I was talking to someone a little while ago about wasteful packaging. It
appears to be even worse than I imagined.
I recently ordered a DeWalt D26453K random orbit sander, the one with that
comes with the big, black, plastic case containing the sander and absolutely
nothing else. Cost? $103.99. From the same company, I also priced the D26453
sander without the case. Cost? $114.99. Explain that to me?
With marketing like that, it's no wonder we're being inundated with garbage.
Future societies, if they do eventually come to exist, will certainly look
on us as the garbage generations. I also predict that future space
exploration will spend a good deal of it's time transporting garbage to dead
planets or shooting garbage into suns for disposal. Maybe we'll get lucky
and find a true method of matter/energy conversion.
"Lew Hodgett" wrote
>
> "Mike Marlow" wrote:
>
>> Actually, internal shrink at HD is not much of a problem. The much
>> bigger
>> shrink problem at HD is outright theft (people walk out with nice new
>> power
>> tools and nobody can stop them), product damage ("normal" shipping and
>> handling damage, sub-contractor damage, etc.). If you could see the
>> biggest shrink items by department at HD, you'd quickly see that it is
>> not
>> stuff employees walk off with.
>
> Since I know some HD employees who are in a position to have knowledge of
> the situation, I'll stand by the comment that internal shrinkage is a real
> problem.
>
> That's not to say that customers are not a major problem when it comes to
> "5 finger discount" activity, but when employees are taken into custody
> and handcuffed while on the sales floor, on a regular basis, you have to
> wonder.
>
> BTW, this is not isolated to one store.
>
> I won't go into detail here, but there are some amazing schemes attempted
> to steal from HD.
>
There was a theft ring that targeted Home Depot here years ago. They had
somebody from the inside supply information as to when certain items,
including appliances, were delivered at night. The theives than just waited
and loaded up the items onto their own truck. The big boxes of merchandise
never even entered the store. They were snatched from the back lot. It
went on for several months before they figured out what was happening.
And yes, it was an inside job.
"J. Clarke" wrote
>
> And meanwhile, is the government doing anything about junk mail?
>
Using it to subsidize the regular mail. Which is a losing propositiion.
Most of the mail that is used by the consumer is used to pay bills. And
that function is rapidly being taken over by digital bill paying services
that is offered by almost all banks now.
"Mike Marlow" wrote:
> I have
> seen the Home Depot shrink reports. Besides power tools, the two
> biggest
> shrink items are patio sets and refrigerators.
That wouldn't surprise me at all: however, here in SoCal. the garden
seems to take quite a hit.
> One thing to remember is that "internal"
> shrink does not mean employee theft. Shrink comes in a lot of
> forms, and
> it includes damage, which far outweighs incidents of employee theft.
Okay, was not considering anything but internal theft in my
definition. Strictly speaking, that is an incomplete definition.
> Your friends either work in a rather unusual Home Depot store, or
> they are
> grossly misleading you. Evidence that they are misleading you (or
> at least
> strongly suggests that they are) is that Home Depot would not arrest
> an
> employee on the sales floor. This would be handled in a discrete
> manner,
> out of the eye of customers.
Of course it is discrete, but they are still cuiffed and taken off the
floor during business hours.
Typically these are not associates on the sales floor.
> Well - it's not common throughout the chain.
Can't comment outside an area that includes maybe a dozen stores, but
one thing is crystal clear.
The day Nardelli showed up, HD quite being a fun place to work.
It's no wonder Welch didn't pick him to run GE.
The morale of the staff has gone in the tank.
> It's not uncommon for customers to simply walk out with a product.
> The
> alarms go off, and (especially when the store is busy), the
> associates are
> so used to hearing them go off, that they don't even notice it. Out
> walks
> the "customer" with hands full.
So I have been told.
> Some are even craftier. They have figured out the ways to defeat
> the hard
> tags and the soft tags. When these guys walk out, they don't even
> set off
> the alarms.
So much for the loss preventation group.
>Associates and managers are not allowed to apprehend a
> thief, other than to ask the thief to stop. If the thief doesn't
> cordially
> accommodate that request, they can't do anything except maybe get a
> license
> number on the car they leave in.
I'm aware of that.
Lew
On Dec 21, 6:50=A0pm, "Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Bored Borg wrote:
> > Kreg Mini..
>
> > Kit is the jig, drill bit, stop collar.
