‘Tis The Season To Be Wary

Posted on by Jeff Posted in branding, customer service, good business ideas — No Comments ↓
spokesperson for goodbuyguys.com

spokesperson for goodbuyguys.comI’m listening to a Wall Street Journal podcast about counterfeit merchandise, and am reminded that Christmas is high season for the sale of counterfeit batteries.

Importers and unscrupulous retailers can dramatically boost their bottom line by taking a low quality battery and rebranding/repainting it with the graphics from a more expensive brand.

It can be difficult to spot a counterfeit, but here are a few clues.

All major battery manufcaturers (Duracell, Procell, Everready, etc.) always include an expiration date printed directly on the battery.  Counterfeits often don’t include this info so that the product will have a longer perceived shelf life

Quality painting on a round surface is an expensive process.  Batteries that have a brand name but low resolution graphics are probably bogus.

Major manufacturers control their distribution chain carefully.  It is highly unlikely that someone selling batteries on a street corner in a large city is part of this chain.  Batteries sold this way are usually counterfeits.

Counterfeit batteries will not only have a shorter life than the real thing, but are more prone to leak acid which can quickly destroy expensive electronics and can be a serious health hazard if it gets on your skin or in your eyes.

Legitimate branded batteries are more expensive for a good reason.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. We are prod to feature extension cords from Hosatech.  Our Duracell Procell batteries are the real thing and we sell them “Satisfaction Guaranteed”.

Tagged with: , ,

A Good Extension Cord Is Forever

Posted on by Jeff Posted in extension cords — No Comments ↓
spokesperson for harrisonbros.com

tex talks about extension cords-buyextensioncord.comAs I began to dig through Christmas decorations in the garage, i was struck by how much I just decided to throw away.  Strings of twinkle lights are tough to untangle, almost impossible to fix when a lamp burns out and much less efficient than new led lamps.  They just aren’t worth the time it takes to fix them and new ones are really inexpensive.  Out they go.

The only constant in 30+ years of outdoor decorating is my extension cords.  I have many that date back to the 1970’s and they are as functional and useful as the day they were bought.  The only real change, based on the price of copper, is that now they are worth a small fortune.

A little extension cord care can mean that a well made extension cord can last a lifetime.

Proper coiling, storing in a dry place out of sunlight and keeping the cable away from sharp objects is all it takes.

Click here to watch a video on proper cable coiling.

Click here for some tips on extension cord care.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. We are proud to feature extension cords from Hosatech.

Tagged with: ,

Customer Service – It’s Not About “Nice” Anymore

Posted on by Jeff Posted in customer service — No Comments ↓

Lately, it seems that we are having to spend just about as much time managing relationships with our suppliers as we spend with our customers.  It shouldn’t be that way, but you do what you have to do.

One of the things that always surprises me when we have issues with suppliers is how some of them seem to think that being “nice” to us, their customer, is what is really important.  That might have been the case in the day of the business lunch and the phone order, but electronic communication has pushed “nice” to the back burner, particularly when a supplier thinks that being polite can take the place of being informed.

It’s really difficult to be tough with a supplier when they think that kind words and thoughtful pauses can make up for not being able to tell me the status of my order or why i was shipped the wrong product.

What we want is information.  One of the greatest things about electronic communication is that it’s easy to set a business like tone without being compromised by someone’s attempt to “nice” their way out of a situation when they don’t have the answer you want.

In this day and age, being a good “listener” really means that you are a good reader.  We like it that way.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.

Cold Wind Blowing? Here’s The Best $6.19 Investment You Can Make!

Posted on by Jeff Posted in duct tape, good business ideas — No Comments ↓

spokesperson for goodbuyguys.comThanksgiving around here usually ushers in the first period of really cold weather. Winter may not be here yet, but you get some hints about what is around the corner.

There is no single better winter-proofing product than a roll of duct tape.  Duct tape is both sticky and malleable, so it is ideal for patching small, hard to reach air leaks.  Whether around a window, along a foundation, or in your attic, a strip or two of duct tape can quickly pay for the whole roll in heating savings.

Modern duct tape is available in lots of colors which make it much easier to match interior paint and exterior siding.

While it won’t last forever, the coating and adhesive of good quality duct tape will last the winter and the vinyl backing creates a seal that both stops air flow and repels water.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. We are your source for high quality Nashua 398 duct tape.

Tagged with:

Hey Google, How Hard Can This Be?

