Sales + inventory = customer service

I've known that we need to replace the mouse and keyboard on this primary PC. In Sept. when Tom was here visiting and I graciously offered him use of our PC, set him at the keyboard, he looked at me rather astonished and said, "But you have no letters on some of these!" Well I'm an old typist, so I seldom look at the keyboard...sure enough; the letters are worn off the keys. Jerry is a hunt and peck, but I guess either he does know where the letters are or just didn’t think it was worth mentioning. Our wireless mouse has an insatiable appetite for batteries and requires new ones every couple of weeks. So today I decided that we should make a trip to our friendly Office Depot and replace both. Has to be wireless and Jerry, resident electronic wizard accompanied me so I would get the right set up.


Armed with the only visa rebate card that I still have from purchase of the new laptop, which I add at $35, was the only rebate card issued to me and the one with the least $$.. Office Depot has to be sexist or chauvinistic? The rebate cards came to Jerry! How can that be when I paid for them using my ATM and registered the products to me? I am the one who has the Office Depot account? Surely they had to do some research on that? Amazing in 2009 it was! Well I didn't fret too much, although I considered writing a letter of inquiry to them about how could my husband get the visa rebate cards when I paid for it. But as in so many things, time passed and I got over it. Well, this is MN/WI not CA and so long as it was all in the family I can accept.

But back to today's venture. We arrive and I begin to peruse the wireless keyboards and mice! I do not like dinky keyboards, which seem to be the dominant characteristic of the featured sale item, eliminating it from consideration. After a bit of time trying the feel, I decide on a much higher grade Logitech combination which is on sale but for lots more $$. Jerry has meantime wandered off to the cameras, apparatus, or other electronic areas of the store after remarking that I should get whatever I want because he can use anything. What? Well he knows me well enough that I surely will get what I want and I smile that who does he think he is kidding with that comment; 44 years into this marriage! After several test finger drives I finally decide on the keyboard and mouse. Now to find that sales kid who was attempting to help us early on before he realized I intended to test the keyboards and lost all interest in dealing with this customer. I could see it in his eyes, "what if she asks me something...."

As I could have guessed, the sales kid is now aisles down the way speaking with a person who may be a much less inquisitive customer than me. But he did say, "Let me know when you are ready...." So I do. I have already satisfied myself that there are no sets with the identification number I have selected on the shelf! This is not rocket science, but the sales kid with the stud in his nose looks in the same place as I tell him "I already looked. None there...” He replies, "well would you buy it online?" Ummmm I sure would but do not want to pay shipping if it is not in the store and he assures me that with the price there will be no shipping. As he clicks on line I see it is $20 more so I decline immediately. Is this a new Office Depot ploy, don't stock and when a customer comes in and wants to buy something, direct them to online which will cost more? He informs me that he cannot sell me what they do not have in stock! At that I begin to sing, "what, I'm shocked, shocked, what, Texas has a whore house in it? Oh let's do a little sidestep,” Jerry has now returned to the scene and rescues this sales kid who appears befuddled beyond from my antics. Jerry calmly asks if they will be receiving any shipment this week. To this, the kid awakens and says, “I can take your name and phone number and call you when one comes in. I will set it aside for you then..."

So we do that and leave after picking up a few miscellaneous office supplies. At the cashier station as I walk up the girl who is to be on duty walks away! What am I invisible? I know I'm short but what? The clerk at the adjacent register offers to help me right now and apologizes, "she must not have seen you..." But then the cashier asks me the magic question, "did you find everything you needed?"' "Well no I did not, the keyboard and mouse on sale is not in stock. No I did not in fact; I feel I have wasted my time. Why advertise what is not is stock?" Of course she has no answers after Jerry explains that the sales kid in the back did take our name. This cashier says, "Well that's all we can do. So sorry."

Indeed! And stores like Office Depot may well wonder why business is down. When there is an opportunity for a sale, you have no stock. Office Depot has now joined the ranks of auto and furniture dealers in not stocking inventory. I do not understand this, but Jerry an ex-business owner has more sympathy in that inventory ties up capital. But yes, this customer says, "why place on sale what is not is stock?" Now I can wait this week to see if such item arrives at the price on the in store ad. But it remains darned inconvenient. No wonder I prefer to order online from the comfort of my keyboard and mouse, even if the letters are worn off and the mouse has a voracious appetite for batteries.