From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 1998 12:00 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27855 hardlines Digest Wed, 29 Jul 1998 00:00:24 -0400 V01 #27855 Today's topics: 'Respones to AGS about POS systems' 'Re: Pictures / reply' 'Speaking in Chicago' 'RE: Speaking in Chicago' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 00:48:12 EDT From: Subject: Respones to AGS about POS systems We will be installing a TruTrak in our new store which we plan to open in Sept. I spent several years trying to decide between TruTrak and Triad. Here are my conclusions after talking with owners and attending users meetings at Market: 1. TruTrak seems to be more user friendly and has a shorter learning curve. There was a higher degree of satisfaction among owners of TruTrak. 2. The price issue made TruTrak the winner of this catagory. Triad owners made refference to large charges for upgrades. 3. If you have a multi-store operation or are a large lumber dealer Triad seems to be the weapon of choice. 4. Training seemed to be a plus for the Triad. Most members liked the 4 day concentrated training with phone follow-up. Maybe part of the extra cost of Triad is all that on-site training? We just completed training and thought it was very well done. I will be able to better evaluate the training after our first month of operation. 5. TruTrak seemed to respond to members problems quicker then Triad. There is a shorter span of time between new versions of software with TruTrak. TruServ controls TruTrak which allows it to respond quicker to members problems. Is it a good thing that TruServ controls TruTrak? That is a question that could bring some interesting debate!! That is the core of the reasons we choose TruTrak. As I mentioned we completed training last week. Our feeling is that we have a very good system that should do the job for us. We used the TruServ leasing program thru DCC. It is our plan to lease for 36 mo and then turn it in for a new system. I believe the time has come that we need a monthly budget item for technology and that it will remain for as long as our doors are open. Good luck AGS in you search for the right system for your needs. If you have any questions you would like to ask just call or e-mail me at address below. Gary Johnson Johnson's True Value 509-877-2433 GJNINC@alo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 03:21:47 EDT From: Subject: Re: Pictures / reply In a message dated 7/28/98 12:02:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time, hardlines- request@cornells.com writes: > > Rick, > Where do you see pictures on the Web Site?????????????????? The s Oops -- wrong version -- pictures are coming in the next phase (hopefully)-- seen the prototype and got........... Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 06:22:23 -0400 From: "Bob Whelan" Subject: Speaking in Chicago John - Congratulations on being asked to speak in Chicago on Internet Commerce! Let us know how it's received! Best.. Bob ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 08:05:55 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: RE: Speaking in Chicago Thanks Bob. I'll post a full report here once I get back. It should be fun... so long as the crowd doesn't get too rowdy. :-) John -----Original Message----- From: owner-hardlines@cornells.com [mailto:owner-hardlines@cornells.com]On Behalf Of Bob Whelan Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 1998 6:22 AM To: Multiple recipients of list hardlines Subject: Speaking in Chicago John - Congratulations on being asked to speak in Chicago on Internet Commerce! Let us know how it's received! Best.. Bob ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27855 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Monday, July 27, 1998 12:05 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27853 hardlines Digest Mon, 27 Jul 1998 00:04:57 -0400 V01 #27853 Today's topics: 'Just Ask Rental Software.' 'retailer/wholesaler computer interface' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1998 12:06:56 -0500 From: "Strasser Hardware" Subject: Just Ask Rental Software. We are adding a "Just Ask" rental department to our store. The program requires that we purchase a $3000 software package from SBC Solutions By Computer. Supposedly we can load it on our Triad. Or it can be loaded onto Tru-Trac (which we don't have), or it can be a stand alone system. I am curious about what other rental stores are doing. What software are you using? On what type of system Triad(Unix), PC(Unix), PC(W95 or Dos)? Any other recommendations or tricks. P.S. We don't want to add to our triad if possible. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1998 20:42:10 -0400 (EDT) From: rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Subject: retailer/wholesaler computer interface The more of the utter confusion I see coming from TS through conversions and catalog and price updates the more I become convinced that our present system is not the way to go. By the way, anyone who has a subscripiton to "National Home Center News" (NHCN) should read the story about the Harvard RDC shipping problems. If you are not receiving a subscription, they have a web site I believe at www.nhcn.com. It is encouraging to know that TS is admitting to the problem and working to address it. As I get more and more catalogs I am able to resolve some of my substitution problems by findng more suitably similar items myself or finding the original items available with different sku's. This has happened to me with a number of items. Some of the people working on the conversion did not do a very good job of comparing items. If you dig out the NHCN issue, there is an interesting story of a German chain which is using e-mail to access warehouse information. The story is somewhat sketchy, but it got me to wondering if it might not in fact be much easier for TS to maintain a central file on all the items they stock in their warehouses and just allow us to access it via e-mail and download those portions we desire. They could easily set it up to be searched like the excellent catalog file TrueValue has on the Triad and thus eliminate the need for all of us to keep a file of the entire catalog offering and the confusion caused by the updates. In most cases the information being updated is rarely being used. I have not updated the catalog page numbers on my computer in years. In most cases it is just as easy to look up the information in the index. What information do we really need? Mostly the suggested retail and cost. The packaging is also important, but unless you have specified a code location for the information, most of us with Triad computers do not even record information on what items are F or NBC packed and which are central shipped. I use code location D to designate those items which are F or NBC packed and those which I, at my own choice, order full pack. It appears that TS is going to examine the claims procedure. I hope they keep our existing ServiStar procedure. It could not be simpler. We simply file a claim each week for exceptions to the shipping manifest and either mail it in if there are no returns or send it back with the driver the following week. Usually claims are credited within a couple of weeks. I think that our paperwork system overall is much easier, so the odds are that it will be canned and we will be forced to change over to the TrueValue system. I had a question about my statement and was incorrectly given a TS number to resolve it by MIC. I called and left messages for four straight days without any response. On the fifth day I finally got a supervisor who was giving me very incorrect information until she finally realized that I was a ServiStar store. She then gave me the correct number to call and I resolved my problem withing fifteen minutes. I am beginning to hope that they keep our bookkeeping systems separate. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27853 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Sunday, July 26, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27852 hardlines Digest Sun, 26 Jul 1998 00:03:42 -0400 V01 #27852 Today's topics: 'Where is Dane Sheahan?' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 18:48:48 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Where is Dane Sheahan? Folks, Does anyone have Dane Sheahan's (Mutual True Value) e-mail address? He has changed it again. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27852 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Thursday, July 23, 1998 12:01 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27851 hardlines Digest Thu, 23 Jul 1998 00:01:05 -0400 V01 #27851 Today's topics: 'Re: Which Computer / reply' 'Introduction' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27850' 'Fight TruServ Paper with Paper ' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27850' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 06:55:25 EDT From: Subject: Re: Which Computer / reply In a message dated 7/22/98 2:16:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time, hardlines- request@cornells.com writes: > keeping system. He is a single TrueValue store and has been considering a > POS system. A G Unfortunately, you did not give us much info other then the above line. Several things have to be considered -- size of store, dollar volume now, dollar volume considered for 2000, and dollar to be spent. If the store is "small" and doing under 300m, you might want to suggest a simple PC system with a program like Quicken and CIS --a TruServe Catalog / Ordering Program - which would qualify you in communicating to TruServe. If the store is under 600m, TruStart would be good. If the store is over 600m and wants to grow, then more research must be given between TRIAD and TruTrac (or someone elses). I would suggest for that person to talk to dealers with TRIAD and TruTrac. I have studied both and have stayed with TRIAD............ As my mentor would say -- The computer is an expense that must be cost out by not having one. Another Point--> TruServe will be mandating all dealers to communicate via computer soon instead of Telson or FAX or Phone for ordering. Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 508 674 3515 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 12:38:27 -0400 From: "Listmanager" Subject: Introduction From: "John Keely" <72240.2762@compuserve.com> Hi, I'd like to introduce myself. My name is John Keely and I am a independent manufacturers representative based in Kansas City, MO. Our company is geared towards electrical but, we also get into pet products and some lawn and garden. I've read through the current messages and also a number of the archives and I really have enjoyed and Benefited from hearing the unvarnished thoughts of participating retailers. I look forward to participating and contributing wherever possible. John Keely To reply: mailto:retailing.61@tools.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:retailing@tools.cornells.com To login: http://tools.cornells.com/~Hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 18:34:29 -0500 From: "Chuck Hank" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27850 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0008_01BDB59F.5D06DBC0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable We currently send in a request for adjustments (which is currently quite = large) using a form provided by TruServ for shortages and damages on our = TruServ weekly truck. Im wondering if there is a way to electronically = transmit requests for this from TruServ. Im figuring we can create a = credit PO but Im not sure how to handle some of the old fields on the = old form. Fields like invoice number and sequence number. Maybe you = can send one PO for each invoice and put the invoice number in the = special ship to screen but Im not sure that TruServ whould know how to = handle this. Is anyone currently doing this that can help. Thanks Chuck Hank Hank Bros. True Value Hardware Paducah, Kentucky ------=_NextPart_000_0008_01BDB59F.5D06DBC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
We currently send in a request for adjustments = (which is=20 currently quite large) using a form provided by TruServ for shortages = and=20 damages on our TruServ weekly truck.  Im wondering if there is a = way to=20 electronically transmit requests for this from TruServ.  Im = figuring we can=20 create a credit PO but Im not sure how to handle some of the old fields = on the=20 old form.  Fields like invoice number and sequence number.  = Maybe you=20 can send one PO for each invoice and put the invoice number in the = special ship=20 to screen but Im not sure that TruServ whould know how to handle = this.  Is=20 anyone currently doing this that can help.
