STUPID BUSINESS DECISIONS

[Crossblock]

In over 40 Years in and around businesses, I have seen a lot of strange nonsensical decision making, but I think I found one this morning should go to the top of the list.

My Wife received an item in the Mail several days ago that she needed to fax to another party. We don't have a fax machine at home, so over the years she has taken things to a local Office Depot store to fax them. Took her there today. As I dropped her off at the front door, I spotted a sign stating that they were open on Easter Sunday from 11:00 until 5:00. HUH?

We already have people Sheltering in Place limiting their activity, so you don't have the traffic you ordinarily have. Most people, even those who aren't heavily religious will probably watch an Easter Sunday Service on TV or other device, and have an Easter Meal with Family. I don't see a whole lot of people clamoring to leave the House after Dinner to head to Office Depot because Office Depot has something they can't wait to obtain until Monday. Office Depot isn't a Grocery Store or gas Station that would provide anything of value that someone would require. Even the Pharmacy inside my Kroger Store has a sign up saying they are closed on Easter Sunday.

I sincerely hope they incur the costs of having the store open and have no Customers and generate no Revenue. The decision doesn't seem to make economic sense, so you have to try to look for another motive. Is this just pure arrogance? Because the Government hasn't closed them down or significantly modified the way they do business, do they feel the need to prove to us or themselves that they are as essential as they think they are? What about the Employees who will work that day. Easter will not be the family celebration it usually is given current circumstances, but I can't believe they will be happy about it? And what about people like me in the general public that they may piss off by doing this?

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

 

[kraft cheese+macaroni]

In over 40 Years in and around businesses, I have seen a lot of strange nonsensical decision making, but I think I found one this morning should go to the top of the list.

My Wife received an item in the Mail several days ago that she needed to fax to another party. We don't have a fax machine at home, so over the years she has taken things to a local Office Depot store to fax them. Took her there today. As I dropped her off at the front door, I spotted a sign stating that they were open on Easter Sunday from 11:00 until 5:00. HUH?

We already have people Sheltering in Place limiting their activity, so you don't have the traffic you ordinarily have. Most people, even those who aren't heavily religious will probably watch an Easter Sunday Service on TV or other device, and have an Easter Meal with Family. I don't see a whole lot of people clamoring to leave the House after Dinner to head to Office Depot because Office Depot has something they can't wait to obtain until Monday. Office Depot isn't a Grocery Store or gas Station that would provide anything of value that someone would require. Even the Pharmacy inside my Kroger Store has a sign up saying they are closed on Easter Sunday.

I sincerely hope they incur the costs of having the store open and have no Customers and generate no Revenue. The decision doesn't seem to make economic sense, so you have to try to look for another motive. Is this just pure arrogance? Because the Government hasn't closed them down or significantly modified the way they do business, do they feel the need to prove to us or themselves that they are as essential as they think they are? What about the Employees who will work that day. Easter will not be the family celebration it usually is given current circumstances, but I can't believe they will be happy about it? And what about people like me in the general public that they may piss off by doing this?

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

IDGAF about Easter. And in this "work from home" environment there are probably a lot of people needing office supplies at home that they usually were able to easily get at the office. If that were the case for me, I'd be grateful Office Depot was open.

 

[Crossblock]

IDGAF about Easter. And in this "work from home" environment there are probably a lot of people needing office supplies at home that they usually were able to easily get at the office. If that were the case for me, I'd be grateful Office Depot was open.

If you are smart enough to still be employed and working from home, you should be smart enough to plan ahead and make an organized trip to the supplier with a list of things you need. People don't wait until they run out of something before they get it. And they don't run out of one thing a day and make a separate trip to the store 7 days a week to purchase one thing at a time. In addition I doubt that many people will be working on business projects on Easter Sunday unless they are under some type of deadline.

 

[UncleMark]

...over the years she has taken things to a local Office Depot store to fax them. Took her there today. As I dropped her off at the front door, I spotted a sign stating that they were open on Easter Sunday from 11:00 until 5:00. HUH?

They need to be open to support the liquor store down the street. Like if they need Sharpies or sumpthin'.

 

[kraft cheese+macaroni]

If you are smart enough to still be employed and working from home, you should be smart enough to plan ahead and make an organized trip to the supplier with a list of things you need. People don't wait until they run out of something before they get it. And they don't run out of one thing a day and make a separate trip to the store 7 days a week to purchase one thing at a time. In addition I doubt that many people will be working on business projects on Easter Sunday unless they are under some type of deadline.

