 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: Re: Gamma Seal Lid At 08:36 AM 7/9/97 -0400, Rick Schwartz wrote: > > >A couple of years ago, at the "Cotter" Market, a product called GAMMA SEAL >LID was being offered. Does anybody have a phone number on this Vendor?? > Rick, What was this item? We have some Gamma Glitter product left in the store... not sure if it's a related product. John ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27549 ********************************** hardlines Digest Fri, 11 Jul 1997 00:00:43 -0500 V01 #27550 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549' 'gama seal lid' 'price changes on triad from true value' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 9 Jul 1997 22:19:59 -0700 From: "Jay, Will and Linda Farr" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549 Congrats John ... way to go! Jay Farr ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 09:51:41 -0400 From: imp@li.com (Bob Whelan) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549 >Finally, just to toot my horn, our store web site won the Internet Shopper >Choice for best online shopping site for the Home category (Summer 1997 >issue). We beat out a number of other sites, including some retailer >called Wal-Mart. :-) So, John - Does this mean that someone is actually making money on the web in this industry, or is this a beauty contest? I'd love to hear if anyone has had a positive experience with their home pages - like; did a customer actually come in or buy something? Best! Bob ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 11:07:26 -0400 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549 At 09:51 AM 7/10/97 -0400, Bob Whelan wrote: > >So, John - Does this mean that someone is actually making money on the web >in this industry, or is this a beauty contest? > Well, according to Home Improvement magazine this month (and several PC/Internet trade mags as well), even Wal-Mart is probably losing money on their site. Now that things are taking off on the web, I'm no longer as quick to provide details on our own sales results. However, our hardware store has generated very little in revenues online, while our As Seen On TV products have done pretty well. It doesn't pay for vacations, but it does cover the costs of the web site. >I'd love to hear if anyone has had a positive experience with their home >pages - like; did a customer actually come in or buy something? > OK, here's a neat note from a customer... this particular note is from last year, but it's a classic. >It's 5AM and I can't sleep because we're going to close on a house in >Bronxville this morning. Leaving New York City for the wild suburbs. Let's >see ... extra wagon wheels - check, big buffalo robes - check, long rifles - >check, grill -- whoa Nelly! No Weber! Battle stations! Aaaoogah! > >So I powered up ole Betsy (Dell 433s/L) and went looking for a grill. Home >Depot -- ridiculous. Weber itself -- nothing I could find. Cornell's True >Value?? In Eastchester?? Bingo! I must admit that your product list is >incomprehensible -- I considered copying it to Excel and parsing it but I >don't have the energy. I did read about the history of the store though. > >Love the home page! Gotta head for your store as soon as I land! Hope to >meet you in person. And when I've finished attending to 1,236 small chores >that the house will require, and exhaust my physical and fiscal resources on >deranged hardware purchases, I think I'll have just enough to make myself >some beer. Last time my brother and I tried it in an apartment, it was a dud >but we were getting there. > >Best regards, > >Thomas Ruppel Another story... About two days ago, I had a customer tell me he saw the article about the Cornell's web site in Internet Shopper, and couldn't believe it was the same Cornell's he shopped at. So, if you have a nice web presence there definitely is a positive impact on the consumer impression of your business. I'd liken it to yellow pages advertising at present. John ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 16:37:05 -0400 From: Sheila & Ray Lavoie Subject: gama seal lid Hi: Phone number for above 800-260-8563 or check http://waltonfeed.com/ Hope this helps. Sheila ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 18:36:25 -0500 From: "truevalue" Subject: price changes on triad from true value To: Bob Johnson and all True Value/Triad users I am sitting here doing price changes and I always have ones that the purchase unit of measure and the stocking unit of measure doesn't cause the retail and/or the cost to come out correctly. This week the two main ones are copper tubing in rolls and aircraft cable. Here's what I have set up and what comes out: (I download price cahnges, then run an RPC report to work off of.) SKU# Stocking Purchase SR Cost Unit of Measure Unit of Measure on RPC on RPC 106211 FT RL FT RL 106229 " " " " 231654 FT RL RL RL 231613 " " " " 231621 " " " " 231639 " " " " 266007 FT BX FT BX 266015 " " " " 856435 FT RL FT RL 856443 " " " " 869487 " " " " 171850 " " " " 171868 " " " " 399342 DISPLAY DISPLAY EA EA I hope everyone understands what I'm getting at. If no one catches this problem (which does happen), then when we sell an item, the retail rings up at the foot and the cost is per the roll and our RDI report shows very low or negative margins. Does everyone have this problem? And if so, Bob, can we get this fixed and standardized when we are redoing all this stuff because of the merger, etc? See ya! David Casaletto True Value Home Center Pittsburg, KS 66762 ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27550 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sat, 12 Jul 1997 00:02:00 -0500 V01 #27551 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27550' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27550' 'Cotter Price Changes' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27550' 'TRUSERV / TRIAD' 'Time Spent and Sports Calendar' 'Time Spent and Sports Calendar' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 19:54:23 -1000 From: "JEFF J. SPAUR" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27550 hardlines-request@cornells.com wrote: > > hardlines Digest Fri, 11 Jul 1997 00:00:43 -0500 V01 #27550 > > Today's topics: > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549' > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549' > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549' > 'gama seal lid' > 'price changes on triad from true value' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Wed, 9 Jul 1997 22:19:59 -0700 > From: "Jay, Will and Linda Farr" > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549 > > Congrats John ... way to go! > > Jay Farr > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 09:51:41 -0400 > From: imp@li.com (Bob Whelan) > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549 > > >Finally, just to toot my horn, our store web site won the Internet Shopper > >Choice for best online shopping site for the Home category (Summer 1997 > >issue). We beat out a number of other sites, including some retailer > >called Wal-Mart. :-) > > So, John - Does this mean that someone is actually making money on the web > in this industry, or is this a beauty contest? > > I'd love to hear if anyone has had a positive experience with their home > pages - like; did a customer actually come in or buy something? > > Best! > > Bob > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 11:07:26 -0400 > From: John Fix 3rd > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27549 > > At 09:51 AM 7/10/97 -0400, Bob Whelan wrote: > > > >So, John - Does this mean that someone is actually making money on the web > >in this industry, or is this a beauty contest? > > > > Well, according to Home Improvement magazine this month (and several > PC/Internet trade mags as well), even Wal-Mart is probably losing money on > their site. Now that things are taking off on the web, I'm no longer as > quick to provide details on our own sales results. However, our hardware > store has generated very little in revenues online, while our As Seen On TV > products have done pretty well. It doesn't pay for vacations, but it does > cover the costs of the web site. > > >I'd love to hear if anyone has had a positive experience with their home > >pages - like; did a customer actually come in or buy something? > > > > OK, here's a neat note from a customer... this particular note is from last > year, but it's a classic. > > >It's 5AM and I can't sleep because we're going to close on a house in > >Bronxville this morning. Leaving New York City for the wild suburbs. Let's > >see ... extra wagon wheels - check, big buffalo robes - check, long rifles - > >check, grill -- whoa Nelly! No Weber! Battle stations! Aaaoogah! > > > >So I powered up ole Betsy (Dell 433s/L) and went looking for a grill. Home > >Depot -- ridiculous. Weber itself -- nothing I could find. Cornell's True > >Value?? In Eastchester?? Bingo! I must admit that your product list is > >incomprehensible -- I considered copying it to Excel and parsing it but I > >don't have the energy. I did read about the history of the store though. > > > >Love the home page! Gotta head for your store as soon as I land! Hope to > >meet you in person. And when I've finished attending to 1,236 small chores > >that the house will require, and exhaust my physical and fiscal resources on > >deranged hardware purchases, I think I'll have just enough to make myself > >some beer. Last time my brother and I tried it in an apartment, it was a dud > >but we were getting there. > > > >Best regards, > > > >Thomas Ruppel > > Another story... > > About two days ago, I had a customer tell me he saw the article about the > Cornell's web site in Internet Shopper, and couldn't believe