Mary wrote:
LOL!!!!!

Im embarrassed for you david

The feeling is mutual, Mary.

David Klasfeld wrote:
Again, there's just no real benefit to selling through an online-only merchant. If our customers have the option of getting their product in person through the vendor (ie. local distribution), it's another story entirely.

Actually, there is.  Since I have only one pro store in my vicinity, and a handful of theater supply shops, I do most of my shopping online.  Brick and mortar is nice, but so few brands I'm actually interested in can be found near me for me to play with them.  So, my options are pretty limited.  What I do, and I'm sure many in "lesser" markets do the same, I choose who to buy from based on the following:

1)  Product availability - is it in stock?
2)  Product price - and I add shipping in there too.  Do I have to buy more to get free shipping, and do I see anything else that I would actually want to buy to reach that threshold?
3)  Quantity of available products that I want/need - if I'm looking for several items to buy, does this store carry all or even most of what I want?
4)  Store reputation - do they ship quickly, and are the products intact when received?  What's customer feedback on service when there's issues?

See, if a store has everything or nearly everything I want, even if the price is a tiny bit higher, I will buy from them.  If I find that their reputation is bad, or they burned me before, they are scratched off my list.  I go to the next potential "one-stop shop".  If I have to get a couple items from Place A, and a couple more from Place B, and onsies at Places C, D, and E, then I'm wasting money.

Makeup Mania was, once upon a time, "that store", but they seriously screwed up an order of mine, and dozens of others I am aware of (just look at the BBB report), so they are scratched from my list.  Mary is doing a great thing by taking over that market, and by keeping her customers happy. 

Anyone in NYC and L.A. has the option of brick and mortar stores in abundance, and I would recommend that option if you have it.  But when you don't, online stores are awesome.

David Klasfeld wrote:
Again, there's just no real benefit to selling through an online-only merchant. If our customers have the option of getting their product in person through the vendor (ie. local distribution), it's another story entirely.

good luck convincing my customers to get into their car, spend $5.00 to $10.00 in gas at least....Park in NY or California, go into a makeup supply store where very few real artists work to answer questions and buy products....  Wake up to the year 2007 almost 2008..... wake up to the internet, it is the wave of the future and thats how people shop now, even the big supply chains now that, they are selling on line....  Its a silly debate actually.  Call the manufacturers of products I carry and ask them who their number one buyer is.... brace yourself for the answer..

David Klasfeld wrote:
While I appreciate your feedback EmElle, since Mary pays to advertise on your site, your opinion is hardly unbiased. We're very confident in our policies, but thanks for your concern.

you have your own line of cosmetics....how unbiased can you be when it comes to what other companies put in their products?  you go on and on about silicone in airbrush products in order to promote your own water base formula....thats the only reason....  this is not a safety issue, this is a sales issue   PERIOD!  the same with the "visiora is going out of business" debate that you lost, that was intended to make people believe I was selling dated products... you did all of this trying to come across unbiased which you of course are not.   So maybe we shouldn't discuss money driven biases?

Mary

"When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber."  ~ Sir Winston Churchill

David Klasfeld wrote:
While I appreciate your feedback EmElle, since Mary pays to advertise on your site, your opinion is hardly unbiased. We're very confident in our policies, but thanks for your concern.

I have shopped that way long before Mary had a store.  I shop that way in brick and mortar stores too - like grocery shopping.  I hate store hopping.  I time my Costco/Trader Joe runs so that I hit both stores at the same time (they are in the same parking lot).  I choose a more standard grocery store because it's in the same parking lot as my mailbox.  In fact, I hate shopping in general.  Anyone who knows me, knows that, so I make my shopping trips count.  If I have to go to the mall, I wait until there are several things I need.  Makeup and hair shows are great, because they feed my need for one-stop shopping.

Mary wrote:
you go on and on about silicone in airbrush products in order to promote your own water base formula....thats the only reason....  this is not a safety issue, this is a sales issue   PERIOD!

Wrong. This is no doubt what you've assumed, because you make the mistake of assuming everyone thinks like you do. But I'm sure I don't have to tell you what happens when you assume - I have a feeling you've heard that one before.