Cool, you've never realized you needed something that you didn't actually have and had to run and go get it. You must live the most awesome life ever.

So you're pissed someplace is open on Easter....you think that's the most nonsensical thing you've ever seen.....again, obviously a better life than most of us. Cheers. Enjoy your worship of a fictional character on Sunday.

 

[Crossblock]

Running out just happened to us tonight. My Wife is preparing dinner and we were almost out of Aluminum Foil. Fortunately she had enough for the two baked potatoes she is making, and I will get more Saturday when I go to the grocery store.
Over 35 Years of Marriage, I can assure you that the few times I had to run out on the spot to get something involved a run to the Grocery Store to pick up an item we needed for a meal that we didn't have, particularly if we had family Company. IT never involved running on Sunday to an Office Supply Store for something we needed on the spot.

Lastly, I am not pissed about somebody opening or not opening on Easter. Based upon experience, and my understanding of human behavior this decision doesn't seem to make economic sense. I can't see how they will have enough traffic to produce sufficient Revenue to cover their costs of being open on that day.

 

[76-1]

In over 40 Years in and around businesses, I have seen a lot of strange nonsensical decision making, but I think I found one this morning should go to the top of the list.

My Wife received an item in the Mail several days ago that she needed to fax to another party. We don't have a fax machine at home, so over the years she has taken things to a local Office Depot store to fax them. Took her there today. As I dropped her off at the front door, I spotted a sign stating that they were open on Easter Sunday from 11:00 until 5:00. HUH?

We already have people Sheltering in Place limiting their activity, so you don't have the traffic you ordinarily have. Most people, even those who aren't heavily religious will probably watch an Easter Sunday Service on TV or other device, and have an Easter Meal with Family. I don't see a whole lot of people clamoring to leave the House after Dinner to head to Office Depot because Office Depot has something they can't wait to obtain until Monday. Office Depot isn't a Grocery Store or gas Station that would provide anything of value that someone would require. Even the Pharmacy inside my Kroger Store has a sign up saying they are closed on Easter Sunday.

I sincerely hope they incur the costs of having the store open and have no Customers and generate no Revenue. The decision doesn't seem to make economic sense, so you have to try to look for another motive. Is this just pure arrogance? Because the Government hasn't closed them down or significantly modified the way they do business, do they feel the need to prove to us or themselves that they are as essential as they think they are? What about the Employees who will work that day. Easter will not be the family celebration it usually is given current circumstances, but I can't believe they will be happy about it? And what about people like me in the general public that they may piss off by doing this?

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

Do they sell Toilet Paper?

Does seem odd. Maybe they feel they have a have a large other-than-Christian customer base...

 

[76-1]

Running out just happened to us tonight. My Wife is preparing dinner and we were almost out of Aluminum Foil. Fortunately she had enough for the two baked potatoes she is making, and I will get more Saturday when I go to the grocery store.
Over 35 Years of Marriage, I can assure you that the few times I had to run out on the spot to get something involved a run to the Grocery Store to pick up an item we needed for a meal that we didn't have, particularly if we had family Company. IT never involved running on Sunday to an Office Supply Store for something we needed on the spot.

Lastly, I am not pissed about somebody opening or not opening on Easter. Based upon experience, and my understanding of human behavior this decision doesn't seem to make economic sense. I can't see how they will have enough traffic to produce sufficient Revenue to cover their costs of being open on that day.

Maybe the Boss making the decision is just a clueless jerk who doesn't care about his employees... Plenty of those floating up towards the top....

 

[Crossblock]

Maybe the Boss making the decision is just a clueless jerk who doesn't care about his employees... Plenty of those floating up towards the top....

You just made a point I have made for years about idiots in Corporate/Business structure. They find someone in middle management who can't do the job he is assigned. Rather than get rid of him they move him upstairs to a higher level where they feel he can do less damage or create a new position and pay him to do nothing, because it is cheaper than firing the guy. And Gasp, if this guy kisses the right asses on the upper level he may become President of the Company or a Higher Ranking Executive.

 

[birdforbogey]

Wow, I didn't realize office depot was still going.

 

[VanPastorMan]

Running out just happened to us tonight. My Wife is preparing dinner and we were almost out of Aluminum Foil. Fortunately she had enough for the two baked potatoes she is making, and I will get more Saturday when I go to the grocery store.
Over 35 Years of Marriage, I can assure you that the few times I had to run out on the spot to get something involved a run to the Grocery Store to pick up an item we needed for a meal that we didn't have, particularly if we had family Company. IT never involved running on Sunday to an Office Supply Store for something we needed on the spot.

