As a customer what is acceptable to you?

[CausticUrbanCoast]

Don’t know what you’re insinuating. I’m a commercial farmer, not a family farmer. The family farm is dead in my area. I farm property I own and rent. I own 2 companies and corporations. I follow any/all regulations set forth for all my employees. I see no abuses of employees anywhere in my area, be it industry, service or agriculture. Interestingly, I just interviewed a potential employee who was a carpenters union member.

Restaurants and farms are the last bastion of legal child labor, yeah it is usually family. Every year they try to close those loopholes so that kids can sit on their phones instead of learning skills.

One day they will be fully reprogrammed and ready to "monitor" the robots doing their jobs at stupid wages. Maybe we will all turn back into oozing puddles of mush before they send us into space. .. or the robots can farm us for energy!

If you are a commercial farmer you must be doing a good job! Most have to supplement the other way these days in order to keep the farm.

Your employees are lucky to have you if you are treating them that well.

Unions are definitely not for everyone, certainly was not for me. They have their place, just as the private sector does, and both are potentially as dysfunctional as the other!

Ironically a lobby group is another form of a union, right or wrong, they are also just as bad, however that right to repair battle? That is a united effort for a single cause.

Unions/lobbies are one of the singularly best and worst things to be invented by the USA! However, they reflect the largest core of the group they represent, good or bad.

The politics sucks, and so do the people that create those politics only to turn around and complain about them to everyone who listens at every chance they get, all the while collecting those benefits. An ass is an ass whether there are in a union or not, the union is not to blame - look at me, I am an ass and it is not the unions fault.

 

[Torvy]

I guess I get just as frustrated at people blaming manufacturers for problems that are directly the fault of politicians. Maybe instead of telling us or the OEM, people should take their message to those who created this mess.

I also understand why a relatively new company has to get money up front. They don't have years of residual reinvestment (savings or slush funds) to build and sell. Instead, they have to sell and build to order. Sadly, if it was not for the current situation, some of those companies would no longer need to sell first. In time, those who make good stuff will grow out of that need.

 

[Frankenkubota]

Have you ever owned a business - put your hard earned money down and started something?

If not, you should. Try your ideas and see how it goes.


MoKelly

man, i was holding back.

i've been in big time unions, i've worked in manufacturing both on the line and in the office. Ive worked in non union shops. I've been a grunt and i've been the boss. I've started and owned 3 businesses, i've had employees. i was in the defense electronics business and know about dealing with uncle sam and all the hard working go getters in govt employment.

and best of all, because of my real life, real time experiences ....i got a phd in human nature. i wouldn't ever have another employee or partner nor would i own a business that required them....EVER!

 

[jjp8182]

Instead, they have to sell and build to order. Sadly, if it was not for the current situation, some of those companies would no longer need to sell first. In time, those who make good stuff will grow out of that need.

True. Though storage space costs money as well, as does the additional handling to put things into, and pulling them out of storage (not to mention the costs associated with keeping the inventory shiny and new looking so the customers don't complain about faded/chipped paint, etc. ....and in generally working order while in storage).

Those challenges associated with keeping things "on a shelf" at a large scale and medium (months) to long (years) term generally isn't trivial. It's even less so if it's open air storage in an environment that will degrade the product (e.g. steels & other corrodible metals in coastal areas). Fancier storage methods can offset some of the product degradation problems, but in turn they have their own additional costs.

So given those cost have to be paid for somewhere & in some way the appeal of custom/just-in-time manufacturing starts to become appreciable (no matter the size of the company) - despite it carry the risk of being out of stock and experiencing delays in production should the "unexpected" happen.

......which in some/many regards would be where a healthy used-market could/can act as a non-manufacturer-affiliated "warehouse" & "distributor" (though there are some manufacturer's that will either buy-back or otherwise assist in re-selling a product they've previously sold).

 

[IndyJay]

True. Though storage space costs money as well, as does the additional handling to put things into, and pulling them out of storage (not to mention the costs associated with keeping the inventory shiny and new looking so the customers don't complain about faded/chipped paint, etc. ....and in generally working order while in storage).

Those challenges associated with keeping things "on a shelf" at a large scale and medium (months) to long (years) term generally isn't trivial. It's even less so if it's open air storage in an environment that will degrade the product (e.g. steels & other corrodible metals in coastal areas). Fancier storage methods can offset some of the product degradation problems, but in turn they have their own additional costs.

So given those cost have to be paid for somewhere & in some way the appeal of custom/just-in-time manufacturing starts to become appreciable (no matter the size of the company) - despite it carry the risk of being out of stock and experiencing delays in production should the "unexpected" happen.

......which in some/many regards would be where a healthy used-market could/can act as a non-manufacturer-affiliated "warehouse" & "distributor" (though there are some manufacturer's that will either buy-back or otherwise assist in re-selling a product they've previously sold).

In addition to the above, the seller alos has to pay TAXES on their Inventory in most states. This alone is often enough reason to order on request rather than keeping in stock. Also explains the year-end sales that we used to see a lot more frequently than we do now.

 

[Bearsixty7]

In addition to the above, the seller alos has to pay TAXES on their Inventory in most states. This alone is often enough reason to order on request rather than keeping in stock. Also explains the year-end sales that we used to see a lot more frequently than we do now.

This is a rule/law that needs to be eliminated. The Gov. makes their money on the sales tax when the items sell and that should be all.

 

[MoKelly]

man, i was holding back.

i've been in big time unions, i've worked in manufacturing both on the line and in the office. Ive worked in non union shops. I've been a grunt and i've been the boss. I've started and owned 3 businesses, i've had employees. i was in the defense electronics business and know about dealing with uncle sam and all the hard working go getters in govt employment.

and best of all, because of my real life, real time experiences ....i got a phd in human nature. i wouldn't ever have another employee or partner nor would i own a business that required them....EVER!

I hear you man.

But - it’s not possible in my business.

We have 25 high school/college age type jobs and 10 pro jobs.

Fortunately we have enough hard working kids available. Pro level jobs - not do much.

MoKelly

 

[Solitary Man]

I guess it all depends on what price you’ll sell your soul for money.
I don’t talk tough, but I’m tough enough to cut it on my own, without a bunch of crooks speaking for me and giving me bennies so I’ll vote for them.

I put no price on my freedom and let no man speak for me, even when he offers me money.

Good for you.

 

[Frankenkubota]

I hear you man.

But - it’s not possible in my business.

We have 25 high school/college age type jobs and 10 pro jobs.

Fortunately we have enough hard working kids available. Pro level jobs - not do much.

MoKelly

i've had wonderful employees, can't say the same for partners.

problem in a small sole proprietor type business is it only takes one or two problems to sink the ship.

 

[MoKelly]

i've had wonderful employees, can't say the same for partners.

problem in a small sole proprietor type business is it only takes one or two problems to sink the ship.

Well - what can I say - my business partner has always been my wife.

So, all has been good.

But, there have been one or two problems we’ve encountered over the 29 years we’ve been married!

MoKelly