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For virtual designing and decorating using your own home interior and exterior photos, go to the Virtual Decorator X-pert at: http://www.thevirtualdecorator.com/En/Index.asp Oh, and it's way, way, cheaper!!!

2 - Home Hardware Stores won't tell you how to text latex or oil based paints, they'll sell you a "Latex Paint Test Kit" Don't give them your money!

With a dab of "Rubbing Alcohol" on a rag or cotton ball, simply rub a small inconspicuous spot on the surface you want to paint, If the color appears on your cloth, then it's Latex Paint. It's that simple!

April 3, 2007

I just received an email from a former Home Hardware shopper. She informs me that some Home Hardware Store Owners claim they don't own the company. Where is the pride of ownership? Here's what Home Hardware Store Owners website states when you click the "Contact" link. Another former shopper sent me this link, http://www.thestar.com/article/197680 it's well worth the time to read.

This is an actual cut and paste from the website of Home Hardware Stores Ltd.

(start of paste section) "All 1,000 Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture Dealers are independent Canadian storeowners who, collectively, own the company. When you speak with your local Dealer, you are speaking to the owner of not just the store but of the company." (end of paste section)

Vendor - Suppliers: also read the link "Home Hardware Scandal"

Home Hardware Scandal

Was $10.7 Million dollars stolen from a St Thomas man? You be the judge!

A year ago, or so, the air was thick with tales of corporate scandal, lost pension funds, big time theft and even bigger time prison sentences for the Enron gang. Then there was Dennis Kozlowski, CEO of Tyco who was found guilty of in effect using Tyco's immense financial resources for what the prosecution described as "His own personal piggy bank." Yes, corporate bullying, theft and power abuse is alive and well. It takes on a wide rang of various forms and activities ranging from the lining of ones own pockets with stolen money, to third party trade deals that amass small fortunes while crushing competition, and much more. Now the latest scandal, and it's one hundred percent Canadian owned.

Many of us, 4 out of 5 according to one study, identify with the helping hands at Home Hardware. But is it really that way? When I, a company owner discovered that Home Hardware was using my product to redirect sales to a new competitor, I told Home Hardware to stop the practice at once as it was causing irreversible damages. The request fell on deaf ears and the response was shocking. Instead of admitting it was an error on the part of Home Hardware and righting its wrong doing, Home Hardware arrogantly insisted this was legal and even ethical.

After years of development, marketing, and dedication, my business was nearly in financial ruin. The actions of Home Hardware caused sales for my product to dry up while sales for this new competitor flourished at my expense. Calls to various stores all echoed the same response. They were all selling the knock-off product as head office recommended this on it's HomeInfo system. It seemed that Home Hardware was in essence, in bed with this new competitor, and was a member of the same association. Sales receipts showed one product was now another product and both product SKU's appeared on the same receipts. Even store owners weren't sure which product had been sold?

If you caught your neighbour red-handed stealing your car, you'd throw him or her in jail. And if that neighbour was a friendly local successful business owner you'd still throw him or her in jail. You and I would be thrown in jail without any question. Should the laws be any different for them? Would you still shop at that store? Would you still see the store owners like the television commercials portray them to be? What if it was your RRSP's instead of your car? Think about it for a moment. 19 years of growth plus annual compounding equivalent to my rate of sales growth shown below, they caused these losses and damages and more. My son was to succeed me for another generation of sales, then his son, and so on. Some Home Hardware Stores see growths of 50% a year because you shop there. Retailers sell manufacturers goods so they share the same growth rates as it's their products the retailers are selling.

What benefits of private wealth to a corporate head are more important than those of the company owners. The owners permitted and encouraged this kind of crooked backdoor arrangements for years and are all equally as guilty and responsible. Years of being a respected honest company were being ruined. The images we are bombarded with of shiny clean honest do-gooder store and company owners is forever tarnished.

Analysts frown on these ethics and practices, calling them "strange" and "irresponsible behavior." But when there is weaker than expected performance, while corporate heads still enjoy excessive pay packages, guaranteed bonuses and extravagant multi-million dollar retirement packages, are company officials truly concerned about the consumer or the local store owner? Not at all. And what about consumers?

It wasn't until I started fighting back, with my ticketing cars, writing vendor/suppliers, and faxing the members of the Builder's Association that Home Hardware agreed to stop this practice, almost a year and a half after I'd notified them. BUT Home Hardware asked that I immediately take down all reference made to Home Hardware on my website. Still Home Hardware admits no wrong doing for causing irreversible damages, nor has it offered any compensation for its intentional and irresponsible behavior.

So every time you hear the famous jingle "Help is close to Home" I hope you ask yourself, "Who are they helping?" I employed 17 people over the years but Home Hardware helped put everyone of them out of work! Aren't you glad Home Hardware isn't helping you with your business? Possibly hundreds or thousands of businesses have been helped by these friendly folks. I encourage you to shop where you like and have only presented the facts that are seen here. If Home Hardware considers posting its business practices to be slanderous, then perhaps they need to be more ethical.

