I went out of my way to go to a Houston boat dealership to purchase a part on 12/29. When I spoke to the parts guy, he said he couldn't sell it to me. At first, I thought he was kidding me. He then said they were in the middle of year end inventory and couldn't sell it to me. I just turned around and shook my head.

I know there are business sales procedures that I may not understand but I am sorry, this is just unacceptable. I HAVE NEVER IN MY 53 YEARS ON THIS EARTH BEEN TOLD THAT SOMEONE COULDN'T TAKE MY MONEY FOR THEIR PRODUCT.

I wonder what I would have been told if I had a $50,000 certified check in my pocket and I wanted to buy a boat?

You know where not to go next time!

What ever happened to good old "Customer Service".

Email management and voice your concerns.

I own a small business and it chaps me to no end to walk in the office close to 5:00 and hear the guys turning down jobs because it's almost closing time. We still have to eat even after 5! I'll bet management would be happy to hear this.

In this case, I think that the management of this boat delaership probably knows all about it. I have contemplated writing to the boat manufacturer this store represents,though.

Yea I think a love note to management might get some action.

As proof it works,I walked into an industrial supply store here in Tomball one time, gentleman in a cutoff t-shirt and jeans asked me if he could help me, told him I saw they had opened recently and asked for a catalog. He told me he could not give me one unless I had an account. Shoot I might have been $100K account, who knows. I emailed the corporate headquarters, received a reply from the assistant to the CEO, two days later the regional manager is at my office apologizing and delivering a catalog. I told him if he needed someone with good people skills to run that store I was available.

If it was a year end inventory, management already knew about it, because they were the ones to instigate it. The numbers derived from it have all sorts of tax implications as well as performance reports, etc. There has to be a definite cut off point and then a resumption of business, and nothing can move in or out stock between these two times. Usually there will be an auditor on site to make sure this happens. The door should have been locked with an explanation sign posted.

EXACTLY

There is something wrong with an inventory system that prevents you from buying something. Is the boat parts sales industry the only people that practice this?

Gee, I wonder which dealership you are talking about.....being sarcastic here......LOL


Way too many problems myself......

Nope..had the same thing happen to me at a Industrial Supplier..The "parts" guy even went to see if they had it, and said yes, but I would have to come back Monday..

Crazy man would have had one less part to count.

There is a marine dealer very close to me (3 miles) that I have had deals like the one you describe. I give them a chance once or twice a year because they are close and they just don't get it.

I guess they got a good thing going.

My Uncle works for Fleet Pride;

a) they have inventory every year.
b) they sells parts.
c) they sell during inventory.