What's up with these "front" stores?

[NeoHam]

Looking for a fitting but didn't want to spend $10 for shipping I ran across these sites that look like the same business behind the scene. The Terms & COnditions is unbelievable. They don't take phone calls, operate out of a PO box, You can't ship back to the box. Looks like something called Heath Tech Inc. Heath Tech Inc. is not undertaking any obligation or liability relating to any contents or activities

 

[Billk]

Not sure what you mean by a "front store" ???

Depending on what fitting you need and how much quality you want, Radio Shack actually has a fairly decent selection if you are in a bind.

 

[Mudfoot]

Call universal radio in reynoldsburg, ohio

 

[binrat]

Looking for a fitting but didn't want to spend $10 for shipping I ran across these sites that look like the same business behind the scene. The Terms & COnditions is unbelievable. They don't take phone calls, operate out of a PO box, You can't ship back to the box. Looks like something called Heath Tech Inc. Heath Tech Inc. is not undertaking any obligation or liability relating to any contents or activities

Are you talking about The New Ham store?? If so I ave dealt with them about 6-7 times, all with good results.

 

[kc8adu]

i have seen something similar.tried buying some oddball lightbulbs online.
found 8 places that show them in stock.well after several order cancels i started calling.
7 of the 8 were the same company with a different identity!
the 8th actually had stock and got them out that day.
not sure why any legitimate company would run 7 false fronts like that unless something funny is going on.

 

[RatsoW8]

i have seen something similar.tried buying some oddball lightbulbs online.
found 8 places that show them in stock.well after several order cancels i started calling.
7 of the 8 were the same company with a different identity!
the 8th actually had stock and got them out that day.
not sure why any legitimate company would run 7 false fronts like that unless something funny is going on.

I don't think anything funny is going on at all. This is just a new way of doing business on the internet. You no longer have to buy a brick and mortar store or stores to sell you stuff from. You can have as many internet business store fronts as you like; each targeting a different group.

As a simple example: if you sell electronic components you can have one web store that targets hams and another that targets CB'ers all selling the same stuff from the same stock stored in the garage of your home.

What's so wrong or crooked about that? It's small and home business in the age of the interwebs.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I don't think anything funny is going on at all. This is just a new way of doing business on the internet. You no longer have to buy a brick and mortar store or stores to sell you stuff from. You can have as many internet business store fronts as you like; each targeting a different group.

As a simple example: if you sell electronic components you can have one web store that targets hams and another that targets CB'ers all selling the same stuff from the same stock stored in the garage of your home.

What's so wrong or crooked about that? It's small and home business in the age of the interwebs.

Besides that the "losses" of the other seven companies more than cancels the real profits of the money maker making for a good tax situation.

 

[gamegetter]

That true!

 

[RatsoW8]

There is a business I'd like to get into but that's just what happenes when you watch 54 eposiodes of Breaking Bad back to back. I was on vacation last week