Oil Experts Worse than Weathermen

When we are all looking back next Spring wondering how the economy took another tumble think back to the days of illogical price increases in the market.  Sure the dollar is weak and that does directly impact what we see at the pumps but the irrational nature of the swings of the past two years speaks more of the same exuberance we once had in the housing arena.    The expectation among traders is that there will be justification down the road for what we are now seeing as we fill our tanks but the reality has been that these experts have been horribly inaccurate as detailed on many other blogs. 

Perhaps they have all been enjoying the finer things of life such as a top quality bottle of wine delivered in an Alicia Klein Wine Carrier that is made from one of the most exclusive names available today.   People use this carrier as a holiday perk and it does the job for which it was constructed.  The padding is excellent and it keeps bottles from rattling but for the price we would really like to see a higher grade of material versus the vinyl used.  The Cutter & Buck American Classic Wine Valet definately steps it up a notch and is made from the finest genuine leather.  It also carries a more recognized name than the earlier model which is more of a niche brand.  The handles are stronger and there is more than ample room for two bottles and as earlier indicated there is virtually no noise or jiggling when carrying.  The leather also passes the sniff test in that it is genuine and not the low grade stuff we often see at the lower price points.   Both of these products do a great job and look great with a logo debossed.  If you are looking to spend a little less the Cutter & Buck American Classic Coaster Valet will get the brand into the hands of your client without the expense of some of the previous entries.   Until they run out the manufacturer is also throwing in a free wine opener of the same brand which is great as it increases the perceived value.  When deciding on the product you will ultimately gift to your client or associate choose both quality and value.

What many manufacturers are doing at the end of the year is packaging products from within the same lines to dump inventory.  They are all bracketing it as a special but without a doubt it is clearing out warehouse and capital to begin the 2010 product cycle.  The packaging of products we are seeing is no different from what we have previously discussed among furniture retailers.