I recall a product line in which an antiques dealer had begun replicating classic "steamer trunks" and Restoration Hardware had picked the items up in their catalog. This was during the boom, when airlines were tightening up carry-on size (and losing more luggage) and TSA was limiting what can be carried on. Hotels began catering to frequent guests by allowing them to store a steamer trunk in the Hotel, which was brought up and set out in the room when the guest arrived.
A steamer trunk harkens back to the old days when people would travel for say few months at a time, by steamship line, wherein storage was plentiful so a large trunk with all of you clothes needed for a few months and accoutrement was no problem. AS travel time shortened and costs lessened, we learned to travel light.
I see now Restoration Hardware in its current catalog has moved the items to its cover and is selling these trunks as furniture, and showing them integrated into home decoration. I still have a few steamer trunks in my home from my impecunious youth. They work well. If Restoration hardware has moved them to the cover, it is because they have been selling well.
When I was a rug merchant (and I am again, apparently...) a story dealers often told was areas carpets were popular in Europe because valuables can be thrown in the center and it can be quickly rolled up and taken away in the event of invasion or whatever. Wherever you end up, you feel homey again after you lay out the rug. Rugs and steamer trunks, useful when things go bust.
What was introduced as an extravagance for wealthy during the boom has been repositioned as a staple during the bust.
1 in 8 Americans are behind in their mortgage payments. This has to be the largest single market segment demographic in USA, (The remaining 7 of 8 would break down into too many demographics to match the size of the 1 in 8). Packing your things INSIDE your furniture and moving is going to be useful, especially for renters who find out the owner has not been making mortgage payments and the renters have 15 minutes to clear out before the Sheriff seals the premises with the renters' possessions forfeit (something new laws will not fix).
People are walking away from their homes for various reasons. Say one sees clearly that they can make maybe one or two more mortgage payments, and they will lose the house anyway. Might they simply decline to make the payments, save the several thousand dollars, buy some nice steamer trunks as furniture in their new digs, and pack them up and throw the keys in the mailbox? Some will, but apparently enough are buying trunks for whatever reason to cause Restoration Hardware to make it a cover story. At some point a furniture and housewares style will emerge, and there will be a name for it, like antebellum, art deco or some such.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Restoration Hardware - Trends
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
How To Decline a Supplier
On Jun 1, 2009, at 1:29 AM, jimmy wrote:
Hi John,
How do you do!
Do you have any news for last time the book printing?
Regards,
Jimmy
Hey Jimmy,
Thanks for checking in... let me make a review...
There are very many printers in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and some with exciting capabilities. Your prices were very good, especially at the higher print run levels. AS you know, you showed me some large catalogs, that are quite impressive, and I understand your point if you can make a large book, you can certainly make a small book like mine.
AS you know the saying goes, "you get what you pay for..." I was concerned I might not be happy with the quality of the books for the market for my books. My book is a reference kind of book that people keep and read and re-read. It must be of the highest quality. In this instance, I went with another printer for a minimum run, although this other printer charges more, with his samples his quality is exactly what I am looking for. Sadly you had no example of a small book like mine for me to examine.
I have other books coming out and I believe NAME WITHHELD will be a very good match for those books. If you will permit, I will contact you when those books are ready to print for a quote.
I look forward to meeting you again!
Sincerely,
John
How Poltics Works
It is not generally understood that general officers are nominated by the president, but must be confirmed by the senate. Every Bush war was proceeded by a change in generals (usually because the general in command objected to the action, wisely) and now Obama is changing generals in his wars, like the one in Afghanistan that has become his own.
AS I mentioned earlier, the locus of violence in USA is the political parties. Pat Tillman's mom can object the the new commanding general in Afghanistan as questionable, but the fact that he is a torturer is the result of the wishes of our politicians. When off-duty drunk cop beats up a waitress half his size (he feared for his safety) it is the politicians who ordain it.
We'd have good leadership for cops and soldiers if we had good politicians.
