shipping, receiving

If I ship something to someone at home, it can be a gift or, if it's really expensive, a loaner until a proper purchase order can be created.

We do sometimes play the end-of-October game. Customer has money left over from the current FY, and has to spend it or lose it. So they place an order with drop-dead two week delivery. We don't have the stuff, so we ship something else, and they return it for "repair."

The US National Labs were famous for doing this. They would literally tell us to ship a brick, or a bare PC board. We try to ship something of value, so the bookkeeping is arguably close.

So few big organizations realize that their best, and most expensive, resource is their people. It makes no economic sense to slow them down with huge signature chains and annoying material management. If one of my guys wants parts, equipment, or software, they can usually have it the next day.

All done in the name of "streamlining"!

Den torsdag den 6. marts 2014 05.02.26 UTC+1 skrev John Larkin:

hmm, I always have things shipped to my work address there's always someone to receive it, I'm never home when the postman stops by.

some online stores will even give a cheaper shipping if the address is a company address.

-Lasse

Sounds like you were dealing with subnormal ignoramuses, even dumber than K RW, who don't know how the government accounting works. It is not necessary to actually spend the money before the FY expiration, it is only necessary to obligate it, and, once obligated, the funds are available for years aft erwards to pay for the goods or services.

That's what I thought, first time.

It's not as if this is a secret. The use-it-or-lose-it purchase procedure has no doubt been going on since before either of us were born. It's "budgeting."

As I noted, we ship things of value, so there is no criminal behavior. It's like returning a Christmas gift to Macy's and getting something else. Well, a Halloween gift, since it's usually in October.

So turn me in. Write to your Congresswoman or something.

Remember the rule, "Don't assume malice when incompetence will do."

Pretty entertaining, though that end of things he was into (really bottom-end consumer goods) is more cutthroat than I'm used to.

I've run into the author in China.

--sp

I believe that rule change happened some time ago, for a lot of Federal purchases. But the practice continues in some quarters.

Sounds like fun. I'll get it.

, and I have done some purchases using Alibaba. Some of them request MOQ of several thousands, but that's ok, since pricing is really low.

losing tracking numbers etc. I contacted several, and the majority responde d. When told, that the business went to another seller, they even tried to negotiate pricing to be the "winning" seller on the next purchase

Maybe you misunderstood. They seem proactive, not like the european/US sell ers which doesn't give a F*** about the buyer and no way to negotiate price s

Cheers

Klaus

, and I have done some purchases using Alibaba. Some of them request MOQ of several thousands, but that's ok, since pricing is really low.

losing tracking numbers etc. I contacted several, and the majority responde d. When told, that the business went to another seller, they even tried to negotiate pricing to be the "winning" seller on the next purchase

Regarding the compliant garment, we so far only shop accessories, which is simple (complex items from china is not something I would venture into with out a more deep investigation and sample testing)

Cheers

Klaus

Tell me, how did you get to be such a timid, fussy old hen?

No misunderstanding, Klaus. I'm talking about the difficulties in importing textile products because of protectionist legislation and all the onerous label and other regulations, which have little or nothing to do with the good will of the suppliers.

That's what sounds like a nightmare (though not as much of a nightmare as dealing with a food product).

--sp

hop, and I have done some purchases using Alibaba. Some of them request MOQ of several thousands, but that's ok, since pricing is really low.

isclosing tracking numbers etc. I contacted several, and the majority respo nded. When told, that the business went to another seller, they even tried to negotiate pricing to be the "winning" seller on the next purchase

ellers which doesn't give a F*** about the buyer and no way to negotiate pr ices

Ok, thanks for the clarification :-)

Cheers

Klaus

The saying "Dazzle them with brilliance or baffle them with bullshit" comes to mind....

Cheers

And it is your government that is doing the ordering. But it happens in no n government companies too. I can remember one year just before the end of the fiscal year, a couple of groups were told there was a small amount of money available to spend before the end of the fiscal year. One supervisor bought two HP desk calculators. The other supervisor bought three bicycle s. The HP desk calculators were carefully kept locked up to prevent theft. The bicycles were used every day.

Dan