Swissy
Livin' the retired life!
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2005
- Messages
- 4,612
Doc, when you ask "I thought we was pissed at Pete?" the inference is that vendors / members should be supporting a boycott of Tatuaje. If this was not what you meant to imply, I'm sure that in hind site you can see how others could come to this inference.
The problem is that when a vendor posts an event, that thread, in a sense, becomes an extension of the vendors shop. No matter how well meaning the intent, when you step into the thread and discourage customers from attending the event, or buying a featured product the impact on the manufacturer is truly minimal but it can severely hurt the vendor and his ability to provide for his/her family.
Honestly, I take no issue with anyone who chooses to boycott but if anyone were to come into your B&M and encourage customers to boycott a particular brand, especially a bread and butter brand, you'd expect the staff and management to express their displeasure and defend their right to offer that product in a very strong and decisive way.
Gentlemen, as disappointed as I am that Jim chose to express and defend himself in those particular terms, I am equally disappointed that well meaning brothers chose to express their distaste for Pete Johnson at the expense of other brothers.
Very good points Mike.
The one thing I would like to add, however, is that when you say that the thread someone starts regarding an event "becomes an extension of the vendors shop", so does the attitude and manner in which the original poster posts. And that does just as much damage towards his livelyhood, if not more. Seeing that I have not met him, shopped in his shop, or had any dealings with him in any fashion here, first impressions go a LONG ways towards building a relationship. True? And you have to admit that was a really poor first impression. With so many shops available, I have no other option in my mind that to find a shop that will treat me better. He may treat me like gold, but with what I have seen I cannot say that will be the case.
And if anyone at my local shop defended the suggestion of a boycott with the "ES&D" comment you can be damn sure I'd never shop there again. That just is NOT good business practice. And I have mentioned it to my local shop that sells a few of Pete's cigars, and they simply told me I didn't have to buy them, which is the simple truth, and easier to put up with.
again, my $.02 worth, my opinion and so on. I hope the event goes well, I hope Harpu is what everyone says, and I hope he reconsiders his comments and appeals the ban.