Date:         Tue, 19 Dec 2000 07:04:12 -0500
Reply-To:     Stephen Steele <steeles@HORIZONVIEW.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Steele <steeles@HORIZONVIEW.NET>
Subject:      Re: Very dented muffler from Bus Depot
Comments: To: Paul Borghese <paul98@prodigy.net>
Content-type: multipart/alternative;

> From: Paul Borghese <paul98@PRODIGY.NET>
> The muffler now has a series of very large dents.  So what do
> you guys think?  Should I send it back?

The difference between appearance parts and performance parts is in the eye
of the buyer. I know guys who would take back a starter for cosmetic
reasons. If you want to return the dented (rattling?) muffler it's your
choice. But it's Bus Depot's choice to use/re-use what ever packaging
material they want.  The balance of costs saved and resulting lower prices
against the costs of returns is augmented by the environmental impact of
adding to the waste stream.
(ramble on)
In general, the small retailer can get away with reusing shipping/packing
materials because the costs saved are more than the costs spent in lack of
conformity (can you imagine GM or VW using old boxes for their parts?)
Having been in retail for almost twenty years...I am sick of seeing those
expanded styrofoam shipping "peanuts" flying down the alley in a stiff
breeze. Unlike leaves and newspaper those things won't decay in a matter of
months.  In many other cultures our newspapers and "throwaway" boxes would
spend second and third lives before being discarded.  My wife wrapped
Christmas presents last night reusing boxes, some now twenty years
old...instead of throwing them away, we just pack them up with the holiday
decorations for future reuse.
As an aside some of my favorite old boxes in the attic are from... the
Benjamin pellet gun, our first Macintosh, Yakima rack parts boxes, several
ladies hat boxes and a passle of wooden boxes from breweries, bottlers, bike
and bullet makers, the most functional award goes to a set of about twenty
boxes nested with matching lids (from my wife's pharmacy job) which have
been reused for moving us, kids and neighbors.
Reduce,recycle,reuse.
Just MHO.
(ramble off)
--
Stephen Steele
'91 Caravelle...Hans
'84 Westy...Fritz or Sunny?
Chillicothe, OH



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