>
> > Retail =A314.95
>
> > replacement drill bit =A0=A315.99 (no collar)
> > replacement collar =A0=A32.99
>
> > Explain, please, someone?
>
> As PT Barnum is credited with saying, "there is a sucker born every
> minute."
>
> Lew
Sorry. Barnum was way off. It's more like 5,000 a second.
On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:10:46 -0500, "Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I was talking to someone a little while ago about wasteful packaging. It
>appears to be even worse than I imagined.
>
>I recently ordered a DeWalt D26453K random orbit sander, the one with that
>comes with the big, black, plastic case containing the sander and absolutely
>nothing else. Cost? $103.99. From the same company, I also priced the D26453
>sander without the case. Cost? $114.99. Explain that to me?
>
>With marketing like that, it's no wonder we're being inundated with garbage.
>Future societies, if they do eventually come to exist, will certainly look
>on us as the garbage generations. I also predict that future space
>exploration will spend a good deal of it's time transporting garbage to dead
>planets or shooting garbage into suns for disposal. Maybe we'll get lucky
>and find a true method of matter/energy conversion.
>
Yep.. one of my long-standing "peeves"..
Buy a kid a small toy and spend 10 minutes cutting away the packaging...
Buy a part and it comes in a cardboard box with packing material inside to
protect a metal part in plastic armor.. What a waste..
Wrap the sucker in yesterdays newspaper and put it in a small box..
When we moved a couple of years ago, I sent about a dozen new, unused "blow
molded" tool cases to the recyclers...
Does anyone that uses the tools ever put them back in the case, unless they're
using them out of the shop?
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
On Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:44:45 GMT, Lew Hodgett cast forth these pearls of
wisdom...:
> "Stuart" wrote:
>
>> I wonder who much goes missing directly from their warehouse.
>
>
> AKA: Internal shrinkage
>
> Not much is said about it, but "Internal shrinkage" has been a major
> problem at Home Depot for years.
>
Actually, internal shrink at HD is not much of a problem. The much bigger
shrink problem at HD is outright theft (people walk out with nice new power
tools and nobody can stop them), product damage ("normal" shipping and
handling damage, sub-contractor damage, etc.). If you could see the
biggest shrink items by department at HD, you'd quickly see that it is not
stuff employees walk off with.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> With marketing like that, it's no wonder we're being inundated with
> garbage.
> Future societies, if they do eventually come to exist, will certainly look
> on us as the garbage generations. I also predict that future space
> exploration will spend a good deal of it's time transporting garbage to
> dead
> planets or shooting garbage into suns for disposal. Maybe we'll get lucky
> and find a true method of matter/energy conversion.
>
>
Trash to energy plants. Not a perfect solution, but sure helps.
"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> I totally support throwing garbage into volcanos.
Wouldn't that put up ash, the same as burning stuff now?
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Pretty straight forward, theft and volume.
I guess that makes sense, but it sure seems screwed up. In any event, the
sander case is doing duty for a kid who now proudly gets to display his new
DeWalt lunch box.
Upscale wrote:
> "Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
>>Pretty straight forward, theft and volume.
>
>
> I guess that makes sense, but it sure seems screwed up. In any event, the
> sander case is doing duty for a kid who now proudly gets to display his new
> DeWalt lunch box.
>
>
I saw a news item that Amazon is to start offering various products with
minimal and bio-degradable packaging.
No retail stores so no problems with shoplifting.
John
Bored Borg wrote:
> Kreg Mini..
>
> Kit is the jig, drill bit, stop collar.
>
> Retail £14.95
>
> replacement drill bit £15.99 (no collar)
> replacement collar £2.99
>
> Explain, please, someone?
Buy the kit and give the old jig to some worthy soul.
"The first one is free..." only /sounds/ familiar :)
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/
"J. Clarke" <[email protected]> wrote
>
> The problem is that trash isn't consistent and contains many
> components that don't burn. There's no way that a trash-fueled plant
> will _ever_ be cost competitive with a conventional plant.
>
And trash contains many toxic elements as well. I read of one proposal that
would burn so hot, that little toxicity would remain. The catch?? It would
require a lot of fuel to burn up the toxic components. Which may be a way
to to take care of toxins, but a lousy way to generate power.
In article <[email protected]>,
John Siegel <[email protected]> wrote:
> I saw a news item that Amazon is to start offering various products with
> minimal and bio-degradable packaging.
> No retail stores so no problems with shoplifting.