Lastly, I am not pissed about somebody opening or not opening on Easter. Based upon experience, and my understanding of human behavior this decision doesn't seem to make economic sense. I can't see how they will have enough traffic to produce sufficient Revenue to cover their costs of being open on that day.

You can do a baked potato without foil. But it does look nicer to have it. If you do it without foil you can brush it lightly with olive or canola oil which will help it from drying out.

 

[VanPastorMan]

If you are smart enough to still be employed and working from home, you should be smart enough to plan ahead and make an organized trip to the supplier with a list of things you need. People don't wait until they run out of something before they get it. And they don't run out of one thing a day and make a separate trip to the store 7 days a week to purchase one thing at a time. In addition I doubt that many people will be working on business projects on Easter Sunday unless they are under some type of deadline.

The way I do it at home and at work is to always have a backup. So for instance if our ketchup bottle is getting low in the fridge then if I am doing it right we will have one in the cabinet to take the place of the one that is running out. Then we put on our grocery list that we need ketchup which will be the next backup. It's the same way in the church. We always have a backup of computer paper, staples etc.

 

[iubud]

In over 40 Years in and around businesses, I have seen a lot of strange nonsensical decision making, but I think I found one this morning should go to the top of the list.

My Wife received an item in the Mail several days ago that she needed to fax to another party. We don't have a fax machine at home, so over the years she has taken things to a local Office Depot store to fax them. Took her there today. As I dropped her off at the front door, I spotted a sign stating that they were open on Easter Sunday from 11:00 until 5:00. HUH?

We already have people Sheltering in Place limiting their activity, so you don't have the traffic you ordinarily have. Most people, even those who aren't heavily religious will probably watch an Easter Sunday Service on TV or other device, and have an Easter Meal with Family. I don't see a whole lot of people clamoring to leave the House after Dinner to head to Office Depot because Office Depot has something they can't wait to obtain until Monday. Office Depot isn't a Grocery Store or gas Station that would provide anything of value that someone would require. Even the Pharmacy inside my Kroger Store has a sign up saying they are closed on Easter Sunday.

I sincerely hope they incur the costs of having the store open and have no Customers and generate no Revenue. The decision doesn't seem to make economic sense, so you have to try to look for another motive. Is this just pure arrogance? Because the Government hasn't closed them down or significantly modified the way they do business, do they feel the need to prove to us or themselves that they are as essential as they think they are? What about the Employees who will work that day. Easter will not be the family celebration it usually is given current circumstances, but I can't believe they will be happy about it? And what about people like me in the general public that they may piss off by doing this?

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

Curious if they also have to pay double time for having employees work on a holiday? I'm sure it will be a small staff and no stock people.

I can't think of an office supply emergency that would require a trip to Office Depot on Easter. It isn't like there will be any school projects due on Monday.

I doubt they will have a big sales day, but there are likely a few that will be glad they were open. They could gain customer loyalty for being open when others are closed.

 

[bshields]

Running out just happened to us tonight. My Wife is preparing dinner and we were almost out of Aluminum Foil. Fortunately she had enough for the two baked potatoes she is making, and I will get more Saturday when I go to the grocery store.
Over 35 Years of Marriage, I can assure you that the few times I had to run out on the spot to get something involved a run to the Grocery Store to pick up an item we needed for a meal that we didn't have, particularly if we had family Company. IT never involved running on Sunday to an Office Supply Store for something we needed on the spot.

Lastly, I am not pissed about somebody opening or not opening on Easter. Based upon experience, and my understanding of human behavior this decision doesn't seem to make economic sense. I can't see how they will have enough traffic to produce sufficient Revenue to cover their costs of being open on that day.

They are running out on Sunday to get things they will need for the upcoming week or things they are low on so they don’t run out. They are doing it Sunday instead of Monday bevause they are working Monday but not Sunday. Pretty simple.

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

Lastly, I am not pissed about somebody opening or not opening on Easter.

You're clearly pissed, and said as much in your OP. You should probably just take a deep breath and relax.

 

[kraft cheese+macaroni]

They are running out on Sunday to get things they will need for the upcoming week or things they are low on so they don’t run out. They are doing it Sunday instead of Monday bevause they are working Monday but not Sunday. Pretty simple.

