So for this BPL year end sale…

[Michael Brameld]

Is anything actually in stock? Beartooth hoody… nope. TorsoLite inflatable… Nope. UL60 Long quilt… Nope. XL Merino UL Shirt…. Nope. Merino UL Hoody… Nope. Cocoon UL 60 Hoody… Nope. Merino wool shorts… Nope.

Very frustrating "sale".

[Mike M]

ditto :(

[Ryan Jordan]

Please note:
BPL Stock Info at Year End 2009

[George Coonley]

When there is nothing to buy!
Why bother when everything seems to be out of stock.
BPL – This creates POC (p#%%@* off customers).
Better to not have a sale at all than this crap.

[Sam Haraldson]

We apologize for the lack of product but please take a read of the forum thread linked below for an explanation of why so many things are out of stock.

BPL Warehouse & Store Update

[EndoftheTrail]

Sam:

We saw that link already, as it was put up by Ryan in his post up above.

I can certainly understand the rationale for not stocking up in the middle of a location change. But that IMO is still no excuse for putting up a LOUD SALE BANNER when there is precious little actually for sale! All you have done is make us click here, there and everywhere — just to see "Out of Stock" over and over again.

IMO, BPL should have avoided putting up the banner — or else accept rain checks graciously.

[Trevor Shrade]

Totally agree…but its better than nothing! Maybe a better name for it would be a Everything Must Go Sale.

[Ian Schumann]

Come on guys — really? What are you whining about? Don't you brave alpine summits and freeze your butt at night in the backcountry because you saved ounces on your sleep system? Are you not men of courage and endurance?

It's just a sale. You wasted all of 5 minutes of clicking.

Anyway, if you were trying to liquidate all your remaining stock (and had been clear beforehand via that forum thread about inventory), wouldn't you put a banner up too to make sure everyone remembered?

Although, FWIW, it would have been nice of BPL to either X-out or remove entirely the SKUs that were already sold out — would've saved us some clicking time, at least.

I'm not trying to insult anyone above, mind you — just jousting a little. Because come on — don't we love BPL overall? Do we really need to be complaining about this?

[Michael Brameld]

I never read the member's only forum, the links here in this thread were the first I had seen that other post. The first I knew of the sale was when I got the email this morning, which mentions nothing about the fact that nearly everything is out of stock. I followed the link in that email to the terms and conditions page which also says nothing about the pitiful state of the store. From there I followed the link to the store and everything I was interested in was out of stock. The terms and conditions page even says they expect a large volume of orders.

It's just frustrating, that's all. I love the forums here at BPL, but the store just seems useless.

I definitely don't blame them for holding a sale to avoid paying to move inventory, but call it what it is instead of making it sound like a great sale. Call it the "come buy the stuff that nobody else has bought so we don't have to pay to move it" sale, not the big year-end sale it was made out to be.

[Anonymous]

"Everything Must Go Sale."

Or "Everything Is Gone Sale"?

[D S]

Picked up two long handled spoons, and one crazy light small one, the 550 without handles and mini droppers– all at a great price! Thanks, I say. Other sites haves sales too; spread the green around and keep looking for those "other" items- they are usually made by other companies anyway.

couch

[Joe Clement]

Might have been a great sale for those MLife snobs………!

[EndoftheTrail]

Trevor has it. The sale should have been named more properly.

Ian is right too. It isn't that big of a deal. But still, it would have been nicer if BPL hadn't put up a LOUD BANNER to raise excitement (and expectation) — then fail so miserably at fulfilling thereof.

But at the end, I know I speak for many in saying that BPL is fantastic and has done a lot and our specific criticisms here do not in any way negate all the good that has been done by the BPL team. Just constructive criticisms here… hopefully food for thought for the next time around.

[D S]

Joe,

"MLIFE SNOBS," that's like circling the wagons and shooting inward.