They employ people don't they?
I wonder who much goes missing directly from their warehouse.
Back in the good (bad?) old days when Coventry made cars, you could, if so
inclined, buy whole engines that had somehow managed to find their way out
of the manufacturing plant without being noticed.
--
Stuart Winsor
For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area
See: http://www.barndance.org.uk
In article <[email protected]>,
DGDevin <[email protected]> wrote:
> Bored Borg wrote:
> > Kreg Mini..
> >
> > Kit is the jig, drill bit, stop collar.
> >
> > Retail £14.95
> >
> >
> >
> > replacement drill bit £15.99 (no collar)
> > replacement collar £2.99
> >
> >
> > Explain, please, someone?
> They might have figured out that anybody who buys the kit is likely to buy
> additional bits later and thus it's profitable to sell the bits for more.
> Who is going to toss the jig just because they lost or broke the bit?
Bit like the inkjet printer scenario. You buy the cartridges, the printer
comes free :-)
--
Stuart Winsor
For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area
See: http://www.barndance.org.uk
In article <[email protected]>,
B A R R Y <[email protected]> wrote:
> J. Clarke wrote:
> >
> > And meanwhile the landfills fill up with unrecyclable junk mail.
> >
> My town recycles it, window envelopes and all.
Lucky! We have to tear the window out of the envelope and put it with the
non-recyclables before placing the envelope in the re-cycled paper box.
--
Stuart Winsor
For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area
See: http://www.barndance.org.uk
In article <[email protected]>,
Mike Marlow <[email protected]> wrote:
> It's a 60, 61, 62, 63, custom automobile. I got it one piece at a time.
> You might say I went right to the factory and picked it up - it's cheaper
> that way...
Yes, I heard about that (urban myth?), a Cadillac wasn't it?
--
Stuart Winsor
For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area
See: http://www.barndance.org.uk
"Upscale" wrote:
> I recently ordered a DeWalt D26453K random orbit sander, the one
> with that
> comes with the big, black, plastic case containing the sander and
> absolutely
> nothing else. Cost? $103.99. From the same company, I also priced
> the D26453
> sander without the case. Cost? $114.99. Explain that to me?
Pretty straight forward, theft and volume.
The oversize packaging helps to thwart retail theft, therefore
increased cost of packaging is offset by reduction in theft.
Since most of the sales are of product are with packaging, providing a
product for sale without packaging represents a special which
translates into lower volume, thus higher cost.
Higher sales price will also make the special "go away".
Lew
Keith nuttle wrote:
> -MIKE- wrote:
>> Keith nuttle wrote:
>>> Bored Borg wrote:
>>>> Kreg Mini..
... snip
>> The bean counters have figured out the market value of the "stuff" to
>> that particular market and demographic and they price it for maximum
>> profit.
>>
>>
> Word that will place a premium price on any item are to call it
> Scientific, (or a variation), Marine, or Organic.
Add to that, "Green"
--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough
"J. Clarke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> Trash to energy plants. Not a perfect solution, but sure helps.
>
> Helps in reducing trash but compared to conventional plants they're
> expensive to run, especially if they also have to be clean.
>
> --
> --
> --John
It may be more costly, but with more built they can eventually engineer some
cost out or improve efficiency. At some point we will no longer have the
luxury of digging holes and burying trash. Or it will be very costly to
ship the trash to holes a long way away. Remember the NYC garbage barge?
-MIKE- wrote:
> Keith nuttle wrote:
>> Bored Borg wrote:
>>> Kreg Mini..
>>>
>>> Kit is the jig, drill bit, stop collar.
>>>
>>> Retail £14.95
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> replacement drill bit £15.99 (no collar)
>>> replacement collar £2.99
>>>
>>>
>>> Explain, please, someone?
>>>
>> Many of these situations can be explained by the fact that the cost of
>> the packaging materials and labor to make the package is worth more
>> that the item being packaged. I have gone through the local hardware
>> store and found many items where this is true.
>>
>> One way to check the cost of packaging is to look at an items where
>> the package is essentially the same, and compare the cost of several
>> sizes. One example I found was the cork pads to put on chairs so
>> they don't damage the hardwood floors. You could buy packages of 4,
>> 8, 12, and 16 piece. The cost was $2.20 $2.40 $2.60, and $2.80
>> projecting the cost back through zero the cost of the packaging was
>> about $2.00, and the item was about a $0.05/piece.
