Tandy And Baby Boomers

[hosscomp]

I wonder if others have similar thoughts.

I couldn't find a feedback place at the Tandy site, so I just thought I would post it here. I like Tandy products, their store, and online shopping site, and spend most of my leather work money there, but there are a few things I wish for.

First, is an easy way to give online feedback or ask questions about products. Second, I would think that a huge percentage of Tandy's customers are over 60, the age group of the baby boomers. I am one, and I have much trouble trying to read the names and colors on their die bottles as well as the other liquid containers and tool packages. I have to hold them close to a bright light to read the small text. This is partly because of the coloring of the background and text, but mostly because of the small size. The Fiebing's bottles are easy to read. I would guess that I am not the only one having problems with this. If not, lets let them know.

Ron

[ClayB]

Try this link

Edited December 11, 2011 by ClayB

[katsass]

I wonder if others have similar thoughts.

I couldn't find a feedback place at the Tandy site, so I just thought I would post it here. I like Tandy products, their store, and online shopping site, and spend most of my leather work money there, but there are a few things I wish for.

First, is an easy way to give online feedback or ask questions about products. Second, I would think that a huge percentage of Tandy's customers are over 60, the age group of the baby boomers. I am one, and I have much trouble trying to read the names and colors on their die bottles as well as the other liquid containers and tool packages. I have to hold them close to a bright light to read the small text. This is partly because of the coloring of the background and text, but mostly because of the small size. The Fiebing's bottles are easy to read. I would guess that I am not the only one having problems with this. If not, lets let them know.

Ron

Well, I definitely belong in the over 60 club, been there for quite a while, and found some time ago that I can live without sex --- but not without my glasses. Mike

[hosscomp]

Try this link

Nice carving site.

[HellfireJack]

It's standard practice to put a contact link at the bottom of the page if it's not in the site's normal navigation. I just checked and it's there as it should be. The link leads here. http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/contactus/contactus.aspx

[hosscomp]

It's standard practice to put a contact link at the bottom of the page if it's not in the site's normal navigation. I just checked and it's there as it should be. The link leads here. http://www.tandyleat.../contactus.aspx

Thanks. That is good to know. I will certainly be using it in the future. Since no one else has trouble reading fine print on their products there is probably no need to suggest that they make them more age friendly.

Ron

[Phatdaddy]

Thanks. That is good to know. I will certainly be using it in the future. Since no one else has trouble reading fine print on their products there is probably no need to suggest that they make them more age friendly.

Ron

I have a lamp with a built in magnifying glass for tying small flies for fly fishing. The one I have isn't here but there is a number of other ones.

Walmart Lamps

One of these may work for your issues with small lettering.

Kevin

[wildrose]

I have bad vision, but I'm not over 60 - I just turned 44. Almost all my leatherworking supplies come from Tandy. The biggest problem I'm having nowadays is reading tool numbers on the stems. Had I a need, I would get a magnifiying lens or the lamp Phatdaddy recommended. I see alot of leatherworkers that use them.

[hosscomp]

I have a lamp with a built in magnifying glass for tying small flies for fly fishing. The one I have isn't here but there is a number of other ones.<br style="color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">Walmart Lamps<br style="color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); "><br style="color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">One of these may work for your issues with small lettering.<br style="color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); "><br style="color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">

Kevin

I have bad vision, but I'm not over 60 - I just turned 44. Almost all my leatherworking supplies come from Tandy. The biggest problem I'm having nowadays is reading tool numbers on the stems. Had I a need, I would get a magnifiying lens or the lamp Phatdaddy recommended. I see alot of leatherworkers that use them.

Thanks, guys. I guess I am unique. I don't really have any problem tooling or reading patterns or books. I have a good desk lamp. I can even read the names of colors/contents on their bottles and such if hold them up to a bright lamp. It is not a show stopper, just an inconvenience. I suppose I can take a bright flashlight into their store with me when I am shopping.

[HellfireJack]

Oh I know what you're talking about Hosscomp. On some of the ecoflow bottles sometimes I can't tell which side is French and which is English. I just blame that on my bad vision though usually and not their packaging.

It also doesn't help that one side is in French either though. I can't tell you how many times I've struggled to read the French side thinking it was English.

You might suggest they print the color on the white cap as well as on the label.

[Sylvia]

Thanks, guys. I guess I am unique. I don't really have any problem tooling or reading patterns or books. I have a good desk lamp. I can even read the names of colors/contents on their bottles and such if hold them up to a bright lamp. It is not a show stopper, just an inconvenience. I suppose I can take a bright flashlight into their store with me when I am shopping.

Hello Hosscomp:

I am under 60, but I know what you mean about fine print and lack of contrast. I wear glasses and even then I sometimes have difficulty reading websites, until I do a CTRL+ several times to size it up. (Which is why I detest sites that are flash based and won't allow that feature.) I don't know why but it seems the "design practitioners" these days, seem to think grey text on off white is a good enough contrast to read. It's not and I see it a lot these days.

Anyway I have a couple suggestions that may help.

