Ad's suck. What am I, Unamerican?

Greece!!!

It's your fault.

Double dip recession.

Damn you Greece!!!!!!

**********

I've been pounding the "Sales" lists so hard, my Overall margin came in at 10% higher than normal this week (stuff ordered several weeks ago when the offerings were strong.) . I was starting to have my doubts about buying so much, but the last week of offers were pretty meager, so I probably timed it right.

Strike when it's cold.

Thing about liquidations; they are usually timed when you can least afford them.

That's why they're being offered.

**********

Wow. Talk about your dated material. The Federal Economic Census of 2007 might as well be from the year 2020, for all the relevance it has. A curiosity.

**********

Meanwhile, the Bulletin's BIKE EVENTS PROVE WORTH, was a well reasoned and data-supported argument.

I'm still not convinced.

I'm not arguing with the reasoning or the data. Just not impressed by the numbers.

**********

Here's where I get in trouble.

But it seems to me that nobody else is willing to be the doubter. (Or maybe I'm the only doubter, I don't know.)

I could put an event on in my store every month, which would spike my numbers. Why don't I? Because I'm not convinced that the results are worth the effort, frankly. You ever notice how a new store will have myriad events early on, in their bright-eyed, frisky tail phase? And how the events diminish over time? Why do you suppose that is?

But if people are willing to put in the work and effort, I don't suppose it hurts any.

Let me insert here. I think there are indeed businesses who benefit from promotions and advertising. There is also a huge lobby for these things; the media, the organizational people whose jobs depend on creating such events, the people who sell at these events, the hotel and restaurants, and of course, the biggest constituency, the people who attend these events.

What am I, against fun?

No. I'm just saying that not every event is effective, and I'd argue that none of them are quite as effective as most people seem to think. This isn't all black and white, all or nothing.

But I don't actively oppose them. I'm willing to go along with them.

No, I'm trying for a nuanced appreciation of the costs and benefits. Like I've argued against having an event at every Peak Weekend of the year (summer and Christmas) and letting us stores have a few busy tourist weekends where we can do regular business. I'm not against all events, just TOO many events. O.K.?

So there's my not so hidden agenda: Not all events are cost effective, not all events are equally effective, not all stores benefit equally, and sometimes -- gasp -- it's best to just let a store be a store.

I'll just say, I've been skeptical of advertising and promotions for years, because it seemed like my money and effort were mostly wasted.

And, hey, I'm still here, and doing better than ever.

Promotions are all well and good. But it's your day to day business that counts. The same energy and money you put into 'events' could be put into better inventory, for instance. So instead of an immediate 10 or 20% spike in sales that lasts a week or two, you get an on going 2 or 3% that lasts.

It used to drive me nuts when I'd see Downtowners who were totally into constant promotion, and yet closed at 5:00, who weren't open on Sundays, who seemed not to want to work their own stores. Take care of the basics first, instead of spending all your efforts on "Second Tuesday Madness White Sale and Bike Race!!!!) I admit, this problem is less nowadays, as Sundays are much more active.

I actually have many examples in my own store history of "Events" that brought in what would have to be considered "Successful" levels of audience: and in the end, faded to nothing because they weren't focused on real interest.

I used to have huge crowds for Pokemon. Hoards of people for Beanie Babies. They were waiting in lines at the door for Pogs. They were banging down the door for Sportscards. (Ditto non-sportscards, comics, magic, etc. etc.)

And when all those people were gone, they were gone.

So you might argue that those were fads, and of course they were gone. But think of these as promotional activities -- I not only reached large numbers of people, they actually came in and spent money!

Turns out, that doesn't mean much. In my business, at least. I'll repeat that, "Not in My Business."

To me, promotions are just advertising, paid for by WORK and money instead of just money. I apply myself to my business, I expend my work and money on the contents of my business. My guess is that anyone TRULY interested in what I have to offer will check Google or the Yellow Pages; anyone who doesn't know I was here after 5 years, isn't TRULY interested.

My wife's business continues to garner new customers with every month that passes. She hasn't advertised a dime in 6 years, hasn't had a balloon filled, glittery event, she doesn't serve coffee and pastries, there are no festivals or hullabaloos.

She just shows up regularly every day, keeps her store comfortable and attractive and organized and clean; takes in used books, gives people credit, cleans the books, is knowledgable and friendly, and puts them out on the shelves at less than half the overall price of retail. She's located centrally, and on a busy corner.

Seems to work.

I'd rather have 5 new solid customers, than 50 people who were attracted by free wine, or people in spandex riding in circles...

But some of those 50 people might become customers!

Oh?

Not so's I've noticed.

When I walked out of the store Friday night, the streets were absolutely jammed with people at the Art Hop.

Yesterday was one of the slowest foot traffic days I've seen in years.

**********

On a related note. I was somewhat insulted over the last 5 to 10 years when a customer would say, "I didn't know you were here!" and they had been in town for 5 years or longer.

I'm still mystified how a Bend resident cannot be aware of my wife's store, which sits on the busiest traffic corner in town -- but it proves that people see what they want to see and they come in when they want to come in.

Anyway, I'm now seeing this differently. I'm now seeing this as proof that we still have plenty of potential customers.

How sad would it be if Everyone knew I was here, and the business I was doing was the business I would always do?

(Yes, I'm aware of the contradiction of complaining about not everyone knowing me or my wife's stores are here, and at the same time arguing against promotions and advertising. Just goes to prove, I really don't believe they are effective, because I have the need, but don't think those are the solutions....)

**********

"THE BULLETIN IS NOT ANTI- SCHOOLS...."

Of course not!

They're just anti-FUNDING of schools....

**********

Ditto for the Jail measure.

Strong law and order themes in the Bulletin, week after week.

But as a letter to the Bulletin argued -- the solution seems to be to just take the miscreants into the desert and feed them bread and water.

I'm not saying I have a solution. I'm not saying that the unions might not be over- reaching.

I'm just saying, I don't understand how you can argue against any way of funding, and at the same time call for increased law and order and increased educational effectiveness.

The waste argument seems like a phantom.

That said: didn't we just build a new jail?