Finding Customers
From todays class transcript... on the topic of finding customers...
sjamesusa: I have a ques about approaching retailers and getting their feedback.
sjamesusa: many of the high end stores I visited in SFran were not informed about their industry to give me any practical feedback.
sjamesusa: where do you find the smart clerks in stores??
wknauss: Feedback on the product or on reps?
sjamesusa: these days..
sjamesusa: feedback about the product from store clerks.
Jspiers: sjames, recall how I say visit six stores six times?
Jspiers: precisely because the clerks do not know... so drive home this fact, and get past the clerks...
sjamesusa: yep. I went to 8 stores and didn't get good feedback from any of the clerks there.
sjamesusa: ahaa..
wknauss: I'd missed the six times mulitplier
Jspiers: "Does your manager know...?" when the manager shows up, "does your divisional know?"
sjamesusa: somehow we get past the dumb clerks..
Jspiers: when the divisional shows up.." does the VP know?
wknauss: Dumb or, more likely, bored and unmotivated, minimum wage folks
Jspiers: O! this is critical...
Jspiers: home depot laid off their $24/hr experts...
sjamesusa: i heard that about hdepot, also.
Jspiers: then replaced with $12 kids...
Jspiers: now dumped them, and only hires labor ready at $10, then cans them at 89 days... so don’t have to pay bennies...
sjamesusa: I'm trying to get feedback about my redesigned stylus and I can't get it from stores like radio shack, best buy.
wknauss: I think Circuit City did something similar to HD. Worked out well for them... NOT
Jspiers: exactly wknauss, it i an indication they are going under... but many stores are hiring less than the bst in their front lines...
Jspiers: point is, you have to work past them...
sjamesusa: I'll keep trying, though, to reach at least a manager.
Jspiers: I think I push this point... 6 x 6...
Jspiers: and I make the point we become someting of a pest...
sjamesusa: ok. I didn't want to divert the teaching for today but thought I'd through some of my experience in..
sjamesusa: from last week's efforts ..
Jspiers: sjames, it is most welcome..
wknauss: Your experience is teaching!
Jspiers: everyone has benefitted..
sjamesusa: ok.
Jspiers: and note that becoming a pest as a customer is a lot easier than trying to pester as a potential vendor...
Jspiers: same goals, but far easier as a custoemr...
Jspiers: make sense?
sjamesusa: are we inquiring about our product as a customer or..
Jspiers: plan A is inquire as a customer...
sjamesusa: I know it's not in the stores and trying to find out if store is interested in selling.
Jspiers: plan B is inquire as a vendor...
sjamesusa: ok. got it.
Jspiers: sjames that is plan B... infinitely harder than plan A
Jspiers: to bug a divisional as a customers is rather easy...
sjamesusa: I've inquired as plan a. I know it's not in the stores I went to.
Jspiers: to bug a divisional as a vendor is going to get you escorted out by security...
sjamesusa: and my design is not even online.
sjamesusa: I think I've entered plan b, right?
Jspiers: sjames, of course what you know can be wrong, but in any case, it is best to drive on as though you expect your item, your idea, to be there...
Jspiers: you get so much farhter with so much less effort...
Jspiers: I am afraid so sjames...
Jspiers: must return to a zen state of knowing nothing...
Jspiers: hard to communicate this...
Jspiers: but the more you presume they have it in stock, right now, somewhere...and you insist they find it here and now, the more trouble you cause because you are absolutely sure they have it in stock somewhere...
Jspiers: the more likely you will succeed.
sjamesusa: I don't find it anywhere..online or in store.
Jspiers: well, why wouldn't they have it in stock? what could be more natural?
Jspiers: just how wierd is it that they do not have it in stock?
sjamesusa: the stores I went to have the stylus but it's the same ones that are sold everywhere. I have a redesign.
Jspiers: your attitude as a customer in the store is: “what is the matter with you people here... why is this item not here in stock right now?!”