it was the > same Cornell's he shopped at. So, if you have a nice web presence there > definitely is a positive impact on the consumer impression of your > business. I'd liken it to yellow pages advertising at present. > > John > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 16:37:05 -0400 > From: Sheila & Ray Lavoie > Subject: gama seal lid > > Hi: Phone number for above 800-260-8563 or check > http://waltonfeed.com/ > > Hope this helps. > > Sheila > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 18:36:25 -0500 > From: "truevalue" > Subject: price changes on triad from true value > > To: Bob Johnson and all True Value/Triad users > > I am sitting here doing price changes and I always have ones that the > purchase unit of measure and the stocking unit of measure doesn't cause the > retail and/or the cost to come out correctly. This week the two main ones > are copper tubing in rolls and aircraft cable. Here's what I have set up > and what comes out: > (I download price cahnges, then run an RPC report to work off of.) > > SKU# Stocking Purchase SR Cost > Unit of Measure Unit of Measure on RPC on RPC > 106211 FT RL FT RL > 106229 " " " " > 231654 FT RL RL RL > 231613 " " " " > 231621 " " " " > 231639 " " " " > 266007 FT BX FT BX > 266015 " " " " > 856435 FT RL FT RL > 856443 " " " " > 869487 " " " " > 171850 " " " " > 171868 " " " " > 399342 DISPLAY DISPLAY EA EA > > > I hope everyone understands what I'm getting at. > > If no one catches this problem (which does happen), then when we sell an > item, the retail rings up at the foot and the cost is per the roll and our > RDI report shows very low or negative margins. Does everyone have this > problem? And if so, Bob, can we get this fixed and standardized when we are > redoing all this stuff because of the merger, etc? > > See ya! > > David Casaletto > True Value Home Center > Pittsburg, KS 66762 > > ------------------------------ > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27550 > ********************************** Aloha !!!! I really enjoy reading the comments posted here and really get a kick out of some of the problems presented. In my humble opinion after reading this fourm for over a year I would have trouble buying a Triad computer or being a member of Truserv. I would suggest looking at an Advantage system and also consider HWI as a Coop partner. Regarding web sites,our company just posted last week and our first contact was for a 2500 sf, house package so I know its worth it. We are also a beta site for total online service via internet with our Coop something the others still have on the wish list. One thing that is always overlooked is the expense reduction an internet account can give you. Because we do bussiness in Hawaii just the reduction in fax costs have been dramatic. Our web site will allow us to do file transfers and provide our customers with instant specs on mfg. items. Guess where EDI is going ? Right here !!! If you have ever tried to download EDI price changes 5000 miles from the source you would be as excited as we are to see this development. Come visit at our humble site still under construction at hpm-hawaii.com Jeff Spaur ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 08:37:26 -0500 From: "truevalue" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27550 > Aloha !!!! > I really enjoy reading the comments posted here and really get a kick > out of some of the problems presented. In my humble opinion after > reading this fourm for over a year I would have trouble buying a Triad > computer or being a member of Truserv. I would suggest looking at an > Advantage system and also consider HWI as a Coop partner. > Regarding web sites,our company just posted last week and our first > contact was for a 2500 sf, house package so I know its worth it. We are > also a beta site for total online service via internet with our Coop > something the others still have on the wish list. One thing that is > always overlooked is the expense reduction an internet account can give > you. Because we do bussiness in Hawaii just the reduction in fax costs > have been dramatic. Our web site will allow us to do file transfers and > provide our customers with instant specs on mfg. items. Guess where EDI > is going ? Right here !!! If you have ever tried to download EDI price > changes 5000 miles from the source you would be as excited as we are to > see this development. > Come visit at our humble site still under construction at > hpm-hawaii.com > Jeff Spaur > *************************************************************** Jeff, It really does worry me that people are getting this impression like you did from our comments. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I would not consider switching from Triad or TruServ (at least at this time, anything could change). In my opinion, most computer systems cannot even do the things we gripe about having some problems with. I just want to go on record that I like my Triad system and in my opinion, it has helped me run my business much better than I could without it. In fact, I made the statement about 6 years ago in a Triad advertising brochure and I still believe it, I feel I would not be in business today if I had not purchased my Triad 13 years ago. On to TruServ, it is very true that True Value has had computer catchup to do and has not caught up yet, but I feel they will and over all I am very satisfied with my new wholesaler. There will be many changes and adjustments but I am optimistic and again would not consider a switich at this time. All things can be improved, and I use this form to see how others have used Triad in ways I haven't thought of or how they have overcame a problem. Just because we work together to improve our computer system or our wholesaler doesn't mean it's not good to start with. Well, I think you get my point. Hey guys-do you agree????? See ya! David Casaletto True Value Home Center Pittsburg, KS ------------------------------ Date: 11 Jul 97 09:40:07 EDT From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@CompuServe.COM> Subject: Cotter Price Changes Dear David, Bob, and other interested True Value members: Price changes from Cotter have always been an adventure. The standard pack/order multiple, purchase unit vs stocking unit problem has been around for years, and is still not resolved. There are no standards to match the stores against Cotter. I have not taken a retail price change from Cotter for years. I take the LIST price and the replacement cost from the weekly file and work from there. The philosophy I hold is that all pricing is local, and is a function of the market the store serves. I am most interested in the perceived value the item has. I am convinced that the value my customers perceives the merchandise to have is often higher than the price I have most of the merchandise priced at. Perceived value is different than market value. The market value for motor oil in my area is 89 to 99 cents per quart. It's advertised at that price all the time. I am not in the oil business; I have convenience oil... for those caught short on the road or those who just happen to need some and just happen to be in my store. They'll pay anywhere from 1.29 to 1.98 at Round's True Value. Gas stations charge way more. I need to have my visable merchandise (pin point? everyday value?) at or near market value because that's what the customer perceives that it is worth. The rest of the stuff in the store should be marked up... and up. Anyway, when Cotter sends me a rather large price change file, say National Hardware, I update the replacement costs and the list prices. I then do an across the board price increase for that mfg. That way I am assured that EVERYTHING in that line goes up including DS only items and items purchased from other sources. Problems with Cotter have included: 1. Mismatch on pack/units. I run an RQ report to pull any item where the stock and purch units are different. The report also calculates the proper cost given the replacement cost sent by Cotter and the local system units and packs. This is reentered manually if there are differences. The usual suspects: Nails, wire, chain, rope, soft copper tubing, bolts. 2. I have given up selling 250 boxes of 12/2 and 14/2 romex by the foot. Cotter sells to us by the box. I sell by the box. I cut 10' pieces and have a sku for that. THHN is always fiddled with. 3. Strangely, Cotter's 10/2,3 and below all calculate properly and do not need to be fiddled with. 4. Triad should break out from lumber package the purchase conversion factor which would clean up some things for us automatically. Also, the ever-handy vendor screen V in IMU does not handle differences among vendors who use different units of measure. I buy key blanks from Cotter by the each in an F10 pack. I buy them from another vendor by the 10 pack on an stock order quantity of ten, purchase order quantity of one pack (transmitted to the vendor). This requires frequent re-visits to skus to "fix" them. The software should be fixed. 5. The price change files are incomplete. Of 100 skus in a mfg line, the first transmission will be 80, the second 15, the third will be 5, and the fourth will be 10 to correct errors in the first, second, and third. The file process lacks integrity. By the way, go down to HOME DEPOT and see what they get for 3/16" quick links. My local HD had them for $1.48 on a card. Cotter's Sug Retail was .99. I was $1.19. Time to go to the store. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 10:03:06 -0500 (CDT) From: Dana Whitton Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27550 At 08:37 AM 7/11/97 -0500, you wrote: >> Aloha !!!! >> I really enjoy reading the comments posted here and really get a kick >> out of some of the problems presented. In my humble opinion after >> reading this fourm for over a year I would have trouble buying a Triad >> computer or being a member of Truserv. I would suggest looking at an >> Advantage system and also consider HWI as a Coop partner. >> Regarding web sites,our company just posted last week and our first >> contact was for a 2500 sf, house package so I know its worth it. We are >> also a beta site for total online service via internet with our Coop >> something the others still have on the wish list. One thing that is >> always overlooked is the expense reduction an internet account can give >> you. Because we do bussiness in Hawaii just the reduction in fax costs >> have been dramatic. Our web site will allow us to do file transfers and >> provide our customers with instant specs on mfg. items. Guess where EDI >> is going ? Right here !!! If you have ever tried to download EDI price >> changes 5000 miles from the source you would be as excited as we are to >> see this development. >> Come visit at our humble site still under construction at >> hpm-hawaii.com >> Jeff Spaur >> *************************************************************** > >Jeff, > >It really does worry me that people are getting this impression like you >did from our comments. >Nothing could be farther from the truth. I would not consider switching >from Triad or TruServ (at least at this time, anything could change). In my >opinion, most computer systems cannot even do the things we gripe about >having some problems with. I just want to go on record that I like my Triad >system and in my opinion, it has helped me run my business much better than >I could without it. In fact, I made the statement about 6 years ago in a >Triad advertising brochure and I still believe it, I feel I would not be in >business today if I had not purchased my Triad 13 years ago. > >On to TruServ, it is very true that True Value has had computer catchup to >do and has not caught up yet, but I feel they will and over all I am very >satisfied with my new wholesaler. There will be many changes and >adjustments but I am optimistic and again would not consider a switich at >this time. > >All things can be improved, and I use this form to see how others have used >Triad in ways I haven't thought of or how they have overcame a problem. >Just because we work together to improve our computer system or our >wholesaler doesn't mean it's not good to start with. > >Well, I think you get my point. Hey guys-do you agree????? > >See ya! > >David Casaletto >True Value Home Center >Pittsburg, KS >Here, Here David, I too gripe and complain about Triad but their operating system and hardware support are invaluable to my business. I am also extremely excited about the new changes coming with Tru-Serv. Dana Whitton Gulf Breeze True Value Pensacola, FL >*************************************************************** > 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 >*************************************************************** > > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 18:55:02 -0500 From: truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us Subject: TRUSERV / TRIAD RE: >> Aloha !!!! >> I really enjoy reading the comments posted here and really get a kick >> out of some of the problems presented. In my humble opinion after .................... >It really does worry me that people are getting this impression like you >did from our comments. ........... Hi all. I'd like to echo Dave's opinion. My overall satisfaction with both Triad & Truserv is quite high. Corporate types from both of these companies will be very quick to tell you that we (them & myself) don't always see eye to eye. I would like to add that working together things are constantly improving. I hope nobody reads this the wrong way, but sometimes when we complain like this, we sound like the first class passenger who is complaining that the Moet is a couple of degrees too cold. Well, how else will we get it at the right temperature? Let's keep working, we're doing great. RE: price changes Yup, there's some pretty confusing stuff happening. I went so far as to set up a user code ("T" = Trouble) so that before I accept any price (cost only) changes, I can run a report listing all of the chain,tubing etc that I want in feet, not rolls or coils; & bolts that I want priced by the box, not by each etc. etc. These changes have to be corrected manually. It also gives me a list of items to verify and mark while receiving the weekly order. It's very annoying to have a novice employee sell a ROLL of EASYHEAT pipe cable for the FOOT price. I now take a marker and write "FT" on the tag. Stupid & time consuming? Probably, but I sleep better. Is this a bad time to mention that ship laters are at a way too high level? Yeah, I thought so, so I won't say a word . Thanks for listening, it's time to head back to the barn. I'll find no Moet there, but I know the beer is at just the right temp. Paul Poirier Park Ave. True Value Hardware Inc. Worcester MA truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us http://chamber.worcester.ma.us/truevalue ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 19:04:50 -0400 (EDT) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Time Spent and Sports Calendar Hi; Was communicating to a "Software Teacher" (who wants to be anonymous) regarding the Hanson question about time spent in the office commented: > > I often tell my > customers that between .75 and 2 FTEs are required for data processing > depending on what software you run and that your must be committed to it > (or may will be committed because of it) to get the benefit and return on > your investment in it. Also, I believe that you have to be committed to > analyzing the results so that you can justify the investment. Otherwise > you can get to feeling like you are running after your own data tail with > no hopes of catching it before the year 9999. > The key word here is committed. Found a problem in Relay 11 -- the calendars Book/Page # brings up light bubls if you use the BOM Pages. Use the Book/Page # from Relay 71. Any comments of all the BOM's!! The $ investment ! The 189 Drill!! Oh well Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 19:27:08 -0500 From: truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us Subject: Time Spent and Sports Calendar HA>Any comments of all the BOM's!! The $ investment ! The 189 Drill!! Guaranteed sale. Sell it or send it back! I've noticed fewer stupid items and lower # of items sent since the guaranteed sale came into play. Yes, we have to pay freight, but dollars will keep turning (one way or the other) and we now get to show them exactly what sells & what doesn't. This takes some effort on our part, but I still like the program. I think that if I were to have any negative comment on the BOM program it would be that it doesn't receive enough national advertising. Things sold a LOT better when there were national TV adds heavily backing it. Feel free to flame me ( or whoever) on this one. I think it's worth working on. Paul Poirier Park Ave. True Value Hardware Inc. Worcester MA truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us http://chamber.worcester.ma.us/truevalue ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27551 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sun, 13 Jul 1997 00:03:25 -0500 V01 #27552 Today's topics: 'Re: Time Spent and Sports Calendar' 'Fun' 'price changes on triad from true value' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 12 Jul 1997 07:50:04 -0400 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: Re: Time Spent and Sports Calendar At 07:27 PM 7/11/97 -0500, Paul Poirier wrote: > > >HA>Any comments of all the BOM's!! The $ investment ! The 189 Drill!! > > > >Guaranteed sale. >Sell it or send it back! > I agree... give the items a shot, and if you're stuck with them send them back. I just sent back the FanScan cards... we got the original 20 and couldn't sell one. However, I won't be sending back any Bounty towels... :-) John ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 12 Jul 1997 09:48:54 -0400 (EDT) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Fun Hi: Constructive Critism is always good and productive --> that is what I see on this bulletin --> no comments would be worse. With all the "fun" of TRIAD and Truserve, I am "True Blue" to TRIAD and Truserve, today. Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: 11 Jul 1997 22:28:20 EDT From: Kez@garrett.ncin.com Subject: price changes on triad from true value As a matter of fact our store has the same problems with the Triad. This problem not only occurs with price changes but also with the MFG VEND COST on EFM if you elect to update that field. Triad or TruServ needs to fix the problem so that it does the conversion the same as it works in MPO converting stocking units to purchasing units! Jay Kestner Naylor's True Value ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27552 ********************************** hardlines Digest Mon, 14 Jul 1997 00:00:00 -0500 V01 #27553 Today's topics: 'Thanks for the comments, price changes, TruServ/Triad' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: From: tomhanson@POBoxes.com (Tom Hanson) Subject: Thanks for the comments, price changes, TruServ/Triad Thanks for all of your comments regarding my office time question. It did take a couple of minutes to decipher FTE's, however. A special thanks to Jack Swift who spent a lot of time to send me his office procedures. I am really struggling with which direction to take. John's comment that his main work terminal was located on the sales floor really has me thinking. I think I may hire a second full time office employee, relinquish most of my tasks there and return to the sales floor. More headway on the scanning to receive front: a more normal size order for us, 850 lines, 350 boxes, not counting relay was all scanned, uploaded and on the shelves in about five and a half hours. This includes capturing all new upc's, big bin labels on all high priced and large items and with hopefully greater accuracy than we have ever had. Better than our old 2 to 5 days. I was also dismayed to see that this forum would be interpreted as a reason not to go with Triad or TruServ. I believe both to be the best choices. We don't comment enough on the positive. Trying to run a store without the promotional relay programs, downloaded data etc., etc. would be much more difficult. Request can be used to simplify so many of the problems we encounter. The recent price change questions cannot be fixed with request (read only) but the problem items can be easily isolated on RQ reports. I have ques that I run after receiving TruServ price changes that point out items with differing units as well as items I wish to put big bin tags on, small price tags on, that are on Pinpoint pricing, that are on my own pinpoint price list or that I usually buy with the plus 3% break pack charge. I can usually make quick work of the corrections using the RQ reports. I have not found an easy way to isolate new items (usually promotional relay) that we are receiving for the first time to print bin labels for. Any ideas? I would also like to hear from anyone using Triad's general ledger programs. Are you using automatic pass off and have you had any problems with the passed off figures? I use a combination of Triads GL and a MAC program but I still like to review the numbers before I trust them to go into the financial reports. Thanks. Tom Hanson ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27553 ********************************** hardlines Digest Tue, 15 Jul 1997 00:01:32 -0500 V01 #27554 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27551' 'Re: Thanks for the comments, price changes, TruServ/Triad' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 00:24:44 -0700 From: "Jay, Will and Linda Farr" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27551 Re: Dave Casaletto's problem with bulk items pricing. We use MAP to allow us to use 'generic' sku's like 122NM, or 34PE100. We make sure that our Triad purchase and selling units are different, and use the same unit in the packs, ie 100 and 100 for the feet in a roll of poly pipe, and the price changes work fine ... I think! The Triad converts the roll costs into per foot costs and we sell by the foot. I ditto what several others have said ... Triad is far from perfect and TruServ is really just being born, but I'm not looking to change ... just would like to have them listen better. Jay Farr ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 09:42:36 -0400 From: "katherine" Subject: Re: Thanks for the comments, price changes, TruServ/Triad ---------- > From: Tom Hanson > To: Multiple recipients of list hardlines > Subject: Thanks for the comments, price changes, TruServ/Triad > Date: Sunday, July 13, 1997 10:12 PM > > > Request can be used to simplify so many of the problems we encounter. > I have not found an easy way to isolate new items (usually promotional > relay) that we are receiving for the first time to print bin labels for. > Any ideas? > > > Tom Hanson Hello Tom. Perhaps the following will help you identify new incoming merchandise that needs scanning labels and new "homes". Being multistore, I had to use a store specific field to identify new merchandise coming in the back door. The secondary vendor field was free for me. An RIS report in last receipt sequence will print all items never received first. When all of the items with no last receipt date came off (separate for each store) I used FIL and keypunched "new" into the secondary vendor field. All new items loaded into the Triad now get "new" entered into the secondary vendor field. After ERP is run each week, (AND BEFORE FINALIZING) and relays are keypunched in RP, I run the following RQ report which identifies all "NEW" items entering our back door that week. After I have the RQ list I do have to manually clear the secondary vendor field in the store we received it at. (Oh Well :-) ) Then I can go about printing new scanning labels. RQ, Choose Inventory, then Purchasing/Inventory. Select - PO Status = R Status = R Sec Vend = new Report Contains: Dist-to-store PO# (we use po# like R10 for October, so we can identify ) Sku Description Line # Code Retail List (this is good as it helps me see our non discountable items- I need a different label for these) Sec. Vendor Location When I started trying to identify these items, I tried running RQ with what I thought were reasonable requests, like receipt dates < so and so, or blank receipt dates, ect... RQ is great but does not always work the way you might expect. Have a great Day!!! Katherine Rands Truevalue Plymouth N.H. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27554 ********************************** hardlines Digest Thu, 17 Jul 1997 08:30:23 -0500 V01 #27555 Today's topics: 'Selling Stuff by the foot, the pound, the part....' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 15 Jul 97 08:13:27 EDT From: "WILLIAM H. ROUND" <102753.622@CompuServe.COM> Subject: Selling Stuff by the foot, the pound, the part.... Dear Folks, So far as TruServ Price Changes are concerned, most of my stock/purchase unit skus will convert properly... unless somebody has fiddled with the file maintenance. Nails, for instance, had 50 and 50 in the stand pack/order mult fields, and LB and BX in the stock and purch unit fields. This worked fine for years. An RSO was brought to me recently showing 1 and 1 in the stand pack/ order mult fields. There is still a long way to go in the field conventions topic. I have had 6 digit cotter skus on much of my bulk stuff for years. I followed the Sam Costa Convention (SCC) scheme established many years ago for bulk skus, sequence numbers, and mfg vendor numbers. I wonder if other people have been having trouble with bulk skus. My QOH's have been bad on Nails, merchandise sold by the foot, and "yard" items like cement and mulches. I have attached warning messages to skus to alert cashiers. I have put RQ reports together to monitor fractional sales. I have personnally checked the sales I send to the front desk. I have considered doing up bar code slips to have at each bin, reel, shelf, etc which would enable the clerk to enter a length or weight. I also think that the customers are giving erroneous info. Cashiers are screwing up. Any suggestions? Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27555 ********************************** hardlines Digest Fri, 18 Jul 1997 00:01:14 -0500 V01 #27556 Today's topics: 'Men Vs Shorts' 'Re: Men Vs Shorts' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27555' 'By-Pass Manuel Entry' 'Need a used POS terminal' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 06:21:51 -0400 (EDT) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Men Vs Shorts Hi: I have a debate going on (yearly) -- should Hardware Salespeople (males) be allowed to wear shorts at work? Any comments?? Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 08:28:02 -0500 From: "David Casaletto" Subject: Re: Men Vs Shorts > Date: Wednesday, July 16, 1997 5:21 AM > > Hi: > > I have a debate going on (yearly) -- should Hardware Salespeople (males) be > allowed to wear shorts at work? > > Any comments?? > > Have fun > > Rick Schwartz > Schwartz True Value > How about in the lumber yard, loading and delivering orders? David Casaletto True Value Home Center Pittsburg, KS ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 08:36:07 -0600 (MDT) From: gkhj@netrix.net (Gary Hanson) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27555 Hello all Bill I do my foot and pound the same as you but you have to watch out for the electronic file maintanance and electronic price changes. Especialy price changes as the conversion factors in IMU don't work with price changes and your changes to 1and 1where probably from EFM. Does anyone out there have a really good variable priceing system? I need to start revamping mine so it is more efficiant and cost effective. Right now I am using Triad margins from when we where on cotter fineline and pin point prices but I feel there is a large gray area that needs fixed. Any ideas would be appreciated. John great forum thanks for the oppertunity to let us fellow members talk things over - one of the major reasons to go to market but now we have everyday- once again THANKS Gary Hanson Jr. Cardinal Home Centers Kalispell Montana ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 06:17:36 -0400 (EDT) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: By-Pass Manuel Entry Hi: Kathrine said : >ntering our back door that week. After I have the RQ list I do have to >manually clear the secondary vendor field in the store we received it at. >(Oh Well :-) ) Then I can go about printing new scanning labels. Why not use RQ to drop done the SKU's to the PC and re-up via Fredware FIL to put a "-" into the second vendor field (or any symbol since blanks would not work) -- leaves a trail on too. Rick Schwartz ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 20:06:34 -0500 From: JVH Subject: Need a used POS terminal We are adding a couple of checkouts to our store and would like to purchase a couple of older model Triad POS stations. Looking for: VDT Cash Drawer with DUST board Receipt printer Metrologic Scanner Strasser True Value Hardware Kansas City, Kansas (913) 236-5858 John A. Van Hengel & Cyndi (spouse), Alex (Dog), Molly (Cat), Gertie (Cat) javh@worldnet.att.net Olathe, Kansas ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27556 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sat, 