HI aussteve and RJR-
Aussteve - thanks for visiting us at YORK and yes, it is a challenge to maintain both businesses. However, I have two additional people working for me besides my wife and myself, and that is my computer expert who also helps us out with shipping, packing, and shop incidentals, and my 'web guy', mentioned earlier who manages my site.
The new computerized inventory has helped us tremendously, and little by little, we'll be fully 100% operational. Ted had a whiz-bang computer mind (I don't!!) and he easily knew everything he had and exactly where it was.
And yes, I intend to do my level best to run Ted's business as well as he did, and if I find can't do this, I will stop. But we're quite excited about keeping Ted's legacy going.
RJR: Thanks for your reply. Let me say this: Back in the 1970s when I worked in the music business, the major record labels like RCA, Capitol, Atlantic, etc., all had a program called "loss leaders", where they sold (or gave away) their poorly-selling artists' records at a loss, but with the intention that people could simultaneously check out the other artists on the label. The idea behind the program was simply an advertising hype put to work, knowing that the stronger artists on the label would get them their profit, and get new sales to consumers that may not have seen other ads, or, may not have heard of the so-called 'better' artists.
Basically, it came down to their advertising budget; they knew they had to advertise anyway, and this seemed to be an efficient way for them to do it.
Same with the lists. I need to print them anyway, to hand them out at meets, because, yeah, there actually still are people who refuse to use computers. But they do like to spend money on trains. So, since I need to print these lists anyway, for the 50c postal charge, I can offer that service to my clients as well.
Is it more efficient and cheaper just to post it digitally on computer? Of course it is! But since I'm new to the 'screw business' I need to reach out to as many people as I can, including those without computers, to let them know I'm here! It'll be on my site shortly. But for anyone who'd like it right away, I don't mind spending the 50c to expedite it to them. I've found that most train guys who request information (unlike so many other businesses) are very serious about purchasing!
Anyway, thanks to all for reading through my little 'soap box'. I'll be sure to post a flash here on the forum as soon as the list is up on the site.
Thanks to all..
-Len Carparelli