 
Thanks
Chuck Hank
Hank Bros. True Value Hardware
Paducah,  Kentucky
------=_NextPart_000_0008_01BDB59F.5D06DBC0-- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 21:24:18 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Fight TruServ Paper with Paper RE: Those TruServ Request for adjustment forms. Qualifications: Sorry about this, non-TruServ member readers. Hostile corporate lurkers and members of the press monitoring this forum for negative publicity or juicing tidbits: All the coops have claims problems and the costs associated with them. Chuck Hank brings up a good point. Those adjustments are racking up big dollar costs on both ends of the transaction. I've thought about trying to "automate" my claims over the years, but the effort and energy the project would require is beyond me. Besides, I'm too busy changing skus to worry about what the office folks are doing with the currently stable and effective (i.e., get's $$$ out of TruServ or unwanted goods out of the back room-- and most importantly.... I DON'T HAVE TO DO IT MYSELF....) I'd rather spend the time getting another percentage point on the gross profit margin. I do notice that our credits are coming back to us on print outs instead of the old manual forms. Something is happening in the background. This is a good sign. Unless there is a TruServ Corporate office function for distant store systems to tie into, automating the adjustment function is more likely to be a paper generator and payroll hour burner. Is this a good place to say "wait for the common system?" For super-organized people, and for such dollar-saving sharks as Wayne Youngblood and Chuck Hank (experts at saving money in Las Vegas by switching hotels every night), a general purpose PC database could be set up to keep track of things. I'd pay Triad (is that CCI-TRIAD?) $500 for a module to handle this stuff.... This function would allow the user to key in the enter the TruServ invoice number as a key reference, then enter each sku to be claimed with its quantity, reason for return or adjustment code, cost, etc. Each sku would post to the adjustment record. There could be ties to inventory, catalog, A/P, Vendor, and departmental sales records. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180 Phone: 781-438-0131 FAX: 781-279-9123 Email: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 23:43:10 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27850 I have recently installed the tru-serv CIS system and so far it has been a tremendous help in controlling my weekly orders. We also use it extensively in converting our old coast numbers to the new numbers. This system is a great first step in automation, but I question the support it is getting from Tru- Serv. It seems that Tru start is getting all the hype these days but doesn't really offer any more features and is a Triad product. There are some draw backs that I wonder if anyone can help me with. I am trying to reduce the number of invoices we now receive with our weekly freight order. I use one PO for regular order and one for rainchecks but still get as many as 9 different invoices each week. It is very confusing and difficult to keep track of ship later current, ship later future, etc. Who do I call to get ship later stopped and cancel substitutions? The second problem I have is with the A- copy download. Is it possible to get it to print out in IBM number sequence like the order, for ease of matching with my order? Any suggestions on how to make this system more benificial will be welcome. Are we really getting dinged for 5% of cost for policy A defectives or am I missing something? Ken Runyan Coast to Coast Hardware Boise, ID ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27851 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 1998 12:03 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27850 hardlines Digest Wed, 22 Jul 1998 00:03:22 -0400 V01 #27850 Today's topics: 'POS/Accounting systems' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 21:44:12 -0700 From: "A.G.S." Subject: POS/Accounting systems I have a friend who does not currently have any POS system and a minor book keeping system. He is a single TrueValue store and has been considering a POS system. I have looked at the Triad literature and he has discussed the TruStart system that his rep talked to him about. The question I have for readers of this list is, what is your recommendations, and what other POS systems do people use that haven't gone with Triad. Any advice would be appreciated, especially anyone with a business vision 2000 package. A. G. Schmidt ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27850 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27849 hardlines Digest Tue, 21 Jul 1998 00:03:43 -0400 V01 #27849 Today's topics: 'RE: hardlines Digest - V01 #27848' 'For Triad Users: TruServ and Maybe Ace Members' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 09:31:51 -0400 From: "Kash, Wyatt" Subject: RE: hardlines Digest - V01 #27848 Dear Hardlines, I've enjoyed following the digest, but have concluded it's not information critical to my business. I would like to drop off your daily submission list. Please advise how best to do that. Thanks, Wyatt Kash Wkash@homecenternews.com > ---------- > From: > hardlines-request@cornells.com[SMTP:hardlines-request@cornells.com] > Reply To: Hardlines > Sent: Monday, July 20, 1998 12:02 AM > To: Hardlines > Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27848 > > hardlines Digest Mon, 20 Jul 1998 00:02:30 -0400 V01 #27848 > > Today's topics: > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27847' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Sun, 19 Jul 1998 07:16:33 -0400 (EDT) > From: NorthLima@webtv.net (John Crouse) > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27847 > > > > --WebTV-Mail-1740211279-1576 > Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit > > In reference to Bill's questions on the customer card. Has anyone > heard > more from the vendor that was signing up people at the Dallas market? > I > thought this program was to be in play by August, but we have heard > no > mo re. I am interested in knowing the hardlines group feeling as to > this national program compared to a store having a card of just > their > own. As Bill mentioned about their town grocery store, our town has > the > same thing and it has been a huge sucess. Thanks........Jack > > > > --WebTV-Mail-1740211279-1576 > Content-Description: signature > Content-Disposition: Inline > Content-Type: Text/HTML; Charset=US-ASCII > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit > > > > > --WebTV-Mail-1740211279-1576-- > > ------------------------------ > > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27848 > ********************************** > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 21:12:43 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: For Triad Users: TruServ and Maybe Ace Members Dear Folks, Evil spirits caused our electronic receipt posting to fail this morning. I can't remember the last time it did that. I have automatic ques which run= the receipt posting process, so when something goes wrong we have to think about it. Here is the scribbled recovery procedure for our store. Adapt it for your= own use. It may be applicable for both TruServ (COT) and ACE. =20 TruServ (Cotter) ERP Receipt Posting troubles The Cotter order is receipt posted using ques ERPCOT1 and ERPCOT2. If these fail, do the following: If the current po COT1 or COT2 have been partially received against or are otherwise screwed up, signon as user TROUBLE with password (call Bill, Mr. Round, Karin Round, or Janice Debo).=20 Run ROF option F. This will delete a purchase order which has been= received against as E. =20 When the po has been purged from the system, go to MPO and add the target PO of COT1 or COT2 with COT as the Vendor. Reset the ERP number in function COTUTL. You can find the numbers the= system last requested by looking in function ASYMSG. At a main menu, Type ERP and hit the ENTER key. Type COTERP and hit the= ENTER key. The ERP screen comes up for Vendor Code COT. Type your TARGET P.O.#= to Reconcile as COT1 or COT2. Answer the Resequence, the append, and the= update questions as =93Y=94. Type the report options under the Exception Report= Options : ABLN. Hit the Run key and send it to the Channel 22. =20 Placing the hidden option A in the Exception Report Options field will tell the system to ignore the last transmission code flag. When ERP has finished, run the AFTERERP and COTTERMO report ques. =20 Regards,=20 Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA=A0 02180-3506 Phone:=A0 781-438-0116 FAX:=A0=A0=A0=A0 781-279-9123 E-Mail:=A0 billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27849 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Monday, July 20, 1998 12:03 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27848 hardlines Digest Mon, 20 Jul 1998 00:02:30 -0400 V01 #27848 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27847' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 19 Jul 1998 07:16:33 -0400 (EDT) From: NorthLima@webtv.net (John Crouse) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27847 --WebTV-Mail-1740211279-1576 Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit In reference to Bill's questions on the customer card. Has anyone heard more from the vendor that was signing up people at the Dallas market? I thought this program was to be in play by August, but we have heard no mo re. I am interested in knowing the hardlines group feeling as to this national program compared to a store having a card of just their own. As Bill mentioned about their town grocery store, our town has the same thing and it has been a huge sucess. Thanks........Jack --WebTV-Mail-1740211279-1576 Content-Description: signature Content-Disposition: Inline Content-Type: Text/HTML; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit --WebTV-Mail-1740211279-1576-- ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27848 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Sunday, July 19, 1998 12:01 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27847 hardlines Digest Sun, 19 Jul 1998 00:01:17 -0400 V01 #27847 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27846' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27845' 'Preferred Customer Program' 'The price for price tags.' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1998 06:45:39 -0400 (EDT) From: NorthLima@webtv.net (John Crouse) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27846 --WebTV-Mail-438461629-1319 Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit After seeing how others felt about the sub. program, I called in and stopped it for our store. The person I talked to was very polite and even called me back in 15 minutes to confirm it had been shut off. It never gave us to big of problem until the last 2 or 3 weeks and then it was bad..............Jack --WebTV-Mail-438461629-1319 Content-Description: signature Content-Disposition: Inline Content-Type: Text/HTML; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit --WebTV-Mail-438461629-1319-- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1998 11:56:52 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27845 Frank: Stop selling fishing tackle and go use it, it will maintain your sanity a little longer. Curt One of the retail consultants that apparently does not "call on the stores, know how to opperate his computer, etc. Hi JT also from me. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1998 09:07:59 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Preferred Customer Program Dear Folks, I have a customer card in my wallet from the local super food store with a bar code and a mag strip just like my credit card. My wife has a key chain tag with a bar code for the same store. That tag is 1-1/16" high and 2-3/16" long with a hole drilled through the plastic laminate. I see them on key rings all over the place. 1. Does anyone know where I can get these? 2. Does the Triad POS reliably read a bar code into the customer number field? I know that this feature was worked on at some point. 3. Has anybody formulated an attractive (and successful) frequent shopper program using a set-up like this? 4. I have heard reports that efforts like this have mixed results. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1998 12:59:46 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: The price for price tags. Dear Fellow TruServ members: Have I missed something? The cost for the price tags which TruServ prints for my warehouse orders have jumped from .026 to .26. This does make sense as that would cover the strip of tags in the new format, and each strip covers at least one line. Now, just to make sure I'm handling my decimal points correctly, could a few of you check the extension amount as a percentage of the invoice total? We were getting ready to jump to our own tags, anyway, and this increase.... if it is an increase... would just make us jump a bit faster. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27847 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Saturday, July 18, 1998 12:00 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27846 hardlines Digest Sat, 18 Jul 1998 00:00:02 -0400 V01 #27846 Today's topics: 'Re: more S/L Thoughts' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 17 Jul 1998 07:57:33 EDT From: Subject: Re: more S/L Thoughts Hi I must admit the S/L do present a lot of discussion, but the program is a "tool" that should be used as a buying tool. The items that go on S/L should be treated as 1. Flag to find the product elsewhere 2. Warn us of potential stock situations 3. Method of hold merchandise in short supply (Flyer Items) and lock the price in at the special cost. 4. Explain why we did not receive an item -- PO file on S/L Granted, some program version of the S/L program have been confusing, but the present one seems to be working the best. My method of handling the S/L is to treat them as a separate PO. When the A Copies come in, we spend max 10 minutes and create a PO on all S/L listed and delete the previous PO ---> fast and clean. Also, this picks up MO from the previous Invoices. However, I 110% agree that the Substitution Program has to GO. Thanks for advising us on calling MIC to stop the program. Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA 02724 ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27846 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Friday, July 17, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27845 hardlines Digest Fri, 17 Jul 1998 00:03:47 -0400 V01 #27845 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27844' 'New Bin Labels' 'New Bin Labels' 'TruServ Ship Laters' 'Ship Laters' 'Re: s/l's & system' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 01:43:44 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27844 If anyone has some good success stories about fishing tackle,,, ie. marketing, stocking and displaying it,,, i sure would love to hear about it,,, I woull love to expand mine...along with automotive.... please give me some input... Thanks Frank Thayer All In One True Value Veneta, Oregon 97487 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 09:16:36 -0400 From: "Listmanager" Subject: New Bin Labels From: "Bill Round" The New TruServ Bin Labels are not barcodes. It is a Sku Number representation. This can be read by a Triad POS scanner or hand-held unit, but you would have to add each sku for the entire system as a bar code. What a pain. It must be set up for TruTrac Hand-helds. It is curious to see the UPC number beneath the barcode. Did someone goof? Regards, Bill Round To reply: mailto:inventory.58@tools.cornells.com To start new topic: mailto:inventory@tools.cornells.com To login: http://tools.cornells.com/~Hardlines ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 15:05:56 -0500 From: truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us Subject: New Bin Labels Hi All Yes Bill is right. I have one of the few Tru Trac handhelds (LDT) that are attached to a Triad. They do in fact read and print a bar code that is a SKU and NOT a UPC. If you scan a real UPC it searches the database for a matching SKU. Since my handheld is set up this way and since no bin tickets make it to my POS (TRIAD), it has not caused any grief here. I can see the problems beginning to arise, tho. What with TS needing common systems and methods etc. As for the new bin tickets, --- I like them. I also like the one item-one line format. Stickers can quickly be divided an placed on proper boxes. It seems to speed the receiving process, especially the totes. Things will be getting more interesting as we go. Paul Poirier Park Ave. True Value Hardware Inc. Worcester MA 01603 508-754-1731 508-754-1935(fax) truevalue@chamber.worcester.ma.us http://www.parkavetruevalue.com HA>From: "Bill Round" HA>The New TruServ Bin Labels are not barcodes. It is a Sku Number representati ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 10:05:49 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: TruServ Ship Laters Dear Folks, I have been on and off the ship later program several times. My experience has been that the hassles associated with S/L are not worth the effort. Any purchase order going out of this store says "No Back Orders." Manufacturers routinely ignore this, but those worthwhile dealing with usually can set your store up as accepting or rejecting back orders. It's a lot easier. I set up a Triad Request routine to pull lines not filled from the RP file to be added back into the system. These will show up on RSO reports as new order quantities with an asterisk and a user code identifying the skus as not filled by TruServ. I also have a report from which managers can pick unfilled skus for purchase orders with alternate vendors..... I think I have described these to the group before. If you would like to see these procedures, drop me a line and I will e-mail them to you. Customers will not buy excuses, only merchandise. They don't give a hoot about our merger problems. I will gladly sacrifice a bit of margin for (good) merchandise available for sale. Could someone post an RQ routine to calculate fill rate? If so, please post. My fill rate would be the number of lines filled divided by the number of lines ordered. If a line is posted against, the assumption is that it is being filled. The "how to manage your business" books sum everything up by the phrase "if it can be measured, it can be managed." Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180 Phone: 781-438-0131 FAX: 781-279-9123 Email: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 14:50:33 -0700 (PDT) From: "Ralph M. Witkin" Subject: Ship Laters Whenever possible I would order the S/L items from a local jobber (regardless of any price difference) if we were "out", just a smaller quantity and 'cancel' the S/L; and re-order it in about 3-4 weeks (when it should be back in the warehouse). You can do all of that without a computer -- just a clipboard! == "It's just not necessary to do extraordinary things to produce extraordinary results." RALPH M. WITKIN P.O. Box 319 New York, NY 10163 212/560-0913 _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 21:52:48 -0400 From: dconroy Subject: Re: s/l's & system I beleive old John Cotter thought of the computer as what it WAS..a method of ordering and filling warehouse orders...reducing the manhours.COST! Today WE expect alot more from it. Fills, the 'frills', the outs' ect., I'd think after the year 2001....when the consolidation 'blues' are a memory...then you'll see a NEW SYSTEM, with fresh programing, to handle all the things that are 'on tap', and 'in the works'...and as a more computer literate dealership demands. Some still don't have POS............or a PC. Hate to leave our distributor just because they didn't keep up with 'what was happening'.............look at Triad with a foot in the mud oh....there should be someone left over in Chicago who will still gadfly it all and yell.....THE COST! WHAT ABOUT THE COST ??? (old John C.) Ship laters????? what about the net of PROMO ITEMS, if they're drawn out of stock on a weekly....after the promo is over...as compared to your ship later cost tagged during the promo and shipped after the promo date expired . We're on the s/l program, and pretty well ignore what's on s/l...accept if it's an important hot item or spec. order...... just order it again. Seldom does a glitch give us both the weekly and the s/l....very seldom. A quick review of the s/l list will tell you what just went out of season and what to cancel...if it did.Takes alot less time than trying to track it all. dan conroy Maskill T.V. Birmingham, Mich. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27845 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Thursday, July 16, 1998 12:03 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27844 hardlines Digest Thu, 16 Jul 1998 00:02:34 -0400 V01 #27844 Today's topics: 'cotter 'system'' 'Ship Laters' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27843' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 09:01:52 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: cotter 'system' believe it or not, we put up with it because of the 'other' benefits. Cotter (Now TruServ) had/has so many 'unfriendly' things that we often wondered why we shouldn't switch, but discovered that the other choices were about as bad and on balance, the devil you know is better than the devil you don't.... IS was never a priority at cotter primarily because john cotter never had much interest in computers. they were merely a necessary evil and the absolute minimum of resources were allocated to the IS department. as a result, we are left with an obsolete legacy system with patches. there are so many undocumented patches that most of the current staff is afraid to touch anything - and if they are forced to, they just add lines of code to re-do things a different way while leaving the 'old way' intact. to make matters worse, the new staffers are hired for their compatibility with the old staffers who still have their heads in the 60's. several years ago we 'approved' giving IS $5 million to improve the systems which affect the members - the money ended up going for laptops which the salesmen really aren't competent to use. At 09:37 PM EST 7/14/98 EDT, Ken Runyan wrote: >We are new to the tru-serv system which I understand was the Cotter system. >We are now ordering out of the Portland warehouse. I can't believe my fellow >Tru-serv members have put up with this system of paperwork all these years. >Has it always been this complicated and paper heavy to simply order and >receive merchandise