Jspiers: (I guess i am not getting my point across...)
sjamesusa: oh. I get it... such tactics like that..
wknauss: Get you kicked 'upstairs' in the chain so the min. wage clerk doesn't have to deal with you
Jspiers: psych yourself into an angry panic when you shop for your item, be filled with righteous indignation that they do not have it in stck just this instant...
Jspiers: yes, indeed...
Jspiers: be a problem...
sjamesusa: ok. I
sjamesusa: can do that.
Jspiers: good...
sjamesusa: I"m convinced, though, that my product will be a go..
Jspiers: the more YOU insist it does not exist, the less interest they have...
wknauss: Then you get a garage full :-)
*** edaercayan (edaercayan@edaercayan) has joined channel #worldtrade
Jspiers: your opinion is worth exactly nothing, sjames...
Jspiers: in fact, it is detrimental to your hopes and dreams...
Jspiers: edaercayan, join us in #worldtrade
sjamesusa: I'll convince the retailers..
Jspiers: well, better they convince themselves...
Jspiers: learn from con artists...
sjamesusa: is Best Buy one of the stores we can work with?
Jspiers: they never instill confidence in themsleves, the con artists... the con artists get their marks to be confident...
Jspiers: never BEST BUY, sjames...
sjamesusa: or, places like Office Max, and those kind of chains?
Jspiers: never...
sjamesusa: ok.
sjamesusa: good to know that.
sjamesusa: even radio shack?
wknauss: And the issue is they will quickly find another supplier?
sjamesusa: hmm.. yea. all good stuff to note.
Jspiers: the process of plan A will get the decision makers in the upscale stores to gain confidence in their decision to buy from you, when you come back with what the decision maker said was a good idea and did not exist...
Jspiers: make sense?
sjamesusa: makes sense! as I get our feet wet in this field, I learn.
Jspiers: sjames, after 3 weeks at office max, when they reorder... someone will say "$10, I can get these for $2... let's roll!"
Jspiers: you do ndeed sjames...!
Jspiers: at specialty stores, the volumes are low, you test gently, make money on reorders, not volume... and you expand your line leisurely since you are gicven ideas as to what to do next...
Business Joke
Two hikers in the woods suddenly notice two bear cubs in front of them and turn to see a she bear behind them... terrified, one drops and begins taking off his hiking boots and putting on his Nikes...
"you idiot! You can't outrun a grizzly...!" says one...
the other quickly tying up his Nikes, says:
"I know... I only have to outrun you..."
The moral of the story is to make money in these dangerous times you only have to outdo the worst player who is making money.
Taliban Shows Flexibility
Bodybuilders are obliged to shave for competitive reasons, like swimmers. The Taliban admire sportsmanship, so according to Mr. Afghanistan, a bodybuilder from a Taliban area stronghold, the Taliban cut him slack to pursue his sport.
Wives must get the permission of their husbands before viewing this article and accompanying slide show, and all other females must check with a father or religious leader.
Religion is an area wide open for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Monday, June 1, 2009
G M Obama
One issue after another, Pres. Obama is being hoodwinked into making other peoples problems his own. Ralph Nader's criticism is typical. By the time Obama is out of office, the wars, the economy, the culture, all problems will be blamed on him. It is fascinating to watch.
Perche Follow Up
And along the lines of the review below, the couple's kids were waiting tables. No doubt during the years of struggle these kids went without much of what some employee's kids had. But just think of what these kids learned, and they had their parents.
Perche' No Restaurant Review
Last night I took my family to a Greenlake area Seattle Italian restaurant called Perche No, on the occasion of my daughter's 18th birthday, she being the one fluent in Italian, hence the selection. Daughters judged the food very good, and he rest of us liked it too. The prices seemed quite attractive. I normally don't do restaurant reviews, but I would put this with Pink Door and Canlis as far as must-do restaurants. I like Place Pigalle as well (I dislike El Gaucho). If you ever want heavy, well prepared portions of American standards, go to 13 Coins, 2 locations, open 24/7/365 (tad pricey). Saigon in the Pike Place market is excellent food for lunch.
