02 Dec 2003 | kent said...

Buying paint sucks - ever had to buy a quart just to test out the color? It's expensive endeavor. I wish a paint company would bite the bullet and provide a little blister pack of the premixed color so it could be rolled out onto a wall.

On another note, something my wife and I do talk about the Ralph Lauren color names as a) they are people or b) they are places. Like whenever we are around the well to do, we drop "Cotswold Breetches" and how beautiful it is during this time of the year.

02 Dec 2003 | pb said...

This seems a bit unfair to me. The situation of needing more than a quart but less than half a gallon seems rare. HomeDepot's probably already incurring a loss on the sale of one can of paint and processing a refund for a half gallon which is likely unsellable would add to the loss.

Speaking of color names, the practice of picking a totally non-descriptive name (e.g., Colorado Springs) has a major down-side when shopping or even researching online since colors are so poorly and inconsitently represented on PCs. It would be nice if non-descriptive (and even descriptive) color names provided some more information about the color (e.g., ecru: a light grayish-yellowish brown).

02 Dec 2003 | Chris from Scottsdale said...

Poor example indeed. Why should Home Depot refund you for your unused portion of paint?? It's not like they had a choice in the matter. Better would be to sell you a half gallon in a 1-gal bucket and give you a 50% discount.

Oooh, even better: sell you a half gallon (using the 50% coupon idea above), give it to you in a 1-gal bucket but fill the bucket up 75% of the way. This does wonders because it makes me feel like I got a great deal (I got extra). It's like when the waiter messes up the order and decides to give you free dessert.

Another example: Client requests changes to their web site and afterwards decided they don't need the changes, then they refuse to pay you because they "didn't use it." That's a winner.

02 Dec 2003 | Benjy said...

I don't quite get why they should take a return on half the can of paint. It's always sold in quarts and gallons. I'm not saying that's optimal, but it's the way it's been for a long time and we've learned to live with pre-determined sizes of all our other products, so why not paint? It'd be like returning an unfinished bottle of wine, leftover hotdog buns, or partial roll of wrapping paper.

Besides, it's not a bad idea to keep some extra paint around for touchups, or to change the kitchen down the road...

03 Dec 2003 | Hagbard Celine said...

Is there some store policy against buying two quarts?

03 Dec 2003 | Sarah said...

It'd be like returning an unfinished bottle of wine, leftover hotdog buns, or partial roll of wrapping paper.

Not entirely so. I like to think that somewhere down the line we will have the kind of relationships with retailers where they'd do *anything* for our loyalty, where the customer really is only right. The old story about Nordstroms buying back the old man's tire comes to mind. (Do I need to retell it?)

Maybe I'm being naive and way too optimistic, but it seems to me that Home Depot of all places could start the wheels with some sort of buy-back policy for unused home improvement wares. And hey, there's even a chance at selling discounted recycled goods, which most people will eat up.

No more sloppy paint cans stacking up in the garage. No more useless 2x4's left over from the fence you built three summers ago. It's a simple concept, it can work with a reasonable amount of thought and planning, but I would hope no one attempts it with wine or toilet paper.

And yes, paint names are absurd.

03 Dec 2003 | Matt Haughey said...

I spent last year researching paint and I know it's too late, but I've heard 4 or 5 paint contractors mention (in person, in print, and on tv) that Ralph Lauren paint is total crap. It's apparently some really low-quality stuff rebraned with their colors and name plastered all over it, and it's priced above the regular brands that offer much tougher paint.

Everyone tells me the thing to do is grab the Ralph Lauren paint chips (because the colors really are much better than what the others offer) and have a high quality paint mixed to match.

03 Dec 2003 | David said...

Accepting unused paint? That'd be the day. You realize how many colors there are? They can't actually resell it.

"Here, YOU throw it away!"

> Oooh, even better: sell you a half gallon (using the 50% coupon idea above), give it to you in a 1-gal bucket but fill the bucket up 75% of the way.

Considering all the paint comes in 1gall buckets to start with, they'd have to dump out 25% of the paint and find some place to store it and then get empty buckets to put it back into. Again, not a good idea.

03 Dec 2003 | Matt Haughey said...

oops, rebranded, not rebraned.