from True Value warehouses? Coast had some faults but >boy this system is crazy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, 15 Jul 1998 09:04:54 -0700 From: shimansky Subject: Ship Laters Group, Just read Randy Morris's post to the group. We haven't been on the ship later program for years, and yes we are aware that Tru*Serv's fill rate is bogus. He may be right, if a large number of us were off that program, the fill rate figures would ring more true, and it should force Tru*Serv to "listen" .to it's member (owners) and do something about it. We've been hearing "fairy tale" fill rate figures at every market for years. This would be something that each store could do that may help. After being a lurker on this list I know it's used primarily as sounding board. It helps to unload and find others who have the same problems as you. But the real benefit of a group like this is the problem solving capabilities. It's helped me several times, and I thank you all. Kathie Baseline True Value Cucamonga ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 18:54:04 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27843 In a message dated 98-07-15 00:06:14 EDT, you write: << I got off the S/L program when I computerized because I did not want to hassle with keeping track of the s/l's on an open PO and to have to handle that every week. It was just easier to let the computer order it again. And you know the amazing thing? I still got my merchandise same as before. If the warehouse was out, I got it when it was back in, simple as that. >> Only problem with that idea is that your new order each week is filled last. If there are 500 pcs of something on B\O and the warehouse receives 500 pcs, your new order won't get filled. Only the B\O will get filled. This happens with bulky items like trash cans and gas cans., where the stocking level is relatively low. Alan Talman Karp's ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27844 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 1998 12:01 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27843 hardlines Digest Wed, 15 Jul 1998 00:01:21 -0400 V01 #27843 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27842' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27841' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27842' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 08:32:00 -0600 (MDT) From: gkhj@netrix.net (Gary Hanson) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27842 >>The trouble members that threaten to quit? Does anyone want to see >>their rep? >>James Burns > >Not seeing the Rep -- gee sounds familiar. The TS Reps are so overburden with >beaucracy they have no time to "Work the Field" and also are afraid to hear >our situations since they cannot do much (unlike the "old" days). I get to >see my Rep at meetings and only if he has to come in to fill out another >duplicate report (glorified secretary?). > >This is not a complaint -- do we really need to take the time out to "chat" >with them unless there is a major situation? We get to talk to them at >meetings and maybe at the Markets (if they do not leave early). > >Have fun > >Rick Schwartz >Schwartz True Value > Rick I think you need to talk to your reps boss as we have had a rep (Hi J.T. ) who has always treated us great and has come to the store every month. He has also been able to help us on alot of problems that come up that we cannot correct because of the buacracy, I also know that he has time to get his paperwork done. We all know how hard it is to find good people the problem with Tru-serve is that if you get a bad rep You need to complain to get it corrected because tru-serve does not see them or deal with them - you do >Just a warning for those that do use EFM Description Updates, the Victornex >Knives in the Update may or may not be correct -- the Buying Dept. (from a >conversion with them) have not determine on the brand of knife even though the >Description and Mfg. Codes were changed (too early or mistake). > >I have put a hold on the knife changes until the Dept. can determine on the >manufacture. > Wouldn't it have been nice to do one department at a time get all the bugs worked out and send a conversion book to the members so that we could make the conversions in our systems and not have to do it item by item as we get sub's Oh well - strapping on life jacket :-) Gary Hanson Jr. Cardinal Home Centers Kalispell Montana ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 09:02:35 -0700 From: "Randy Morris" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27841 Bud and all other Cotter (TruServ) members: I write this as a former True Value store owner. My suggestion to you with regard to the fill rate / ship later problem is number one: get off the program. If you all do this it will work. Cotter considers anything that is on ship later and is then shipped somewhere down the road in their version of the fill rate. To them it is filled if it is shipped sometime. What you need to show them is their MARKOUTS, every week, every order. I know this means that you have to order and re-order and re-order, but if you are computerized the computer will do it for you and if you are not all you have to do is re-enter the markout sheet. The ship later program does not work, no matter what they tell you. Remember YOU own this company, YOU should decide how it is run. If a large enough group of you would get off the ship later program, then Cotter brass would be forced to really look at their REAL fill rate. And if they don't fix it, get rid of them and hire somebody that will. It's YOUR company. I got off the S/L program when I computerized because I did not want to hassle with keeping track of the s/l's on an open PO and to have to handle that every week. It was just easier to let the computer order it again. And you know the amazing thing? I still got my merchandise same as before. If the warehouse was out, I got it when it was back in, simple as that. So all of you, call Chicago today and cancel your S/L's, cancel the program, and start to show them what their TRUE FILL RATE is. Now that's True Value. >Richard Filion and other cotter dealers: If this conversion is working >its not working for cotter dealers. I am served out of the jonesboro >rdc. Last thursday's delivery which was a small order about $6000.00 >had nine pages of ship later items. That included previous and current. >30% of our order was not shipped. How the hell can you stay in business >when you have nothing to sell. Called dan cotter in chicago, he >listened to my tale of frustation and had me fax him the 9 pages of >ship later's. Lets see what happens!!!!!! It sounds like very poor >planning. Comments! Bud > ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 21:37:12 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27842 We are new to the tru-serv system which I understand was the Cotter system. We are now ordering out of the Portland warehouse. I can't believe my fellow Tru-serv members have put up with this system of paperwork all these years. Has it always been this complicated and paper heavy to simply order and receive merchandise from True Value warehouses? Coast had some faults but boy this system is crazy. How do we end up with 16 pieces of paper, I think you call them A-copy, 8 purchase order #'s from 3 different warehouses, freight from a truck that looks like it was loaded with a shotgun all from a small order of only $2300 not to mention the format of the A-copy that is almost unreadable and nearly a full page of referal numbers. I understand that simplification is in the works. I wonder if this is typical of the Cotter system that Tru-serv adopted and if it is my Tru-serv brothers, you are very patient people. Ken Runyan Coast to Coast Hardware Boise, ID ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27843 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 1998 12:00 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27842 hardlines Digest Tue, 14 Jul 1998 00:00:08 -0400 V01 #27842 Today's topics: 'automatic substitutions' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27841' 'Re: automatic substitutions' 'Which Knife is Which vs EFM' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 23:29:51 -0700 From: Fred Nichandros Subject: automatic substitutions In answer to the question about automatic substitutions, I called the member help line in Chicago and had them turn substitutions off for our store. This was our first week with no substitutions (just called last week), and I don't miss them. -Fred Nichandros Workbench True Value Castro Valley, CA ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 06:48:42 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27841 In a message dated 7/13/98 12:04:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time, hardlines- request@cornells.com writes: Tom Hansen > reason we can't just set the date back a decade or so? Is there any > advantage of a Match Rite over a Colorgen? > > Tom -- The foreseeable reason would be the date codes on customer color mixes. I sure do still miss the Colorgen machine, but the Match Rite is more Idiot Proof with the Touch Screen Option. ---------------------------------- >The trouble members that threaten to quit? Does anyone want to see >their rep? >James Burns Not seeing the Rep -- gee sounds familiar. The TS Reps are so overburden with beaucracy they have no time to "Work the Field" and also are afraid to hear our situations since they cannot do much (unlike the "old" days). I get to see my Rep at meetings and only if he has to come in to fill out another duplicate report (glorified secretary?). This is not a complaint -- do we really need to take the time out to "chat" with them unless there is a major situation? We get to talk to them at meetings and maybe at the Markets (if they do not leave early). Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 07:02:44 -0500 From: jack swift Subject: Re: automatic substitutions you can call mic and tell them you want off the program - we did and it solved a lot of problems! At 10:19 PM EST 7/11/98 -0700, you wrote: >Hi group, >We are having a terrible time with Tru*Serv's automatic substitutions. >Getting mdse. that >we either already have, (pts to qts of minwax etc..) to mdse. we just >don't want. >If I don't catch right away the stock on the unwanted items just keep >growing. I think this has been mentioned before on this forum but I >don't recall a solution if any...We >were told at the Dallas Market that this was going to end, but it sure >is going strong >out of the Kingman Dist Center. >Have I missed something that will end this problem for us? > >Kathie >Baseline 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! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 12:04:32 EDT From: Subject: Which Knife is Which vs EFM Hi Just a warning for those that do use EFM Description Updates, the Victornex Knives in the Update may or may not be correct -- the Buying Dept. (from a conversion with them) have not determine on the brand of knife even though the Description and Mfg. Codes were changed (too early or mistake). I have put a hold on the knife changes until the Dept. can determine on the manufacture. Have fun Rick Schwartz Schwartz True Value Fall River, MA ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27842 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Monday, July 13, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27841 hardlines Digest Mon, 13 Jul 1998 00:03:51 -0400 V01 #27841 Today's topics: '(no subject)' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27840' 'Rep' 'Colorgen' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 22:19:30 -0700 From: shimansky Subject: (no subject) Hi group, We are having a terrible time with Tru*Serv's automatic substitutions. Getting mdse. that we either already have, (pts to qts of minwax etc..) to mdse. we just don't want. If I don't catch right away the stock on the unwanted items just keep growing. I think this has been mentioned before on this forum but I don't recall a solution if any...We were told at the Dallas Market that this was going to end, but it sure is going strong out of the Kingman Dist Center. Have I missed something that will end this problem for us? Kathie Baseline True Value ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 18:26:17 -0400 From: Bud Howe Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27840 hardlines-request@cornells.com wrote: > > hardlines Digest Sun, 12 Jul 1998 00:02:40 -0400 V01 #27840 > > Today's topics: > 'TS consolidation' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 21:38:06 -0400 (EDT) > From: rhfil@nh.ultranet.com > Subject: TS consolidation > > Our most recent weekly order reached a new low of 80% fill. If you > count discontinues or non-shipped changes it was actually 75%. I am > beginning to wonder if my warehouse is not scheduled for closure and they > are not shipping new stock in. When my fill rate reaches 0% they will > transfer me to Manchester. I did use MIC(funny how I always want to add KEY > MOUSE to that) to inquire as to what was happening on three items: 4" S&D > perforated pipe, quarts of paint thinner, and some special order shutters. > Amazingly they go back to me in fairly reasonable amount of time. The > shutters were being ordered - they need to have sufficient requirements to > place an order. They had been playing the substitiution (shell) game with > the quarts of paint thinner and were anticipating replacement stock with a > different sku in shortly. The 4" S&D perforated pipe was being shipped in > from another warehouse to replace defective stock that had to be removed. > We tell our customers TS received a truckload of bad 4" S&D pipe. Half the > truck was 4" S&D perforated pipe which had to be sent back because it did > not have any holes in it and the other half was 4" solid pipe which had to > be sent back because it was full of holes. I wonder how close to the truth > our joke is? > The sad thing is that lack of catalogs and time is aggravating the > problem. I found the exact same sponges that I had been ordering under a > different sku in the paint conversion catalog manufacturers listing. Even > though the manufacturer's number is the same as what I had been ordering in > the housewares department, the sku number is different. I also found a > replacement item for the popcorn ceiling patch that I had been told was > discontinued some two months ago. If we only had some catalogs and the time > to do our own conversion. > After my third major 100-400 line item price change in a row, I am > beginning to make some sense of the philosophy behind them. I have begun > identifying items as "extremely price sensitive" by tagging them with an A > in expanded code location D, first block. Those are items with a gross > margin of 10% or less. Items with a gross margin of 10% to 25% are tagged > B. 25-35% - C, and around 50% - D. The rest are blank. In many cases I am > not going to go as low a margin as recommended by TS, but am trying to lower > the "price sensitive items" to as low as I think I can stand. I will review > the number of sales of the A items in one year, and any which are not top > sellers will have their gross margins increased. If I am not selling them, > why give them away? I wish that I had been given a better understanding of > the philosophy ahead of time, or just given a list of "price sensitive > items" and recommended prices. It would have been a great deal less > frustrating for me. > After many years of my store being sign challenged, I am now > spreading bright sale posters all over the place. Does anyone know a way to > print on the blank glossy posters that TS is providing us for "Everyday Low > Pricing" with a bubble jet so that the ink does not smear? I wish that they > would use a flat paper so that we could run it through our printers and > create our own prices. My efforts using the glossy posters have thus far > not been very professional looking. Will have to keep trying. I printed the > prices on some label paper and then stuck them onto the posters, but it was > a pain and did not look good. > I know that there are not too many Servistar or Coast-to-Coast > dealers who are subscribers, but I need some information about the Triad > conversion. I was called by a Triad rep recently to "order my conversion > package." He did not call at a good time, and I told him I was not > interested in ordering it at the present time. I may not have told him in > the politest terms. Does anyone have any idea what the time schedule looks > like for conversion? I understood that the East Coast would be last and > that they have just barely started on the West Coast. Has anyone gone > through this successfully who can tell me what it consists of? > The July "Corporate Advisor" gives glimmerings of hope. But it also > makes me wonder if the problems Don Hoye alludes to are the same ones which > are causing such frustrations at retail level. The report on "Face to Face" > meetings during March really confused me. I do not remember fill rates > being a problem at that time, and there had not yet been many commonization > changes. Have they combined those meetings with more recent complaints? I > have recently been especially bothered by F pack changes, particularly on > items which have not been previously identified as F-pack or NBC. They seem > to be popping up everywhere. The ship on cheap little acid brushes just > went from 1 to 144. It is nice to tell us to let them know of any > incosistencies, but who do we let know, and what do we do with the pile of > items in the first place. It takes time to call, time to return the item. > If we ship it back it takes time to restock the item and it takes time for > us to find another supplier. Why not have done it right in the first place. > Well, enough of my rantings for the nonce. Time to go enjoy some > mindless entertainment. > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com > Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 > Newmarket, N.H. > > ------------------------------ > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27840 > ********************************** Richard Filion and other cotter dealers: If this conversion is working its not working for cotter dealers. I am served out of the jonesboro rdc. Last thursday's delivery which was a small order about $6000.00 had nine pages of ship later items. That included previous and current. 30% of our order was not shipped. How the hell can you stay in business when you have nothing to sell. Called dan cotter in chicago, he listened to my tale of frustation and had me fax him the 9 pages of ship later's. Lets see what happens!!!!!! It sounds like very poor planning. Comments! Bud ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 17:31:54 -0600 From: James Burns Subject: Rep I have enjoyed watching the rantings from TS members ie. low fill rate. Being a Do it Best member, that is very seldom a problem, but I'm curious, how often do you get visits from your rep? My rep lived about 300 miles from me so we saw him an avg. of 3 times per year. Do it, in their infinite wisdom chose to give us a new rep that is 600 miles from us and we haven't seen anyone in about a year. Is this to be expected when you live on the far end of a rep's territory, or do they just work the trouble members that threaten to quit? Does anyone want to see their rep? James Burns doitcenter@3lefties.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 19:57:43 -0400 From: tomhanson@POBoxes.com (Tom Hanson) Subject: Colorgen Any Colorgen users reading this? Did you jusy receive a letter from Match Rite or X Rite or whatstheirname saying your Colorgen may not work in the next millennia? Is there any reason we can't just set the date back a decade or so? Is there any advantage of a Match Rite over a Colorgen? Tom Hanson Bangor True Value Hardware Bangor, Maine ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27841 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Sunday, July 12, 1998 12:03 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27840 hardlines Digest Sun, 12 Jul 1998 00:02:40 -0400 V01 #27840 Today's topics: 'TS consolidation' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 21:38:06 -0400 (EDT) From: rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Subject: TS consolidation Our most recent weekly order reached a new low of 80% fill. If you count discontinues or non-shipped changes it was actually 75%. I am beginning to wonder if my warehouse is not scheduled for closure and they are not shipping new stock in. When my fill rate reaches 0% they will transfer me to Manchester. I did use MIC(funny how I always want to add KEY MOUSE to that) to inquire as to what was happening on three items: 4" S&D perforated pipe, quarts of paint thinner, and some special order shutters. Amazingly they go back to me in fairly reasonable amount of time. The shutters were being ordered - they need to have sufficient requirements to place an order. They had been playing the substitiution (shell) game with the quarts of paint thinner and were anticipating replacement stock with a different sku in shortly. The 4" S&D perforated pipe was being shipped in from another warehouse to replace defective stock that had to be removed. We tell our customers TS received a truckload of bad 4" S&D pipe. Half the truck was 4" S&D perforated pipe which had to be sent back because it did not have any holes in it and the other half was 4" solid pipe which had to be sent back because it was full of holes. I wonder how close to the truth our joke is? The sad thing is that lack of catalogs and time is aggravating the problem. I found the exact same sponges that I had been ordering under a different sku in the paint conversion catalog manufacturers listing. Even though the manufacturer's number is the same as what I had been ordering in the housewares department, the sku number is different. I also found a replacement item for the popcorn ceiling patch that I had been told was discontinued some two months ago. If we only had some catalogs and the time to do our own conversion. After my third major 100-400 line item price change in a row, I am beginning to make some sense of the philosophy behind them. I have begun identifying items as "extremely price sensitive" by tagging them with an A in expanded code location D, first block. Those are items with a gross margin of 10% or less. Items with a gross margin of 10% to 25% are tagged B. 25-35% - C, and around 50% - D. The rest are blank. In many cases I am not going to go as low a margin as recommended by TS, but am trying to lower the "price sensitive items" to as low as I think I can stand. I will review the number