Free Shipping and Handling

[Eamonn]

Seems that our National Office has found out how to send E-mails.

I received one yesterday with a code for free shipping and handling for Scout Stuff on any order over $25.00.

I like free.

But our Council depends on the income from sales in the tiny little Scout Shop it runs.

As a rule I pick up whatever I have ordered.(They never seem to have what I need in stock!!)

If I know what I want I can E-mail the Lady who runs the store at any time. If she has any questions she either calls or E-mails me back. She orders it and I don't pay any S&H. Very often if someone comes in the store and is passing my house, she will give it to them to give to me.

If National takes away all the business,I'm not sure what will happen to her job?

Most times I only pick up a couple of things. But what will happen when I need a couple of patches or the local Troop needs a few Merit Badges, if the store closes?

The nearest National Store is in Pittsburgh, 45 miles away and the Tolls on the Turnpike cost more than any shipping and handling.

I deleted the code.

Eamonn.

[FireKat]

Shopping on the 'net vs. going to a store.

 

Net: no salesperson to hassel you

The store: a friendly face to help you. And in our Scout Shop someone who remembers you an will discuss things (if not too busy).

 

Net: try to think what that widge you need is called. Time lost staring at a screen.

Store: walk around to reconize what you need. Maybe find something else you need or want by accident.

 

Net: enter all the required information needeed to make purchase. Reenter when make a typo. Repeat X times.

Store: Chat with casher as they finalize your purchase (cash/checks work well here)

 

Net: Wait for package to come. Will you be home to recieve it? Will it get left on the porch in the rain? Will the dog chew it up?

Store: Grab your bag. Say a few more things to the store clerk as you head home with what you wanted and maybe a few goodies too.

 

For me, I prefer the store. More friendly and less chance of having to return something that does not resemble the pretty picture you saw.

 

I belive in small town/neighborhood values.

 

Take time to stop and smell the roses

[scoutldr]

I thought I read a while back, that with the advent of on-line ordering from Scoutstuff.org, your local council shop now gets the "credit" for the sale. What that means exactly I don't know, but apparently that was the sticking point with bringing online ordering a reality.

[click23]

I found this on my coucils website

 

http://www.bsa-gsmc.org/store/index.htm

 

Here is the link to national site with my councils banner at the top, you might want to try and change the 557 to you coucils number, some of the randoms I put in worked

 

http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/?cncl=557

[Narraticong]

Our council shop became a National Shop in the past year. There's more stuff there, but they always seem to be out of what I need "It's on order...". Also, all of the cool localized patches are now gone. The only thing left are the same old generic national patches.