>>
>> If you look you can find many examples of this.
>>
>
> I'm guessing pricing has a lot more to do with supply and demand and
> many other marketing factors than the actual price of the materials in
> the product/package.
>
> I've seen the same package of "stuff" in several different home stores
> for roughly the same price.
> The same identical package of "stuff' will be at several different craft
> stores for a different price.
> The only difference (when there is any) is the printing on the cardboard
> insert. Maybe a different font or coloring, to appeal to frumpy middle
> aged woman, rather than macho middle aged men.
>
> The bean counters have figured out the market value of the "stuff" to
> that particular market and demographic and they price it for maximum
> profit.
>
>
Word that will place a premium price on any item are to call it
Scientific, (or a variation), Marine, or Organic.
Lew Hodgett wrote:
> Somebody wrote:
>
>> Trash to energy plants. Not a perfect solution, but sure helps.
>
> The court of last resort.
>
> Recycling is not only more efficient, but less costly.
>
> Lew
>
>
>
As long as the price paid is high enough. Recycling is the perfect
example of There being no such thing as a free lunch.
The current economic down turn has pretty much sent the recycling
programs to the dump.
Dave
Bored Borg wrote:
> Kreg Mini..
>
> Kit is the jig, drill bit, stop collar.
>
> Retail £14.95
>
>
>
> replacement drill bit £15.99 (no collar)
> replacement collar £2.99
>
>
> Explain, please, someone?
>
Many of these situations can be explained by the fact that the cost of
the packaging materials and labor to make the package is worth more that
the item being packaged. I have gone through the local hardware store
and found many items where this is true.
One way to check the cost of packaging is to look at an items where the
package is essentially the same, and compare the cost of several sizes.
One example I found was the cork pads to put on chairs so they don't
damage the hardwood floors. You could buy packages of 4, 8, 12, and 16
piece. The cost was $2.20 $2.40 $2.60, and $2.80 projecting the cost
back through zero the cost of the packaging was about $2.00, and the
item was about a $0.05/piece.
If you look you can find many examples of this.
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> "J. Clarke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> Trash to energy plants. Not a perfect solution, but sure helps.
>> Helps in reducing trash but compared to conventional plants they're
>> expensive to run, especially if they also have to be clean.
>>
>> --
>> --
>> --John
>
> It may be more costly, but with more built they can eventually engineer some
> cost out or improve efficiency. At some point we will no longer have the
> luxury of digging holes and burying trash. Or it will be very costly to
> ship the trash to holes a long way away. Remember the NYC garbage barge?
>
>
It will be a very long time before we run out out room for trash dumps.
They really are very small in comparison to other land uses. For example
how big is the average NFL stadium or MLB park. You could pack a lot of
garbage and trash in one. No one complains about a football or baseball
stadium. I wonder why that is?
I do agree about the packaging though. I have a hole in my hand from
where the knife slipped when I was trying to open a plastic package. It
still hurts.
Dave
"Lee Michaels" wrote:
> And trash contains many toxic elements as well. I read of one
> proposal that would burn so hot, that little toxicity would remain.
> The catch?? It would require a lot of fuel to burn up the toxic
> components. Which may be a way to to take care of toxins, but a
> lousy way to generate power.
To get rid of the really nasty stuff, it gets sent to the cement
plant.
Cement kilns operate at very high temps on a sustained basis.
Here in SoCal, have at least 6 cement plants, they all process waste.
Lew
On Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:30:46 -0500, B A R R Y <[email protected]> wrote:
>J. Clarke wrote:
>>
>> And meanwhile the landfills fill up with unrecyclable junk mail.
>>
>
>My town recycles it, window envelopes and all.
That's a good thing, Barry..
But IMHO, it would be better to generate less useless packaging in the first
place..
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
On Dec 21, 1:10 pm, "Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I was talking to someone a little while ago about wasteful packaging. It
> appears to be even worse than I imagined.
>
> I recently ordered a DeWalt D26453K random orbit sander, the one with that
> comes with the big, black, plastic case containing the sander and absolutely
> nothing else. Cost? $103.99. From the same company, I also priced the D26453
> sander without the case. Cost? $114.99. Explain that to me?
Take a look at the prices of the ubiquitous 2-1/4 hp router kits with
fixed and plunge bases, two collets, wrench(es), maybe even a starter
set of 1/4" bits or other accessories, and of course a giant case to
hold it all. Then price out just getting a replacement motor, which
will cost more. Which just tells you the competition is keeping the
margins down on the kits.
