A few months ago, HD was closing out K-Bodies.
Went there this morning, and they had clearence tags on their 48" Cabinet Masters.
My local Lowe's started carrying K-Bodies, which explains why HD closed them out. HD started carrying Cabinet Masters, which made sense as they carry many other Adjustable Clamp products.
But now they're closing out Cabinet Masters?
Anyone know what gives?
Maybe they got smart and are re-introducing the k bodies. IMHO of course.
SH - the faithful k body woodworker
On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 15:20:46 -0700, "Slowhand" > them out. HD started carrying Cabinet Masters, which made sense as they
================================================== I would guess (as an old retired retailer) that the profit margin and turn over from these clamps is not enough for the clamps to Pay for their own shelf space....
You have to realize that each square inch of shelf space has got to produce enough sales, at a given profit margin to actually pay their own way...
I have been an active woodworker for over 40 years and I only have about 40 assorted clamps in my shop... Thus on average I only purchased about one clamp a year...
Npw glue on the other hand is pretty cheap...and is sold in small bottles, it is easy to handle for the store, does not take up much shelf space. I have to buy 2-3 bottles a year . The turns (sells) of the glue is many much more then expensive K-Body or CM Clamps..
The shelf space devoted to glue produces much more to the bottlew line then the shelf space devoted to clamps...and some bean counter at corporate did some math and said the clamps have to go...
Just my early morning opinion before I have had enough coffee in me to really put my brain to work...
Bob Griffiths
Part of the corporate insanity of today's retailing. They put them on the shelf cause somebody convinced a purchasing vp that they would sell MUCH better than the Bessey products. They didn't... wrong choice... they will probably go to the cheap chinese for a while, then the Bessey's will make a return. The cycle seems to be never ending.
Lowes seems to do th exact same thing....
U-CDK_CHARLES\Charles wrote:
I agree with Bob, along with the fact that the K-Bodies and Cabinetmaster clamps tend to be better suited in a more specialized store. The Borgs have a good selection of products but the products usually are not at the far reaches of the top of the line tools unless they are fast movers. These style clamps tend to appeal to a more select group.
Just think of how many plastic packaged screws can hang in that same space that would being in far greater sales.
Bob, you're correct only up to a point. As a District Manager for the Service Group that has the responsibility for marketing the hardware department at Lowe's, I regularly run "sales to date" figures for approx. 50,000 skus. You might be suprised at how many thousands of items never "pay for their shelf space."
The point of merchandising, (only one facet of which is changing product lines), is to attract enough of a customer base to generate sufficient sales in the highly profitable items to cover the "carrying costs" of the non-profitable ones. The method the "box stores" choose to do this is to convince the customers that: "We have everything." (The fact that they actually _don't_ is irrellevant. They get enough people in, buying enough profitable products, to cover all the odds, weirds, and drek that fill the rest of the shelves.) ;>
Michael Who, did some serious headscratching, (and some minor cussin'), in Tool World the other day when he realized that the store didn't even carry a fence for the router he'd recently bought there... "How do you buy a router without a fence to go with it?" he asked himself. He answered himself, saying: "Self, you don't. You drink much too much coffee to use a router freehand." So... he went to Amazon.com. 'Cause they have everything. ;>
While all this discussion is illuminating, there appears to be a different reason involved.
Jorgenson is updating their product.
(To those OT fanatics and junkies here, this is a JOKE!)
One of Penn & Teller's books included a misdirection in the form of a small pamphlet of Sci Fi stories purported to be by the "New England Science Fiction Society" -- actually by P&T, with a "gimmick" related to a trick in the book.
One of the punch lines: "It was SO obvious when I saw them on television. Those men who were talking to Father were Jack Ruby and Lee Oswald. I feel much better telling you about it . ."
P&T are FIRMLY on the side of "Oswald from the Texas Book Repository building" and used to include a trick involving ballistics proof in their act.
I've been wondering the same thing. Lowes and Home depot sell all kinds or rouers but don't carry any edge guides or template guides and lowes carries a few cheap skill brand bits and anything else is special order. In the computer industry accessories are what keeps you profitable. Mark up on a whole computer is usually in the
After a few trips and purchases at the big box stores you learn that they carry lots of different items, but not always what you really need. Thee is so much more available of greater quality or better features than what they carry.
Few years back I visited the Pella dealer across the street from one. I asked why I should buy from then instead of across the street. He suggested I go see as it would just re-enforce what I was going to buy from him. Same name, same factory, but not the same models.
Need tools? Go to Woodcraft, or Coastal Tool, or similar dealers. Same or better prices, MUCH better selection and accessories. Ed
*hides his viper straight bits*
What's weird to me is that my local HD sells a PC door mortise template, but NOT an edge guide.
Seems to me most every router buyer needs an edge guide eventually, but I've never bought anything other than a pre-hung door
*knocks wood*
I've started buying from the local Rockler store, even spent more for my 890 because I know they carry the accessories, asked them for the gripvac handle, he reached around behind the display and pulled one out. I just accepted a full time job with $BIG_BANK$ so my contracting company will be paying me out for my unused paid time off, looks like I shall have the plunge base soon :) Now if I could just find a good hardware store, local ACE carries a handful of each part buy doesn't have enough of any one thing for me to do anything, I'm going to have to either catch the manager and see if he will order me parts by the box or start ordering online.
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