The nine words no consumer wants to hear are, “We don’t have it, but we can order it.” I have heard that so many times lately, I’m wondering if anything in the world that I like is actually in stock.
I went to the shoe store, and the styles I wanted were out of stock, but could be ordered and arrive within a week. Since I was shopping during a coupon event, and time was growing short, I bought two other pairs instead, and I figure I’ll return when I can use my store credit to order the others. Naturally credits or shopper rewards cannot be combined with coupons. Besides, I have shoes, so it’s not as if I’ll be barefoot in the meantime, but I suppose shoes are hard to keep in stock in every size. If they come in wide and narrow widths, it’s an even bigger problem. Imagine a shoe in three or four colors and narrow and wide widths, and you have a stockroom just for one style of shoe.
Welcome to the shoe store. We sell one shoe, but it comes in all sizes.
The cell phone store, however, doesn’t carry batteries for the phones they sell. I found this out when my phone was expiring and wouldn’t hold a charge, and I went to the store for help. No can do. They didn’t have it and could not order it. A sales rep did show me a battery online I could order from “the big online retailer.” I ordered it, and what came was not even close to what fits in my phone. Not only don’t they have it and can’t order it, but they know nothing about it.
I got a recommendation from a friend and went looking inside a store that sells–believe it or not–just light bulbs and batteries. What a concept: a specialty store! I was almost giddy, thinking I would walk out of the store with a new cell phone battery.
They didn’t have it, but they could order it.
Since I already ordered a replacement from “the big online retailer,” I passed, but maybe I should call them back later. They did provide me with helpful information on when their stock order would come in. Everybody is happy to provide that information, because what they don’t have might come in, and then they can ship it.
It seems the only people making out on merchandise these days are the ones who ship it.
Susan's Scribblings the Blog 