Was $10.7 Million dollars stolen from a St Thomas man? You be the judge!

There is NO HONOUR in "HOME HARDWARE"

If you discovered the helpful "Golden Haired Boy" in your neighbourhood has taken to bullying and victimizing the innocent, would you stand by and let it happen? Would you turn a blind eye to theft in your neighbourhood? I would hope most of you would do the right thing and put a stop to it.

March 15, 2007 * * National television investigative reporters officially express interest! * *

March 13, 2007 * * City Bylaws can't stop ticker tape program for Home Hardware Owner * *

Hello everyone. You're response and support is overwhelming. Visitor support to the website is incredible and more than 1,700 stopped by this week alone and it's growing daily. My greatest thanks!

If you are a vendor / supplier to Home Hardware Stores Ltd. you may want to stop and re-write your contract with them to prevent the following from happening to your product(s) or your business.

CONSUMERS

My opinion is this:

This isn't about you and I, it's about honesty, and fairness for all. If you believe you and your children, and everyone should have a fair chance at life then we can't let this stand. I detest bullying, identity theft, deception, and those who don't understand that "No means No." Take a stand for honour and justice by doing the following:

When a Home Hardware flyer comes to your door, THROW IT OUT! Don't even look at it just throw it out! Everything you want is available elsewhere.
If you are building a fence, deck or patio make sure the material doesn't come from Home Hardware.
If you are getting a new kitchen, bathroom, or flooring insist the material is not bought at Home Hardware.
Tell your home builder you won't buy from them if the materials come from Home Hardware.
Tell everyone about the ethics of Home Hardware.
Tell the local Home Hardware Store that you disagree with its ethics and you will not shop there until David says its okay once again.

If you are a consumer buying items from a Home Hardware Store please be aware that when you are told an item has been discontinued, it means that Home Hardware Stores Ltd. has discontinued it only. When you ask for a product you should get that product, and not be falsely redirected to buying something from another company that isn't what you wanted.

"Hell is close to Home"

Here, you will see a practice that seems to be innocent and helpful. But you will see the damages it can cause to your business as it did to mine and possibly thousands of other businesses over the years.

Home Hardware Stores Ltd. had no authorization to use my property and were asked verbally as well as in writing to stop using my property.

Whatever happened to "No means No?"

In my opinion, this practice is equivalent to crimes we hate. It's like a woman being raped as she repeatedly screams, "No!," as her cries are ignored. It's like someone using your bank card for spending sprees without your permission and you can't stop it but you end up paying the price. This is only my opinion but it infuriates me when our rights are ignored.

Ongoing practice at Home Hardware Stores Ltd. This appears like a very helpful information system to the stores when a customer request information on any of the products carried by Home Hardware Stores Ltd. The store owner or staff enter the SKU number or search a product for the customer. The customer is either shown the information on screen or is given a printed copy. This is the buying public who sees or receives the requested information. BUT... read the note below before looking at the photo.

As a customer to Home Hardware Stores I asked for information on Liqui-Fire Pipe Thaw. This is a print out that was given to myself from the staff at a Home Hardware Store. Similar information is handed out to thousands of customers every day of the year. I also asked another Home Hardware Store in another province to fax me any information on Liqui-Fire Pipe Thaw. I received this fax and this is all the information that was on the fax, plus the Home Hardware Store name and fax information. By the way, the suggested retail on Liqui-Fire Pipe Thaw had been $19.99 for several years while the product was being carried by Home Hardware Stores Ltd. in its warehouses. BUT... the suggested retail price was inflated to $21.99 once Home Hardware Stores Ltd. decided to carry the knock-off product that one of its corporate associate members in the C.C.S.P.A. (Canadian Consumers Specialty Products Association) AND... the notes that you see on the photo??? Well take a look at it now but read the notes first please.

This is an actual cut and paste from the website of Home Hardware Stores Ltd.

I spoke to an individual co-owner of Geerlinks Home Hardware Building Centre and personally discussed the practices of Home Hardware Stores Ltd. Remember Harry Geerlinks we all saw on the cover of the Home Catalogue. As one of the 1,100 owners of Home Hardware Stores Ltd., I was told by this corporation owner and I quote, "If you want to play with the big boys, you have to play by the big boys rules," unquote. I was also told by Steve Somersford a category buyer at Home Hardware Stores Ltd. that it's legal and ethical.

This is what I was make of it. Quite simply, it's ok for Home Hardware to do it, but not for the rest of us. It is not ok for Home Hardware Stores Ltd. to unlawfully use my product to redirect my sales and change market dominance. But the letters from its attorney state that the rest of us cannot do the same. In my opinion, this practice is neither legal nor ethical under the Competition Act.

This statement below is similar to the remarks and redirect of sales that you see in the photo below which is on the Home Hardware's Information System.

So as per the practices of the owners of Home Hardware Stores Ltd. I should be able to USE ITS LOGO TO redirect sales as I show here.

In my opinion; consumers wishing to shop at stores with good ethics and mutual respect,

Home Hardware is: DISCONTINUED BY DAVID.

For shopping at HOME HARDWARE, now use RONA, PRO HARDWARE, HOME DEPOT, or COPPS

This is legal and ethical as stated and practiced by Home Hardware Stores Ltd.

This photo shows Home Hardware was deliberately breaking several laws prior to becoming aware I'd taken photos of its HomeInfo computer to obtain evidence. They claim they did nothing wrong.

This photo shows Home Hardware's attempt to cover up its breaking some of the laws once it became aware of the above photo. It was change upon my starting to notify the consumer with my tag campaign. Now all reference to my company, my product and it being used to divert sales illegally have been removed. In the letter Home Hardware Stores sent me, they claimed it was publicly displayed to assist store owners, yet it clearly tells everyone to use Home Hardware Stores corporate buddies knock-off.

Here are 2 photos taken of the computer screen at 2 different Home Hardware Stores. It proves my statements above are legal as stated and demonstrated by Home Hardware Stores Ltd. When you look at it, remember that all the information fields you see in this window are purposely put there by Home Hardware Stores Ltd. Notice this in the photo:

1st - Notice on the top left that it clearly shows, Home Info. You know this is Home Hardware Stores Ltd.

2nd - Notice it has notes not shown on the printed copy that a Home Hardware Store had faxed to my office?

3rd - Notice the SKU number. It shows it as 3211-358 plus it shows my property that Home Hardware was sent a notice that they did not have permission from me to use.

4th - Notice it shows "Liqui-Fire, Pipe" which is actually known in the market for better than a decade as "Liqui-Fire Pipe Thaw"

5th - Notice it shows Discontinued by Home.

6th - Here's a good one. It redirects my sales to SKU number 3211-349 BUT THAT PRODUCT IS NOT FROM MY COMPANY. This happens to be an associate corporate member of Home Hardware Stores Ltd. in the C.C.S.P.A. Home Hardware Stores Ltd. is clearly redirecting any and all interest from years of retailers and consumers interest in my product to one of its Goliath buddies.

7th - AND BEST OF ALL... Since Home Hardware Stores Ltd. had its attorney go after myself, and after I sent my first response to Home Hardware Stores Ltd. the suggested retail price mysteriously became $19.99 again. BUT... when I had spoken to Steve Somersford of Home Hardware Stores Ltd. the suggested retail remained $21.99 until such time that Home Hardware Stores Ltd. received my first reply regarding its practices.

You don't suspect that Home Hardware Stores Ltd. was doing influence peddling or anything illegal or unethical do you?

Home Hardware Stores Ltd. denies any wrong doing, and denies redirecting sales, and denies this to be public information, and denies influencing retailers, and denies influencing consumer sales, and it denies causing my loss of major market share, and Home Hardware Stores Ltd. strongly disagree with my statements on my website claiming them to be false and misleading, and you guessed it, Home Hardware Stores Ltd. denies causing any damages to the sales of my product Liqui-Fire Pipe Thaw.

As a professional courtesy to Home Hardware Stores Ltd. these photos were withheld from view until today February 28, 2007. My press release to the media will be without Home Hardware Stores Ltd. input and/or regret and is happening any time soon after March 1, 2007.

To this date, March 7, 2007, only one store owner has expressed regret and concern. No other response of resolve has been received from Home Hardware Stores Ltd.

BACK TO THE INITIAL PROBLEM WITH HOME HARDWARE STORES LTD.

In many discussion with several of the Home Hardware Independently owned stores, and in my opinion also, the corporate head of Home Hardware Stores Ltd. have become a little bit to big for their britches. As one store owner said to me on the telephone today (February 28, 2007) and I will quote him exactly, "and they are supposedly representing my store and 1,100 others." I'll just say, he isn't the only store owner that's not too happy about the corporate head office attitudes either.

So I must ask all the 1,100 plus independently owned Home Hardware Stores this question. "Are the values and principles that were the foundation and reasons for you joining the corporation still there?"

At the time you joined the corporation, the quoted words of Walter Hachborn that are proudly echoed by Home Hardware Stores Ltd., he stated, "You need to build a business on ethics and not try to hoodwink people into a bad deal" Walter told Marketplace, "That in the retail trade the right "Christian decision" is usually also the right business decision." "If you have faith you have to find a way to practice that faith - not just on Sundays but all week long."

Do these principles still exist with regard to the practices of Home Hardware Stores Ltd.?

* * * To people who value honesty and fairness * * *

* * * PLEASE CLICK HERE * * *

* Disclaimer: We are not responsible for any misleading information here as it is provided to every Canadian via television, websites, flyers, advertisers, or employees thereof. Availability and prices are subject to change without notice. *

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Send mail to woodsmansdb@hotmail.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright 1993 - 12 Dec 2008 Woodsmans International All rights reserved. Last modified: 12/12/08

Send mail to woodsmansdb@hotmail.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright 1993 - 12 Dec 2008 Woodsmans International All rights reserved.
Last modified: 12/12/08