TM

[huntingpal]

Just made an order with them last week and received it yestarday, so I would say they are open!

[allenlook]

They're open at the moment. The "being closed" thing is a little frustrating. It would be nice to know if they have something in stock or not even when the storefront is closed. I'd still like to be able to look in the front window

Even if they might sell the item at the show they're at, it would be handy to be able to see their inventory as it was when they closed the storefront part of the website.

I still want a "wish list" feature too. Not a full-blown shopping cart, but just a way to set aside items I want so I can order them up all at once without forgetting something. I've got at least 10 things in my own wish list right now, and it's a bit of a pain remembering those part numbers and the prices. Even if you don't get the EXACT part, you could still set their descriptions aside, know what I mean?

[THOM]

AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER MYSELF, IM SURE TM TRACTOR HAS THERE REASONS TO CLOSE THE SIGHT, IMAGINE 100 ORDERS COME IN IN THE WEEK YOUR NOT THERE, YOU WOULD BE QUITE OVERWELMED YOUR FIRST COUPLE DAYS BACK FROM AN EXHAUSTING TRIP, THEN CUSTOMERS WOULD BE COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW LONG IT TOOK TO RECIEVE THERE MERCHANDISE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. AS FOR A WISH LIST AND OR SHOPPING CART IT MAY BE CONVIENENT, BUT A NOTEPAD AND PENCIL WORK FOR ME.

[allenlook]

As a small business owner, I'd close the storefront and explain where I was, not just close the whole thing down. Just my $.02 as a customer. Certainly everyone would understand there would be a small slowdown on returning. And I certainly wouldn't complain about having 100 orders in the queue - I'd rather have 100 in my queue than have 50 put off indefinitely and the other 50 served by my competition...

Paying attention to what is convenient for your customers, and what drives customer loyalty, is what makes a big business out of a small business. Conversely, ignoring it can make a small business into a closed business.

Unfortunately, pencil and paper don't work for me - I travel extensively and have to find things and place orders in the few spare moments I have. Lord only knows where the pencil and paper would be in the brief time I might next have to find the parts, re-type in the part numbers and prices, and submit the order. A wish list would be far more convenient for me, and would probably triple the amount I would spend at this one store alone.

Additionally, the store owner could match parts to the wish lists and alert customers when parts they wished to have were next in stock. This would help them decide what to part out next and it would increase inventory turnover immensely. Customer service would go up, and response time would be faster as they would be parting out things that are wanted now, not just parting everything out and stocking everything in the hopes it is currently in demand.

The argument that these are one-off parts also does not stand if the wish list could be by IH part number or by common description - I'd like the ability to add any part to my wish list whether it's currently in stock or not, and be alerted the next time it becomes available. That would probably quadruple the amount of money I would spend because it would be so convenient it would be worth it...

[THOM]

I HAVE BEEN ORDERING FROM TM FOR TWO AND 1/2 YEARS WITHOUT PROBLEMS. YOU ARE ASKING THAT HE BE YOUR MEMORY I DON'T THINK THAT IS WHY HE IS IN BUSINESS MY LOCAL WALMART DOES'NT HAVE A WISH LIST ,I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I WANT WHEN I GO THERE . I DON'T THINK YOU ARE BEING FAIR TO TM. AS FAR AS LETTING PEOPLE KNOW HE POSTS THAT ON HIS WEBSIGHT, LIKE RED POWER , KINZERS AND A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. I DON'T FEEL ANYONE NEEDS TO EXPLAIN ANY BETTER. I WOULD RATHER WAIT A WEEK TILL HE OPENS BACKUP THAN TO PLACE A ORDER THAT I WON'T GET ANYWAY TILL THEY OPEN .THERE HAS BEEN A TIME OR TWO I PLACED ORDERS AT OTHER PLACES AND IT TAKES THEM TWO WEEKS TO BE DELIVERED SO I WILL STICK TO BUYING FROM TM AND GET IT IN A DAY OR TWO. I DON'T REALLY SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I TRAVEL FROM TIME TO TIME AND I USE A SMALL TAPE RECORDER SO I DON'T FORGET THINGS THAT MAY WORK WELL FOR YOU.