19 Jul 1997 00:02:31 -0500 V01 #27557 Today's topics: 'Connect Utility' 'shorts' 'New Metrologic scanners' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27556' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Jul 1997 11:12:12 -0500 From: Chuck Hank Subject: Connect Utility I was wondering if anyone is using the Connect Utility to call into Orgill Bros. in Memphis? I am currently using it to call into Cott...TruServe but was wondering if Orgill supported this Triad Utility. Chuck ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 09:10:40 -0400 From: supergator@ilnk.com (Proctor, Joe) Subject: shorts We have allowed our non-management personnel to wear shorts for 2 or 3 years now and have had no problems with either safety or customers. The employees all appreciate it as Florida can be VERY hot and humid at times and our stores have large outdoor sales and nursery areas. This also contributes to a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. We do restrict what type of shorts(loose and not too short). Joe Proctor Proctor ACE Hardware Stores Jacksonville, FL ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 13:57:20 -0700 From: "Robert L. Knudson" Subject: New Metrologic scanners John A. Van Hengel of Strasser True Value Hardware in Kansas City was looking for (among other things) a Metrologic Scanner. We just had one "die", so I ordered a brand new replacement from System ID Warehouse in Plano, Texas. (Phone 888 397-9783). We bought model MS951 232 complete with stand, cable, etc. for $319. I thought that was a pretty good deal. Robert Knudson CMC Builder Supply / True Value Colorado City, Arizona 520 875-2887 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 21:56:58 -0400 From: "Robert Aiken" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27556 The world is changing. Have you eaten at an Outback steakhouse? Shorts don't offend people there. If people are dressed alike (all the same color shorts, as in "uniforms") does it really make a difference? Even if some don't wear shorts, and some do, would the customers mind? Why not ask them? Bob Aiken ---------- > From: hardlines-request@cornells.com > To: Hardlines > Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27556 > Date: Friday, July 18, 1997 1:01 AM > > hardlines Digest Fri, 18 Jul 1997 00:01:14 -0500 V01 #27556 > > Today's topics: > 'Men Vs Shorts' > 'Re: Men Vs Shorts' > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27555' > 'By-Pass Manuel Entry' > 'Need a used POS terminal' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 06:21:51 -0400 (EDT) > From: RICKSS1@aol.com > Subject: Men Vs Shorts > > > Hi: > > I have a debate going on (yearly) -- should Hardware Salespeople (males) be > allowed to wear shorts at work? > > Any comments?? > > Have fun > > Rick Schwartz > Schwartz True Value > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 08:28:02 -0500 > From: "David Casaletto" > Subject: Re: Men Vs Shorts > > > > Date: Wednesday, July 16, 1997 5:21 AM > > > > Hi: > > > > I have a debate going on (yearly) -- should Hardware Salespeople (males) > be > > allowed to wear shorts at work? > > > > Any comments?? > > > > Have fun > > > > Rick Schwartz > > Schwartz True Value > > > > How about in the lumber yard, loading and delivering orders? > > David Casaletto > True Value Home Center > Pittsburg, KS > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 08:36:07 -0600 (MDT) > From: gkhj@netrix.net (Gary Hanson) > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27555 > > > Hello all > > Bill I do my foot and pound the same as you but you have to watch out for > the electronic file maintanance and electronic price changes. > > Especialy price changes as the conversion factors in IMU don't work with > price changes and your changes to 1and 1where probably from EFM. > > Does anyone out there have a really good variable priceing system? I need to > start revamping mine so it is more efficiant and cost effective. Right now I > am using Triad margins from when we where on cotter fineline and pin point > prices but I feel there is a large gray area that needs fixed. Any ideas > would be appreciated. > > John great forum thanks for the oppertunity to let us fellow members talk > things over - one of the major reasons to go to market but now we have > everyday- once again THANKS > > Gary Hanson Jr. > Cardinal Home Centers > Kalispell Montana > > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 06:17:36 -0400 (EDT) > From: RICKSS1@aol.com > Subject: By-Pass Manuel Entry > > > Hi: > > Kathrine said : > >ntering our back door that week. After I have the RQ list I do have to > >manually clear the secondary vendor field in the store we received it at. > >(Oh Well :-) ) Then I can go about printing new scanning labels. > > Why not use RQ to drop done the SKU's to the PC and re-up via Fredware FIL to > put a "-" into the second vendor field (or any symbol since blanks would not > work) -- leaves a trail on too. > > Rick Schwartz > > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 20:06:34 -0500 > From: JVH > Subject: Need a used POS terminal > > > We are adding a couple of checkouts to our store and would like to purchase a couple of older model Triad POS stations. > > Looking for: > VDT > Cash Drawer with DUST board > Receipt printer > Metrologic Scanner > > Strasser True Value Hardware > Kansas City, Kansas > (913) 236-5858 > > John A. Van Hengel & Cyndi (spouse), Alex (Dog), Molly (Cat), Gertie (Cat) > javh@worldnet.att.net Olathe, Kansas > > > ------------------------------ > > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27556 > ********************************** ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27557 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sun, 20 Jul 1997 00:04:01 -0500 V01 #27558 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27556' 'Re: BOM - 'guaranteed sale'' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 22:52:07 -0700 From: RALPH WITKIN Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27556 In response to: 'Men vs. Shorts' -- I have previously managed a large ($4 mil/60 empl) TV store in the SF Valley (LA county) which my father founded and we didn't allow our staff to wear shorts (sold the store in 1984). I recently worked at a prestigeous, large ($7 mil/70 empl) TV store in the Beverly Hills area (with a very high profile clientele) and most of the men wore shorts during the summer months. I since have started working at a well established, small (10 empl) ACE store in Santa Monica and we were shorts here too. The customer reaction is either favorable or not at all. Both of these stores are very busy and crowded with merchandise stocked and displayed as high as 16 feet off the floor. The West Hollywood (Beverly Hills) store would complete as many as 2,000 transactions on a busy day in a 6,000 sq ft store and stocked over 130,000 skus = lots of action. Of course, this is Los Angeles, and Santa Monica is a beach community. RALPH M. WITKIN V-M: 310-712-2623 E-Mail: ralkin@worldnet.att.net Fax: 818-995-4957 hardlines-request@cornells.com wrote: > > hardlines Digest Fri, 18 Jul 1997 00:01:14 -0500 V01 #27556 > > Today's topics: > 'Men Vs Shorts' > 'Re: Men Vs Shorts' > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27555' > 'By-Pass Manuel Entry' > 'Need a used POS terminal' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 06:21:51 -0400 (EDT) > From: RICKSS1@aol.com > Subject: Men Vs Shorts > > Hi: > > I have a debate going on (yearly) -- should Hardware Salespeople (males) be > allowed to wear shorts at work? > > Any comments?? > > Have fun > > Rick Schwartz > Schwartz True Value > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 08:28:02 -0500 > From: "David Casaletto" > Subject: Re: Men Vs Shorts > > > Date: Wednesday, July 16, 1997 5:21 AM > > > > Hi: > > > > I have a debate going on (yearly) -- should Hardware Salespeople (males) > be > > allowed to wear shorts at work? > > > > Any comments?? > > > > Have fun > > > > Rick Schwartz > > Schwartz True Value > > > > How about in the lumber yard, loading and delivering orders? > > David Casaletto > True Value Home Center > Pittsburg, KS > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 08:36:07 -0600 (MDT) > From: gkhj@netrix.net (Gary Hanson) > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27555 > > Hello all > > Bill I do my foot and pound the same as you but you have to watch out for > the electronic file maintanance and electronic price changes. > > Especialy price changes as the conversion factors in IMU don't work with > price changes and your changes to 1and 1where probably from EFM. > > Does anyone out there have a really good variable priceing system? I need to > start revamping mine so it is more efficiant and cost effective. Right now I > am using Triad margins from when we where on cotter fineline and pin point > prices but I feel there is a large gray area that needs fixed. Any ideas > would be appreciated. > > John great forum thanks for the oppertunity to let us fellow members talk > things over - one of the major reasons to go to market but now we have > everyday- once again THANKS > > Gary Hanson Jr. > Cardinal Home Centers > Kalispell Montana > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 06:17:36 -0400 (EDT) > From: RICKSS1@aol.com > Subject: By-Pass Manuel Entry > > Hi: > > Kathrine said : > >ntering our back door that week. After I have the RQ list I do have to > >manually clear the secondary vendor field in the store we received it at. > >(Oh Well :-) ) Then I can go about printing new scanning labels. > > Why not use RQ to drop done the SKU's to the PC and re-up via Fredware FIL to > put a "-" into the second vendor field (or any symbol since blanks would not > work) -- leaves a trail on