I am completely frustrated with the state of face-to-face retail. Upon watching a commercial for the Timberland Earthkeepers brand boot, I was hooked. I wanted a pair. As I need new boots for winter, I thought this was a serendipitous opportunity. So, I marched into the nearest Timberland store (about a half hour from home), and asked to try out the new Earthkeepers.

Only, they didn’t have any. I asked the store clerk if they were sold out. No, he replied. They just didn’t have them yet. I asked him if there were other stores that stocked the boots. He gave me a few names to try out. I called two stores, Macys and Journeys. One you’ve probably heard of, and the other, not.

Macy’s took about 10 minutes to answer my call, hold time included, only to say that they’d never heard of the model of boot. Journeys answered much faster that they’d not heard of it.

Zappos.com had a few models in stock, but not very many, and not in the color I’d have preferred. (But at least they had some.) If one is going to buy shoes online, to me, there’s only one choice: Zappos, and that’s because their customer service is top shelf. Buying shoes is tricky: fit, comfort, and all kinds of other factors are hard to determine over the web.

And yet, no face-to-face store had the boot in stock, nor did they seem all that interested in helping me get a pair. In fact, they didn’t seem to want my money at all.

I’m frustrated. I’m frustrated that Timberland is advertising something their stores and their affiliate stores don’t carry. I’m frustrated that the only purchase points seem to be online. And I’m not frustrated for me, a reasonably savvy tech consumer. I’m frustrated that I learned about these shoes via a TV commercial (saw it at my parents’ house during Thanksgiving), and that I couldn’t actually get the shoes in a store. Further, I’m frustrated that no parts of the distribution chain seemed to know much about the shoe in question.

I guess, in thinking this all over a bit more, I’ve come to realize that there’s really very little reason to walk into a brick and mortar retail store for most products these days. I can research better on the web. I can get better opinions on the web. I can find better deals via the web. And I can actually order something that was advertised, when using a web channel.

What does that tell YOU about retail?

You’re all important people. You’re all worthy of a response. You’re wonderful and I’m glad we’ve met ( not yet met / should meet ). I’m really excited about your blog ( your business opportunity / your charitable cause / your brother’s new bike). I’m so grateful that you took the time to write me ( asked me to Digg your post / asked me to blog about your app / asked me to come to your awesome conference).

Please forgive me if I haven’t responded in the last few days. Please forgive me for the next few days where I don’t respond as well.

Next steps: just re-write me. If I forget something, just remind me. Or decide I’m not worth it and move on. Either/or is just fine, and I understand in both cases.

I love you just the same. I think the world is better with you in it, just the same.

I’m juggling and writing and making letters go together as fast as I can. You’re faster than me. It’s a “wisdom of crowds” problem for which there’s not yet an answer. Wisdom of Inbox?

Hmm. Where’s Jared Goralnick? I think I just created his next product.

I’ll see you when I can. I’m asychronous. The phone’s not much better. Actually, don’t call me unless it’s REALLY important and REALLY time sensitive. Please, for *.deity’s sake, don’t write me back in Facebook. (Man, I can almost never answer over there – maybe I should try version 2?)

I actually do write back to quite a number of people. Just try me again, if it’s important to you. Okay?

Love and respect,

–Chris…

Photo credit, Gaetan Lee