JustMe Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Chris sold cheap crap and found a market. The other retailers in Shetland sell expensive crap and wonder why their revenues fell! I wonder if it has recovered with him gone, or everyone buys quality at fair prices on the Internet, catalogues, etc? I think on the grounds of fairness I have to mention the Bargain Centre/Home Furnishings who do sell a lot of cheap goods similar to what Chris sold. Also, and again on the grounds of fairness, I will point out that a lot of the things Chris sold were ok for the price. No way did he, and his father before him, build up trade in Shetland by selling rubbish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwwerDaHellyMuckleHills22 Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 [mod]Shetlink T&C's1. You agree, through your use of the Shetlink website, that you will not submit (or hyperlink to) any material or use language which is defamatory, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, inciting of violence, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or in violation of ANY UK law. Personal attacks, inflammatory language, harassment, impersonation, trolling and sockpuppeting (multiple user accounts) will not be tolerated. 7. Shetlink moderators reserve the right to remove any content (or hyperlinks) which Shetlink moderators, at their discretion, consider to be defamatory, objectionable, unlawful or otherwise inappropriate, and to do so without seeking the consent of, or giving notice to, the submitter of the content in question. Forum use - guidelines and netiquette[/mod] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lapse Rate Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 http://i42.tinypic.com/258bgb6.jpg Quit yo' Jibber Jabbin' fool, ain't nobody judge nobodys charater on they rings and things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordanKZ Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 Chris Hodge at least tries to buck the trend anyway. Instead of usual products having a nice 15% - 20% price rise (which I like to call the Shetland tax) he sells utterly useless items at a very cheap price. Sure, I wouldn't ever buy anything from him but at least he's diversifying the market a little Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveh Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 I went to Sound Hall this morning to see what Chris Hodge has for sale. He does have a fair percentage of what I would call tat rather than what I would call crap. However, you can, if you are a discerning shopper (as I am) come away with some bargains. I bought 4 very large storage boxes (about £53 or so) plus several other things and spent just under £70 in total. I was pleased with what I bought and felt that I had good value. Nobody forced me to go there and nobody forced me to buy anything. The guy is trying to make a living and should be applauded for doing so. Down south, the various "pound shops" are doing tremendous business in the current climate and Hodge's business is the closest that we can get to them here in Shetland. Not everyone can afford to pay big prices for, admittedly, probably superior items and it is all about having the chance to pay less. He gives us such a chance. If people don't turn up and buy then that will be the demise of his business. Plenty of people will be sorry if that were to be so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Well I am a fully paid up member of the Hodge fanclub. I buy the things that I want that I realise are totally disposable, mostly for my caravan or horse lorry for when we go camping south for the Royal Highland Show. I am not prepared to use my beloved kitchen tools for 4 days a year only to be wrecked, left behind or broken. The cleaning cloths are great for polishing ponies, carts and people before they go into the ring. Everything is disposable and you don't mind if it gets stepped on, broken or sees another year and, to be honest, quite alot of stuff lives on year after year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveh Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Well said!That's at least two happy customers, then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattie Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 We say no to door to door salesmen.. Why not to Chris Hodge? It is ridiculous and an embarrassment to Shetland seeing sale signs on lamp posts around Lerwick... For SALE...Sale..Sale... Oriental Rugs...featured!!Everything he sells is cheap seconds... Anybody getting a bargain here must be shrouded in a mist of naevity... [/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveh Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 Anybody getting a bargain here must be shrouded in a mist of naevity... [/b] I actually resent such a comment. I am not naive whatsoever. I am able to make a judgement, whenever I buy something, as to whether it is fair value and it would satisfy my requirements. As for the posters, you should get into the real world. It is called advertising and these posters are a regular occurrence in many parts of the country. As a responsible seller, I would hope that the same people responsible for putting up the posters will be taking them down at the end of the sale period.You seem to be adopting a very snobby attitude to the fact that this guy is making available products at cheaper prices. If you don't like, then don't buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitzyMu Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 I too used Chris Hodges store and went to his sales previously.I have to say that the items I chose were fit for use and I have been totally satisfied them.He does have a mixture of goods which are not for everyone that's why we live in a democracy we can choose to buy or not. He is also pleasent to speak to and does not heave a sigh if approached as some of the employees in some of the shops in Lerwick.Over my 17 years in Shetland I and my family have on occasion have had to take goods back to stores in Lerwwick, which turned out not fit for purpose and have cost considerably more than Chris charges.And he's not the only one to put flyers on lamp posts !!!!!If you don't approve of his methods of advertising or the goods he sells don't shop there but leave the rest of us to please ourselves.Simples !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 With regard to the advertising posters.It can't be any worse than all the rubbish which gets put up all over the place every time an election is coming near. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 We say no to door to door salesmen.. Why not to Chris Hodge? It is ridiculous and an embarrassment to Shetland seeing sale signs on lamp posts around Lerwick... The BIG difference is, its your own personal door, you can tell anyone standing at it anything you like. Hodgies ventures are in public buildings and his advertising is on public property. If you want rid of his posters get your councillor(s) onside, and get them to get a majority of their fellow councillors onside. Personally I don't think they're any worse than a lot of the other crap that's around the town these days, and might actually add a little temporary colour to the sea of gray. Its no different than the sundry sandwich boards that are propped up round the street, or the strings of ribbons round the cross (what is that about?) in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveh Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 I forgot to add that, undoubtedly, Hodge would have paid a decent amount of dosh to use Sound Hall for the week and that is for the benefit of the local community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 The difference between door-to-door salesmen and Mr Hodge, is you get to choose whether you visit his emporium in, whatever Hall he is residing in, and pay rent to be in. You are not hassled, you are not threatened (like some door-to-door salesmen I could mention in Shetland) and you can see for yourself what you are buying. Whether you choose to part with your money is up to you too. I wish him well with this venture, just like I wished him well with his last. At least he gets off his backside, does not look for government/ council subsidy and goes out and sells. More than alot do. You have eyes, you have your own choice, no one forces you to buy anything. If your own snobbery is what makes you judge him, then maybe you should take a look at what everyone actually does. He does not sell porn, knock-off goods, copies just cheap stuff that does the job for as long as you can realistically wish for at the prices he charges! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitaker Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Long may he continue his buisness through the Isles. I would like to see him set up a smaller country store as I believe he should have done instead of selling at the Black Hill site. Where he could go? Scalloway, Brae, Tingwall? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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