too. > > Rick Schwartz > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 20:06:34 -0500 > From: JVH > Subject: Need a used POS terminal > > We are adding a couple of checkouts to our store and would like to purchase a couple of older model Triad POS stations. > > Looking for: > VDT > Cash Drawer with DUST board > Receipt printer > Metrologic Scanner > > Strasser True Value Hardware > Kansas City, Kansas > (913) 236-5858 > > John A. Van Hengel & Cyndi (spouse), Alex (Dog), Molly (Cat), Gertie (Cat) > javh@worldnet.att.net Olathe, Kansas > > ------------------------------ > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27556 > ********************************** ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997 12:21:45 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: Re: BOM - 'guaranteed sale' i've formulated a theory that if you cancel the item and (maybe) reorder a reasonable quantity, the buyers never see the action and they think that their quantities were ok with the dealers; on the other hand if i accept the merchandise and then send it back they get it 'in their face' by the group managers and will remember later. it means that i've got to pay the incoming freight and go through the hassle of returning it, but at least i know that they'll see the action. i'm still mumbling about the high amount of items that have large-dollar f-packs and which i sell so seldom. gotta have them to be 'complete', but the turns are attrocious! At 07:04 PM EST 7/11/97 -0400, Rick Schwartz wrote: > >Any comments of all the BOM's!! The $ investment ! The 189 Drill!! > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27558 ********************************** hardlines Digest Mon, 21 Jul 1997 00:00:23 -0500 V01 #27559 Today's topics: 'Re: BOM - 'guaranteed sale'' 'Re: shorts' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997 19:54:37 -0700 From: "DAVID D. PILGRIM" Subject: Re: BOM - 'guaranteed sale' jack swift wrote: > > i've formulated a theory that if you cancel the item and (maybe) > reorder a reasonable quantity, the buyers never see the action and they > think that their quantities were ok with the dealers; on the other hand if i > accept the merchandise and then send it back they get it 'in their face' by > the group managers and will remember later. it means that i've got to pay > the incoming freight and go through the hassle of returning it, but at least > i know that they'll see the action. > > i'm still mumbling about the high amount of items that have > large-dollar f-packs and which i sell so seldom. gotta have them to be > 'complete', but the turns are attrocious! > Unfortunately, I have been told that when we return the items, only under rare instances will the manufacturers take it back. The bulk of the time, it goes back into warehouse stock which means there is money tied up that can't be used somewhere else. I therefore have been cancelling all of the BOM's that seem unreasonable for my store. David D. Pilgrim Village True Value Hdw Maple Valley, WA ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 07:54:39 -0400 (EDT) From: AlannnnT@aol.com Subject: Re: shorts Rick, One of the most reliable businesses in the world, UPS, allows shorts in the summer. The only government offices that work as planned, the USPS [quasi government] and the United States Parks Services, provide uniform shorts. Connection? Coincidence? Our three non-family full time male employees and all of our part-timers have worn shorts for years. It is good for morale which is good for business. Alan Talman Karps ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27559 ********************************** hardlines Digest Tue, 22 Jul 1997 00:01:49 -0500 V01 #27560 Today's topics: 'Re: Triad General Ledger' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27557' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 10:29:34 -0400 (EDT) From: RDMS1@aol.com Subject: Re: Triad General Ledger Reply to Tom Hanson about G/L; I have found the Triad G/L pass-off to to work fairly well, there is an occassional glitch that causes the trial balance to go out of balance, most of the time it is found in the cash and can be corrected. Triad has not been able to find the problem and/or has not been willing to tell me what causes the problem. Overall the G/L package is flexible and will work for 99% of the customer base Triad serves. If you would like to discuss this further give me a call at 561.439.2766 Mark Elmer, Retail Data Management Services, Inc. We specialize in the Triad applications ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 13:19:32 -0400 From: "=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Jos=E9_Rafael_Rodr=EDguez?=" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27557 Quiero probar si tengo acceso a la red para enviar mensajes a hardlines-request@cornell.com ---------- > From: hardlines-request@cornells.com > To: Hardlines > Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27557 > Date: Saturday, July 19, 1997 1:02 AM > > hardlines Digest Sat, 19 Jul 1997 00:02:31 -0500 V01 #27557 > > Today's topics: > 'Connect Utility' > 'shorts' > 'New Metrologic scanners' > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27556' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Tue, 15 Jul 1997 11:12:12 -0500 > From: Chuck Hank > Subject: Connect Utility > > > I was wondering if anyone is using the Connect Utility to call into > Orgill Bros. in Memphis? I am currently using it to call into > Cott...TruServe but was wondering if Orgill supported this Triad > Utility. > > Chuck > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 09:10:40 -0400 > From: supergator@ilnk.com (Proctor, Joe) > Subject: shorts > > > We have allowed our non-management personnel to wear shorts for 2 or 3 > years now and have had no problems with either safety or customers. The > employees all appreciate it as Florida can be VERY hot and humid at times > and our stores have large outdoor sales and nursery areas. This also > contributes to a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. We do restrict what > type of shorts(loose and not too short). > > Joe Proctor > Proctor ACE Hardware Stores > Jacksonville, FL > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 13:57:20 -0700 > From: "Robert L. Knudson" > Subject: New Metrologic scanners > > > John A. Van Hengel of Strasser True Value Hardware in Kansas City was > looking for (among other things) a Metrologic Scanner. > > We just had one "die", so I ordered a brand new replacement from System > ID Warehouse in Plano, Texas. (Phone 888 397-9783). We bought model > MS951 232 complete with stand, cable, etc. for $319. I thought that was > a pretty good deal. > > Robert Knudson > CMC Builder Supply / True Value > Colorado City, Arizona > 520 875-2887 > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 21:56:58 -0400 > From: "Robert Aiken" > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27556 > > > The world is changing. Have you eaten at an Outback steakhouse? Shorts > don't offend people there. > > If people are dressed alike (all the same color shorts, as in "uniforms") > does it really make a difference? Even if some don't wear shorts, and some > do, would the customers mind? > > Why not ask them? > > Bob Aiken > > > ---------- > > From: hardlines-request@cornells.com > > To: Hardlines > > Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27556 > > Date: Friday, July 18, 1997 1:01 AM > > > > hardlines Digest Fri, 18 Jul 1997 00:01:14 -0500 V01 #27556 > > > > Today's topics: > > 'Men Vs Shorts' > > 'Re: Men Vs Shorts' > > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27555' > > 'By-Pass Manuel Entry' > > 'Need a used POS terminal' > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 06:21:51 -0400 (EDT) > > From: RICKSS1@aol.com > > Subject: Men Vs Shorts > > > > > > Hi: > > > > I have a debate going on (yearly) -- should Hardware Salespeople (males) > be > > allowed to wear shorts at work? > > > > Any comments?? > > > > Have fun > > > > Rick Schwartz > > Schwartz True Value > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 08:28:02 -0500 > > From: "David Casaletto" > > Subject: Re: Men Vs Shorts > > > > > > > Date: Wednesday, July 16, 1997 5:21 AM > > > > > > Hi: > > > > > > I have a debate going on (yearly) -- should Hardware Salespeople > (males) > > be > > > allowed to wear shorts at work? > > > > > > Any comments?? > > > > > > Have fun > > > > > > Rick Schwartz > > > Schwartz True Value > > > > > > > How about in the lumber yard, loading and delivering orders? > > > > David Casaletto > > True Value Home Center > > Pittsburg, KS > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 08:36:07 -0600 (MDT) > > From: gkhj@netrix.net (Gary Hanson) > > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27555 > > > > > > Hello all > > > > Bill I do my foot and pound the same as you but you have to watch out for > > the electronic file maintanance and electronic price changes. > > > > Especialy price changes as the conversion factors in IMU don't work with > > price changes and your changes to 1and 1where probably from EFM. > > > > Does anyone out there have a really good variable priceing system? I need > to > > start revamping mine so it is more efficiant and cost effective. Right > now I > > am using Triad margins from when we where on cotter fineline and pin > point > > prices but I feel there is a large gray area that needs fixed. Any ideas > > would be appreciated. > > > > John great forum thanks for the oppertunity to let us fellow members talk > > things over - one of the major reasons to go to market but now we have > > everyday- once again THANKS > > > > Gary Hanson Jr. > > Cardinal Home Centers > > Kalispell Montana > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 06:17:36 -0400 (EDT) > > From: RICKSS1@aol.com > > Subject: By-Pass Manuel Entry > > > > > > Hi: > > > > Kathrine said : > > >ntering our back door that week. After I have the RQ list I do have to > > >manually clear the secondary vendor field in the store we received it > at. > > >(Oh Well :-) ) Then I can go about printing new scanning labels. > > > > Why not use RQ to drop done the SKU's to the PC and re-up via Fredware > FIL to > > put a "-" into the second vendor field (or any symbol since blanks would > not > > work) -- leaves a trail on too. > > > > Rick Schwartz > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 20:06:34 -0500 > > From: JVH > > Subject: Need a used POS terminal > > > > > > We are adding a couple of checkouts to our store and would like to > purchase a couple of older model Triad POS stations. > > > > Looking for: > > VDT > > Cash Drawer with DUST board > > Receipt printer > > Metrologic Scanner > > > > Strasser True Value Hardware > > Kansas City, Kansas > > (913) 236-5858 > > > > John A. Van Hengel & Cyndi (spouse), Alex (Dog), Molly (Cat), Gertie > (Cat) > > javh@worldnet.att.net Olathe, Kansas > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27556 > > ********************************** > > ------------------------------ > > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27557 > ********************************** ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27560 ********************************** hardlines Digest Wed, 23 Jul 1997 00:01:38 -0500 V01 #27561 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27559' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 00:57:52 -0400 (EDT) From: TRUEHDWE@aol.com Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27559 Regarding Bargins of the Month, The latest plan is to reduce specials to 3 per month and it was my understanding these are freight prepaid to the store. Hopefully that's what happening. Jim Mason TruServ Business Development Manager Portland Distribution Center ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27561 ********************************** hardlines Digest Thu, 24 Jul 1997 00:02:53 -0500 V01 #27562 Today's topics: 'shorts' 'BOM Vs Freight' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27561' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27561' 'Re: AUTO SHIP' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 08:04:22 -0500 (CDT) From: Dana Whitton Subject: shorts Shorts have been allowed in our store since we opened in 1989. We have no specific rule, and have only had one "problem" in all those years. The recent trend for young men to wear shorts that are too big and hang below the waist of their underwear. I just asked the boys to wear their shirt untucked and covering the top of their shorts, as the style is also for big shirts this is not a problem and I have had no derogatory comments from customers. When you encourage employees to use their common sense, I have found that they really have more than we often give them credit for. Dana Whitton Gulf Breeze True Value Pensacola, FL ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 15:13:06 -0400 (EDT) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: BOM Vs Freight Jack: You mentioned : Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997 12:21:45 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: Re: BOM - 'guaranteed sale' >ccept the merchandise and then send it back they get it 'in their face' by >the group managers and will remember later. it means that i've got to pay >the incoming freight and go through the hassle of returning it, but at least >i know that they'll see the action. Have you tried charging back the Freight???? Maybe that would help our comments, too. Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 15:28:27 -0400 (EDT) From: RICKSS1@aol.com Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27561 Hi In a message dated 97-07-23 08:35:01 EDT, you write: << Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 00:57:52 -0400 (EDT) From: TRUEHDWE@aol.com Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27559 Regarding Bargins of the Month, The latest plan is to reduce specials to 3 per month and it was my understanding these are freight prepaid to the store. Hopefully that's what happening. Jim Mason TruServ Business Development Manager Portland Distribution Center ------- >> Limiting to 3 per month may help, but will there be more advertising emphases on these specials? Back in the beginning, the BOM's were pushed all month long, not the duration of a flyer. Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 19:11:48 -0400 From: Tony Brinkmann Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27561 hardlines-request@cornells.com wrote: > > hardlines Digest Wed, 23 Jul 1997 00:01:38 -0500 V01 #27561 > > Today's topics: > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27559' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 00:57:52 -0400 (EDT) > From: TRUEHDWE@aol.com > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27559 > > Regarding Bargins of the Month, > The latest plan is to reduce specials to 3 per month and it was my > understanding these are freight prepaid to the store. Hopefully that's what > happening. > > Jim Mason > TruServ > Business Development Manager > Portland Distribution Center > > ------------------------------ > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27561 > ********************************** i am opposed to receiving unsolicited merchandise or phone calls. i call it pushing - like the "push" of internet marketing. my days are busy enough without having to remember to cancel merchandise such bargains-of-the-month. it's a time consuming nuisance which i put in the same category as unsolicited junk phone calls. phone calls such as those from rubbermaid or maclenburg-duncan wanting to know whether or not i was ready for another order from them and blah-blah-blah. i have to do my best to control myself and not "verbally flame" the poor girls hired to make these obnoxious calls. make an unsolicited phone call and i put you on my vendor blacklist. send me unsolicited merchandise and you'll get it back on the next truck. "long live truserv!", tony brinkmann brinkmann true value hardware long island, new york ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 19:33:26 -0500 From: truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us Subject: Re: AUTO SHIP Tony Brinkman wrote: HA>i am opposed to receiving unsolicited merchandise or phone calls. i HA>call it pushing - like the "push" of internet marketing. my days are HA>busy enough without having to remember to cancel merchandise such HA>bargains-of-the-month. The bargain of the month program is totally volunteer. Cancel the whole thing if you really feel that way. Another thing that really bothers me is what I've heard some members admit to: 1. as soon as the truck arrives, they do a quick return on all BOM's. They don't precancel shipment because "it's too much work on the Telxon. (IMHO This costs all of us a lot of money.) 2. If we are to auto receive 12 widgets they will accept the 12, and also order six more so that they will have 6 to sell and 12 to return. These are words out of owners mouths at market. Come on people. Don't screw up a good (fairly good - getting better?) thing. If you don't feel like playing, you don't have to. HA>"long live truserv!", Tony, on this one we agree 100 %. Thanks for listening, Paul Poirier Park Ave. True Value Hardware Inc. Worcester MA truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us http://chamber.worcester.ma.us/truevalue ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27562 ********************************** hardlines Digest Fri, 25 Jul 1997 00:04:47 -0500 V01 #27563 Today's topics: 'oil base tru-test paint' 'auto ship merchandise' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27562' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 10:20:23 -0500 From: "David Casaletto" Subject: oil base tru-test paint Hi Group, A question to the Tru-test paint shops and others selling Tru-test paint: We've had alot of problems over the years with various types of Tru-test oil base paint taking a very long time to dry. Just this week we completely lost a large commercial customer over the fact that XHG-N would not dry anywhere near the time stated on the label. They sprayed XHG-N on the exterior side of the door and Sherman Williams oil semi-gloss on the inside. The SW was dry in 2 hours and the XHG-N was NOT dry in 2 days. My call to the paint factory got the usual results: High humidity They added paint thinner & penetrol to spray We make 2,500 gallons at a time and had no other complaints It's not designed to dry inside, only outside The fact still remains (in my opinion): Tru-test oil paint takes much longer to dry than SW or ACE paint. Does everyone agree on this? We are considering finding another brand of oil base paint as we can't afford to loose customers. It does not matter to the customer than the paint dries as formulated, if that is too long, they go elsewhere for paint. See ya! David Casaletto True Value Home Center Pittsburg, KS P.S. For all you non Tru-test paint stockers, NO, I am not even remotely considering changing from Tru-tes paint. Our paint shop is our most profitable department and the latex Tru-test paint is the best. Just wanted to make this clear. :) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 16:30:41 -0400 From: Tony Brinkmann Subject: auto ship merchandise yesterday i wrote that auto ship merchandise is impossible to work with and that i don't want them shipped to my store by truserv. i have tried it and it's no good because it increases my inventory and reduces my inventory turns. our sales per square foot and our inventory turns are excellent. i have almost no backroom stock and i'm going to keep it that way. truserv started the auto ship with bargains of the month. that was bad but i lived with it. check your relay for november's circular. there are fourteen non-b.o.m. auto ship items including a garage door opener. in twenty years with cotter, sending at least 10 circulars per year ( now 12 ) we have never sold a garage door opener. i don't mind if it's in the direct mail piece but i don't want it or anything else shipped "auto". i should not have to cancel items i don't want. that creates work, confusion and is inefficient. if we don't let truserv know when their policy is wrong they won't know what's best for the members and for them in the long run. we are a true advantage store and i jump on almost every bandwagon that cotter has come up with in the past. we participate because it's good for us and all. but if i'm with a pretty lady who is perfect in every way but has her hat on crooked, i'll let her know. long live truserv! tony brinkmann brinkmann true value hardware long island, new york ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 20:32:44 -0400 From: "=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Jos=E9_Rafael_Rodr=EDguez?=" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27562 ---------- > From: hardlines-request@cornells.com > To: Hardlines > Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27562 > Date: Thursday, July 24, 1997 1:02 AM > > hardlines Digest Thu, 24 Jul 1997 00:02:53 -0500 V01 #27562 > > Today's topics: > 'shorts' > 'BOM Vs Freight' > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27561' > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27561' > 'Re: AUTO SHIP' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 08:04:22 -0500 (CDT) > From: Dana Whitton > Subject: shorts > > > Shorts have been allowed in our store since we opened in 1989. We have no > specific rule, and have only had one "problem" in all those years. The > recent trend for young men to wear shorts that are too big and hang below > the waist of their underwear. I just asked the boys to wear their shirt > untucked and covering the top of their shorts, as the style is also for big > shirts this is not a problem and I have had no derogatory comments from > customers. > When you encourage employees to use their common sense, I have found that > they really have more than we often give them credit for. > > Dana Whitton > Gulf Breeze True Value > Pensacola, FL > > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 15:13:06 -0400 (EDT) > From: RICKSS1@aol.com > Subject: BOM Vs Freight > > > Jack: > > You mentioned : > > Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997 12:21:45 -0500 > From: jack swift > Subject: Re: BOM - 'guaranteed sale' > > >ccept the merchandise and then send it back they get it 'in their face' by > >the group managers and will remember later. it means that i've got to pay > >the incoming freight and go through the hassle of returning it, but at least > >i know that they'll see the action. > > Have you tried charging back the Freight???? > Maybe that would help our comments, too. > > Rick Schwartz > Schwartz True Value > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 15:28:27 -0400 (EDT) > From: RICKSS1@aol.com > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27561 > > > Hi > > In a message dated 97-07-23 08:35:01 EDT, you write: > > << > Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 00:57:52 -0400 (EDT) > From: TRUEHDWE@aol.com > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27559 > > > Regarding Bargins of the Month, > The latest plan is to reduce specials to 3 per month and it was my > understanding these are freight prepaid to the store. Hopefully that's what > happening. > > Jim Mason > TruServ > Business Development Manager > Portland Distribution Center > > ------- >> > Limiting to 3 per month may help, but will there be more advertising emphases > on these specials? Back in the beginning, the BOM's were pushed all month > long, not the duration of a flyer. > > Have fun > > Rick Schwartz > Schwartz True Value > > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 19:11:48 -0400 > From: Tony Brinkmann > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27561 > > > hardlines-request@cornells.com wrote: > > > > hardlines Digest Wed, 23 Jul 1997 00:01:38 -0500 V01 #27561 > > > > Today's topics: > > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27559' > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 00:57:52 -0400 (EDT) > > From: TRUEHDWE@aol.com > > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27559 > > > > Regarding Bargins of the Month, > > The latest plan is to reduce specials to 3 per month and it was my > > understanding these are freight prepaid to the store. Hopefully that's what > > happening. > > > > Jim Mason > > TruServ > > Business Development Manager > > Portland Distribution Center > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27561 > > ********************************** > i am opposed to receiving unsolicited merchandise or phone calls. i > call it pushing - like the "push" of internet marketing. my days are > busy enough without having to remember to cancel merchandise such > bargains-of-the-month. it's a time consuming nuisance which i put in > the same category as unsolicited junk phone calls. phone calls such as > those from rubbermaid or maclenburg-duncan wanting to know whether or > not i was ready for another order from them and blah-blah-blah. i have > to do my best to control myself and not "verbally flame" the poor girls > hired to make these obnoxious calls. > make an unsolicited phone call and i put you on my vendor blacklist. > send me unsolicited merchandise and you'll get it back on the next > truck. > > "long live truserv!", > > tony brinkmann > brinkmann true value hardware > long island, new york > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 19:33:26 -0500 > From: truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us > Subject: Re: AUTO SHIP > > > Tony Brinkman wrote: > HA>i am opposed to receiving unsolicited merchandise or phone calls. i > HA>call it pushing - like the "push" of internet marketing. my days are > HA>busy enough without having to remember to cancel merchandise such > HA>bargains-of-the-month. > > The bargain of the month program is totally volunteer. > Cancel the whole thing if you really feel that way. > Another thing that really bothers me is what I've heard some members > admit to: > 1. as soon as the truck arrives, they do a quick return on all BOM's. > They don't precancel shipment because "it's too much work on > the Telxon. (IMHO This costs all of us a lot of money.) > 2. If we are to auto receive 12 widgets they will accept the 12, and > also order six more so that they will have 6 to sell and 12 > to return. > > These are words out of owners mouths at market. > Come on people. Don't screw up a good (fairly good - getting better?) > thing. If you don't feel like playing, you don't have to. > > > HA>"long live truserv!", > > Tony, on this one we agree 100 %. > > Thanks for listening, > > > Paul Poirier > Park Ave. True Value Hardware Inc. > Worcester MA > truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us > http://chamber.worcester.ma.us/truevalue > > > > ------------------------------ > > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27562 > ********************************** ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27563 ********************************** hardlines Digest Sun, 27 Jul 1997 00:04:42 -0500 V01 #27564 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27562' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 01:43:20 -0400 (EDT) From: TRUEHDWE@aol.com Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27562 Rick, I"m not sure on the advertising schedule if it will run all month long or not. Rob Liebgott your Vice President of Merchandising indicated that he wanted it to have an impact like it used to when we only had three. Regards, Jim Mason TruServ Business Development Manager Portland Distribution Center ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27564 ********************************** hardlines Digest Thu, 31 Jul 1997 00:02:37 -0500 V01 #27565 Today's topics: 'NRHA Convention in Florida' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 16:04:53 -0400 From: John Fix 3rd Subject: NRHA Convention in Florida I attended the NRHA convention in Florida about a week ago, and wanted to post a quick summary. First of all, it was held at a very nice resort on Captiva Island called the South Seas Plantation. In my opinion, the place was perfect for a combination convention/family vacation, and the weather was hot and humid (perfect for the beach and pool... a little uncomfortable for golfing). Attendance was good... there were 350+ attendees from about 100 stores (plus mfg and wholesaler reps). The seminars I attended (family succession planning, Internet, employee management, and time management) were all very informative and I came away with lots of ideas and materials. The dinners were pretty good... not what you might expect for $40, although the TruServ cruise and dinner on Monday night was a bargain at $35. It was great meeting and chatting with folks from various places around the country, and the mix of store types (i.e. Servistar, Ace, True Value, Sentry, etc.) made for lots of interesting dinner conversations. John ************************************************************************* John Fix 3rd http://www.cornells.com/john.htm John3@cornells.com (914) 961-2400 Cornell's True Value Hardware Manager/Cashier/Webmaster ************************************************************************* ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27565 **********************************