WPC to JCON P.O.S.

Did you know that you can copy and paste the part number from Worldpac in to the JCON? This might make things easier than the way we are doing things now. You still need to type in the line code (WPC) and the trailing alpha characters. Give it a try, if you need help jusk ask.

Chinese Price Increases

We have heard man talk about it - but we haven't seen that much --it may only be a matter of time on Chinese price increases ... here is yet another financial writer mentioning what to expect ....

"According to the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics, consumer prices rose 7.1% in China last month, the single largest increase in more than a decade!

But here's the important part about inflation in China: Chinese exporters are passing on their rising costs to overseas customers!

Just look: The price of Chinese goods leaving factories rose by an eye-popping 6.1% in January, the highest rate in three years!

Note that this does NOT include January's inflationary data, which is certain to be even worse because the most severe snowstorm in more than 50 years caused prices to skyrocket.

Once those numbers are factored in, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Chinese inflation rate top double-digits.

According to a Global Sources survey, a Hong Kong trading company, 80% of the 709 Chinese exporters surveyed said they expected to increase prices in the next six months."

Point of Sale

I have put new calendars in the mail slots at D&T for running off the Point of Sale machines for the end of February and for March. Please post these by the machines.

Mark up vs. Margin (or gross profit)

This tidbit comes from Barry via the Worldpac forum.

For years we have tried to teach our staff and our customers the difference between Mark up and Margin. The following seems to me the most concise way of explaning it.

"Gross Profit (or Margin) is the dollars you have left after you have paid for what you have sold. 50% Gross Profit is actually you keeping 50% of what you sold the item for. In other words, gross profit is what you want, markup is just the calculation. So, if you want 50% G.P., you have to mark it up by 100%. Another way of saying it is that markup is a verb (what you need to do) and gross profit is a noun (what you need to get)."

OBSOLETE RECALLS?

Have you ever looked at the link and seen a daunting number of obsolete recalls listed. Instead of having to manually check every part number, you can run a 2.20 report for all part numbers with on hands and a movement code of zero. If you are unsure how to run this report ask your store manager to help you. It seems to be a lot easier than how we have handled this in the past.

Payroll

I will be doing payroll on Wednesday, February 27th. Please make sure all time sheets are faxed in and any sick/vacation days are reported before then. Thanks.

Shawn Hedley to visit

Update - Shawn Hedley is in Thur Feb 27th -- here is background and picture --- fyi -- please make time to get to know Shawn -so we can sell more equipment

Bio:
Started working for McKerlie Millen in Bolton store in 1992 as a driver, then moved up to counterman.
Accepted position as Parts Manager for John Deere dealership in 1999
Accepted position as store Manager of Carquest Bolton in 2000 and received numerous profitability awards and 2X Presidents Club winner
Accepted position of Equipment Manager for Carquest Ontario in 2007

Mahle Clevite

I have updated the Engine Parts 1 contact info in Plaxo to use Mahle Clevite - please have a look and see if you agree

missing data for Standard Motor Products >?>

If you can't find the data in our e-cat for Standard Motor Products ( Blue Streak ) Abe from Petes Paint mentions that he sometimes can fond the data on line ---click here to book mark the link to use the e-cat on line

Abe has a contact name for a helper in Raleigh to help us fox this problem asap

I ahve updated the Plaxo address book for BOTH Standard & Blue Streak data to reflect the web address for the e-cat in case you forget to bookmark the URL

Appreciate your info

fyi -- The last item was a blower motor resistor for a 96 Chev Blazer that Abe found missing in e-cat but found on line

Shawn Hedley to visit

Shawn Hedley - the tool & equipment specialist for CARQUEST will be in Wed Feb 27th - in the afternoon - he has a tight schedule to see the stores -- mark your calendars. We has a all day Farn show in Tilbury on 28th and a tool show in Chatham on the 29th

new MTM Motormite parts added

There are a huge amount of lines that are grouped into the fall for misc review on the classification system. MTM is the poster child for lines that should be pulled from this MESS of Misc Lines and given it's own month for review and ATTENTION by stores and the DSM's.

There is NO coordination with the retail planogram guys ( from as far as I can see ). We recently called the new planogram fellow in Toronto - as I heard about him from talking with another jobber - yet another example of info that didn't make it on the link or made it for the 3 days and I missed it ( he is Marco at ext 3004 )

Issues -- 1) stores need to update their 999 price data - you need to do this
2) show all staff the new parts that arrive in two days --changes set Tue Feb 12th - without staff KNOWING what we keep - sales will suffer
3) who will set a spot on retail ??

Comments?

try the new search feature on Equip Cat

Check out the new version of the internet equipment catalogue that we have linked to the web pages for all three stores web sites. The image shown is for petespaint.ca but all have it.

TRY the search feature - look for something and play with it -- comments ? I think it is a nice improvement

Dexron 6

did you know that Dexron 6 is for 2007 and up GM's -- you can use it in place of Dexron 3 -- but it is so much money -- you will want to keep both Dexron 3 and Dexron 6 for now

CTL 00667-49 is what we are keeping ( they where 1st to market )

Note - QSO does NOT have it -- only PZO for now ( #5075352 ) due to the US guys who make the decisions and PZO is bigger in USA than QSO

Diesel VW's -- no oil

QSO has dropped 5059095 Q diesel plus 5w-40 oil ... for VW Diesel's -- but they don;t have a replacement yet to cover for sales -- dumb -- we are out of stock and sell approx 90/yr in each of the stores --- stay tuned as we await Quake State to add in another part # that will do VW's and other applications

Info from Neil Laing

banned catalog ???

Here is a copy of an e-mail back to Abe at Petes Paint

Hello Abe

Kim is wrong -- CC to Graham - maybe he can correct her story ( since she doesn't have e-mail - doh! )

We have asked New castle for PDF sections of the MISSING catalog -- but no luck yet ... ( Todd --- help ?? ) this would be a partial work around while we WAIT and WAIT and WAIT

The problem is -- the 2007 cat had a line of hand tools that Canada fears - and as a result no cat's were released ( apart from my copy that I can show you ) --the 2008 is being printed ( less the chemicals and hand tools and ?? )

Now you have me thinking about this -- lets see ..... (like post this on BLOG and ...the rest is secret .... )

On 31-Jan-08, at 11:08 AM, abe enns wrote:

Hi Greg. We have been sharing our Service Line book in our store for some time now. I called Kim at the D/C and she said that they are no longer printing them becuase they have that new little pamphlet book that has only what is new. That doesn't help if we need the big book. Can you see who I need to talk to in order to get one. I think that it was not the smartest idea to stop printing them unless we should be looking elswhere to get product.

Thanks
Abe

need an SPI rad --remember Toronto

Did you remember -- that you have an option --pay the $10-$20 for freight from Windsor SPI -- or order from Toronto and SPI Mississauga will deliver it to CARQUEST and you will have the next morning .... Elsa says that are very good