Posted on by Jeff Posted in customer service, good business ideas, web development — No Comments ↓

I’m a big fan of email (as opposed to phone calls or online chat) and have been a loyal user since 1985.  I understand that lots of online communications is moving to platforms like facebook, but i like the ability to edit what I have written and consider it for a minute or two before I hit the “send” button.  Maybe, I’m just showing my age.

I have spent the last hour trying to come up with a usable set up for the latest version of Google’s G Mail, and I’m getting nowhere.  How can a company as progressive and powerful as Google completely fail to understand what users want in an email platform?

Now, I realize that Google is an advertising company and I am willing to accept some ads on the G Mail screen, so a little clutter is inevitable, but I have learned to tune it out.

However, not having the ability to control how the information on the screen is organized or having a logical way to index saved emails is incredibly frustrating.

Email was never intended to be a “conversation” and Google can’t change that, no matter how hard they try.  It is the lack of immediacy that makes it so much more powerful than a chat client or a message sent from a social networking platform.

Use of valuable Google tools like Google+ and Google Adwords requires having and using a G Mail account, so simply ignoring G Mail is not a realistic option.

How about giving us the option of a straight forward and simple interface that doesn’t look different every time I log on to my account.

It’s just a suggestion.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.

Tagged with: , ,

How Low Will You Go?

Posted on by Jeff Posted in extension cords — No Comments ↓

When you have a domain like buyextensioncord.com and it includes a toll free telephone number, you get a lot of questions. Taking the time to research customer queries has been a great way to grow our business.

Today, we got a call from someone who needed extension cords to use in large walk-in freezers. The cables he was using were freezing and could no longer be coiled. It was easy to understand his problem, but not quite so easy to find the solution.

If you have ever taken the time to look closely at an extension cord, you’ll see that there is a lot of difficult-to-decipher information printed on or embossed into the cable. This information tells you what environments the cable is designed to be used in and the amount of current that it is safely rated to carry.

Putting this info directly on the cable is required if Underwriters Laboratory is going to give the item its blessing as something safe for consumers to use. Here’s a useful link to safety info from UL about extension cords and how they are rated.

In doing a little research for this customer I came across a very nice diagram of how extension cords are made and the characteristics that give each type of cable its unique rating. Here’s a link.

It turns out that the info our customer needed is included in a 3-5 digit code found on all extension cords. The code is assigned by the National Electrical Code and the data in question usually starts with the letter “S”.

If you want to know a little more, click here.

Anyway, it turns out our customer is going to need a cable with a jacket specification of SJEOW. The “O” in this code means that the cable has a thermoplastic jacket (flexible at low temperatures) and the “W” means that it is rated for outdoor use. Extension cords with this rating will remain flexible down to -45 degrees F.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords, OnStage Stand mic stands, and lots of other useful supplies for temporary power distribution.

A Seasonal Reminder from Google Alerts

Posted on by Jeff Posted in extension cords — No Comments ↓

I use the Google Alerts notification system in order to track information about our customers, products and vendors.  It’s a great time saver and turns up a lot of unexpected information.

One of my alerts is set to the search phrase “extension cord“.  Unfortunately, all too often this time of year these alerts also include the word “fire“.

Somehow, it seems that Christmas decorating and overloaded extension cords regularly make headline news.  While it’s easy to understand how this can happen, it’s also easy to prevent.

All electrical devices (including lights and powered decorations) are required to be tagged with information relating to how much power they consume.  This information is usually listed along with the term “watts”.  When you plug multiple lights or electrical decorations into an extension cord, it is necessary to add the total number of watts (also known as “current draw”) to determine what size of extension cord is called for.

If this simple arithmetic is a little daunting, there is an easier way to figure out if there is a problem.

Plug everything in, turn all the decorations on, and hold the extension cord in your hand for three or four minutes.  If the cord becomes warm to the touch, then it is overloaded.  Remove one or more of the items plugged into it and try again.

If you can’t reduce the current draw, then you need to increase the size (known as the “gauge” of the cable).  This can be a little confusing, as the smaller the gauge number, the higher the current carrying capacity of the extension cord.  That is, a 14 gauge cord has a lower current carrying capacity than a 12 gauge cord.

Finally, even if you don’t have an overloaded extension cord, running it under a rug or behind a wall can still create a fire hazard if air can’t circulate and remove any heat build up.  It should be left out in the open.