The reason I am reviewing the restaurant is more for the behaviour of the owners. Aside form running a good restaurant, the wife eventually gets around to every table, greeting whoever made the reservation by name, introducing herself as Lily, and asking "how did you hear about us?" She then asks about satisfaction, and later comes back with a camera and offers to take a picture of the table. Later she asks to have her guest book signed, and says if the email address is included she will email a copy of the picture.
At dessert time Lily is back to tout the selections, and when confusion arose she offered an off-menu item free , and birthday girl's came with a candle, having somehow gleaned that fact.
Lily was not done. When we were finished, she ran us upstairs past photos of celebrities on the stairwell wall, and through special rooms on the second floor, and then saw us off. (A stupefied bartender followed us out staring at my daughters, but I have gotten used to that.) And Lily was dressed as though she expected to have to jump in to clean up some mess, which no doubt she occasionally did. It was her restaurant, her lifestyle.
Now all of this no doubt sounds too much, rather annoying. But that is what is remarkable... this was maybe 4 minutes of a two hour meal. Although engaging and gregarious, this woman was sensitive enough to keep it within bounds. it is something you see in small businesses where passion is the key. The joy in solving he problem is evident in this woman's happiness and success. Two seconds into this at say an Applebee's, and I would be out the door. I usually get annoyed when the waitstaff introduces itself. But not here (or at Canlis, where a Canlis will greet you by name, having relieved you of your car and coat...)
People often note the genesis of this restaurant: a Malay of Chinese ancestry travelled in Italy delighting in the many regional dishes, and decided to learn to cook. Having some talent in this area, he and his wife opened a hole-on-the-wall, based on the unlikely combination of Chinese Malays opening an authentic Italian restaurant, in Seattle. Since they picked up Italian when people expressed skepticism of their plans, they answered "perche no?" (Why not?)
There is of course a sort of full circle here, Marco Polo travelled to China and returned to Italy with pasta. A Chinese goes to Italy and learns about pasta. Why Seattle? I'll ask on some future visit.
A couple of lessons here: Everything is wide open. Do your thing, or as the Italians say, cosa nostra. Do not copy anyone else's success. You see someone with a successful Italian restaurant, and this inspires you? Well great, grow up in Malaysia, bum around Italy for a few years, learn the language and to cook, move to Seattle, scrape together enough money to open a hole in the wall, garner rave reviews, and use your savings to build a larger restaurant. Get rich slow, over 20 years. No sweat. go ahead. (I am being droll.) My point is, if it does not have the passion/joy balance, it ain't gonna work. If it does, there is nothing that will stop you.
(The other problem of basing your idea on someone else's "success' is you really have no idea if they are making any money or not.)
If your passion is genuine people enjoy you sharing it. This is why neither I nor anyone else in the restaurant minded her attention. It was all raw marketing, but who cares. It is exciting to see someone doing well. (You'll find this especially when visiting sick people.., the elderly or the premature terminally ill, talk up what good things you are doing. It encourages people in extremis to hear others are doing well. Life is less grim.) When we left, she has our picture, email and money. I know her facilities and we have been infected with her delight. I'll pass it on.
But we are self-employed too. So not only was the occasion my daughters birthday, my wife is looking for a connection for Northwest wine into China. In China restaurateurs are not unaware of the success of Perche No! Perche No! has an extensive wine list, a remarkable selection of wine by the glass, and a novel method for matching wines to food. For a wine exporter to represent a wine to China that is on the Perche No! list is a recommendation inside China.
When self-employed, your work often relates to the work of other self-employed. People actually buying and selling things. Our work is our lifestyle, unto our meals. It is all lifestyle. Being self employed is the way out of this economic mess. if self employed, you ARE out of the economic mess.