Re: [Harp-L] Harp Depot

[Ken Deifik <kenneth.d@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> If a business sells to (let's say) 886 customers and 6 get stung, that 
> leaves 880.

But a business where the 6 can speak to the 880 with the click of a button, 
and where the 880 can go elsewhere, had better do some more math.

I am talking through my hat somewhat, but I've read over and over again 
about how merchants who can stand to lose six customers like that thrived 
in a time when the customer had 'imperfect information'.

Harp-l improves our information as customers with choices substantially, 
has this weekend anyway.

I STILL want to moderate my judgement of Harp Depot, I still want to 
believe that they're going to make good.  Making good, along with an 
apology - that rather than perfection is all we can expect.

I am especially excited about the idea that as a group we may well be 
exerting pressure on Harp Depot to simply become a better citizen of the 
harmonica community.  I'd rather see more companies selling harmonicas than 
fewer.

But unless our community represents a tiny subset of their customer base, 
and it may well, then our community represents a SUBSTANTIAL part of their 
customer base, and they have gotten in a bad odor with alot of us this 
weekend.  People have read their policy pages pretty carefully this weekend 
and reported back to the rest of us.  Those words sound pretty honest and 
straightforward to me.  They appear to admit that they may or may not work 
hard for you as a customer.  That's a really unique policy statement.  It's 
honest, but it doesn't make me want to give them my business.  I'm glad 
they're nice guys, but sheesh.

Zebulon's new post just makes them look that much worse.

In the end, as long as there is more than one place to buy harps one the 
internet, I'm going to give my business to the vendors that treat their 
customers as well as I try to treat mine.

I will repeat my experience with Harp House.  I ordered a harp that they 
said was available.  They got back to me a couple of days later to tell me 
that they had made a mistake, that it was not available, would I like to 
purchase something else or simply cancel my order.  I canceled my order 
without any problem.  They also apologized.

Then three months later, out of the blue, I won $450 worth of merchandise 
in their summer giveaway, simply because I was still in their database.

THAT'S how to compete when the customer has excellent information.

Ken