I applaud Jon Owens for wanting to rid the world of the scourge of
paper catalogs (“Let’s Make A Deal, December 2007). They are cumbersome
and time consuming, and are also one of the things that actually
differentiate me from the other guys. I detest them as they only help
in look-up 10 to 15 percent of the time and that is usually when the
retailers send the customer to me. What makes me, an old-school
dinosaur independent, better than them is I learned to do research 38
years ago at the feet of two masters and still apply that ability today
though usually with a buyers guide or specification guide. I abhor
catalogs but find them a necessary evil. The customer comes in after he
has already been to all the retailers plus the other independents in
town, holding a bearing cup and cone with no rollers and a seal that
most of the time is in shreds and if I have my calipers and
specification book he will leave happy. All of my competitors send the
customer to me when they give up. I couldn’t make it without that 10 to
15 percent.
I feel I must also inform you that all my counter terminals are
Internet capable with the fastest DSL service and every manufacturer
that has catalog online is a favorite. But I still can’t get everything
we need there. I haven’t had a traditional catalog rack in almost 10
years. Not a day goes by that someone doesn’t have to drag a paper
catalog out.
One of my countermen had the catalogs out the other day and after about
five minutes I came out of the office and asked if he could use some
help. I knew he was desperate. The customer had been to the other five
stores in town looking for a water pump for a 4-cylinder Ford marine
engine and none were able to help. They couldn't find it in the
computer or the paper catalog. When I told my man to get in the
computer and look it up for a ‘68 Nova 4-cylinder, the customer
objected and said the engine had Ford on it. I replied as
diplomatically as possible that I couldn’t help what the engine said,
that was a GM pump laying on my counter, we identified it after the
lookup from the online photo, had to order it and the customer was very
happy to get it the next day. How is modern technology going to
overcome this type of challenge? All of the computer smarts and paper
catalog expertise in the world can’t solve all issues.
I agree that we need to phase out paper catalogs. I also shudder at
being unable to be better than the other guys if we all share the
identical technology. That’s why I train my people to use the old
tools, just in case.
Lee Greene-Owner
Greene's Auto Parts
Winder, Ga.