Companies going bankrupt/into administration

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 01 Nov 2012, 14:34

I bought a (reduced price) memory stick in PC World on Saturday!

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 01 Nov 2012, 14:57

I hear on the news that they are blaming suppliers who were demanding cash up front. Business confidence must still be low for that to happen just before the busiest time of the year.

extractorfan · Post by **extractorfan** » 01 Nov 2012, 14:59

Catweazle wrote:I hear on the news that they are blaming suppliers who were demanding cash up front. Business confidence must still be low for that to happen just before the busiest time of the year.

Ah yes, I heard that, I'd forgot. They were so reliant on paying at (or after) terms that it was like a bank suddenly taking away an overdraft.

Amazing.

mobbsey · Post by **mobbsey** » 01 Nov 2012, 15:02

Strange, but perhaps we need to look at how the 19th century temperance movement tackled "the demon drink" in order to start helping all those consuming drones to get a life

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 01 Nov 2012, 15:54

I've already given up drinking to save money!

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 01 Nov 2012, 16:09

JohnB wrote:I've already given up drinking to save money!

Homebrew ! I've got the demi-johns ( found outside a bottle bank ) for wine and will buy some beer equipment when I move.

Sugar can come from home grown beet or you can use honey to make mead.

I also bought some micro-bore copper line from a scrapyard in London, whole unused reels were being weighed in by council contractors, so I might make a still in the future.

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 01 Nov 2012, 16:19

extractorfan wrote:
Catweazle wrote:I hear on the news that they are blaming suppliers who were demanding cash up front. Business confidence must still be low for that to happen just before the busiest time of the year.
Ah yes, I heard that, I'd forgot. They were so reliant on paying at (or after) terms that it was like a bank suddenly taking away an overdraft.

Amazing.

Up until a few years ago it was quite normal to apply for a re-seller account and get 30 day terms. Then it started to be 14 days for new customers, and finally it became cash up front unless you had a long trading history with the supplier. It was very noticeable in 2007 / 2008 that wholesalers were holding less and less stock, so I guess the manufacturers were requiring the same.

Some customers really took liberties. News Internationals standard terms for payment were 60 days from the first day of the next month to when we did the work, so if we did a job early in the month it would be nearly 90 days before we got paid.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 01 Nov 2012, 16:23

Catweazle wrote:Homebrew ! I've got the demi-johns ( found outside a bottle bank ) for wine and will buy some beer equipment when I move.

I can introduce you to someone who's set up a micro-brewery in his garden shed if you like.

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 01 Nov 2012, 16:33

JohnB wrote:
Catweazle wrote:Homebrew ! I've got the demi-johns ( found outside a bottle bank ) for wine and will buy some beer equipment when I move.
I can introduce you to someone who's set up a micro-brewery in his garden shed if you like.

YES PLEASE ! Sorry, Yes Please, got a bit excited then

I'm keen.

So, that's a yes then.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 01 Nov 2012, 17:12

Catweazle wrote:
JohnB wrote:
Catweazle wrote:Homebrew ! I've got the demi-johns ( found outside a bottle bank ) for wine and will buy some beer equipment when I move.
I can introduce you to someone who's set up a micro-brewery in his garden shed if you like.
YES PLEASE ! Sorry, Yes Please, got a bit excited then

I'm keen.

So, that's a yes then.

Sorry, I'm not quite clear. Are you saying yes, or no?

Are you on Facebook?

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 01 Nov 2012, 17:19

JohnB wrote:
Catweazle wrote:
JohnB wrote: I can introduce you to someone who's set up a micro-brewery in his garden shed if you like.
YES PLEASE ! Sorry, Yes Please, got a bit excited then

I'm keen.

So, that's a yes then.

Sorry, I'm not quite clear. Are you saying yes, or no?
Are you on Facebook?

Just discovered he's got a web site as well as a Facebook page, but there's nothing there yet - http://handmadebeer.co.uk/

He does woodland management too, and is learning horse logging.

Tarrel · Post by **Tarrel** » 01 Nov 2012, 18:17

Interesting comparison between demon drink and gadget-addiction. What would happen if we went down the prohibition route, I wonder? Would we see underground speak-easys being set up, in which people could pop in for a quick illicit go on the Xbox?

I'm sure the problem with Comet and similar will be the razor-thin margins that are left after you take into account wholesale, shipping and discounting costs. The internet has made a big impact, with online sellers being able to set up with little or no stockholding, ordering directly off the Distributor when they receive an order and, in many cases, having the goods shipped diectly from the distributor to the customer. These online sellers can afford to run on even thinner margins, as their operating costs are so low compared to a High Street retailer. In effect, the high street retailers are trying to compete with wholesalers and distributors who have found a very cheap way of reaching consumers.

We're also reaching a point of saturated demand. Artificial demand-creation can only create so many sales. The 99% have stopped becoming wealthier as the economy stagnates, further reducing demand. So, peak resources, together with the legacy effect of previous rampant cosumption, is making itself felt directly in your local Retail Park.

With all due sympathy for those who may lose their jobs, I'm tempted to say "good".

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 01 Nov 2012, 19:27

JohnB wrote:
Catweazle wrote:
JohnB wrote: I can introduce you to someone who's set up a micro-brewery in his garden shed if you like.
YES PLEASE ! Sorry, Yes Please, got a bit excited then

I'm keen.

So, that's a yes then.

Sorry, I'm not quite clear. Are you saying yes, or no?
Are you on Facebook?

Sorry, that was a bit ambiguous, what I was trying to say is yes please I would love to meet your friend who has his own micro-brewery. No rush though, I can't start brewing yet.

I do have a facebook account, but I haven't used it for years. Every time I logged on someone had "slapped me with a wet fish" or some other nonsense. I never really understood it.

JavaScriptDonkey · Post by **JavaScriptDonkey** » 01 Nov 2012, 21:01

I last went in to Comet to look for a replacement remote control. Something in Logitech's range would have done nicely.

"Sorry mate" says helpful worker, "We only do those ones over there. We can maybe order one in though."

"M'eh" I reply, "I can order one from DODGY TAX AVOIDERS myself."

People go to Comet in order to make a choice and then they order it cheaper online. It wouldn't surprise me if Comet closed all its shops and just became an online retailer.

featherstick · Post by **featherstick** » 01 Nov 2012, 21:37

Catweazle wrote:
JohnB wrote:I've already given up drinking to save money!
Homebrew ! I've got the demi-johns ( found outside a bottle bank ) for wine and will buy some beer equipment when I move.

Sugar can come from home grown beet or you can use honey to make mead.

I also bought some micro-bore copper line from a scrapyard in London, whole unused reels were being weighed in by council contractors, so I might make a still in the future.

Remind me to tell you the story of my dad's still one day.