"ouch"

[EndoftheTrail]

'Cept Joe and I aren't inside that circle of wagons! Shoot away, Joe. :)

[Boozer]

I didn't buy anything myself, but there was enough in stock yesterday to merit looking around. I have to admit I am surprised at some of the comments you guys have made. It has been known for a long time that stock is low in the store. Also, Ryan made it known that this was a liquidation to save moving product. What were your expectations? You have to think of BPL as a Cottage retailer – this is not Backcountry or Altrec. We are more members of a community than we are customers.

Don't let it make you mad. It's not a situation worthy of anger.

Have Happy New Year!

[Andy Berner]

Well said Jonathan.

[EndoftheTrail]

"What were your expectations? You have to think of BPL as a Cottage retailer… We are more members of a community than we are customers."

I wish you were right, Jonathan. But are we really more members of a community than we are customers?

BPL has done many, many things that are good and right and beneficial. Without detracting from that, BPL has also schemed continually to "market segment" us all. Remember the ridiculous rating system that they finally took away — but only after tremendously negative feedback from us — the one where you get automatic points by paying for annual membership — and only a fraction of a point if you aren't a member — no matter how many or how good your contribution and posting?

And now, the gimmick has come back. It ain't good enough to be an annual subscriber. Now, they want Lifetime members — and relegate out the rest — as evidenced by this so-called SALE!

As a business, BPL has every right to manage its bottom line as it sees fit (within the law of course). But you know what? That cuts both ways.

Act like a business — then accept the responsibility and scrutiny of a business. Don't put up a friggin banner announcing a sale when there is little to sell! I know I am not the only one noticing the paucity of sale items here. The only two people who seem satisfied are the two Life Members — which goes right back to my point that we are NOT more like members of a community than we are customers.

[P. P.]

As I mentioned elsewhere, if I could have applied the discount to a lifetime membership I probably would have bought one.
At my age, it isn't financially prudent otherwise.
Heck, I don't buy more than 24 rolls of toilet paper at a time anymore!
;-)

[Nia Schmald]

My continual frustration with BPL is the poor quality of tools. I wouldn't be so annoyed by all the out of stock items if it was easy to search for the in stock items in my size. And I've commented frequently on the pathetic forum software and search tools. Numerous free sites do much better in this area.

But content is king and BPL has what to me is valuable content, both in the articles published and products offered. It's just too bad it's so difficult to access.

If BPL is interested in a top-notch user interface designer I can put them in contact with one.

And I agree with Ben. This is a business. Ryan and others are making all or some of their annual income from BPL. And we pay money so that makes us customers.

[Ken Thompson]

Sounds just like last year http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=17526
Same complaints, different excuses.

[BlackHatGuy]

I think, perhaps, what BPL often lacks most is, for lack of a better term, professional business communications, followed up by quick, thoughtful action. It's been a recurring issue even in the short time I've been a member of this site (though not always and not on all things). The passel of brouhahas in very recent memory could have been significantly mitigated by better communications.

BPL should consider adding a professional communicator/PR person to the staff, or retaining one on a contracted basis, to assist with this. There's an awful lot people will put up with when they feel they're truly being listened to, that their ideas are valued and their concerns are heard and acted on, and that the business is open and honest, even when being so might temporarily make them look bad. An old saying, but a very true saying: bad news never goes away, and bad news never gets better with age.

[Jesse H.]

yea I was pretty frustrated by this one… I mean 40% is a great sale… I had about 500 bucks I wanted to throw around, all I found in stock was an AIRcore tensor kit… yupp no order, c'mon guys, at least when things are out of stock take them off or banner them… instead of making me click on all my "wishes" just to be let down… thanks, for that

[Jack H.]

Perhaps all the hype about the sale was to encourage people to sign up as members? Seems like there was a lot of emphasis as to it being a "members only" deal and that you should sign up.

[Tom Caldwell]

Me thinks MLIFERS will never see a return on their investment.

[Author]

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