[allenlook]

Thom,

Your CAPS LOCK key appears to be stuck or missing. I suggest a liberal application of Kroil - it will make your posts appear less like yelling.

I didn't say I had problems ordering, and you're not really going to be able to tell me what works for me... I'm expressing my opinion, and I'm expressing what I'd like to see on the TM site. I don't travel from time to time, I travel a majority of the time... But that's not the point.

And yes, Wal*Mart does have a wish list... As does Harbor Freight and all the other websites that I frequent. And my point stands that those are the sites where I spend the vast majority of my money because it is easier for me - the customer. I would like to see TM succeed because I enjoy doing business there and because Tom is a good guy and has bent over backwards for me, but I would enjoy it more with some features that helped me spend money there. It's not a crime to tell a business how they can help you - in fact many businesses spend a lot of money trying to find out what their customers want...

TM does not have to put up a wishlist, and I am not criticizing them for not doing so, but I AM saying that I would spend more money there if they DID. What works for you works for you - I'm not looking for speculative suggestions about what would work for me - I already made the determination of what I need, tied it to a clear benefit for the supplier, and expressed it in my original post.

[THOM]

WE COULD GO ON WITH THIS BUT I CHOOSE NOT TO. HAVE A GREAT DAY!!! IN FACT A GOOD WEEK

[allenlook]

Okey doke. You too.

[beaconlight]

You guys miss the point of closing when you are selling one of a kind items. He can't restock. Three people order the 1 part and it is the only one he has the situation gets worse than bad. Tom is very conscious of his customers needs and will not sell a bad part if there is any way to avoid it. He magnifluxes blocks before he offers them for sale is one of the lengths he goes to.

Bill

[allenlook]

Ordering would require a shopping cart, and I agree with you (and TM) wholeheartedly that it's not a fit.

A wish list lets you keep a list of items that you'd *like* to purchase should they become available. It helps you keep track of what you need, even if you are reminded of it while you're in Shanghai, and it would help Tom see who wants what.

If twenty people wanted doohickeys, I might spend my day parting out doohickeys and my cash flow would be immediate. If I didn't know what people wanted or needed next, I might spend my day parting out dooflangles, and have to wait a while to sell them.

[Brandon Webb]

I think the wish list is a good Idea. If I know someone needs something I will try to contact them and tell them I have it for sale. It's called Hustling to make a buck. If you tell a business you need a Q coded part and he buys a Q coded tractor , I think that they should call you first. Thanks

[Harold R]

Perhaps Tom ran a hedge fund in the late '90's and made millions.......and he just has the side business for fun???? Who knows??

It seems to be a sucessful site. I have E-MAILED him before with a wish list.......and within a day, he gets back to me with what he has....and what he doesn't. I know he doesn't like to sell something he can't guarantee.
If he was out to make a quick buck, he could just part out cubs and e-bay it. Tom has found a niche, and delivers good quality parts at a fair price.
I'm a very happy customer. What ever he misses in sales due to an absence of a "shopping cart", I bet he makes up in the lack of returned items.

[Patbretagne]

Just to throw a fraction of a €uro in to the ring, on top of the wish list or not situation, isn't there illness in the family? Tom's mum I think. I know it doen't change whether a wish-list or not.
How is Mum Tom?
Pat

[beaconlight]

I was talking to him and she was coming along ok at the time. Been a week or twoso I don't have current info.

bill

[allenlook]

Not a shopping cart HR, a wish list. There's a big difference.

With a wish list, there is no payment clearing, no personal information, no transactions to worry about, no "one-off" part concerns, and no server-side administration. But there is a heck of a convenience for customers, and visibility into what they want.