of sales of the A items in one year, and any which are not top sellers will have their gross margins increased. If I am not selling them, why give them away? I wish that I had been given a better understanding of the philosophy ahead of time, or just given a list of "price sensitive items" and recommended prices. It would have been a great deal less frustrating for me. After many years of my store being sign challenged, I am now spreading bright sale posters all over the place. Does anyone know a way to print on the blank glossy posters that TS is providing us for "Everyday Low Pricing" with a bubble jet so that the ink does not smear? I wish that they would use a flat paper so that we could run it through our printers and create our own prices. My efforts using the glossy posters have thus far not been very professional looking. Will have to keep trying. I printed the prices on some label paper and then stuck them onto the posters, but it was a pain and did not look good. I know that there are not too many Servistar or Coast-to-Coast dealers who are subscribers, but I need some information about the Triad conversion. I was called by a Triad rep recently to "order my conversion package." He did not call at a good time, and I told him I was not interested in ordering it at the present time. I may not have told him in the politest terms. Does anyone have any idea what the time schedule looks like for conversion? I understood that the East Coast would be last and that they have just barely started on the West Coast. Has anyone gone through this successfully who can tell me what it consists of? The July "Corporate Advisor" gives glimmerings of hope. But it also makes me wonder if the problems Don Hoye alludes to are the same ones which are causing such frustrations at retail level. The report on "Face to Face" meetings during March really confused me. I do not remember fill rates being a problem at that time, and there had not yet been many commonization changes. Have they combined those meetings with more recent complaints? I have recently been especially bothered by F pack changes, particularly on items which have not been previously identified as F-pack or NBC. They seem to be popping up everywhere. The ship on cheap little acid brushes just went from 1 to 144. It is nice to tell us to let them know of any incosistencies, but who do we let know, and what do we do with the pile of items in the first place. It takes time to call, time to return the item. If we ship it back it takes time to restock the item and it takes time for us to find another supplier. Why not have done it right in the first place. Well, enough of my rantings for the nonce. Time to go enjoy some mindless entertainment. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27840 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Thursday, July 09, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27839 hardlines Digest Thu, 09 Jul 1998 00:04:06 -0400 V01 #27839 Today's topics: 'harvard update' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 8 Jul 1998 22:35:01 EDT From: Subject: harvard update Just to prove that I'm not always bitching about Tru*Serve, today we recieved our 3rd on time deliver in a row. This should be expected, but its nice to at least this Harvard problem alleviated. As far as fill rate, its still nowhere where it should be but todays order was better then last week. Here's hoping that not only do they solve all the Harvard problems quickly, but that they learn from them as other distribution centers are closed as the consolidation moves eastward. Steve Lipshutz Tenenbaum True Value Chicago, IL ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27839 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 1998 12:02 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27838 hardlines Digest Tue, 07 Jul 1998 00:01:39 -0400 V01 #27838 Today's topics: 'Eagle for Sale' 'in Hoyes words' 'Instore Graphics' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 16:22:20 -0600 From: Scott Ellenson Subject: Eagle for Sale Hardlines Members, Over the past several months Enterprise/Dimensions have converted several systems. Below is a list of equipment that is for sale due to a recent conversion. * Eagle PC Model 170 with a 150MB back up tape. * Receipt Printer. * Invoice Printer. * The equipment is approximately 5 years old. Contact Norman @ Painted Valley Lumber / 307-455-2991 We have several customers that have equipment for sale. E-mail me with any equipment needs and we will put you in touch with customers that have switched to an Enterprise POS Systems. Scott Ellenson Director of Sales Enterprise Computer Systems Inc. Sellenson@ecs-inc.com http://www.ecs-inc.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 20:06:37 EDT From: Subject: in Hoyes words In the July edition of the CorporateAdvisor, our Executive Vice President of Business Development and future COO wrote " Putting technology to work for Members is a priority,too. While your co-op has resolved its Year 2000 issues, our Membership is still using more tha six different retail automation systems. Moving everyone to one consistent system by 2001 will help communication between you and TruServ." So hold on to your Triad, ABC, RBS,TrueStart,Tru*trac,or whatever. I sure hope that if he expects us to change systems, The software had better equal what we had, and I sure hope they are going to put up lots of $$$ to pay for the change. be After 12years of paying big bucks to Triad, I for one don't want to accept anything that does less. Steve Lipshutz Tenenbaum True Value Chicago IL ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 21:23:10 -0400 (EDT) From: rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Subject: Instore Graphics My long search for cheap, easy to produce instore graphics has finally been ended with the use of an inexpensive program by CompuWorks called "Draw 2", an inexpensive Canon BJC 4000 bubble printer and some 65# cover weight card stock in pulsar pink, readily available at any stationary supply store. I have saved a simple poster layout as a form and just by changing the sale price and one or two line description I can generate all the in-store signage I need in bright pink. The medium duty poster paper goes through the Canon printer on envelope setting and produces nice clear simple signage which takes little time to produce. And the heavy duty card stock is stiff enough to stand up for the duration of the sale. My total investment, not including the printer which I already had, is about $30.00 for the software and paper. In an hour I can produce a dozen or more bright 8 1/2"x11" posters. It is nice to know that determination and patience are still sometimes rewarded. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Filion rhfil@nh.ultranet.com Filion Lumber 603-659-3361 Newmarket, N.H. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27838 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Monday, July 06, 1998 12:02 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27837 hardlines Digest Mon, 06 Jul 1998 00:01:46 -0400 V01 #27837 Today's topics: 'Cancel cubscriptio' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 5 Jul 1998 19:38:29 -0700 (PDT) From: John Jiang Subject: Cancel cubscriptio Please cancel my subscription. Thank you. ---hardlines-request@cornells.com wrote: > > hardlines Digest Sat, 04 Jul 1998 00:04:15 -0400 V01 #27836 > > Today's topics: > 'Holidays' > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27835' > 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1998 00:44:19 EDT > From: > Subject: Holidays > > > Gary Hanson said it all. Retail employees are not over paid. Paid > holidays are a nice benifit. We will continue to honor our national holidays > at Johnson's. > > Gary Johnson > Johnson's True Value > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 22:35:40 -0700 > From: "Tom Woltjer" > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27835 > > > My 82 year old father back in Michigan still goes out of his way to > patronize a gas station that is closed on Sunday. I used to think it was > kinda silly. Now (as I get older and dad gets smarter!) I find it quite > refreshing. I ask myself, would the world be a better place if everyone > thought like dad? (about Sunday business) The answer to me is clearly yes. > Perhaps some day the pendulum will return to dad's (and Gary's) point of > view. None too soon for me. > > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Fri, 03 Jul 1998 09:58:28 -0500 > From: Chuck Hank > Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833 > > > "Cyndi Martini" > Cyndi, We will be open the 4th and are planning doing our "holiday" > schedule which is 9:00-4:00. We also have in our rule book where we pay > our employees time and a-half if they work on a holiday (the ones lised > in the rule book) We will also be open Sunday with our regular hours of > 12:00-5:00. > > ------------------------------ > > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27836 > ********************************** > _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27837 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Saturday, July 04, 1998 12:04 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27836 hardlines Digest Sat, 04 Jul 1998 00:04:15 -0400 V01 #27836 Today's topics: 'Holidays' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27835' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1998 00:44:19 EDT From: Subject: Holidays Gary Hanson said it all. Retail employees are not over paid. Paid holidays are a nice benifit. We will continue to honor our national holidays at Johnson's. Gary Johnson Johnson's True Value ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 22:35:40 -0700 From: "Tom Woltjer" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27835 My 82 year old father back in Michigan still goes out of his way to patronize a gas station that is closed on Sunday. I used to think it was kinda silly. Now (as I get older and dad gets smarter!) I find it quite refreshing. I ask myself, would the world be a better place if everyone thought like dad? (about Sunday business) The answer to me is clearly yes. Perhaps some day the pendulum will return to dad's (and Gary's) point of view. None too soon for me. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jul 1998 09:58:28 -0500 From: Chuck Hank Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833 "Cyndi Martini" Cyndi, We will be open the 4th and are planning doing our "holiday" schedule which is 9:00-4:00. We also have in our rule book where we pay our employees time and a-half if they work on a holiday (the ones lised in the rule book) We will also be open Sunday with our regular hours of 12:00-5:00. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27836 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Friday, July 03, 1998 12:03 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27835 hardlines Digest Fri, 03 Jul 1998 00:02:31 -0400 V01 #27835 Today's topics: 'holidays' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833' 'Up your....' 'Re: Up your....' 'Gary Hanson's Holidays...' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 09:37:07 -0400 From: "Richard E. Patullo" Subject: holidays A few years ago we extended our hours in the realization that we are a convienence store. we are now open m-f 8-8 sat 8-5 sunday and holidays 10-5. 