Take a minute to plan before you begin holiday decorating.  I don’t want to be reading about you in Google Alerts.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.  We’ve got lots of products that make holiday decorating easier.

‘Tis the Season…to be Scammed!

Posted on by Jeff Posted in customer service, good business ideas — No Comments ↓

Even though our national economic woes continue to depress holiday retail sales, online sales are expected to grow this year.  That’s great news if you, like we, count on internet sales to sustain and grow your business.

Still, there is a big bump in the road before online sales can really take off.  That problem is consumer concerns about security.

We get orders every day from customers who find us on the web, but then insist on calling us to place the order because they are uncomfortable with using their credit card at our web sites.

We’re happy to hear from them, of course, but  they never seem to realize that placing an order at a secure web site is much safer than giving your credit card info to a stranger over the phone.

We host and manage our own e-commerce web sites and can always assure you that you want be presented by any pop ups or phishing scams that originate from our server.

Unfortunately, if you don’t know what to look for, it is difficult to know when you are at a web site where you can make a secure purchase.

When you move from the catalog portion of one of the goodbuyguys web sites to begin an actual checkout, you will see that the “http:” part of the web address at the top of the page, changes to “https:”   That “s” means “secure“.  The “s” is an indicator that the details of your purchase will be encrypted before they are submitted over the web.

You’ll also see a tiny image of a padlock at the end of the address line.  Click on that padlock image if you want to know the details regarding who is certifying that the site is secure.

Here are some more tips to insure the security of your online purchase.

-Never provide your credit number in an email or instant message

-Use long, complicated passwords that use numbers, letters, upper case and lower case

-Purchase only from sites that have an “s” in the address line or show the padlock image

-If you have security concerns but still want to consider making a purchase, look for a phone number

-Check your credit card bill carefully every month.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.  Your security is our top concern.

Our (and your) security is certified by Usertrust.  You can read more about it here.

It’s Just Like Slamming The Door In Your Customer’s Face

Posted on by Jeff Posted in customer service, good business ideas, web development — No Comments ↓

spokesperson for goodbuyguys.comI have been trying to order some toner cartridges online for about twenty minutes.  I am ordering from a company I like, one with good prices and service.  If  I had not already had a positive experience with them, I would have moved on to another supplier long ago.  There are lots of choices.

Why is it taking twenty minutes?  Because I am a “Returning Customer”.  That’s why.

I’m sure you have had this experience.  Because I have ordered from this company before, there is an account in their customer data base associated with my email address, so they won’t let me complete the order process without logging in to the account that I did not want to create in the first place.  So far, I have requested at least six times that they email me my password, but I still haven’t received one.  If I was a new customer my order would have already been completed, but because I am showing some loyalty by placing a second order, I am stuck at the entrance and the door has been slammed in my face.

We’ve found a way around this at our own web sites which will allow you to place orders as a “guest”, no matter how many times you want to order, so we know it can be done.  Our web developer has nicknamed this “no hoops”, as in “you don’t have to jump through any hoops to place an order“. You can use the same email address every time and never be turned away because your email address is already associated with an account.

I started this blog post when I requested my password and I have now completed it and have still not received it.  \

Time to find another toner cartridge supplier.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.

The End Of “Reseller” Pricing

Posted on by Jeff Posted in customer service — No Comments ↓

A daily stop on my internet browsing journey is Seth Godin’s blog.  He teaches simple life lessons  from a business person’s point of view and he really speaks my language.  I recommend him highly.

Today  Seth’s posting deals with how a business can keep prices down by having a customer do some of the work.  This is what internet pricing is all about.  When we are able to get you to do most of the time consuming work in setting up an account (read-data entry) and processing payments (read-credit card authorization), then there are savings that can be applied to our pricing.  A more direct  route between us and our customers means a more efficient operation. Thus, a narrower profit margin is acceptable.  No need for a middle man to do any hand holding on either side of the transaction.

We get the same phone call almost every day (different caller-same script).  It always starts out “ I found you on the internet.”  “We are a reseller and I was wondering if you have reseller pricing?”  I patiently try to explain that we do have scaled pricing, but it is based on how much you buy, not who you are.  It’s not like you found us on some sort of “secret” internet.  If you found us online, then so can your customer.

By asking for “reseller pricing” you are asking me to pay you to do work that I have already done-making our company easy to find by anyone who might need our products.

Unless you can convince me that by selling through you that some sort of value is added for the end user, then we will continue to do all we can to avoid the middle man.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.

Top