-Kevin
On Dec 21, 1:10=A0pm, "Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I was talking to someone a little while ago about wasteful packaging. It
> appears to be even worse than I imagined.
>
> I recently ordered a DeWalt D26453K random orbit sander, the one with tha=
t
> comes with the big, black, plastic case containing the sander and absolut=
ely
> nothing else. Cost? $103.99. From the same company, I also priced the D26=
453
> sander without the case. Cost? $114.99. =A0Explain that to me?
>
> With marketing like that, it's no wonder we're being inundated with garba=
ge.
> Future societies, if they do eventually come to exist, will certainly loo=
k
> on us as the garbage generations. I also predict that future space
> exploration will spend a good deal of it's time transporting garbage to d=
ead
> planets or shooting garbage into suns for disposal. Maybe we'll get lucky
> and find a true method of matter/energy conversion.
I totally support throwing garbage into volcanos.
Keith nuttle wrote:
> Bored Borg wrote:
>> Kreg Mini..
>>
>> Kit is the jig, drill bit, stop collar.
>>
>> Retail £14.95
>>
>>
>>
>> replacement drill bit £15.99 (no collar)
>> replacement collar £2.99
>>
>>
>> Explain, please, someone?
>>
> Many of these situations can be explained by the fact that the cost of
> the packaging materials and labor to make the package is worth more that
> the item being packaged. I have gone through the local hardware store
> and found many items where this is true.
>
> One way to check the cost of packaging is to look at an items where the
> package is essentially the same, and compare the cost of several sizes.
> One example I found was the cork pads to put on chairs so they don't
> damage the hardwood floors. You could buy packages of 4, 8, 12, and 16
> piece. The cost was $2.20 $2.40 $2.60, and $2.80 projecting the cost
> back through zero the cost of the packaging was about $2.00, and the
> item was about a $0.05/piece.
>
> If you look you can find many examples of this.
>
I'm guessing pricing has a lot more to do with supply and demand and
many other marketing factors than the actual price of the materials in
the product/package.
I've seen the same package of "stuff" in several different home stores
for roughly the same price.
The same identical package of "stuff' will be at several different craft
stores for a different price.
The only difference (when there is any) is the printing on the cardboard
insert. Maybe a different font or coloring, to appeal to frumpy middle
aged woman, rather than macho middle aged men.
The bean counters have figured out the market value of the "stuff" to
that particular market and demographic and they price it for maximum
profit.
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> "Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> With marketing like that, it's no wonder we're being inundated with
>> garbage.
>> Future societies, if they do eventually come to exist, will
>> certainly look on us as the garbage generations. I also predict
>> that
>> future space exploration will spend a good deal of it's time
>> transporting garbage to dead
>> planets or shooting garbage into suns for disposal. Maybe we'll get
>> lucky and find a true method of matter/energy conversion.
>>
>>
>
> Trash to energy plants. Not a perfect solution, but sure helps.
Helps in reducing trash but compared to conventional plants they're
expensive to run, especially if they also have to be clean.
--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
Keith nuttle wrote:
> -MIKE- wrote:
>> Keith nuttle wrote:
>>> Bored Borg wrote:
>>>> Kreg Mini..
>>>>
>>>> Kit is the jig, drill bit, stop collar.
>>>>
>>>> Retail £14.95
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> replacement drill bit £15.99 (no collar)
>>>> replacement collar £2.99
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Explain, please, someone?
>>>>
>>> Many of these situations can be explained by the fact that the
>>> cost
>>> of the packaging materials and labor to make the package is worth
>>> more that the item being packaged. I have gone through the local
>>> hardware store and found many items where this is true.
>>>
>>> One way to check the cost of packaging is to look at an items
>>> where
>>> the package is essentially the same, and compare the cost of
>>> several
>>> sizes. One example I found was the cork pads to put on chairs so
>>> they don't damage the hardwood floors. You could buy packages of
>>> 4,
>>> 8, 12, and 16 piece. The cost was $2.20 $2.40 $2.60, and $2.80
>>> projecting the cost back through zero the cost of the packaging
>>> was
>>> about $2.00, and the item was about a $0.05/piece.
>>>
>>> If you look you can find many examples of this.
>>>
>>
>> I'm guessing pricing has a lot more to do with supply and demand
>> and
>> many other marketing factors than the actual price of the materials
>> in the product/package.
>>
>> I've seen the same package of "stuff" in several different home
>> stores for roughly the same price.
>> The same identical package of "stuff' will be at several different
>> craft stores for a different price.
>> The only difference (when there is any) is the printing on the
>> cardboard insert. Maybe a different font or coloring, to appeal to
>> frumpy middle aged woman, rather than macho middle aged men.
>>
>> The bean counters have figured out the market value of the "stuff"
>> to
>> that particular market and demographic and they price it for
>> maximum
>> profit.
>>
>>
> Word that will place a premium price on any item are to call it
> Scientific, (or a variation), Marine, or Organic.
Or any word that suggests that it is for us on aircraft.
--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> "J. Clarke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>
>>> Trash to energy plants. Not a perfect solution, but sure helps.
>>
>> Helps in reducing trash but compared to conventional plants they're
>> expensive to run, especially if they also have to be clean.
>>
>> --
>> --
>> --John
>
> It may be more costly, but with more built they can eventually
> engineer some cost out or improve efficiency. At some point we will
> no longer have the luxury of digging holes and burying trash. Or it
> will be very costly to ship the trash to holes a long way away.
> Remember the NYC garbage barge?
The problem is that trash isn't consistent and contains many
components that don't burn. There's no way that a trash-fueled plant
will _ever_ be cost competitive with a conventional plant.
--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
Lee Michaels wrote:
> "J. Clarke" <[email protected]> wrote
>>
>> The problem is that trash isn't consistent and contains many
>> components that don't burn. There's no way that a trash-fueled
>> plant
>> will _ever_ be cost competitive with a conventional plant.
>>
> And trash contains many toxic elements as well. I read of one
> proposal that would burn so hot, that little toxicity would remain.
> The catch?? It would require a lot of fuel to burn up the toxic
> components. Which may be a way to to take care of toxins, but a
> lousy way to generate power.
Yup.
And meanwhile, is the government doing anything about junk mail?
--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
Lee Michaels wrote:
> "J. Clarke" wrote
>>
>> And meanwhile, is the government doing anything about junk mail?
>>
> Using it to subsidize the regular mail. Which is a losing
> propositiion. Most of the mail that is used by the consumer is used
> to pay bills. And that function is rapidly being taken over by
> digital bill paying services that is offered by almost all banks
> now.
And meanwhile the landfills fill up with unrecyclable junk mail.
--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
Mike Marlow wrote:
> >
> Actually, internal shrink at HD is not much of a problem. The much bigger
> shrink problem at HD is outright theft (people walk out with nice new power
> tools and nobody can stop them)
I'm blown away by how often the door alarm goes off, and the staff waves
them on.
You'd swear the customer is paying for something and leaving with stuff
they didn't pay for. Of course, no one checks...
On Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:05:48 +0000 (GMT), Stuart cast forth these pearls of
wisdom...:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> John Siegel <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I saw a news item that Amazon is to start offering various products with
>> minimal and bio-degradable packaging.
>> No retail stores so no problems with shoplifting.
>
> They employ people don't they?
>
> I wonder who much goes missing directly from their warehouse.
>
> Back in the good (bad?) old days when Coventry made cars, you could, if so
> inclined, buy whole engines that had somehow managed to find their way out
> of the manufacturing plant without being noticed.
It's a 60, 61, 62, 63, custom automobile. I got it one piece at a time.
You might say I went right to the factory and picked it up - it's cheaper
that way...
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
On Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:18:51 GMT, Lew Hodgett cast forth these pearls of
wisdom...:
>
> Since I know some HD employees who are in a position to have knowledge
> of the situation, I'll stand by the comment that internal shrinkage is
> a real problem.
Fair enough. But - I don't speak on the stories of other people. I have
seen the Home Depot shrink reports. Besides power tools, the two biggest
shrink items are patio sets and refrigerators. It's not hard to find -
it's posted in every store. One thing to remember is that "internal"
shrink does not mean employee theft. Shrink comes in a lot of forms, and
it includes damage, which far outweighs incidents of employee theft.
>
> That's not to say that customers are not a major problem when it comes
> to "5 finger discount" activity, but when employees are taken into
> custody and handcuffed while on the sales floor, on a regular basis,
> you have to wonder.
