Lucky Seven?

For those who are superstitious, seven is a very important number, and you may happily spend hours looking round the web at the various mythical, religious and astrological reasons for its significance.

This company started trading on the internet seven years ago. Perhaps we were lucky striking out early into fairly unknown territory. If you search the web you can find the wayback machine at www.web.archive.org to see a snapshot of what our original websites looked like in 2006.. It's good to be reminded of where the start was, and it underlines the years of change and endeavour since then.

It's essential to keep finding fresh products, and to improve the way they are presented.

The competition in leather business bags and leather luggage is still as great as ever. Although the traditional shops have been closing for years, the ones that remain are really very good at what they do - they have to be!

Also the department stores have upped their game markedly, although their prices must always reflect the cost of bricks and mortar trading. But then most of them work on the internet now, to get the benefit of both clicks and bricks.

Then we've got Amazon. Again sellers there are having to pay around 20% in fees and commission, so their prices aren't the most competitive.

So that's why The Leather Travel Bag Company and The Leather Briefcase Company keep the price as low as possible, and the quality as high as we can find.

Now we are heading for an eighth year. Eight is a very lucky number in China!

But as my much loved old boss said " Son, the harder you work, the luckier you get.

 www.theleatherbriefcase.co.uk

THE RETAIL JUNGLE

Survival of the fittest? absolutely.

T.J.Hughes, Dreams, Habitat, Faith Shoes, Officers Club and many more are names that either went bust or had to take drastic action in the recent past.

The fashionable scapegoat at present is the very swift rise of internet sales, but that is completely wrong.
Tescos and John Lewis and every other professional retailer has just added internet sales into their offer.

Why do retailers go bust? As one of my early bosses told me,
"There's one way to make money, and a thousand ways to lose it!"

The usual overheads are rent, rates, salaries, advertising, utilities.

It's the nasty unexpected things that can happen, like a bigger rival opening nearby, roadworks, flood, fire, theft by both staff and custmers, losing key staff, and again a long list of things you might never consider.

One things for sure, the past five years of really poor economic conditions have really sorted out the retail jungle, and anyone who's left will be looking forward to roaring away when the long awaited upturn turns up!

OLYMPICS ! UNBELIEVABLE !!

Unbelievebly, incredibly, a massively monumental would you look at that all of a sudden world shattering unbelievable run this past you fantastic globally inspiring unrepeatable phasmagorical prodigious world beating extraordinary mind numbingly overwhelming sort of kind of visionary work of genius with talented overtones giving spectacular vibes to the common people futuristically embedding encouragement generationally going forward heritage award to phenomenally gifted participants in Stratford has closed.

Absolutely.

The best bits were found using the red button, where you could find Olympic events on screen, without any commentary.

Congratulations to all medallists.

Especially on being asked moments after success -

"How does it feel...."

and being polite to the questioner.

SHEER NONSENSE

To end the recession the government has had the bright thought that printing money is the solution.
What can you say?

Sheer........nonsense.

The first paragraph of any decent text-book for 16 year olds reading Economics will state clearly that this is not a good idea, and leads to inflation.
The more money that's printed, the worse the inflation that will follow.

Next, having printed the money, an even more grotesque move.
Let's give billions to the bankers.

Can you believe the logic of giving another feast for jackals and vultures ?

These are the low life who messed up the whole system first of all!!

O.K. they retired a few bad eggs.

But the circus management that remains is scared witless of doing anything, particularly lending when times are hard.

So the simple answer is...

GIVE SOME MONEY TO THE PEOPLE!

Reduce VAT and reduce income tax now.

Result, retail and housing picks up.
Mr and Mrs Hard Working Family get that lovely old "feel good" factor.

Cars get bought.
Furniture and carpets are replaced.
Holidays are taken,

We like holidays ...holidays mean demand for travel bags.

Just off to pack.

NOW WE ARE SIX !

Our main website is 6 years old this summer.

With the help of a thing called the wayback machine I've just been reminded of the range we offered in 2006, consisting simply of two categories, briefcases and travel bags.

Progress and development have been rapid.

We now offer ten ranges.

Travel bags for example has become two sections, cabin bags and larger luggage.
Briefcases additionally include ladies briefcases, computer cases, folders and folios.

Satchels and shoulder bags, Italian briefcases and travel bags have all arrived.

The superb Ruitertassen collection has its own page.

And there's great scope for the future!

Here's a story [ Yes he's off on one again! ]
One of our regular suppliers decided to impose RRPs on all their retailers in March this year.
This meant an item we were selling at £110 MUST BE SOLD FOR £135.
Why?
Because other sellers were really upset that our company was "under-pricing" !!
So we packed up that brand's stock and sent it back.

Only we decide what is good value for our customers.
Forty years in retailing teaches simple lessons.
Dreaming about big profit margins in a competitive market is....dreaming!

Literally days later two manufacturers approached us to see if we wanted to work with them.
Next week the "WESTAWAY" range will offer more top quality merchandise for our customers to review.
Our styles, our quality, and definitely at our prices.

