Follow Up about TKB Trading's Pints

Links checked 12/12/13.
Don't forget to check Suspension Base Suppliers & Notes for all possible sources.

Sounds like I started something, doesn't it? I'm feeling a little guilty about that, as though my reaction was over the top despite that I felt the previous entry was well thought out. Well written or not, my reader's response and TKB Trading's require a follow up entry.

I love TKB Trading and was very upset to hear that the pint would no longer be sold; it took so long to happen, to have a suspension base for retail purchase and then to have the option removed... I was a little insulted because the way it was phrased on the page for the pint sure sounded like preferential treatment of frankenpolish sellers- I must use the word "was" here because Mrs. Westerman has since updated that page with a clearer explanation. But before she did that and after I wrote the last entry, I sent a similar email which I am including, along with Mrs. Westerman's response. Normally I wouldn't post correspondence verbatim but in this case, I wanted to make sure I was being fair- you know, to show both sides and I suppose also to show that I was being unnecessarily harsh. 

Mrs. Westerman,
I'm sure I am not the only frankener upset by the news that the company is reserving the pints for micro businesses. The message that sends is that if one does not sell their franken polish, they are going to pay more for the privilege of creating their own. There is a substantial difference in price between what the hobbyist and the franken polish seller will now pay and quite frankly, I don't think that's right. We all sink money into it to do it but the franken sellers at least get part of their expenses back. I understand that you have a responsibility to those high-volume customers, particularly since you make more money off those orders but what about the rest of us? Had I known that eventually I wouldn't be able to purchase a pint, I would've bought two or three when I bought just the one because that would've been the sensible thing to do. The company will do whatever it is going to do but if you're determined to do this without having given us prior warning, lower the prices on the small bottles. Shipping for almost every frankening supply is expensive because it goes ground, hobbyists have to save money wherever possible and this isn't saving us money. 

And the response...
The lead time for nail polish manufacturing is about three months, and based on my last quarter sales, I thought I had ordered enough, but somehow "word got out" this time around and I clearly miscalculated. It's not a matter of trying to control the market, a 'secret club' or anything. It is simply a matter of the well running dry.

I got flooded with orders this week, I had to pull the plug suddenly in part because I may have actually sold out my inventory. I'm sorry I didn't plan better.

Your suggestion about lower the price on the smaller bottles is something I will consider. Right now, I am just trying to work through the orders we have and then I'm going to do an inventory and see what options I'm left with. So I won't know exactly what I will do for about a week.
Kaila Westerman, TKB Trading. 

In short, TKB Trading received more orders for suspension base than they had the suspension base to fill this time around, no doubt influenced by the recent explosion of franken polishes for sale. It'a an unfortunate oversight and one with unintended consequences, namely that everyone is going to have to slow down their frankening or risk running out of suspension base altogether. Hubby explained it all by saying that supplies, whatever the industry, are ordered based on the previous quarter's sales, (as you can see Mrs. Westerman confirmed) supply-and-demand, first come, first served and all that, it's only good business that high volume buyers get preference... sometimes Hubby's matter of fact way of looking at things is greatly annoying. You can still buy the suspension bases in smaller bottles so its not as though the well truly is empty but the price is not conducive to mass production. For the pints we're looking at at least a three month waiting period, possibly more since the back-logged orders will have to be filled first and then, get in line. I am not a microbusiness, I'll be waiting along with the rest of you. -MK