Your friends either work in a rather unusual Home Depot store, or they are
grossly misleading you. Evidence that they are misleading you (or at least
strongly suggests that they are) is that Home Depot would not arrest an
employee on the sales floor. This would be handled in a discrete manner,
out of the eye of customers. Not only is it bad for business to do this
publicly, but it leaves the store open to litigation that the chain tries
very hard to avoid.
>
> BTW, this is not isolated to one store.
Well - it's not common throughout the chain.
>
> I won't go into detail here, but there are some amazing schemes
> attempted to steal from HD.
Sure - people can be very creative. Some don't even have to get creative.
It's not uncommon for customers to simply walk out with a product. The
alarms go off, and (especially when the store is busy), the associates are
so used to hearing them go off, that they don't even notice it. Out walks
the "customer" with hands full.
Some are even craftier. They have figured out the ways to defeat the hard
tags and the soft tags. When these guys walk out, they don't even set off
the alarms.
The really good ones know when the LPA is working and when he/she is not.
The LPA is the only one authorized to tackle (if necessary) a thief -
though most won't. Associates and managers are not allowed to apprehend a
thief, other than to ask the thief to stop. If the thief doesn't cordially
accommodate that request, they can't do anything except maybe get a license
number on the car they leave in.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
Bored Borg wrote:
> Kreg Mini..
>
> Kit is the jig, drill bit, stop collar.
>
> Retail £14.95
>
>
>
> replacement drill bit £15.99 (no collar)
> replacement collar £2.99
>
>
> Explain, please, someone?
They might have figured out that anybody who buys the kit is likely to buy
additional bits later and thus it's profitable to sell the bits for more.
Who is going to toss the jig just because they lost or broke the bit?
Stuart wrote:
>
>>They might have figured out that anybody who buys the kit is likely to buy
>>additional bits later and thus it's profitable to sell the bits for more.
>>Who is going to toss the jig just because they lost or broke the bit?
>
>
> Bit like the inkjet printer scenario. You buy the cartridges, the printer
> comes free :-)
>
I think that gimmick came into being back in February 1900 when Kodak
introduced the Brownie camera.
--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
[email protected]
Nova wrote:
> Stuart wrote:
>
>>
>>> They might have figured out that anybody who buys the kit is likely
>>> to buy additional bits later and thus it's profitable to sell the
>>> bits for more. Who is going to toss the jig just because they lost or
>>> broke the bit?
>>
>>
>> Bit like the inkjet printer scenario. You buy the cartridges, the printer
>> comes free :-)
>>
>
> I think that gimmick came into being back in February 1900 when Kodak
> introduced the Brownie camera.
>
Or when Gillette marketed their first safety razor.
jo4hn wrote:
> Nova wrote:
>
>> Stuart wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Bit like the inkjet printer scenario. You buy the cartridges, the
>>> printer
>>> comes free :-)
>>>
>>
>> I think that gimmick came into being back in February 1900 when Kodak
>> introduced the Brownie camera.
>>
> Or when Gillette marketed their first safety razor.
The Gillette Safety Razor came shortly after the "Brownie" as the razor
was patented in November 1904.
--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
[email protected]
"Mike Marlow" wrote:
> Actually, internal shrink at HD is not much of a problem. The much
> bigger
> shrink problem at HD is outright theft (people walk out with nice
> new power
> tools and nobody can stop them), product damage ("normal" shipping
> and
> handling damage, sub-contractor damage, etc.). If you could see the
> biggest shrink items by department at HD, you'd quickly see that it
> is not
> stuff employees walk off with.
Since I know some HD employees who are in a position to have knowledge
of the situation, I'll stand by the comment that internal shrinkage is
a real problem.
That's not to say that customers are not a major problem when it comes
to "5 finger discount" activity, but when employees are taken into
custody and handcuffed while on the sales floor, on a regular basis,
you have to wonder.
BTW, this is not isolated to one store.
I won't go into detail here, but there are some amazing schemes
attempted to steal from HD.
I'm sure other retailers have there own problems.
Lew
B A R R Y wrote:
> Lew Hodgett wrote:
>>
>> The oversize packaging helps to thwart retail theft, therefore
>> increased cost of packaging is offset by reduction in theft.
>
> We live in a world of very cheap RFID...
>
> Large packaging is no longer an excuse.
The packaging may take up a good deal of volume due to air space, but how
much actual material is in that plastic box? I suspect that if one were to
compress it to a flat object (i.e., flatten, not compress the actual
material), it's not all that outrageous.
--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough