Post #441628 by Tiki Shark Art on Sat, Mar 21, 2009 2:09 PM

Tipsy McStagger ~ Well, the answer is so simple. Move to Florida or California. What's so hard about that? :) No, no, I understand. I was born in a small ditch during a tornado next to a corn field in Nebraska, so I feel your Midwestern pain. I really do.

But, hey, listen. Nonsense? Let me tell you about nonsense. (steps up onto soap box) Nonsense is a commercial system that's designed to make it hard for the small guy. If I could get a large retail chain (that had stores everywhere like Target, or K-mart, or Walmart, or Costco) to order from me... don't you think I would? I'd be freaking thrilled! However, we are a very small company, and the buyers for the big chains won't even give us an interview.

(by the way, If you are, or if you happen to personally know, a buyer for beach towels for any retail chain, please give me their info and an introduction, and I promise I'll get right on it. Really!)

Every season we show our line to every distributor we can.

The hard fact is, the bigger retail chains don't order from a small manufacturer who doesn't have a track record of producing very large orders - on time, without quality issues, and at a very low cost.

We have to start at the bottom. We are slowly building our distribution base in smaller retail chains. Sometimes store by store. The good news is, each year we produce larger orders. One day with luck and hard work, we'll get in - and be everywhere. Or, we'll go down in flames like thousands of small businesses every year.

Now, (getting down off soap box) I'm seeing about getting a few boxes shipped out here to the island. Then I can sell some towels to you good and wonderful tiki tribe folks online. I will keep you posted when I get them. Okay, Tispsy, everyone, sorry. I apologize about the small business man rant. It's been a hard week. I guess I really need a mai tai.

MauiRose ~ Thanks for calling them. I'm sorry you didn't get better information. The towel shipment came into the United States through Miami: that's where the largest orders were placed. After they sort out their shipping manifests, the rest of the shipment will (or is now) being shipped to California. I thought they'd be there by now, but I guess not. Best to check with them in a few days, or a week pending any new disasters we might encounter with this step in the process.

Did I say it's been one of those kind of weeks? Sorry. Once again, I really really want to get these towels to my fellow tiki tribe members. I will check on Monday with our Shipping company and see what's going on.

Big Mahalo for your support and patience.

B~