Thank you to all our clients over these past years.
Every day over 30% of our webshops visitors are previous buyers, or returning viewers...and we won't disappoint you.

PS "Now we are six"...is a short poem by AA Milne...worth a look!

LEATHER BRIEFCASES, INSPIRED BY ITALY !!

Meandering round the internet I decided to check some of the largest stores that sell leathergoods on the web.

One top national store group currently offers two truly unexceptional items -
a half-flapover, top handle, single compartment leather briefcase and an attache case, the ultimate British classic style in their ....

"COLLEZIONE INSPIRED BY ITALY"

Oh dear.

Whilst this is not misrepresentation, it is a wild clutch at the straw, endeavouring to connect Italian design flair to two quite ordinary products, the first made in Calcutta and the second in Shenzen.

However they are in good company, because most retailers are either ignorant of the truth, or "economical" with it.

When you see these phrases "Italian leather" "Italian design" "Italian style" the seller is implying the item comes from Italy.
Italian leather is exported to China, for bags to be made.
Italian designs and styles are copied all over the world.

The product IS NOT MADE IN ITALY...but the seller does their utmost to imply the connection.

If you see a Visconti "Monza" luxury Italian leather purse or "Milano" wallet, have a guess where they are made please.
Great brand, excellent value, superb quality - Italian as a curry.

In the same way, why on earth do sellers offer "free delivery"?

There is no such thing in a normal commercial transaction.
If the post or a courier service is used, it is paid for.
By the customer.

The retailer either sells it for £10 + PP, or £12.99 delivered price.
The buyer pays.

Come the sales, there's the wonderful "we pay your VAT" - think about it - more nonsense.
Genuine 80% reductions - from an original price that was hugely inflated upfront!
And so on.

OK - here's the point.

In this website if it says it was "Made In Italy" that's true.
It's plain that it costs you £6.95 for your purchase to be packed and delivered.
A reduction is genuine, and it's evident why the price is lowered.

Inspired?
Not really.
Customers are rarely taken in by exaggerated claims and daft offers.
Truth is the best policy.

You'll find an excellent choice of leather business cases here. www.theleatherbriefcase.co.uk

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

Those happy souls who read my blog regularly will know how my mind works.

Good housekeeping is fundamental to every individual, family, business, organisation and country.

The great empires of history, Chinese, Egyptian, Roman, Moorish and onward - all of these - reaching into modern times, were based on sound and simple principles.

As long as they stuck to those principles, they prospered.
When the leadership lost that vision, they faltered and fell.

Let's ask why "Good Housekeeping" magazine has remained at the top since 1885.
There's probably one near you - open it and it's quality is plain to see.
Excellent interesting honest journalism, at a time when some newspapers stoop to desperate and criminal acts!

This country has been set back by the politics of the 1990s.
Politicians placed presentation above truth.
The national credit card was over-spent by an accountant who could not add up.
Banks were not trustworthy, moral values were degraded.

Good house-keeping was not even sneered at - it was forgotten.

So now you, me, every company and organisation must pay the price of forgetting the basic rule - don't spend what you can't afford.

Again, my regular readers know that I'm coming to an extremely narrow minded and very selfish conclusion, which often involves leather bags. [ Oh My Gosh]

If you care to look at our webshop, you'll see a new range on sale.
Only new to us...
Ruitertassen started making bags in 1925.
Why these bags are sold as "antique collectables" in many countries is very simple.

They have made excellent bags as a standard - operated with good house-keeping principles - and we are delighted to be able to offer you a product that should be in your hands giving good service for many years.

Ruitertassen - an investment in leather, worth saving for.

See the range here. www.theleatherbriefcase.co.uk

THE BUDGET - WHAT IS THE POINT?

Politicians do love to talk and posture, and the Chancellor of The Exchequer has a wonderful dramatic platform every year.

In fact he likes it so much he'll slip in a mini-budget wherever possible.

The recent event was labelled by the media as "THE GRANNY BASHING BUDGET" !

Is it any wonder that on the honesty perception scale journalists and politicians compete for the lowest place?

One proposal out of dozens is inflated to banner head-line status.

However far more important was the increase of the tax threshold to over £9200. That's the measure that will put £200 a year into millions of pockets.
Think about it.

My personal view is that a flat rate tax of 20% should be paid by everyone, starting at £12000 p.a.
No other grades or per centages.

It works well in many countries.

It strikes fear in the hearts of all bureaucrats as it could reduce 72,000 pages of tax law down to one side of A4!

Cannot see the Brussels brigands accepting that.
Can I asume that everyone knows that the EU's accounts have not been approved by their annual audit for the last 20 years?
Did I hear the words gravy and train?

If the EU Commission went on strike, would you notice?

Anyway, as my readers will recognise this column has narrow self-interest at it's heart.

Let's get to the real question.

What is the point of a politician who uses the same battered old attache case year after year, waving the old relic at the cameras with a triumphant grin?

We have quite a good selection, brand new, quality leather, starting at £79.95......