I Wish for a Wish List

I order most of my supplies online. I would love to support local businesses, keep my money in my local economy, contribute more sales tax dollars to my home turf, etc. But support for the professional nail industry here in California's Central Valley is — ahem — weak.

We have the usual Cosmoprof, a Saloncentric (formerly Maly's,) two Sally's and a ... uhhhh ... well, I haven't actually been IN the new nail supply store but what I've heard and seen thus far doesn't lead to grand expectations. "Nearby" (at 50 miles or so) Clovis boasts the only Asian nail supply that I'm aware of within a 100-mile radius, and it's actually a favorite haunt. Aside from the MMA, the obviously mis-stored product, the diversion, and/or possibly counterfeit products, it's at least a nail supply store. The people who work there are friendly and always make me feel they genuinely appreciate my business. They offer reasonably priced bulk files and buffers — you know, the things we're legally required NOT to reuse, so why would I pay $1 each for something that is disposable? And they offer an awesome selection of glitter, confetti, rhinestones and other nail art tools and supplies that other supply sources seem to consider a waste of shelf space but I consider necessary tools of my trade.

But their store is still an hour away, and I don't trust them for my chemical supplies like monomer, gel, primers, and bonders — I have no idea how old the products are and I can clearly see that they are not stored with regards to things that affect their quality such as temperature control.

Cosmoprof and I are no longer speaking. Their blatant disrespect for my chosen branch of the cosmetology industry is sickening. And between Cosmoprof and Saloncentric, they carry CND and OPI (almost the whole lines of each — almost) and a smattering of overpriced files, are usually out of stock on the few things that I should be able to purchase from them, can't or won't order anything for me, don't know what I'm talking about, and never seem to get anything in stock that is advertised in the trade magazines as being available there ...

I buy online. Or at tradeshows when possible.

Which is how it comes to pass that I am so familiar with so many websites. Which is why I want to know — why doesn't your shopping cart "remember" my items? Could you add a "wish list" feature so that I could easily find the things that I buy from you?

I don't get it. You make me register as a member on your website. I have to log-in so that I can shop on your site. I understand that requiring registration benefits you, but has it ever occurred to you that maybe you could make one simple change that would make registration benefit me as well?

I often log on and start my orders in between clients. Sometimes I might have all of 15 minutes to shop a website. Sure, I can log on, select the four items I need, and then check out; but wouldn't you rather that I spent some extra time before I hit "submit" to look around, maybe rack up another $100 or so in orders of little extra things that I didn't know I needed? But nope. No go. My client comes in and I turn away from your site. I don't log out, I just leave my items in my cart and figure I'll complete my shopping later....

Except, "later" I return to discover my "session" has ended, I've been "logged off" and my cart is empty. When I log back on — still empty. One site even empties my cart for me despite not logging me out!

Do you have any idea how long it take to look through every single clay cane design that's on your site? Or read every description of every gel you offer? Or decide if I want to try your soak-off gel polish? Do I want to purchase that individually? Do you offer a kit? Oh wait! You have dried flowers! Ooooh, pretty— I want blue, and red, and green, and ... oops! The neighbor stopped in to chat and now I've lost everything. I have no idea what was even in my shopping cart. Oh well. I didn't really need to spend $250 anyway. I'll just log back in, add the four items I came for and check out for $50.

And I can order my clay canes from Etsy, I guess. Or Ebay. Ebay lets me "watch" things at least.