For those Tool numbers: I use a Jeweler's Loops. I have a good one that is 30X power and a quick peak through that and I have the numbers in short order. It's also handy for reading tiny numbers on diodes, capacitors, potentiometers and resisters. It's also great for looking for burrs on your knives and tools. (I carry mine with me)

For those annoying low contrast labels: Once you determine the color, etc., just use a black sharpie and write the color as large as you would like on the label.

It won't help you much while you are shopping but when you get it home you can grab the color you want at a glance.

Edited December 12, 2011 by Sylvia

[BobH]

I wonder if others have similar thoughts.

I couldn't find a feedback place at the Tandy site, so I just thought I would post it here. I like Tandy products, their store, and online shopping site, and spend most of my leather work money there, but there are a few things I wish for.

First, is an easy way to give online feedback or ask questions about products. Second, I would think that a huge percentage of Tandy's customers are over 60, the age group of the baby boomers. I am one, and I have much trouble trying to read the names and colors on their die bottles as well as the other liquid containers and tool packages. I have to hold them close to a bright light to read the small text. This is partly because of the coloring of the background and text, but mostly because of the small size. The Fiebing's bottles are easy to read. I would guess that I am not the only one having problems with this. If not, lets let them know.

Ron

What do they call the group that preceded baby boomers? Geezers? Whatever, they call us, I are one. I was born in '42 and turn 70 next year. To solve the fine print problems, I bought an Osborne magnifying headband and use good lighting. I also have one of the clamp on lamps with a magnifying lens but have no place where I can leave it set up so I rarely use it.

For all you whippersnappers, just wait!

[hosscomp]

Wow! Thanks, guys. Lots of good suggestions. I will do some over labeling and will eventually look up some of those lights/magnifying glasses. It is good to know that I am not alone. One of the first things I do when I use a Tandy dye is smear some on the cap. That helps a lot. But it is still good packaging practice to put the most needed information in large, bold print with good contrast. The packagers must be youngsters.

Thanks,

Ron

[Radthalan]

To tell what color I'm grabbing I put a smear of color on the cap it self. For the dyes that have a black cap, I put a white label on the cap and put a smear of color on that. That way I don't care about the name on the bottle, just the shade of color I'm useing

[katsass]

What do they call the group that preceded baby boomers? Geezers? Whatever, they call us, I are one. I was born in '42 and turn 70 next year. To solve the fine print problems, I bought an Osborne magnifying headband and use good lighting. I also have one of the clamp on lamps with a magnifying lens but have no place where I can leave it set up so I rarely use it.

For all you whippersnappers, just wait!

AGREED Bob, I refuse to admit to being over 70 to those that don't know me --- that's the age at which folks seem to want to speak to you as if you were a petulant child. You know, IN A SLOWER THAN NORMAL MANNER AND LOUDER THAN IS NECESSARY AND OFTEN IN OVER-SIMPLIFIED TERMS. Many don't seem to realize that we old farts had to have had something going on just to get as far as we have. Also they don't seem to realize is that our age one or more of our systems is either hurting, dried-up or is leaking. As Bob says to you younger folks, your "Golden Years" are coming. Mike

[Sylvia]

The packagers must be youngsters.

Thanks,

Ron

You got it... young folks doing the designs that give NO thought to tired eyes or those of us who are visually impaired in some way. It looks good to them so off they go to the printers.

[groovytech]

I use a sharpie to mark the caps of dye bottles, on color dye I put a sample of the color on the cap. I have found that,since age 26, a magnifying desk lamp is a necessity, both in my Leatherwork, and Electronics.

As far as whippersnappers go, did you listen when You were young and immortal? They'll catch on eventually, I did,and that was quite the achievement in the development of the species.

[Charliewz]

I like Ott lamps from Office Depot. They are great natural light lamps.

Charlie

Edited December 17, 2011 by Charliewz

[Bard Skye]

BobH, on 12 December 2011 - 10:57 AM, said:

What do they call the group that preceded baby boomers? Geezers? Whatever, they call us, I are one. I was born in '42 and turn 70 next year. To solve the fine print problems, I bought an Osborne magnifying headband and use good lighting. I also have one of the clamp on lamps with a magnifying lens but have no place where I can leave it set up so I rarely use it.

For all you whippersnappers, just wait!

AGREED Bob, I refuse to admit to being over 70 to those that don't know me --- that's the age at which folks seem to want to speak to you as if you were a petulant child. You know, IN A SLOWER THAN NORMAL MANNER AND LOUDER THAN IS NECESSARY AND OFTEN IN OVER-SIMPLIFIED TERMS. Many don't seem to realize that we old farts had to have had something going on just to get as far as we have. Also they don't seem to realize is that our age one or more of our systems is either hurting, dried-up or is leaking. As Bob says to you younger folks, your "Golden Years" are coming. Mike

Well guys, I'm a boomer, but my poor bod has been abused sufficiently that I *feel* 80 or so.

Anyway, in honor of the so-called "Golden Years", here's a little something I found a few years ago...

I can't see,

I can't pee.

I can't chew,

I can't s***w.

My memore shrinks,

My hearing stinks.

No sense of smell,

I look like hell.

My body is drooping,

I have trouble pooping.

The golden years have come at last,

The golden years can kiss my ___!

Skye