From: dahoov2@cox.net   
      
   Sad to see it.  Got the email this morning; all signings are cancelled   
   and all items in the store are 10% off.   
      
   I've seen a ton of businesses going out of business.  A ton of   
   restaurants around here are going down fast and a lot of storefronts   
   have for rent/lease on them.   
      
   On Tidewater, I was always wondering how they stay in business.  Too   
   much inventory at higher prices.  People see a couple thousand items   
   and think "no problem, I can't afford it today I'll come back later"   
   instead of "oh wow, there's only a few, I'd better get it now or no   
   chance ever again".  And their signings are good but really the celebs   
   are out of control with their prices and we just can't afford to pay   
   them anymore.  I don't know about you, but gas if 4.00 a gallon and so   
   is milk (actually it's 5.00 plus in some places) and I went grocery   
   shopping the other  day and went for the same ground beef (the lean   
   stuff at 92%) which was under 3.00 a pound and this week it was almost   
   5.00 a pound!  I went to get vegetable oil and normally that is like   
   6.00 or so for a large jug and this time?  12.00!  This is not pennies   
   we are talking about, this is many dollars per item on some things!   
      
   I always wonder though, that why businesses who are not doing well   
   don't take feedback well when it's offered or perhaps don't ask for   
   feedback at all.  I once commented here how Tidewater Sports was   
   overpriced and needed to vary it's signers and organize a little more   
   (promote better and then get items for players to sign and sell   
   there).  They got defensive about it.  Instead of getting defensive,   
   why not ask the public?  Another thing too... if you keep getting the   
   same players to come, you've worn out your market as people don't need   
   to go back twice or there are so many to pick from that you can't   
   afford them all so have to pick and choose.  So if you have a hall of   
   famer coming and then 3 other guys before and after of little known   
   status, people will pick which then want more as the hall of famer is   
   probably really expensive.  Most likely they'll pick him and skip the   
   other three.  Since it's a niche market, there's not that many   
   customers.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)