The Liquidators

One of my sales reps who was in yesterday to pickup swatches suggested I call one of the many Store Liquidators to close out the remaining floor stock. I've seen these guys operate - they come in and write you a check for your remaining floor models, then you turn the store over to them and leave the premises Then, they crank up the ads and not only sell off your floor stock - but they also bring in numerous semi trailers of cheap furniture to sell for a period of 90 days and its a buy/sell frenzy. Consumers come because they think they are getting a hot deal and they sell you garbage so the prices can be low. The original store owner gets a cut of all the new merch sales as well on labels the store never carried! All that stuff breaks in a year or two, but then guess what - there is no one to call, they have disappeared.

I was like "So I spent 37 years making sure I carried only the best furniture in the country and these guys come in and destroy that reputation in 3 months. And I do that all to make a few more dollars?"

NO. That is not happening.

I shouldn't care, right? Bargain seekers get what they deserve, if they think The Keeping Room ever sold a $ 999 sofa or a $ 499 chair, then that's on them. its greed on both the selling and buying end of things. But let's say I want to come back, and re-open The Keeping Room a year down the road. You can't do that with a reputation that has been ruined by a Liquidator.

Integrity is more important than money. No outside Liquidators.

I have seen those types of liquidation schemes when discount stores go out of business -- like KMart or Bed Bath and Beyond. I think in those cases it's fine because it's not as if those stores had a lot of brand integrity to uphold, and they were going out of business anyway. But yes, it would be quite a mismatch to see Hancock and Moore sold next to something that looks like it came from Homegoods! (not to knock Homegoods, I shop there too)