Discontinued! Grr!

WillowTheWhisp · 26-01-2005, 21:43

Why on earth is it that shops/manufacturers discontinue things which are successful?

Just over a year ago I bought some bath edging seal as part of a plan to redo the bathroom. The job was a bit daunting as it involved re-adjusting the bath in it's location which in turn involved removing the curved panel (it's a corner bath) which is cracked and I couldn't track down a replacement and was afraid it would break altogether once removed so I wasn't going to start the job until I could see a way to complete it properly.

Recently Busman undertook the job and was making progress until it came to the final stage of sealing the bath edge (between bath and wall tiles) and we could do with a bit extra.

The system itself was a brilliant one, with corner fitments and end plugs and no mitreing required. We were just short of a bit of the sticky stuff to go on the back. Went back to Homebase where I originally bought it and where at the time they had had a whole range of the stuff in different colours etc only to find that it has now been discontinued and in its place is the stupid plastic on a roll type thing that Betterware sells and which a friend of mine has been spitting feathers at because it won't stick!

The system I bought is/was excellent and we shall use it despite not having enough sticky stuff, we'll use silicon instead, because it is far superior to the replacement.

chav1 · 26-01-2005, 22:52

if you boufght it from a shop dont take their word for it that its no longer obtainable they usualy tell you this because they are too lazy to try looking for you

if you know the manufacturer of your product try using google to trak them down and either email them or phone and ask if they can hel you out

they may have some old stock lying around

Acrylic-bob · 27-01-2005, 05:58

It used to be the case that businesses made money by anticipating and supplying the needs of their customers. Now it seems that most retail businesses, particularly the large and ubiquitous chains, view their customers as a troublesome necessity to be humoured for exactly the length of time it takes to get their money off them and no further. The days of the independent retailer who was knowlegeable and passionate about his business are fading into memory, undercut and overtaken by the bland disinterest of the "one size fits all" school of business. We are all the poorer for this sad and sorry state of affairs, and also largely to blame for it .

WillowTheWhisp · 27-01-2005, 07:35

How are we to blame for it? Is it a case of apathy and simply accepting this state of affairs? I admit that I grumble about it but I'm at a loss to know how to change anything. We need a revolution!

It annoys me too that when you ask an "assistant" in many large stores they look at you as if you are a Martian speaking in a lesser known dialect. Heaven forbid that you should ask about screws or nails in a hardware store. I remember once asking for something in B&Q and being informed by one of the staff that "we don't do nuffink like that" only to discover a whole shelf devoted to the product on doing a tour of the store.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

if you boufght it from a shop dont take their word for it that its no longer obtainable they usualy bull**** because they are too lazy to try looking for you

if you know the manufacturer of your product try using google to trak them down and either email them or phone and ask if they can hel you out

they may have some old stock lying around

Alas Chav, according to the packaging Homebase were the manufacturers. It was an "own product"

Wez · 27-01-2005, 08:50

I know how you feel Willow, I also am a victim of this sinister corporate practise..

My local off license have stopped the deal on lager (10 cans for a fiver)

I'm gutted

vorlon24 · 27-01-2005, 08:53

I have found Homebase to be particularly unhelpful and obstructive when it comes to asking for help.

If you go to the enquiry desk, there will normally be 3 or 4 members of staff milling around, and you won't even be acknowledged with a 'we'll see you in a minute'.

I have walked out in disgust on a couple of occasions, and we only ever go there as a last resort now because the service there is so dire.

Acrylic-bob · 27-01-2005, 09:50

>> How are we to blame for it? <<

Because, by responding to the glitz and glamour of their advertising campaigns we have allowed ourselves to be seduced into thinking that they are able to satisfy all our needs, and in doing so have turned our backs on independent retailers. With the end result that the only show in town is now controlled by the likes of Asda, Dixons, WHS Smith, etc.etc. The little guy cannot compete when the big boys want all of the market, As Wardleworth's found out when Asda decided it wanted to sell books too. So the breadth of Wardleworth's stock is now replaced by Asda's twenty or thirty bestsellers. If you want a decent range of books you now have to go to either Preston or Manchester. (Don't even mention WHS Smith)

simon · 27-01-2005, 10:22

>>How are we to blame for it?<<

In addition to what A-bob has rightly pointed out, we are all to blame because how many times have we gone into a specialised store, eg "Garth Dawsons" got to know "what is what" of the knowledgable staff and then gone and bought the item £3 cheaper from dixons or internet....... Yes you may say "why not" Because if we looked ahead the reason that it was £3 dearer is because they know what they are on about.. By supporting the "know nothings but cheap" stores, that is what we are going to end up with, and nothing else..

Mick · 27-01-2005, 11:08

The stuff your after willow is sold in Wilkinsons have a look

WillowTheWhisp · 27-01-2005, 11:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick

The stuff your after willow is sold in Wilkinsons have a look

No Mick, the stuff they sell isn't the stuff I mean.

However I can now hold my hand up and say "not guilty" to the charge of being to blame because I actually used to buy my books at Wardleworths and on many occasions have put in special orders. When supermarkets were given the go-ahead to undercut the prices of books I was deeply dismayed.

I'm also a customer at Garth Dawsons.