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

Long time ago in a far away place, I worked at a JC Penney store. They had a policy (don't know if it still aplies) where they would take back Levis with no questions asked. Honestly, I had more than one instance where a customer would return an obviously several years old worn out pair of jeans with the excuse that they got into this condition after being washed a couple of times.

Anyways, I found out that that Levis had an arrangement w/Penneys to buy back the jeans - I guess to "recycle" the denim and keep their manufacturing costs down.

So, instead of pushing Home Depot into recycling paint, you should instead be pushing the paint company into a buy back arrangement with the

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

Long time ago in a far away place, I worked at a JC Penney store. They had a policy (don't know if it still aplies) where they would take back Levis with no questions asked. Honestly, I had more than one instance where a customer would return an obviously several years old worn out pair of jeans with the excuse that they got into this condition after being washed a couple of times.

Anyways, I found out that that Levis had an arrangement w/Penneys to buy back the jeans - I guess to "recycle" the denim and keep their manufacturing costs down.

So, instead of pushing Home Depot into recycling paint, you should instead be pushing the paint company into a buy back arrangement with the

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

Long time ago in a far away place, I worked at a JC Penney store. They had a policy (don't know if it still aplies) where they would take back Levis with no questions asked. Honestly, I had more than one instance where a customer would return an obviously several years old worn out pair of jeans with the excuse that they got into this condition after being washed a couple of times.

Anyways, I found out that that Levis had an arrangement w/Penneys to buy back the jeans - I guess to "recycle" the denim and keep their manufacturing costs down.

So, instead of pushing Home Depot into recycling paint, you should instead be pushing the paint company into a buy back arrangement with the

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

Long time ago in a far away place, I worked at a JC Penney store. They had a policy (don't know if it still aplies) where they would take back Levis with no questions asked. Honestly, I had more than one instance where a customer would return an obviously several years old worn out pair of jeans with the excuse that they got into this condition after being washed a couple of times.

Anyways, I found out that that Levis had an arrangement w/Penneys to buy back the jeans - I guess to "recycle" the denim and keep their manufacturing costs down.

So, instead of pushing Home Depot into recycling paint, you should instead be pushing the paint company into a buy back arrangement with the

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

Long time ago in a far away place, I worked at a JC Penney store. They had a policy (don't know if it still aplies) where they would take back Levis with no questions asked. Honestly, I had more than one instance where a customer would return an obviously several years old worn out pair of jeans with the excuse that they got into this condition after being washed a couple of times.

Anyways, I found out that that Levis had an arrangement w/Penneys to buy back the jeans - I guess to "recycle" the denim and keep their manufacturing costs down.

So, instead of pushing Home Depot into recycling paint, you should instead be pushing the paint company into a buy back arrangement with the

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

Long time ago in a far away place, I worked at a JC Penney store. They had a policy (don't know if it still aplies) where they would take back Levis with no questions asked. Honestly, I had more than one instance where a customer would return an obviously several years old worn out pair of jeans with the excuse that they got into this condition after being washed a couple of times.

Anyways, I found out that that Levis had an arrangement w/Penneys to buy back the jeans - I guess to "recycle" the denim and keep their manufacturing costs down.

So, instead of pushing Home Depot into recycling paint, you should instead be pushing the paint company into a buy back arrangement with the retailer.

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

Sorry, my 3 year old sabatoged my mouse in the middle of this post. Please delete all the extras.

Sorry, sorry sorry.

03 Dec 2003 | Berto said...

I'm not sure about refunds but REI exchanges anything, no questions asked as long as you're a member. I've heard of people exchanging 15 year old shoes. You'd think a lot more people would be taking advantage of this. Personally, I'd feel a little guilty.

03 Dec 2003 | Colin said...

I would like to be able to buy a large pizza and then get a refund for the uneaten portion I return. - This is not an example of good customer service, it is an example of a bad business model.

How about you just buy two of the smaller container and return the second unopened container if you don't use it!

03 Dec 2003 | Grumpy said...

I wish I could return all of the paint that my wife buys at Home Depot. Anyone want 12 gallon-size cans of different colored paint? Nah, I didn't think so.

03 Dec 2003 | ~bc said...

Problems one and two: Home Depot and the paint it sells both suck. Ask a pro painter. No matter "how cool" Behr's online color picker may be, it'll take three coats to cover. Real paint takes one. Benjamin Moore also sucks, contrary to popular belief. Pittsburgh Paint, DutchBoy, Sherwin-Williams, California, all much better.

Three: can't recycle paint. Home Depot isn't exactly environmentally kind, so its safer in your house to maybe be used than for them to toss it in the landfill now.

Four: even a major corp like HomeDepot can't afford to pander to customers like that. As much as I despise major corps, even they shouldn't have to take back the paint you don't use.

Five: like to think that somewhere down the line we will have the kind of relationships with retailers where they'd do *anything* for our loyalty, where the customer really is only right.
This is ridiculous. If these corps did start doing this, then every small retailer would go out of business, and then you'd be totally S-O-L. Then you'd totally be at their mercy. You may have found the smartest person ever to work at a Home Depot, but most of them are morons. Try not to get run down by a fork-lift. I think its bad now, when there are just big box stores good luck getting any service. Especially if you're not a contractor w/ an account.

Plus, I think people have to accept a personal responsibility not to be stupid, and expect other people to take responsibility for their problems. You'll need that extra paint to actually get that crap to cover. Go back and paint it again.

[Sorry, I'm usually a lot less crabby. At least I'm somewhat constructive and crabby.]

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

[~bc said] can't recycle paint...

Perhaps I should've typed reused

-- Paint Back

-- Community to recycle paint

Surely, paint companies - in an effort to be a good corporate citizen - would gain in a program where they bought back unused paint from retailers and then turned around and donated it to a non-profit you could use it for themselves, or (as the first link referenced above mentions) remix it into neutral colors that can be used to clean up graffiti.

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

as an addendum to my last post...

Of course, it just occured to me that if it's possible to remix it into a neutral color (or white) you could then turn around and resell it as well.

03 Dec 2003 | Cade Roux said...

What about donating it? Our local green project (http://www.thegreenproject.org/materials.html#Paint) recycles all kinds of old stuff, and they mix big batches of paints for people to buy. I have an old Spanish Colonial Revival house built in the 20s and getting stuff from there is a lot cheaper than going to the various salvage yards in New Orleans. One guy wanted $65 for a paint-covered mortice lock. Of course, you may have to work on the parts a bit. Unfortunately it's moved to a more inconvenient location on the other side of the city from me.

03 Dec 2003 | andrew said...

We had a similar knowledgeable-paint-dept-guy at Home Depot this summer. We were pretty clueless about finishes and whatnot for our porch and fence. The guy asked us a few questions, got us the right stuff, helped us match it against a chunk of the original color on the fence, and it turned out great.

Maybe it's just me, but I have a lot less trouble buying a gallon of paint than all those friggin brushes! (and drop-cloths, and tape, and rollers, and roller pans and turpentine...ick) Be sure to get one of those brush combs to help clean up. Lifesaver.

I hate painting, but it's better than wallpapering.

03 Dec 2003 | darrel said...

that Ralph Lauren paint is total crap.

Most everything that you but at HD is crap. Most of the 'name brand' stuff there are lesser-quality versions made specifically for HD. We love our cheap crap!

As for buying paint, I didn't see anyone mention the color scanner. Just bring in some of your old paint and they can match it exactly. Well, a good paint store can...not sure about HD... ;o)

03 Dec 2003 | Benjy said...

I like to think that somewhere down the line we will have the kind of relationships with retailers where they'd do *anything* for our loyalty, where the customer really is only right. The old story about Nordstroms buying back the old man's tire comes to mind.

A number of points:
1. The difference in margins between luxury goods sold at Nordstrom and the home improvement goods sold by Home Depot are huge. Would you rather pay twice as much for paint in order to be able to return the unused portion? Do you think that Wal-Mart would give a refund for something obviously not from their store, obviously worn out by use not defect?

2. People are much less honest than in the old days. Any retail store would go bankrupt after being innundated with false returns. And while the tire story might be good PR for Nortstrom's service, is it not fraud that the man committed? Wouldn't that be a crime?

3. Why should a retailer have to do *anything* for customer loyalty? Their competitor isn't. And if a competitor did, then that just places them at a different point along the continuum of retail choice. Some pay for service others want best price. You think that HD lacks service, then choose to buy your paint from the the local hardware store.

4. If a retailer is supposed to do *anything* for a customer for loyalty, then where do one draw the line? Would you sleep with a customer who propositions you to keep them loyal? But aren't they always right?

I started reading The Marshall Fields this past weekend. Marshall Field I was the originator of the "customer is always right" quote. He revolutionized shopping by among other things, actually allowing returns, allowing people to buy on credit, placing goods on shelves and tables within reach of the customer rather then behind a counter, and installing women's restrooms in his store. I believe these are all things that Home Depot does today...

03 Dec 2003 | Stefan Seiz said...

Oh, no: excellent customer service would have been if he just gave you a gallon for free! Come on ;-)

03 Dec 2003 | David B said...

I hate to be the bearer of annoying news, but in the UK, our equivelents of HomeDepot sell tester pots (30ml), mini pots (0.5Litres/~1Pint), half pots (1.5Litres/0.4Gallon), full pots (2.5Litres/0.66Gallon), and jumbo sized pots (5Litres/1.32Gallons).

We also get little tubes of the paint as samplers. They come with a small brush and will cover about 2" square and are brilliant for picking colours.

B.

03 Dec 2003 | Mark said...

Even better:

At Home Depot, waiting for paint to finish mixing.... mention to HD employee how much I hate painting, etc. Hands me his business card on the sly -- he paints on the side. Week later - three rooms painted, $700. Nice!

Fast forward two weeks - buying storm door at Home Depot for my back door.... ask Door dept guy about installation services, [hushed voice] - he can do it on Saturday for $100. Done!

Perhaps a biz idea here for DepoSideBiz.com ???

-- Mark

03 Dec 2003 | Brad Hurley said...

Okay, here's a dream solution, borrowed from food co-ops where you can buy stuff in bulk:

Imagine a store where paint is served from machines much like the ones that dispense soft-serv ice cream, or maybe like the ones that are used to pull a pint of bitter at the pub. Like the beer, the paint is stored in vats in the cellar, drawn up through tubes to the dispensers.

Customers could get a "taster cup" size to try out at home, and then either come back with their own containers or choose from a wide variety of container sizes at the store. Paint would be sold by weight -- first the store weighs the empty container and then weighs it full.

At the end of your painting project, you bring back your leftover paint, and assuming it hasn't been contaminanted by other colors or left out in the open for a week, they buy it back and return it to the vat. (That part might not work...it's pretty easy to contaminate paint.)

03 Dec 2003 | Sarah said...

That, Brad, is exactly what I mean.

And as far as bringing back empty containers for a refund or a discount on future purchases, a lot of retailers do it these days. MAC, Clinique, Stila and Orgins cosmetics all take back empty makeup containers and "recycle" them, Big O Tires refurbishes and recycles used tires of any brand, and most fabric stores I've shopped will buy back cut scraps of material, re-cut them and re-sell them.

Sure, it'd be fantastic if we could be better consumers and use less. But right now, most of us aren't smart consumers and we waste products that could easily be returned and safely used by another consumer.

And yes, Ralph Lauren paint is crappy.

03 Dec 2003 | Michael Spina said...

As for buying paint, I didn't see anyone mention the color scanner. Just bring in some of your old paint and they can match it exactly. Well, a good paint store can...not sure about HD... ;o)

I've had two experiences with Home Depot mixing paint. The first time, the guy got it to the same general color (both colors could technically be called "purple") but from there I had to guide him. "More blue," "more white," etc.

The second time the employee used a paint scanner. Not even close, and he didn't even try to fix it or point me in the direction of a good formula color. I was lucky I found a chip that matched.

03 Dec 2003 | Michael Spina said...

second paragraph should have been "with Home Depot matching paint"

03 Dec 2003 | MegoSteve said...

Given the amount of personalized service required in order to sell paint, I'm surprised they'll sell you less than a gallon. If you are buying anything other than a standard color like white or eggshell, the company has to cover the cost of labor for the person at the counter to take your color chip, find the appropriate brand of paint on the shelf, get the right base color, put it under the machine that dispenses the color tint, stand there and wait while the computer spits out the right mix, put it in the paint shaker, wait a few minutes, pop the top off and show you the color, and if you aren't happy, repeat the process until you are. It's a lot of work, and it kind of amazes me every time I go to buy paint that the companies haven't developed something less labor-intensive.

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

[Megosteve said] the company has to cover the cost of labor for the person at the counter...

Seems everytime I'm at HD or Lowes (prefer Lowes actually), they only have one or maybe two employees at the paint counter with a handful or more people waiting.

Given the amount of time it takes (as Megosteve pointed out) to properly prepare one quart / gallon of paint for one customer, imagine the amount of money mega-retailers would lose preparing - possibly several - free samplers for one customer before making a sale. It would put an incredible labor strain on the paint department.

Also, quite possibly, the mixers they use are not equipped to mix quantities less then standard pint / quart / gallon.

03 Dec 2003 | Brad Hurley said...

The mixing and matching thing also leads me to wonder if part of the problem is too much choice.

If I had a "paint pub" store (see my post above describing a system for dispensing paint and selling by weight), I'd offer a fairly limited palette, say 15-20 colors max, and would commit to keep all those colors in stock indefinitely. No "designer" colors that change from year to year. That way if you paint your room and in five years time you want to repaint it the same color, you just come back and the store's customer records would indicate which color you bought and it would still be available.

03 Dec 2003 | Chris said...

We always take the color chips to the local MCormack paint store and have them match it. The paint contractor I hired to do a room with 20 foor celilings (way above my comfort range) swore by McCormack Paint and I have to say it does go on easier and cover better than the brands I've bought from the mass retailers.

There are no True Value or Ace Hardwares anywhere near where I live - which forces me to go to Lowes of HD. I hate those stores.

03 Dec 2003 | Mark Fusco said...

[Brad said] part of the problem is too much choice...

And thus we have come full circle to Sarah's original complaint - limited choice.

03 Dec 2003 | Brad Hurley said...

Hah hah, but I'm advocating more choice in container size, just less choice in colors. Actually what I'm really saying is that the store that I personally would like to buy my paint from would have less choice in colors. Other folks may prefer designer colors and can go to Home Depot or wherever for that. But for me, making a choice is easier when there are fewer choices available. It's like walking into an ice cream store where you have three varieties: vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry, versus one that has 50 varieties. With 50 varieties, it can take much longer to decide.

And in the end, how much of your life energy and time do you really want to spend choosing paint?

03 Dec 2003 | David B said...

OK... so if you accept Brad's idea "offer a fairly limited palette, say 15-20 colors max, and would commit to keep all those colors in stock indefinitely", what 15-20 colours would you choose?

Obviously, you'd have to have white, cream, magnolia, black (for the Goths out there) and teracotta... but what else?

B.

03 Dec 2003 | Brad Hurley said...

Well, I was trying not to be too extremely minimalist; but it would probably be good to have three or four shades of white (ranging cooler to warmer), for example. And if you offer any primary colors like yellow or blue, it would be nice to have a couple of shades of each.

A plethora of color choices leads to pickiness, dissatisfaction, and a never-ending quest for the perfect color. If your choices are limited at the outset, you can learn to live with what's available. That's not the American Way, though.

03 Dec 2003 | Dr_God said...

Home Depot actually does let you return paint. Probably not a half-full gallon container, but you can purchase two quarts, and if you don't use the second one, you can return it for a full, no-questions-asked refund. I was just there buying paint, and some guy was returning 25 gallons of paint. The person working the desk was the one who had helped this customer with the massive order the previous night, so she was not very happy that all her work was for naught, but the customer did indeed get a full refund.

03 Dec 2003 | dmr said...

Don't forget about the "oops" paint section in Home Depot. Returned paint for damn cheap! Now that's a good idea in paint.

03 Dec 2003 | Benjy said...

I like the idea of the "paint pub," but I think limiting the number of colors would be impossible. There are just too many colors in use by fabric designers and furniture designers, in addition to personal preferences, to limit it to 15 - 20 colors. And stocking the 1000 or so current colors available wouldn't be feasible

But I could see a system that worked kind of like an automated version of today, with huge vats of the base colors instead of individual cans. A color code and amount could be input and then dispensed into a container. I agree that the current quart, gallon, 5 gallon options are a bit limiting so maybe offer something like 10 sizes of container.

Such a system would of course prevent the ability to return excess paint, but in reality it wouldn't be good business to mix excess paint back into the vat with the other paint because the likelihood of contaminating the entire vat is too great.

03 Dec 2003 | pb said...

I never heard Sarah's reponse to: why not buy 2 or 3 quarts?

03 Dec 2003 | Darrel said...

Perhaps a biz idea here for DepoSideBiz.com

A lot of HD employees are people from the trades that either aren't able to work full time (injuries, age, etc.), need extra cash, or have been driven out of work.

A lot of HD employees are also high-school kids who really know nothing about anything to do with the tools in HD.

One memorable conversation:

Me: Where are your Rivets?

HD Kid: umm...let me check.

Other HD Kid: We don't sell Rivets.

Me: You sell rivet punches but not rivets?

Other HD Kid: Right.

Me: Umm...you're wrong.

(I go hunting down and finally get a group of 3 employees who finally find a 4th employee who then knows exactly where the rivets are.)

I hate HD.

03 Dec 2003 | monkeyinabox said...

You need a bigger bathroom. :) That will solve the paint problem.

03 Dec 2003 | ~bc said...

She coulda/shoulda bought the two smaller sizes. Here's the problem with paint (can you tell i've sold paint before?)... for the sampling pub: first off, color is sometimes the most expensive part of the paint. Remixing paint for re-use is phenomenally inpractical. If you've ever mixed paint in any capacity you'd know that to change one color to another, its takes a ton of pigment. if just making cover-up paint: good idea, I'm a big fan of conservation, but its not profitable for a retail op (thinking in reality).

For sampling: you'd need to provide every color for samples, or else, what is that point?? People are just going to bitch if you don't. If there was a limited pallette, then this would be an awesome idea (and its is used in some instances). However, when you start to sample, people start coming in and "sample" instead of buying a quart when they have a small job. This takes your loss on free sample paint and amplifies it. Paint chips are really the only practical way to sample custom-mixed paints (tip: bring it home!! The color you is a large % based on the light it's in. Tape it up to the wall and walk around for it up for a bit).

Paint would be sold by weight doesn't work, because color is such a factor in price. As for multi-size containers... where do you keep a 1000 gallon tank of base to mix with? And one for each sheer (4 or more)... then you need a computerized mixer that can determine color content, because when you double paint amount you do not double the pigment. It's really a crazy equation, and that why paint mixers are set up for quarts or gallons. And mixing by hand is tough with percise instructions, then when people say "can you add x y or z to this." that screws things up even more since each individual pigment effects the color in totally different way. Some pigments one drop with change one color drastically, and others you need a ton to make a dent. There are really many more intricacies involved in paint mixing that you aren't seeing, that make these other wise great ideas very tough to implement... sorry. But theorhetically it would rock.

How about a holographic machine that shines a color in your room to simulate what it would look like w/ a coat of paint? The science behind it would be mind bending (RGB vs physical paint tinting, accounting for the color in room currently, and the ambient light factor at different times of day...) and it would be very expensive, but it would be very cool. Eh?

03 Dec 2003 | ~bc said...

sheer=sheen. didn't proof read well enough.

03 Dec 2003 | Brad Hurley said...

bc, I'll defer to your expertise on paint, but my idea is really that someone should offer a store for people who are sick of the whole mixing/matching/choosing process and want to start over from scratch with something simple.

I did this myself, I just painted the entire apartment white instead of trying to match any colors that were there previously. But my decor is "early attic" (I bought almost all my furniture at flea markets and yard sales), so I'm not one to be particularly concerned with color schemes.

In my "paint pub," you wouldn't be allowed to bring samples to mix and match. You just choose from the pre-defined palette and you start over. If you don't like the pre-defined colors, you go to Home Depot or a hardware store.

03 Dec 2003 | pb said...

Good luck getting a customer, Brad.

04 Dec 2003 | David B said...

If you had a "paint pub" (nice name by the way) then those big vats in the basement could feed to both individual colour pumps (with the 15-20 main colours), or to a mixing system which blended 2 of the colours in equal proportion... That way, you keep your central range, but also offer a consistant mixing process for other "designer" colours.

04 Dec 2003 | Brad Hurley said...

Good luck getting a customer, Brad.

Yeah, well I figure this would be the Apple Computer version of the paint store, attracting at best 3 percent of the painting population who are into innovation and simplicity.

But it's all just an idle dream anyway, I never said it would work in practice! It's just a vision of the kind of paint store that I would like to buy my paint from.