It’s clear that the company for which I’m the main international distributor (unofficially) is out to get me.

I learned this by visiting the store.

I think I know what they are doing.

About a hundred years ago, when I was still working on my Masters, or dabbling in a Ph.D., an acquaintance who runs a used bookstore explained the trouble she was having opening a second bookstore in a different college town. Her biggest rival would visit her store and buy up all of her best books.

All those purchases gave her a temporary infusion of cash but left her with a bad reputation. It did this because it left her with hundreds of grade Z romance novels and grade Y midlist and backlist titles. New customers would browse, find nothing of interest, and leave without buying anything. They’d then go to the rival and buy the books they were interested in. They would also, presumably, spread the rumor that the new bookstore didn’t have much selection.

I suspect the company for which I distribute (so to speak) ink is doing something similar. Although they allow unlimited purchases online, and limit in-store purchases to two bottles of each flavor, they’ve clearly been limiting the amount available online.

I learned this by visiting the store today and discovering a treasure trove of flavors not currently available online. I bought a couple hard-to-find flavors and seriously pondered getting a few more. However, after counting the available bottles, I decided to take my chances/cool off the credit card.

I suspect the store is operating under bookstore logic. Keep something on hand, especially of the brand with your name on it. I’ll be teaching classes in the area starting at the end of this month. That will give me a chance to visit the store and stock up on rare flavors to sell.

I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.