Exactly. He's incapable of putting himself in someone else's shoes. I think he might have a golf-playing brethren on this board.

 

[AckAck]

In over 40 Years in and around businesses, I have seen a lot of strange nonsensical decision making, but I think I found one this morning should go to the top of the list.

My Wife received an item in the Mail several days ago that she needed to fax to another party. We don't have a fax machine at home, so over the years she has taken things to a local Office Depot store to fax them. Took her there today. As I dropped her off at the front door, I spotted a sign stating that they were open on Easter Sunday from 11:00 until 5:00. HUH?

We already have people Sheltering in Place limiting their activity, so you don't have the traffic you ordinarily have. Most people, even those who aren't heavily religious will probably watch an Easter Sunday Service on TV or other device, and have an Easter Meal with Family. I don't see a whole lot of people clamoring to leave the House after Dinner to head to Office Depot because Office Depot has something they can't wait to obtain until Monday. Office Depot isn't a Grocery Store or gas Station that would provide anything of value that someone would require. Even the Pharmacy inside my Kroger Store has a sign up saying they are closed on Easter Sunday.

I sincerely hope they incur the costs of having the store open and have no Customers and generate no Revenue. The decision doesn't seem to make economic sense, so you have to try to look for another motive. Is this just pure arrogance? Because the Government hasn't closed them down or significantly modified the way they do business, do they feel the need to prove to us or themselves that they are as essential as they think they are? What about the Employees who will work that day. Easter will not be the family celebration it usually is given current circumstances, but I can't believe they will be happy about it? And what about people like me in the general public that they may piss off by doing this?

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

Yes, they provide an essential service in this environment. Many organizations need to support our populace 24/7 even on Easter who may not be allowed into their offices.

Office Depot doesn’t just sell paper, they sell routers, modems, PCs, extra monitors, phones, all of which may be highly valuable to customers. If they recognize and reward employees who physically work there on Easter, I really struggle to accept your whining.

 

[All4You]

Running out just happened to us tonight. My Wife is preparing dinner and we were almost out of Aluminum Foil. Fortunately she had enough for the two baked potatoes she is making, and I will get more Saturday when I go to the grocery store.
Over 35 Years of Marriage, I can assure you that the few times I had to run out on the spot to get something involved a run to the Grocery Store to pick up an item we needed for a meal that we didn't have, particularly if we had family Company. IT never involved running on Sunday to an Office Supply Store for something we needed on the spot.

Lastly, I am not pissed about somebody opening or not opening on Easter. Based upon experience, and my understanding of human behavior this decision doesn't seem to make economic sense. I can't see how they will have enough traffic to produce sufficient Revenue to cover their costs of being open on that day.

You could be right, but some Office Depot stores sell more than office furniture and supplies. They sell bottled water, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, paper products as well as food and drink.

 

[iuwclurker]

You can do a baked potato without foil. But it does look nicer to have it. If you do it without foil you can brush it lightly with olive or canola oil which will help it from drying out.

I had a backup girlfriend but now we’re a threesome. Do you recommend two more backups?

 

[Crossblock]

You could be right, but some Office Depot stores sell more than office furniture and supplies. They sell bottled water, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, paper products as well as food and drink.

I just don't think of Office Depot in the context of purchasing those products. If I needed any of those I would think of going to Kroger, Wal Mart, Meijer, or Sam's Club long before Office Depot.

The other thing about this particular store, is they are in a Shopping Center where almost everything around them is temporarily closed down. A Kohls store takes up a large portion of one end of the Center. They are fully closed at this point. There are several other smaller retail clothing stores in the Center that are closed (TJ Maxx, Carters). There is a free standing Pizza Hut right across the Roadway in the Center, but they of course are only doing takeout and Delivery. My point is they will not benefit from any Drive By Traffic headed to other Stores that will stop at their store for convenience because they are already doing something else in the Center.

 

[All4You]

I just don't think of Office Depot in the context of purchasing those products. If I needed any of those I would think of going to Kroger, Wal Mart, Meijer, or Sam's Club long before Office Depot.

The other thing about this particular store, is they are in a Shopping Center where almost everything around them is temporarily closed down. A Kohls store takes up a large portion of one end of the Center. They are fully closed at this point. There are several other smaller retail clothing stores in the Center that are closed (TJ Maxx, Carters). There is a free standing Pizza Hut right across the Roadway in the Center, but they of course are only doing takeout and Delivery. My point is they will not benefit from any Drive By Traffic headed to other Stores that will stop at their store for convenience because they are already doing something else in the Center.

I get your point, and I agree with some of it. Just pointing out that they carry more than printer paper, pens and executive chairs....and people who shop them know this by and large. And really it can't cost them that much more to stay open than to close because off the top of my head the bulk of their operating costs (inventory, rents/insurance and even employee pay and benefits for those who have PTO available to them if the store shuttered temporarily) are likely being spent whether they are open or not. The only costs that come to mind which they would incur being open is the difference in daily utility costs and pay for 3-4 people...it's not really that much is it?

As an aside and using the town I live in as an example, we have a total of 3 grocers (Aldi, Kroger and Walmart) serving a population of 22,000. So even on a normal, non-apocalyptic day it's a royal busy pain in the ass to shop for groceries and necessities. I do the weekly shopping for my household, and never am I able to find everything I am looking for at one store. So during my weekly shopping trip if I relied solely on those 3 I would have to visit at least 2 of them if not all 3, in effect doubling or tripling the frustration of fighting the crowds. Now, drop the coronasarsbola pandemic on top of this and the shopping trips have gone from pain in the ass to nightmare levels. I have learned over the years that I can get most of my shopping done at one and instead of going to another bat-shit-crazy supermarket I can find the other things at discount/closeout stores like Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Ollie's, Family Dollar or Dollar General. Or I can pick up some things at a CVS, Walgreens, Rural King, TSC, Home Depot and the like. All of those places carry at least some (not all) shelf stable pantry items, fresh items like milk, eggs and bread or hygiene necessities and paper products/cleaning and sanitation supplies.

I thank the gods that I have some of the secondary and tertiary options like those listed above to do my weekly shopping in the "old" normal times, and with this "new" normal even more so. IMHO good on Office Depot being open, wish they had one here.

 

[bshields]

Think about the employees. Most are probably happy to be working and getting paid at this time.
I’ll be going there today or tomorrow for a phone charger. They have some really good deals on quality charging cables.

 

[UncleMark]

As an aside and using the town I live in as an example, we have a total of 3 grocers (Aldi, Kroger and Walmart) serving a population of 22,000.[...]I can find the other things at discount/closeout stores like Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Ollie's, Family Dollar or Dollar General. Or I can pick up some things at a CVS, Walgreens, Rural King, TSC, Home Depot and the like.

Now waitaminnit... you have all those stores in a town of 22,000???

 

[All4You]

Now waitaminnit... you have all those stores in a town of 22,000???

All except Rural King and Ollie's,yeah, and I forgot Orscheln Farm and Home.

 

[Rangeline Fan]

In over 40 Years in and around businesses, I have seen a lot of strange nonsensical decision making, but I think I found one this morning should go to the top of the list.

My Wife received an item in the Mail several days ago that she needed to fax to another party. We don't have a fax machine at home, so over the years she has taken things to a local Office Depot store to fax them. Took her there today. As I dropped her off at the front door, I spotted a sign stating that they were open on Easter Sunday from 11:00 until 5:00. HUH?

We already have people Sheltering in Place limiting their activity, so you don't have the traffic you ordinarily have. Most people, even those who aren't heavily religious will probably watch an Easter Sunday Service on TV or other device, and have an Easter Meal with Family. I don't see a whole lot of people clamoring to leave the House after Dinner to head to Office Depot because Office Depot has something they can't wait to obtain until Monday. Office Depot isn't a Grocery Store or gas Station that would provide anything of value that someone would require. Even the Pharmacy inside my Kroger Store has a sign up saying they are closed on Easter Sunday.

I sincerely hope they incur the costs of having the store open and have no Customers and generate no Revenue. The decision doesn't seem to make economic sense, so you have to try to look for another motive. Is this just pure arrogance? Because the Government hasn't closed them down or significantly modified the way they do business, do they feel the need to prove to us or themselves that they are as essential as they think they are? What about the Employees who will work that day. Easter will not be the family celebration it usually is given current circumstances, but I can't believe they will be happy about it? And what about people like me in the general public that they may piss off by doing this?

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

So why didnt you wait until Monday to go yourself?

 

[cryano]

The older I get...the more I realize other peoples ignorant(to me) decisions and financial choices have little to no effect on me.

I had someone tell me one time, if you aren’t interested in buying it...dont worry about the price/cost...and if you didn't invest in it, don’t worry about the decisions those who did make.