Sorry, no can do.

My main supplier back east has been knocked out by the snow storms. I have no access to their website.

I'll be getting my regular shipments, but my usual weekly re-order isn't going to happen this week.

It's always been strange to me, that I feel a small relief when I can't re-order. I don't spend money, and a penny saved is a penny earned.

Usually, I feel pressure to re-order best-selling product, and even more pressure to re-order special requests. And yet, if the product isn't in stock, or isn't available through acts of god, I'm perfectly O.K. with that. In fact, as I said, I feel a small relief.

I suppose it's because the responsibility is lifted off my shoulders.

You'd think I could internalize that difference -- just pretend that I can't get the stuff and then not order; but I get all itchy and twitchy.

I've gone weeks, months, even years without re-orders, but it's never been a good feeling. I've always felt like I was falling down on the job. At the same time, I've always made my best profits when I've resisted re-ordering; it focuses me on the most important product, and I tend to let the marginal product go, thus increasing my cash.

I've been able, over the years, to hold back re-orders when I had important bills to pay, such as taxes. But it has always felt like going on a diet, and everything I see seems to be something I think the store needs.

And yet, when Diamond decided on a skip week after Christmas this year, I welcomed it as a respite from spending.

Weird that.

Both things are true: Reordering increases sales and makes my store better which helps keep it strong in the long run.

Not reordering increases my profits.

I just have to figure out how to do both, huh? Impossible as that is.