76 hours / week= we are closed thanksgiving, christmas & easter. we never paid much heed = to minor holidays so we needed a policy for memorial day, july 4th, labor da= y and new years. we have 4 people who can open/close so we each take 1 holiday and we use part timers at time and a half to fill in. sales per hour are like a good weekday most holidays so two people can handle it fo= r the 7 hour shift. we are going to use 3 for the fourth as we do not know what to expect with it being a sat. customer feedback on our hours is good, the only comment is sometimes the= y want us open later on saturday. I have noticed chain drug stores open 12 hour on saturday so maybe they are right. we have 3 home depots within 20= minutes interestingly main street in front of our store is closed from 10-11 on memorial day for the parade so the help gets here a little early and is paid to watch the parade, but the crowd that watches the parade from our parking lot shops right after the parade goes by. this year the help used= a couple of poly lawn chairs from the store to watch and then sold out of them in the next hour. not a planned demo but it worked. dick patullo hampden hardware do it best hampden ma = ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 08:42:48 -0600 (MDT) From: gkhj@netrix.net (Gary Hanson) Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833 > >Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 22:36:57 -0500 >From: "Cyndi Martini" >Subject: Re:Fourth of July Holiday > > >Hi gang, > >Just a question I want to pose to the group. Fourth of July is still a paid >holiday for us. I would like to know if any of the stores that are open on >Sundays are planning to open July 5 and also how may stores are no longer >considering the Fourth as a holiday. I am definitely closed on the fourth >since it is in our employee manual as a paid holiday. I know that many >stores no longer consider it as a holiday since the major chains do not and >I am curious as to how you handle the holidays. It seems to me that we have >become a 365 day a year business and while I see that has a competition >issue, I am curious as to how each store handles it on an employee business. >As a small store I don't have the staff to allow all full timers off on >holidays if the store is to be opened and I think that holidays should be >observed if for no other reason than to give the employees a needed break >from the routine. Being a family owned business with no one outside members >trained to open and close this has become an issue at our store and I am >curious as to how similar businesses are handling the issue. We have called >the local "competition" and two out of three will be open for the entire >weekend. Let me know how you feel on this issue and thanks for your input. > This is just my thoughts on holidays I feel that if we buckle under to the competition and stay open for all hollidays we are forgetting what the holidays are about. I feel that the holidays are there for a national day of remeberance and that if we are to forget what the holiday is about then it is time to elliminate the holiday. I feel that if we as a country don't stop and look at what is happening to our system that the dollar is more important than our history and way of life, then that way of life is history. We are open sundays now and we take New years,Easter, Memorial day, forth of july, Labor day, Thanksgiving & Christmas off and we pay our empyees for those days. Well off my soap box as I dont think things will change and there is too much money to be made on holidays Gary Hanson Jr Cardinal Home Centers Kalispell Mt. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 Jul 1998 07:52:57 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Up your.... Dear Folks, Dad's Basset Hound commits another outrage: Long boarder of "hound grease" along newly-painted wall in our office building hallway. Dad permits dog to rub against wall as he takes the bank deposit out every day. I am trying to attract new tenants to our vacant offices which formally held merchandise.... I am interested in meeting with in the Boston/Southern NH area other hardware/lumber dealers to discuss financial statement information filtered through the UP YOUR CASH FLOW software. I have not personally used this yet, but if there was anybody else who uses this, has read the book, or has taken the seminar of the same name given in our Area by Bill Rucci, CPA, please e-mail back to me. UP YOUR CASH FLOW is a fairly cheap software package designed by a CPA for non-professional business people to do serious analysis and budgeting without the serious effort and elongated learning curve general purpose spreadsheets require. There is a website (www I don't have with me here at home) to explain it more completely. The book is a quick read and gets the meat of the matter quickly. I am a terrible numbers guy. I need to improve this sorry situation and attach real numbers to goals, performance evaluations, etc. I just know that my personnel situation is going to blow up again because I've avoided this stuff.... again. I talked with a lumber dealer recently who has attended several sessions put together by the Lumbermen's association (right name?) where the (non-competing) dealers submitted statements to a consultant retained to lead the group. He analyzed them and presented the information to the group. They looked at how they stacked up against one another, the national averages, the most profitable, etc. They shot holes in each other's statements, practices, etc. I was told it was a humbling yet enlightening experience. I used to meet with an informal group including Rick Schwartz and a few others using our Triad Systems as the common ground. We haven't done this for years citing competition, lack of help, busy schedules, and so on. It must be about time to try something like it again. A leisurely dinner somewhere with others in the same boat is all it takes. Regards, Bill Round 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 01940 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 (Please call to activate) Email: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 Jul 1998 14:55:54 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Re: Up your.... At 07:52 AM 7/2/98 -0400, Bill Round wrote: > >UP YOUR CASH FLOW is a fairly cheap software package designed by a CPA for >non-professional business people to do serious analysis and budgeting >without the serious effort and elongated learning curve general purpose >spreadsheets require. There is a website (www I don't have with me here at >home) to explain it more completely. The book is a quick read and gets the >meat of the matter quickly. > The web site is www.cashplan.com and you can download trial versions of the program. John ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 Jul 1998 18:53:24 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: Gary Hanson's Holidays... Dear Folks, I had the store open on Memorial Day. We did big business. My wife took the kids to march with the brownies in the local parade. The parade visited cemeteries. Mayhem broke out during memorial observances when kids scrambled to collect shell casings after rifle salutes. I wonder if the veterans regret serving to make it possible for savage children to run wild, mothers to gab during prayers, Bill Clinton to chase interns, Bill Round to sell hardware, etc. I fully agree with Mr. Hanson. These holidays are going to the dogs, and a way of life is indeed slipping away. Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27835 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Thursday, July 02, 1998 12:01 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27834 hardlines Digest Thu, 02 Jul 1998 00:01:18 -0400 V01 #27834 Today's topics: 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833' 'Holidays and Sundays' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833' 'Holidays' 'Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833' 'Co-op vs Big Box' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 01:48:22 EDT From: Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833 Regarding the 4th of July. We are closed all day Saturday and open on Sunday. Many other local small businesses are also closed. The nearby Ace store, the plumbing and electrical supplies, both lumber yards, the paint store, both other True Values, even the delis and the florists are closed. Maybe us small business people are coming around to realize we need to take a break once in a while. Of course Home Despots are still open, but they won't notice the extra few thousand dollars that they pick up because we've all closed. We do not have paid Holidays for full or part timers. The weekly wage earners will work their normal weekday off day. The hourly wage guys are happy to have a Saturday off. Customers are generaly very supportive of our closing on Holidays. The would like us to be open 24/7 but they usualy understand. Regarding the co-op versus independent question; We are a TruServ member, but we operate as an independent business. Tru Serve is a top heavy bureacratic organization which will drag you down to you economic death if you let it. TruServe should be a lean wholesaler who's job it is to get product to members at the lowest possible cost. PERIOD. Over many years, Truserve has taken on the roles of accountant, advertising agency, merchandising manager, travel agent, magazine publisher, computer services reseller, satellite computer broadcaster, mother superior and who knows what else. TruServe says these specialties are all self--supporting, and they are right. But we are the "selves' that are doing the supporting! Whenever we spend money in our store on anything, we first ask ourselves, 'How much income will this expenditure generate?'. If the answer is 'none', the expenditure must be frivolous or egocentric, so we close the checkbook before the money gets away. That's what Truserve should be doing. Members don't need to belong to the Biggest Co-op. They need to belong to the leanest one. As the brilliant Dennis Miller says, "That's just my opinion, I could be wrong" Alan Talman Karp's TV PS. The non-executive people at Truserv are top notch, helpful and hardworking. We are glad to know them. It's the executive level, egomanical, quest for first-biggest-best syndrome that makes me angry! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 05:38:55 -0500 From: "Bobby Dill" Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833 We open all Holidays except Thanksgiving and Christmas. We also close every Sunday, I teach Sunday School and sing in the Choir. Several of us in the store are involved with the same Church. As for the Business running 365 days a year, I don't buy that. Read in Genesis and God gave us an example of taking a break from our routines... Sometimes I put on our web site, "closed on Sunday to better serve you the rest of the week..." Bobby Dill www.unclejoes.com "After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD gave him success again. The LORD gave Job twice as much as he had owned before." (Job 42:10 NCV) >Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 22:36:57 -0500 >From: "Cyndi Martini" >Subject: Re:Fourth of July Holiday > > >Hi gang, > >Just a question I want to pose to the group. Fourth of July is still a paid >holiday for us. I would like to know if any of the stores that are open on >Sundays are planning to open July 5 and also how may stores are no longer >considering the Fourth as a holiday. I am definitely closed on the fourth >since it is in our employee manual as a paid holiday. I know that many >stores no longer consider it as a holiday since the major chains do not and >I am curious as to how you handle the holidays. It seems to me that we have >become a 365 day a year business and while I see that has a competition >issue, I am curious as to how each store handles it on an employee business. >As a small store I don't have the staff to allow all full timers off on >holidays if the store is to be opened and I think that holidays should be >observed if for no other reason than to give the employees a needed break >from the routine. Being a family owned business with no one outside members >trained to open and close this has become an issue at our store and I am >curious as to how similar businesses are handling the issue. We have called >the local "competition" and two out of three will be open for the entire >weekend. Let me know how you feel on this issue and thanks for your input. > > >------------------------------ > > >End of hardlines Digest V01 #27833 >********************************** > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 01 Jul 1998 08:10:11 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: Holidays and Sundays We're also one of the few remaining stores that are closed on Sundays. We're closed for the Fourth of July so that means our staff gets a 2 day weekend. Our customers would like us to open on Sundays, but so far we've managed to stay closed with no problem. I look on it as a guaranteed day off every week for all my employees (as well as myself), to spend time with the family and relax. Who knows, at some point we will probably need to figure out scheduling and logistics to open seven days a week... I hope it's not any time soon. John john3@cornells.com Cornell's True Value Hardware - www.cornells.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 01 Jul 1998 08:10:20 -0400 From: dconroy Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833 The Holidays.... The Fourth has always been a no-day for us...we've tried staying open, but no one comes to 'our party'. So we close. We're open Friday (which most shops have off, Sunday and Monday regular hours) Our holdidays closed are : New YEARS DAY, EASTER, THE FOURTH, THANKSGIVING, AND CHRISTMAS DAY. We are in a major market, with all the competition you'd never want, but try and align ourselves as much with traditional holidays off, as keeping open a million hours a year....employee thing. We do not pay over-time for holidays, but pay the 'normal schedualed hours that would have been worked that day' for full-time benefits. If Monday is a holiday, and their normally off...no benefit for that day dan conroy maskill true value ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 08:46:14 -0700 (PDT) From: Ralph Witkin Subject: Holidays We started opening on the 4th of July a few years ago, and it has become a good business day (as are the other "summer" holidays). I feel once you pay an employee NOT to work on a certain day, you can't take that benefit away from them. So, those who now work on Holidays get paid twice (their exact hours -- it's a short day) plus the Holiday pay. == "It's just not necessary to do extraordinary things to produce extraordinary results." RALPH M. WITKIN Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 310/712-7002 _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 01 Jul 1998 13:53:09 -0400 From: Bud Howe Subject: Re: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833 hardlines-request@cornells.com wrote: > > hardlines Digest Wed, 01 Jul 1998 00:00:04 -0400 V01 #27833 > > Today's topics: > 'The Future?' > 'Re:Fourth of July Holiday' > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 12:20:59 -0400 > From: Bill Round > Subject: The Future? > > Dear Folks, > > Just a quick thought. There is a store which was True Value, dropped that, > when bankrupt, but is still in business as something less than a hardware > store but more than a paint center, has rental, does well with that, has > just taken on a major paint line, a major stain line, and still seems to be > doing business. What is going on? > > 1. Can businesses rise from the dead? > 2. How can companies do business when they've stuck other companies big time? > 3. Most importantly, has anyone else seen a trend where stores leave the > coops behind and still thrive? > 4. Could manufacturers do business direct with stores... assuming they > don't go bankrupt... and by-pass the co-op billing hassles, advertising > shake-downs, and show booth charges? > 5. Have we built up a tremendous infrastructure with our coops of > whatever stripe which adds another cost layer which the market is pushing > to eliminate? > 6. Will it come to the point where everyone does business direct via > credit cards and does a volume discount from a schedule known to all? > > Back to the rains, the mold, and the mildew. Where is Summer? > > Regards, > > Bill Round > Round's True Value Hardware > 290 Main Street > Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 > Phone: 781-438-0116 > FAX: 781-279-9123 > E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 22:36:57 -0500 > From: "Cyndi Martini" > Subject: Re:Fourth of July Holiday > > Hi gang, > > Just a question I want to pose to the group. Fourth of July is still a paid > holiday for us. I would like to know if any of the stores that are open on > Sundays are planning to open July 5 and also how may stores are no longer > considering the Fourth as a holiday. I am definitely closed on the fourth > since it is in our employee manual as a paid holiday. I know that many > stores no longer consider it as a holiday since the major chains do not and > I am curious as to how you handle the holidays. It seems to me that we have > become a 365 day a year business and while I see that has a competition > issue, I am curious as to how each store handles it on an employee business. > As a small store I don't have the staff to allow all full timers off on > holidays if the store is to be opened and I think that holidays should be > observed if for no other reason than to give the employees a needed break > from the routine. Being a family owned business with no one outside members > trained to open and close this has become an issue at our store and I am > curious as to how similar businesses are handling the issue. We have called > the local "competition" and two out of three will be open for the entire > weekend. Let me know how you feel on this issue and thanks for your input. > > ------------------------------ > > End of hardlines Digest V01 #27833 > ********************************** Cyndi: These are my views on the 4 of july. We are open seven days a week. We will be open july 4th and sunday. Your competition will tell you when to be open. Why would you close the store, lose a whole days business and on top of it pay your employees to sit at home. DOUBLE HURT!!!!!! Who said the retail business was convenient. Bud ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 15:03:37 EDT From: Subject: Co-op vs Big Box Hey folks, Being in a large Southern metropolis and working for a small TV, I hear all the time, "I was at Lowe's and they didn't have XXXX" or " I bought this a Lowe's but it's too far to go back (to exchange)"........ How about a TruServe Box Store with a manager, cashier(s), and one salesperson for every 6,000 sq ft - just enough to handle business like the Big Box, but bring prices down to about 15 - 20% GM. Stock a full range of items and load up on the big sellers with low margins. I doubt this is a new idea, but it seems like that is what the customers want AND it may be the best way to handle the "extra layer" of management that the Co-ops give. I don't necessarily think it's the best idea......I like the Hometown Hardware concept and I think customers, your loyal customers, like it too. But, when in Rome, do what the Romans do. Food for thought. Mike Jones mjones1758@aol.com ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27834 ********************************** From: hardlines-request@cornells.com Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 1998 12:00 AM To: Hardlines Subject: hardlines Digest - V01 #27833 hardlines Digest Wed, 01 Jul 1998 00:00:04 -0400 V01 #27833 Today's topics: 'The Future?' 'Re:Fourth of July Holiday' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 12:20:59 -0400 From: Bill Round Subject: The Future? Dear Folks, Just a quick thought. There is a store which was True Value, dropped that, when bankrupt, but is still in business as something less than a hardware store but more than a paint center, has rental, does well with that, has just taken on a major paint line, a major stain line, and still seems to be doing business. What is going on? 1. Can businesses rise from the dead? 2. How can companies do business when they've stuck other companies big time? 3. Most importantly, has anyone else seen a trend where stores leave the coops behind and still thrive? 4. Could manufacturers do business direct with stores... assuming they don't go bankrupt... and by-pass the co-op billing hassles, advertising shake-downs, and show booth charges? 5. Have we built up a tremendous infrastructure with our coops of whatever stripe which adds another cost layer which the market is pushing to eliminate? 6. Will it come to the point where everyone does business direct via credit cards and does a volume discount from a schedule known to all? Back to the rains, the mold, and the mildew. Where is Summer? Regards, Bill Round Round's True Value Hardware 290 Main Street Stoneham, MA 02180-3506 Phone: 781-438-0116 FAX: 781-279-9123 E-Mail: billr@roundshardware.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 22:36:57 -0500 From: "Cyndi Martini" Subject: Re:Fourth of July Holiday Hi gang, Just a question I want to pose to the group. Fourth of July is still a paid holiday for us. I would like to know if any of the stores that are open on Sundays are planning to open July 5 and also how may stores are no longer considering the Fourth as a holiday. I am definitely closed on the fourth since it is in our employee manual as a paid holiday. I know that many stores no longer consider it as a holiday since the major chains do not and I am curious as to how you handle the holidays. It seems to me that we have become a 365 day a year business and while I see that has a competition issue, I am curious as to how each store handles it on an employee business. As a small store I don't have the staff to allow all full timers off on holidays if the store is to be opened and I think that holidays should be observed if for no other reason than to give the employees a needed break from the routine. Being a family owned business with no one outside members trained to open and close this has become an issue at our store and I am curious as to how similar businesses are handling the issue. We have called the local "competition" and two out of three will be open for the entire weekend. Let me know how you feel on this issue and thanks for your input. ------------------------------ End of hardlines Digest V01 #27833 **********************************