Rockler Rockler Rockler Mayday Rant

Ranting is good and your points are well taken – sort of.

Unfortunately, catalogues don’t get compiled and printed overnight and stock levels always change. So I would have to say “Give these guys a break” for now. At least your order is placed and you will get the stuff as soon as everyone else.

I’m fortunate in some ways – I have a Rockler store just 65 miles south (in Seattle) and I just nip in when I need something. Most things are on the shelf.

Good luck!

-- Captain Bruce, Washington State

Sometimes I’ll get their catalog which lists their sales. Without fail about 75% of the stuff I’m looking to get is out of stock in the store. I don’t understand why they don’t overstock the sale items in the catalog prior to the sale. I feel like it’s just a ploy to get people into the store.

-- "hold fast to that which is good"

I have a Craftsman sign router kit that you can have FREE for shipping.
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us

Rockler is not a super deep pockets kind of company. The store are all independent operators. I work about 10 minutes or so from Rockler’s HQ and the local franchises here don’t have everything either.

Bruce is right, catalogs are planned well ahead of time and any disruption in supply or miscalculation of needed stocking levels can lead to shortages.

I don’t pretend to know what’s going on internally at Rockler, but I did have my own small business a few years ago. It was difficult to justify hanging on to stocking levels above and beyond my immediate needs because I could always get more from my wholesalers in a relatively short period of time. The problem with that way of operating is that I am left at the mercy of my suppliers. Any hiccups from them (and there was always something) was reflected in my business.

It would not surprise me in the least if Rockler has the same issues.

-- "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." - Mark Twain