General Update and A Bit of Trivia

What with lots of things happening and our grass going wild - pigs a'wandering through the water race into the neighbours' (we're pretty sure we've plugged all the escape routes now); rams having to be separated and moved in with the cows; thistle-grubbing; drenching, etc. - haven't had time for many photos. The weather has been hot and dry, with the nor'wester doing its share of the soil drying. The cattle and pigs have been drinking plenty, and Denise is developing a truly admirable set of biceps carting 20 litre containers of water from our water race. The sheep are able to access the race from their current paddock, but there are still large trecherous muddy areas along our banks, so we don't risk the smaller Dexter calves. Jennifer is currently exempt from water-hauling duties due to pulled R arm tendons, but is keeping up with watering and tending our copious-producing vegetable beds.

We left it too late to organise Pharoah for Christmas ham and bacon, and also Phyllis for pork. Pharoah has developed, it appears, into a fine, healthy young boar and the girls are advancing at a great rate so we are a little worried but however can do nothing until 10 January, when the home-kill man comes to terminate their short and romantically sweet lives. We imagine Penelope and Poppy will make wonderful roasts, ribs and chops and like to hope they will be destined for a visit from the home-kill man shortly after. We will seriously need another big freezer.

Hence, when visiting our nearest branch of The Warehouse this last weekend, we were thrilled to find that chest freezers were on sale ... read on ... Jennifer's letter to The Warehouse :

Dear The Warehouse

On Saturday 11 December 2010 I visited the Masterton branch of The Warehouse, and discovered in-store advertising of a considerable percentage off the normal selling price of your chest freezers. The notice stated that the discount was valid for this past weekend only.

There was a flyer advertising the 300L freezer, showing the discounted price if purchased.

I enquired at the Enquiry counter at the Masterton store whether I could pay for one now, and return the next morning with a suitable vehicle to take it from the store. I was told that there were no 300L freezers in stock. No rain checks as it was a weekend only special. I asked if I could buy the freezer displayed in the Masterton store. I was told 'No'. (No reason). I was told that Masterton had never got any of the 300L freezers. (Yet there was a flyer advertising the discount price off the 300L freezer in the Masterton store). The helpful Enquiries person advised that the Petone Warehouse was showing 300L freezers available.

As I was returning home on Sunday 12 December, I detoured a considerable way and visited the Petone Warehouse store. In store was the same advertisement above the same 300L freezer, advertising the discounted price for that weekend only. There were 300L freezers in stock. I asked if I paid for one now, could it be held and picked up the following Saturday when we had a suitable vehicle? I was told that goods would only be held for 24 hours. I asked about courier/freight charges, and was told there was no delivery to Carterton (where I live).

By then, I had had enough. Well, wouldn't you? Mainly because :
There was an advertisement in the Masterton store telling me I could buy a 300L freezer at a discounted price, yet it appears that was untrue
I live in Carterton. It is a good 20 minute drive to your Masterton store anyway; and I deviated about 40km to visit the Petone store.

I must say I don't think much of your advertising or P R policies. I would be interested to know just how many of the freezers you did sell in all your stores this past weekend if there was no advertising apart from weekend store advertising? I mean, I am looking for another new freezer as I am sure a lot of other rural folks are (for a start) to put all their Christmas hams and homekills in. If I had read in advance that The Warehouse was going to heavily discount chest freezers over the weekend, I certainly wouldn't have made the 20 minute drive to and from in my car, and would have obviously taken my ute and tie-downs, assuming, naturally, that my local store had a freezer in stock to sell me.

I look forward to your comments

JENNIFER M NIDD

p.s. I would be interested in buying the floor model in your Masterton store. Why take up the floor space advertising something it doesn't even have?

We'll keep you posted ...