A Short Rant About Getting Magazines About Pipes in Mail!

[drwatson]

Other day I received a new catalog/magazine in the mail. Was very excited, went right to the throne room to enjoy and take a look at. Seen several items that I wanted to order, went right to the laptop to stock up. To my surprise, Backordered, Backordered, Backordered...I mean come on! If your going to take the time to take pictures and include it in your flyer, at least have the stuff in stock!! :twisted:

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

I have to say that I agree with you! I got my P&C magazine a few months ago and saw some nice looking pipes on special and singled one out I'd really love to have only to find out they're sold out of all but one model that I wouldn't buy.
Tobacco can be the same way and is slightly disappointing. I can understand that you want to sell stuff online, but don't put it in a catalog that will be sold out by the time we get it. What if you choose NOT to shop or buy online? You'd just always be screwed, and not in a good way.

 

[ashdigger]

I just toss my P&C catalog in the trash.

 

[mso489]

That's a problem with a paper catalog in the snail mail in the age of online retail, it's true. However, loving paper as I do, and liking pipes and tobacco a lot, and retiring to the throne once or twice a day myself, I have to say, I enjoy a chance to refresh my knowledge of the constituent tobaccos in various blends and the details of the various series in different brands of pipes, whether they are as available as the catalog suggests or not. Pipe porn. Also, nice reading for bedtime when I'm too bleary brained to read anything demanding but want to ease into pipe dreams instead.

 

[mikethompson]

Exactly right Tom, by the time the print catalog gets to you, its been sold out for weeks due to online sales.

 

[morgansteele]

I enjoy the P&C catalog. It's put together well, but it is unfortunate that things sell out so quickly online in the so called space age.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I just toss my P&C catalog in the trash.

That one and the Iwan Ries catalog. They don't accurately reflect their inventory.

 

[scloyd]

I enjoy flipping thru the catalog...then it gets tossed in the recycle bin.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I have a solution. Upon receipt, immediately throw it in the trash can.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

So what's the point then? It just happened again! I just thumbed through the one I got Friday, saw a little Savinelli Pietro, pouch tin of St. James Perique, a tool and cleaners for $100,and just went to buy one...yep, sold out already.
I do like to browse the selections and see what's out there. Sometimes that's just nicer to me than not even knowing what to search for on a website or know when something lands that I might want. I hate feeling as though I missed the boat.

 

[mso489]

I use the catalogs for window shopping and studying up on blends. When I get serious about buying something, I go online to see what they actually have. Still like the paper catalogs. The catalogs take this into account to some degree, frequently omitting details and essentially referring you to the online page without specifically saying so.

 

[3rdguy]

Considering the cost I do not mind them.

 

[mcitinner1]

I don't look at them as much as I used to anymore. Mostly they go in the recycling bin.

 

[drwatson]

I have been stalking those Casey Jones blends for months now. And seen they have Mark Twain in a tub now. But alas backordered forever

 

[warren]

Guess I'm lucky not buying pipes via mail. And, no one is ever out of the blase, mundane tobaccos I smoke regularly. IRC has never been out of 3 Star Blue or Balkan Supreme.
There's a lot of time between shooting the photos and shipping a catalog to consumers. A lot of inventory can be moved during writing, shooting, editing, paste-up, proofing, correcting, reproofing, printing and mail-out. I suppose some vendors also print items based on promises from suppliers which are unfilled when the catalog mails. Retail is tough!

 

[judcole]

They're fun to look at. I enjoy looking at nice pipes.

 

[jacks6]

I just toss my P&C catalog in the trash.

^^^ This. I'd rather prefer them to take me off of the list.

 

[cortezattic]

I don't mind receiving catalogs in the mail. "Backordered" is better than discontinued.

If an item on sale is backordered the company honors the sale price anyway, so all's well.
When I'm through with the catalog it goes into the magazine rack at my doctor's office. :lol:

 

[pipestud]

There's a lot of time between shooting the photos and shipping a catalog to consumers. A lot of inventory can be moved during writing, shooting, editing, paste-up, proofing, correcting, reproofing, printing and mail-out. I suppose some vendors also print items based on promises from suppliers which are unfilled when the catalog mails. Retail is tough!-Warren

Plus one on what Warren said! - I thoroughly enjoy going through every issue of my P&C magazine (as well as every issue of the very few mags and flyers regarding our hobby that are still being printed). Kudos to all of them for taking the time and expense to keep our hobbyists informed and entertained. I do believe that they are giving us their best efforts and that's sure good enough for me.

 

[samuelgawith01]

I like the catalogues.I can always check other websites or B&M stores if this or that product is out of stock.