Tandy Pricing Structure Change

[Northmount]

15 hours ago, Sam I Am said:

I JUST renewed my Gold Membership

I had a flyer delivered that said they would refund memberships or credit them against your purchases.  Check with your store to see if they will do it.

Tom

[Mark842]

Probably not a good thing for me for the hardware items and dyes I still purchase at my local store. The manager there always gave us great deals beyond the business discount as we are their largest customer in the area. That being said, seems like every time I try to order some hardware they discontinued the item and I have been slowly finding other sources. Good prices are nice but when you have a product line that sells good you need to know the hardware your customers are used to will remain available.

[bikermutt07]

1 hour ago, Mark842 said:

Probably not a good thing for me for the hardware items and dyes I still purchase at my local store. The manager there always gave us great deals beyond the business discount as we are their largest customer in the area. That being said, seems like every time I try to order some hardware they discontinued the item and I have been slowly finding other sources. Good prices are nice but when you have a product line that sells good you need to know the hardware your customers are used to will remain available.

 Right on. It seems they have had a continuing clearance rack the whole te I have been visiting my local store. Usually, what comes out at the beginning of the year is what you see on clearance in the 3rd and 4th quarter. Every year. 

But, hopefully that will change as well. Things should start moving off the shelves at a more steady Pace with better pricing.

[Handstitched]

G'Day,

Well, as  we no longer have a Tandy in Australia, I've conducted  a bit of a ' test'. I've just ordered a free Tandy  catalogue to see how long it takes for it to arrive in Australia from the US  . I'm guessing around 4 - 6 weeks.  

I've just checked their website here in Oz (  no shipping info)  , makes a change to see one price instead of three, and they do seem to be a bit cheaper. And depending on how long the delivery takes,( and shipping costs)  I may consider ordering from Tandy again . 

We'll see  

HS

[Tugadude]

The details I posted show that veterans still get an extra discount, businesses too.  In addition, if you recently bought a membership and feel slighted, they will refund it.  

As far as closing stores, brick and mortar stores in all walks of life are under great pressure.  According to a recent story, e-commerce sales are still growing exponentially compared to brick and mortar.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/02/online-shopping-officially-overtakes-brick-and-mortar-retail-for-the-first-time-ever.html

My local Tandy is typically empty when I visit, which isn't very often.  Maybe I am to blame?  Seriously, there tend to be two or three people working at the store whenever I'm there and there might be one other customer besides myself.  So think about the overhead.  They pay rent, utilities, worker's salaries and bear the cost of inventory while I'm buying a spool of thread and a belt buckle.  Much of what my local store sells is mail-order so bodies in the store isn't indicative of the volume of business.  The point is, if the volume of business continues to swing away from walk-in to mail-order, why have a retail site at all?

[Chakotay]

Whoa! First I'm hearing about all this. Although I can't say I'm totally surprised.

I live in Fort Worth, Texas, which is the heart of "Tandy Country". Corporate headquarters just 20 mins away and 4 (actually . . . make that 3) stores within driving distance.

I've noticed subtle changes in all the stores last year or so. Managers and employees being transfered/swapped around like musical chairs. Dwindling inventories/stocks. Discontinued items (Craftool Pro). They closed my go-to store that I went to during my lunch breaks.

And do the employees work on commission now? It sorta feels that way when I walk through the door recently.

Sort of an aside, but does anybody else hate how they remodeled their stores so that all items are in arranged in bins by item number? Takes twice as long to find anything. About half the stores (including the big Fort Worth location) went back to just hanging everthing on display racks and shelves.

Just seems like they're grasping at straws trying to find something that works.

[JLSleather]

2 hours ago, Tugadude said:

Seriously, there tend to be two or three people working at the store whenever I'm there and there might be one other customer besides myself.  So think about the overhead...if the volume of business continues to swing away from walk-in to mail-order, why have a retail site at all?

Yup, that's what i find, too. I can be in there an hour and only see  2 or 3 people come in.  Got the manager and two girls working, usually.  One early 30's, kinda cute.  Other one can't be more 'n' 21-22, kinda cute.  Wait, maybe we aint talking about the same thing any more ...

Anyway, it's about hour and a half each way from here, so I only go when I need to pick out something, which isn't very often.  

[chrisash]

They would sell more if they sorted out there web site, it's so old in design and telling you they have hides but you must ask what colour you want is discrasefull these days they should have photo's and full descriptions

Does this inspire you to buy

Quote

"We buy these value-priced cowhides as odd lots, meaning we get whatever colors (usually earth tones) the tannery has in that particular lot, therefore colors shown may not always be available. They were tanned for upholstery use, but are an ideal choice for chaps, garments, saddle seats and bags.
Weight/Thickness: 3 to 4 oz. (1.2 to 1.6 mm)
Average size: 45 to 48 sq. ft. (4.18 to 4.46 sq. meters)"

Edited April 29, 2019 by chrisash

[zuludog]

7 hours ago, Handstitched said:

G'Day,

Well, as  we no longer have a Tandy in Australia, I've conducted  a bit of a ' test'. I've just ordered a free Tandy  catalogue to see how long it takes for it to arrive in Australia from the US  . I'm guessing around 4 - 6 weeks.  

I've just checked their website here in Oz (  no shipping info)  , makes a change to see one price instead of three, and they do seem to be a bit cheaper. And depending on how long the delivery takes,( and shipping costs)  I may consider ordering from Tandy again . 

We'll see  

HS

Hello Handstitched....................Please excuse me if I'm telling you something you know already, but if you are importing leather craft items anyway, you could look at www.goodsjapan.com

 

I have bought a few things from them and I'd say the items are as good or better than Tandy. Delivery is about 3 weeks to UK; well packed. Shipping is included in their website price, but there will probably be import duties on that 

[mikesc]

They were tanned for upholstery use, but are an ideal choice for chaps, garments, saddle seats and bags.

n'importe quoi!!

Mutually exclusive uses ...garments, chaps, saddle seats and bags, upholstery, do not use ( if one is doing/ making them correctly ) the same types of skins , leathers, and tanning..Then again, I've never bought anything from Tandy, not even so much as a rivet ,and the more I read, the more I think that was an entirely sensible decision..

Edited April 29, 2019 by mikesc
typos