chriselle
Member
Is it just me or are suppliers really running low on stock these days??
Out Of Stock
- Thread starter chriselle
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If they are taking inventory for tax reasons. they may have dropped their inventory levels at this time.
Of course thats here in the US if thats where your getting your supplies.
chriselle
Member
Yes, I get most of my stuff from the US based suppliers.
PTsideshow
Member
In addition to tax inventory, in general they have been cutting back on tying up capital in the inventory. It appears to be a modifying of the business model due to the state of flux in the US gov. combining the lack of movement in our elected national officials, new regs, health care changes etc. Makes no difference which side of the isle as they say you are on 
:clown:
:clown:
I think the suppliers are reacting to a change in the market. A lot of my customers have shifted from using component sets to "kitless", that reduces demand and also reduces the amount of items I need to keep in stock.
Some of my customers who were laid off have gone back to work and are not turning nearly as much.
Most cash accounting filers should have inventoried at the first of the year and held off ordering until after they completed their inventory so they could combine things and get one large order rather than a dozen small ones.
A couple of other small things - value of the dollar is down against some currencies making imports costlier and international shipping rates have gone up (USPS just raised their rates but they are behind the curve on increasing shipping costs)
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ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
As a very small business, I can tell you there are only so many tasks two people can perform. Customer service (filling orders and taking calls and emails) is the first priority. Then, "putting up" on the website the handmade (and uniquely pictured, thus requiring substantial time) blanks that our partners send us. Last, ordering from suppliers and restocking the products that we purchase.
Additionally, the leadtime for many "kit" products is 90-120 days. So, when we experience the tremendous order volume we had during the "Show season"-Oct to mid-December-------reordering does no good, you won't see it for months.
I realize our problems are unique to Exotics and a couple other IAP very small vendors. The "big guys" have millions (yes, really MILLIONS) of dollars of inventory. That "purchasing power" earns them much lower cost of goods than we have, so they can afford personnel to watch over each aspect of the business.
Someday, maybe we will be able to afford more people---if our prices were higher, we could probably afford them now-----but, then, we would be unlikely to sell at higher prices.
Every business is a "balancing act": You dedicate a certain amount of money to "inventory" and try to spread it around to handle LOTS of products, but you can't have a LOT of any of them----I call this a broad, but shallow product line. And this is where we are, presently. As we sell more, we have a tiny bit more money to buy more---using this progression, in about 30 years we will be as well stocked as the "big boys"-----right now we can just gaze at their catalogs and dream.
Thanks to all of you who continue to bring that dream closer to reality!!
Hope this helps!!
Ed & Dawn
10 AM to 10PM M-F, Sat and Sun we sluff off---only here noon to 10 PM
Additionally, the leadtime for many "kit" products is 90-120 days. So, when we experience the tremendous order volume we had during the "Show season"-Oct to mid-December-------reordering does no good, you won't see it for months.
I realize our problems are unique to Exotics and a couple other IAP very small vendors. The "big guys" have millions (yes, really MILLIONS) of dollars of inventory. That "purchasing power" earns them much lower cost of goods than we have, so they can afford personnel to watch over each aspect of the business.
Someday, maybe we will be able to afford more people---if our prices were higher, we could probably afford them now-----but, then, we would be unlikely to sell at higher prices.
Every business is a "balancing act": You dedicate a certain amount of money to "inventory" and try to spread it around to handle LOTS of products, but you can't have a LOT of any of them----I call this a broad, but shallow product line. And this is where we are, presently. As we sell more, we have a tiny bit more money to buy more---using this progression, in about 30 years we will be as well stocked as the "big boys"-----right now we can just gaze at their catalogs and dream.
Thanks to all of you who continue to bring that dream closer to reality!!
Hope this helps!!
Ed & Dawn
10 AM to 10PM M-F, Sat and Sun we sluff off---only here noon to 10 PM
Ed I know how old you are (give or take a couple of years) and in about 30 years I strongly suspect that you and I will not be concerned with business in this world - maybe we'll be providing pen turners in the next.
chriselle
Member
Thank you for chiming in guys. I honestly really only consider the IAP vendors in my purchases. Actually, I have never ordered from the two big non IAP suppliers. I think with the cost of international shipping I'm always trying to consolidate everything to one or two vendors but lately it has become more and more difficult.
So, from each vendor I end up getting the few things I need and a bunch of other stuff I really don't urgently need just to fill out the dead space in the box. Man, that really adds up. Just try ordering 5 or more Rho/Ti Jr Statesmen right now and you'll see what I mean.
But, that's the way it goes I guess.
So, from each vendor I end up getting the few things I need and a bunch of other stuff I really don't urgently need just to fill out the dead space in the box. Man, that really adds up. Just try ordering 5 or more Rho/Ti Jr Statesmen right now and you'll see what I mean.
But, that's the way it goes I guess.
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ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
Hey Chris,
TRY the Triton----looks very similar to the Jr. Statesman and costs a lot less. Plating is chrome and gold or tigold (both available).
TRY the Triton----looks very similar to the Jr. Statesman and costs a lot less. Plating is chrome and gold or tigold (both available).
76winger
Member
I know the feeling, I've done that with Scepters and Majestics for qty discounts and to get the box filled.
Haynie
Member
Slackers :biggrin:
ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
HEY!!! That's "OLD slacker" for me!:biggrin:
Best be careful about Dawn though!!
(She usually puts in the freebee--stay on her good side!!):wink::wink:
Best be careful about Dawn though!!
(She usually puts in the freebee--stay on her good side!!)
:wink::wink:
NotURMailman
Member
Self employed and working 12 hour days? Man, that's dedication!
And on call, at least 8 more hours a day and weekends.
alphageek
Former Moderator
And thinking about the job another 8 hours above that! Oh my... thats 28 hours in a day! I think I just opened a crack in space/time! :biggrin:
chriselle
Member
Hey Ed.... Umm.....You do realize that I have ordered literally hundreds of Tritons from you...right??
:wink:A customer wants a series of pens with the Statesman Rhodium band.
stonepecker
Member
Being self employed is a crime at times. Some people just don't understand that there is more in life then work. (That is from a workaholic. Damn it stinks getting old) I love my job. I enjoy my hobbies. (Yes, I have more then one) And I try to help the people that need help. The ones in my life that I call friends.
I think we need to give Ed a 'title' of M.O.S. (Mr Old Slacker) I say that we a smile on my face. Ed is no slacker and we all know it here in the IAP.
I know I will never retire. I will always be doing something. And I believe we need to 'applaud" our suppliers and all they do for us. Give them the time you ask of others and believe me when I say......."Everything will be alright"
The Best Things in Life, are not Things.
I think we need to give Ed a 'title' of M.O.S. (Mr Old Slacker) I say that we a smile on my face. Ed is no slacker and we all know it here in the IAP.
I know I will never retire. I will always be doing something. And I believe we need to 'applaud" our suppliers and all they do for us. Give them the time you ask of others and believe me when I say......."Everything will be alright"
The Best Things in Life, are not Things.
ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
Hey Chris!!
I didn't look to see what you purchase----but knowing you are a well-informed and savvy purchaser, I most certainly should have surmised you knew that!!! Sorry!!:redface::redface:
Maybe it will give someone else an idea they have not yet tried
Ed
I didn't look to see what you purchase-
---but knowing you are a well-informed and savvy purchaser, I most certainly should have surmised you knew that!!! Sorry!!:redface::redface:Maybe it will give someone else an idea they have not yet tried
Ed
chriselle
Member
Haha....no worries Ed. It's all in good fun. But it is really hard to keep track of who is who and who's buying what and all that. Cheers..:biggrin: