Hello, my name is Craig Osterhoudt, I’m the owner of InstallPro LLC windows and doors in Las Vegas, NV. Over the last decade I have seen many people get custom homes. I have personally been interested with over 1000 custom homes. Sometimes I was keen from open to conclude, and sometimes I was involved just at the end fixing problems that came about from people making poor choices at the beginning when choosing windows and doors for their home.
After so many years of seeing homeowners go through the same problems over and over and watching them have to spend thousands upon thousands in extras and fixes, I decided to write this article for anyone who is building a home in hopes that I can help at least a few people save some money, delays, headaches and frustrations, at least when it comes to the trade of windows and doors.
Don’t get me wrong, there are hundreds of mistakes people have made that I’ve witnessed, but the 5 most costly mistakes that people make time after time are listed here. These are the mistakes that people make that cost them the most in extras, delays and frustration. They are in no particular order for they are all equally devastating if the time isn’t spent getting better information during the decision making process.
So without further ado, let me get to the 5 Worst Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Window company to work with when building a custom home.
Mistake #1 – Working with a company that does not carry a contractors license.
You see, the Nevada Site Contractors Board is there to protect the customer. It’s there to make sure that the homeowner/builder isn’t damaged by someone “claiming” to know about their trade. The NSCB does its best to regulate the contractors in the state with the protection of the consumer in mind. It makes contractors carry a bond, to protect the consumer in case they skip town, they make sure we carry workers compensation insurance in case a worker gets harm on your jobsite, it has many protections for the consumer and when you work with a company that does not carry a license you give all that up.
For many contractor’s it’s a hassle to maintain a contractor’s license. Many companies out there figure they can bypass the hassle and impartial get by without it. If you can get the same product for the same price, why would you give up all that protection?
I’ve seen many people buy windows from a company that shows up in town for a few months or even a few years and then when that company decides they want to leave, they take deposits, product and parts and materials with them and the homeowner is left with a bunch of headaches and problems and no one to help them. No bond posted to help you with expenses.
The worst part is when the window company is still in town but refuses to work with you. They tell you they did their section and the rest is up to you! Who can you call for succor? The better business bureau? They can establish a bad mark about them in their files and that’s about it. The contractors board can fine licensed contractors, bring about legal proceedings and shut a contractor down if need be.
Mistake #2 – Working with a company that does not install their acquire product.
This is a tell tale sign of a contractor that isn’t confident in his trade. If someone refuses to install their own product, you’ve got to ask yourself Why? It’s understandable if you can find someone reputable to do it for less, but someone that just flat out refuses to install his own product is telling you, “Sure, win my product, but I’m not going to buy any responsibility for it.”
You behold, if someone else installs it, and later you have a problem with the window, they will arrive out and say, “Nope, sorry, it was installed incorrectly; you’re going to have to call the installers and have them approach out and fix it.” Even if it’s a problem they can fix, they won’t because they will incur an undue cost. Then, when the installer comes out he’s going to say, “Nope, it’s installed correctly, the window is abominable, you have to call the manufacturer.” Now you’re stuck with a window that won’t work and no one to help you fix it. Unfortunately, this is where I’ve come in time after time and the homeowner that bought a product with a lifetime warranty can’t even get the window to open or finish and has to pay someone else to fix it.
Using the company that supplies the windows to install the windows solves that problem. Even if the window was installed incorrectly, they are going to put some effort into fixing it because they know they are responsible for the window for the life of the home.
Extra Secret – Beware of companies that offer every window under the sun. A ample question to ask is “How many different window product lines to you offer? ” If they offer several different windows beware. I know of several companies that get into financial exertion and take on another window line because they are having trouble paying the first supplier so they start fresh with a new one so as not to delay any customer’s shipments. However, I know one homeowner who fell into this trap. He ordered his windows from a company who in turn ordered them from the manufacturer. But then later, when he went to order his doors, the contractor told him no, no, this other door product is much better, why don’t you go with these other doors.
Well, the window contractor never paid for the doors or the windows and ended up filing for bankruptcy. Well the window and door manufacturer’s placed a lien on the customer’s house because they had never been paid. The homeowner had to pay for his windows and doors, twice! To the tune of over 80,000 dollars! To avoid this jam, make sure you get supplier releases faxed directly to you from the supplier before you make any final payments. If in doubt make a joint check to the window contractor and the supplier, so you know the windows come by paid for.
Mistake #3 – Working with a company that does not provide lock and walk service.
Here’s another protest tale sign of an unconfident contractor. Lock and slide service means that a week or so before you move in the contractor will come back out to your house, install the screens, make sure everything slides nice and locks correctly. They will replace missing or damaged parts and give the windows a little tune up.
I hear customers tell me all the time. “The window company said, they worked fine when we dropped them off, if they don’t work now, it means you did something to them.” The fact of the matter is that windows are the first achieve product to go into the home. If the windows can’t stand up to 6 to 12 months of construction wear and tear, then they don’t belong in a custom home.
Manufacturers know windows don’t score installed three days before the customer moves in. They get beaten, banged up, painted, stucco’d, people lean ladders on them, pull extension cords through them, I’ve even seen someone put a piece of scaffolding through a window and use it to reach a light fixture. Any window manufacturer knows this and should build their windows to stand up to this kind of treatment.
If a contractor won’t come out and do lock and slide service it means they have no confidence in their window. They either don’t know how to do a lock and slide or unbiased don’t care enough about the consumer to bother. Most times when a window doesn’t work properly after the fact it’s a simple fix, but when its not, you want to make sure you have someone that will come out and hold care of your window problems, because distinct enough, every window will work great except that one window that you like to consume a lot.
Extra Secret - When dealing with a company that does offer lock and slide service, make sure that right after the windows are installed and complete, you walk each window and door opening to acquire positive they work PERFECT. If you have any doubts about a window or door and its operation, develop sure they come out and fix it factual then. If they say, “No, that’s normal, we come out and fix those problems at the end before you move in,” don’t take that for an answer.
Expect that they come out right away because any problems that exist now are only going to be multiplied by months and months of construction. Now is the easiest time to make window adjustments, they can pull the whole window out and reset it easily if need be. That is definitely not the case if you wait until the end and then you just have that much more of a chance that the problem will be worse further down the line.
Mistake #4 – Not comparing quality when comparing trace.
I know you’re probably thinking, “Here we go, another person telling us how to never go with the lowest bidder, you get what you pay for, blah. blah.” Well, I’m here to tell you something different, because the fact is most people pay too distinguished for their windows and doors. I do tell people to be careful when shopping solely based on price, because there is something the contractor is giving up to be able to offer a lower note. As long as what they are giving up isn’t important to you, then there is no reason to pay more.
So, here is the most important part of this section and it may arrive as a surprise. Just because something costs more, doesn’t necessarily mean it is any better. Many people think that if one window costs more, it has more features and benefits and will last longer and a whole slew of other misconceptions. The fact is that when a window costs more, it’s usually because that company has a huge marketing budget to pay for and it reflects itself in the label of the window.
You need to compare the windows you are contemplating based on features and benefits. Many window companies sell an improper product at a higher trace simply because the customer has heard of those windows before. The problem with that is how many window companies can the average consumer name off hand? One or two? There are literally hundreds of great window companies that have been around a long time and offer great products.
You need to pick the benefits that are distinguished to YOU, and then compare windows based on those benefits, not based on marketing. For example, is energy efficiency important to you? If so, which window is the most energy efficient? You’ll obtain that windows made of similar materials are very close when it comes to energy efficiency, yet the prices vary wildly. The same goes for warranty. The warranties available for windows are remarkably similar, so is one window worth 20% more, when the warranty is relatively the same.
Mistake #5 – Not making the window company responsible for their trade.
Here is what you may run into when you get a quote for windows. They will give you a window list and ask you to check it very carefully because any deviation from that list will incur additional costs. This is basically a window contractor asking you to be the expert instead of them. They should engage responsibility and get distinct what gets ordered is what you need. They should be responsible for egress, code compliance, operation and ease of consume.
Many consumers try to place some money by making their own window list and asking window companies to bid off of that list. I’ve seen more people lose more money from this mistake than any other. For the ticket of a set of plans, they end up spending hundreds of dollars, sometimes thousands in extra’s because they didn’t want to print another set of plans.
To effect on printing costs, burn CD’s and make the bidders print their own set if they need a hard copy, but they need to respond that they have received a set of plans and are bidding from that set. If need be, make a list of things that changed as you go along and e-mail/fax/mail that list with the plans to each bidder.
Then you should walk through the plans with the contractor you chose, before you order. Go through each room, one by one to earn obvious you are getting what you want. Of course, things like window color, and hardware colors, you will have to be responsible for. If you signed for white windows and forgot your wife said green, you can’t expect the contractor to be responsible for that if you signed for white windows. However, things like jamb extensions, nail-fin location, door and window handing should be discussed together with an experienced contractor who can lend his/her expertise in these areas. Beware of someone who sends you a list and then asks you to stamp the list and give a deposit then he can order. In fact, I recommend a jobsite walk as well before anything is ordered. Also make sure you get a rough opening list from the window guy, before your framer begins to lay out. If he cuts his headers and you find out later that the windows you are ordering oversize, you might have to pay for a whole new set of headers.
Well there you have it. If you can avoid these 5 worst mistakes, you should be in good shape when it comes to building your home, at least when it comes to the trade of windows and doors.
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Filed under Corporation Filing Bankruptcy by on Nov 26th, 2011. Comment. 
The nation’s largest kosher meat processing plant, Agriprocessors, Inc., located in Postville, Iowa, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company states that the raids encourage in May 2008 are partially to blame. However, there are other problems lurking. Financially, Agriprocessors is in big concern. They owe approximately 200 creditors somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 to $100 million dollars. First Bank is looking to foreclose on the plants in Postville, Iowa and Gordon, Nebraska. Jacobson Staffing has pulled all of its staffers from the site. Estimates say that this results in just 250 workers remaining at the Iowa plant.
What will this mean to the many Jewish individuals who rely on kosher meat products from Agriprocessors? There has been no talk of shutting down operations. Whether or not bankruptcy protection is offered will have a big impact on that decision. With only 250 workers, a significant decrease in production is eminent. There are other sources in the US for kosher meat. These sources do not equal the output from Agriprocessors. Prices for kosher meat products will surely rise. Consumers do not need a price increase for essentials in these tough economic times. Worst-case scenario is that the plant closes. This will result in a tremendous kosher meat (beef, veal and bison) shortage. People may actually start buying now and freezing the meat in case of shortages later on. The supply of kosher chicken will not be as adversely affected.
Did the raid in May 2008 push Agriprocessors over the edge? Perhaps. It was one of the largest raids ever in US immigration history. Defending allegations made in the raid has cost Agriprocessors a bundle, not to mention the $10 million fine. Loss of this plant is not fair another casualty in the food processing industry. Agriprocessors is the largest employer in the tiny town of Postville IA. Loss of this plant will wreak financial hardship on the town as a whole. With resources already stressed from the May raids, there will be little help for former employees and their families if the plant were to close. Not a happy thought with the onset of the holidays. The town of Postville will lose valuable revenue should the plant go into foreclosure. Overall, it is a bad situation for everyone.
In this particular situation, there are no winners. Unless Agriprocessors comes up with alternate financing, there will be a guaranteed diminished supply of kosher meat on the market. It is unlikely that more employees will be hired to replace those that have left from Jacobson Staffing unless they are critical to the plant’s operations. The current estimates of 250 remaining workers are fair a part of the 800 individuals that were employed prior to the May 2008 raids. It appears that individuals who rely on an abundant supply of kosher meat will have to become more resourceful.
To read more articles on food or Judaism by this author, click on the links below:
Parenting Tips For Families That Do Not Celebrate Christmas
LaBriute Offers Instant Hot Kosher Meals – No Oven or Microwave Required
Sources:
http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Agriprocessors
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Filed under Stock Bankruptcy by on Nov 19th, 2011. Comment.
You’ve spent the last four years thinking about it, and now you finally splashing out on that awesome new PC. You’ve sorted out your megabytes from your screen resolution and your bits from your bytes, and now you’ve got a Net ready PC in its big new boxes, but you don’t have a clue what to do next.
Will your kids be lured away from home by on-line pedophiles lurking in chat rooms? Will your partner indulge in an adulterous affair via email? Will you become uncontrollably addicted to porn? Will you race corrupt phone bills and end up in bankruptcy?
It’s easy for media scaremongers to dream up these catastrophic scenarios, but all these things have happened. It’s best to derive off to the right launch so you can reduce the chances of these disasters happening. It’s also worth having a witness at whether your family is making the most of its Net connection. There are dozens of shining educational sites for kids and recreational pages for stressed out moms and grandparents making the most of their retirement.
Now that you’ve got your PC, check out how long you can afford to be on-line each week. Keep costs down by limiting your access to weekends. Figure out how many hours everyone can spend on-line each week, and then ration this out and buy filtering software to invent sure everyone complies.
You might also want to catch an off-line browser so the kids can download sites during cheaper times.
Where to Put the Computer
It depends who wants to use it. The main points to consider are:
1.Who will be allowed to use it? If you want to restrict kids access without any fiddly software complications, you can spend a room with a lock on the door.
2.Be aware that PC’s are inherently very noisy. It probably doesn’t seem that way when you’re using it in an office, but the constant whirring of the fan and tapping of the keyboard will drive you crazy at home. Don’t even think of trying to watch TV when someone is playing games.
3.Have plenty of ventilation and don’t place your PC directly against a wall or next to a radiator, where it might overheat. Be careful to never cover the cooling fans inlet and outlet grills. Dampness can cause short circuits and dust is bad news for your PC’s heavenly inside components.
4.Don’t share an outlet with high wattage electrical appliances, because if a fuse blows you’ll lose any unsaved work.
5.Use ergonomic equipment. The best setup is a desk with an extra lower shelf for your keyboard, an adjustable monitor stand, a comfortable height adjustable chair without armrests and an adjustable footstool.
6.Make certain your camouflage is free of glare and reflection. Use a wrist befriend next to the keyboard. Have sufficient room under the desk to stretch out your legs, and use a desk light if necessary.
7.Buy a fast PC and quality software to minimize frustration and delays that means you spend hours getting anything done.
Avoid Computer Related Afflictions
Anybody who uses a computer for more than a few hours a day risks ailments such as repetitive strain injury (RSI), bursitis, tendonitis, tenosynovitis, and frozen shoulder. While these conditions aren’t life-threatening, they can be painful and inconvenient. They often gain gradually over many years, so its important to make sure your kids don’t spend too long staring at the computer screen, clenching a mouse or joystick in one fist.
Its not all Bad
It’s a great notion for families who want to stay in closer touch. Busy moms and dads who may be traveling, children in college or different locations, grandparents and young children, and even extended family spread around the world.
Once you’ve sensibly dealt with the hurdles, there are many positive aspects to using the Net. Despite the scare stories there’s no cause for alarm when you connect your family to the Internet. If you take the apt precautions and order your kids how to spend it, the Net will soon become an vital addition to the family.
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Filed under Monopoly Bankruptcy by on Nov 18th, 2011. Comment.
- New bankruptcy laws are expected to limit the value of the homestead exemptions.
- New Ch. 7 restrictions will prevent anyone earning over the set median income from filing
- Most Ohio bankruptcy attorneys who special in consumer/debtor cases offer free initial consultations
Should a person file bankruptcy? This a personal decision greatly influenced by the amount of serious debt and your ability to meet the original payments or pay the full amount. Being hassled by creditors when you are broke is nerve wracking for starters. Secondly, the decision to file should not be made solely to stop demanding creditors. Though filing temporarily stops creditors from engaging in out-and-out enforcement lawsuits, secured creditors can apply for “relief from the pause” and then continue their efforts to repossess or foreclose. Furthermore distinct kinds of debts among them, student loans, alimony and support obligations, drunken driving restitution, and debts incurred through fraud can’t be discharged in bankruptcy.
Depending on your circumstances, bankruptcy may or may not accomplish sense for you. If after the bankruptcy you will be no better off than you were before, why do it? The decision as to whether and when to file a bankruptcy petition should be based upon the facts of your individual case.
New bankruptcy laws are expected to limit the value of the homestead exemptions. Also, new Ch. 7 restrictions will prevent anyone earning over the state median income from filing, Ch. 13 payments will be increased, and judges will lose judicial discretion imposing mandatory sanctions upon debtors in many new circumstances. These new laws narrowly missed passage each year since 2001, and may become effective at any time. Now, more than ever, timing and planning are well-known.
Most Ohio bankruptcy attorneys who special in consumer/debtor cases offer free initial consultations. Virtually all private attorneys welcome opportunities to meet qualified potential clients. After debtors become familiar with new requirements, initial consultations offer an righteous opportunity to study options and receive free legal advice, before deciding upon any course of action. If you have considered filing, make a detailed list of questions. Meet with several lawyers. By comparing costs, benefits and options without obligation, your most profitable path will become distinct.
There are specific chapters of the federal bankruptcy law. US bankruptcy Court proceedings for individuals are usually files under Chapter 7 which is known as straight bankruptcy, and involve taking most of the borrower’s property. Basically, the court appoints a trustee to sell off the assets and distribute the cash among the creditors. Proceedings under Chapter Thirteen (known as wage earner’s bankruptcy) involve the borrower proposing a notion for repaying a portion of the debt in installments from the borrower’s income.
Once the US bankruptcy court process ends, the borrower is no longer liable for their debts. This occurs when the bankruptcy court enters a discharge order in a Chapter Seven case or the borrower has paid the debts due to the credit granters according to a plan in a Chapter Eleven or a Chapter Thirteen case. What this means is that the court has discharged the borrower from the debts that they incurred. The borrower then starts over again with a clean financial slate, but the record of the bankruptcy will remain on the borrower’s credit record for up to ten years; which can cause problems with some creditors and lenders.
Bankruptcy may be the best or only, solution for those suffering from obscene financial hardship. However, it should be utilized exclusively as a last resort, since it always has long lasting consequences. Be sure to consult a bankruptcy lawyer before resorting to filing bankruptcy as a means of solving your economic troubles because it is not a reliable to ever go into US bankruptcy court representing yourself as you are not as familiar with bankruptcy laws as lawyers are.
While it is possible to file a bankruptcy case without the assistance of an attorney, it is extremely difficult to do so successfully. Hiring an attorney is recommended. The court is not able to give honest advice or help you fill out the forms.
You are strongly encouraged to consult with an attorney in order to determine the rights and obligations that apply to your individual situation. Those considering bankruptcy should be aware of the following: Filing for bankruptcy protection is not free. How much does it cost? The filing fee for a Chapter 7 is $200.00 .The filing fee for a Chapter 13 is $185.00.
Not all debts are dischargeable. Such as Secured creditors retain some rights which may permit them to seize property, even after a discharge is granted. Spousal and child support obligations and most tax debts are not dischargeable.
Within 15 days of the filing of a bankruptcy petition, schedules of the debtor’s assets and liabilities must be filed. Failure to timely file the appropriate schedules may result in dismissal of the bankruptcy and the barring of the debtor from filing again for 180 days (six months).If a case is not dismissed and a discharge is entered by the court, the debtor is prohibited from being granted another discharge under chapters 7 and 11 within six years. Fake information or acts by the debtor are grounds for denial of a discharge and may be punishable as a criminal offense.
Married people file a joint petition. A joint filing is the filing of a single petition by an individual and the individual’s spouse. Only people who are married on the filing date may file a joint petition. Unmarried persons, corporations and partnerships must each file a separate case. If you are an individual and have a business which is not a partnership, corporation, or business trust that is a registered entity in a state or foreign country, you should list the business as a “dba” (doing business as) on your petition. However, yours will not be considered a joint petition because the business is not an independently-recognized legal entity.
If you need to start your case lickety-split, you can file only those documents indicated as minimum documents required for filing. All additional documents must be filed within the time indicated. Your failure to timely file additional required documents or see an extension of time to do so may result in dismissal of your case, denial of discharge, or the imposition of sanctions.
The clerk’s office does not supply Official Bankruptcy Forms or sample plans. However, Official Bankruptcy Forms may be purchased at local stationery stores or downloaded from this web site http://www.uslegalforms.com under bankruptcy forms.
Type the information on the forms, if possible. A response is principal for every question. If your answer is “none,” and there is no “none” box to check, put “N/A.” Use continuation pages when you run out of room. Sign each form where required. If filing a joint case, make sure that your spouse signs too.
Prepare your creditor matrix (a mailing list of all your creditors) according to the matrix format instructions. The clerk’s office uses an Optical Character Reader to scan matrices and if you do not follow the instructions exactly, the scanner will not be able to read the matrix properly. Mailing matrices MUST be typed.
After a debtor has filed for bankruptcy protection, creditors are notified of the filing and the existence of the automatic stay by the bankruptcy court. Creditors will be given information regarding the 341 meeting, as well as deadlines for filing proofs of claim. The hearing is not presided over by a judge but an administrator. Creditors will be allowed to ask a few questions but more detailed interrogations are not permitted and must be reserved for discovery or a hearing presided over by a judge. The expedient place to file for bankruptcy is the local bankruptcy court where the debtor resides or owns property.
The length of time needed to complete a bankruptcy depends upon the type of case filed. In a typical Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, a discharge will granted after the time period allowed for challenging the discharge has elapses, usually sixty days after the first date set for the 341 meeting. This usually means a discharge is granted about four months after the petition for bankruptcy is filed. In a Chapter 13 bankruptcy case, because the bankruptcy plan is usually anywhere from three to five years, the discharge is granted after the plan has been completed.
The Ohio Bankruptcy System is divided into 2 federal districts. Each of these districts are subdivided into divisions which serve specific counties
The Ohio Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District is comprised of five divisions serving 40 counties. Toledo Division covers the counties of Williams, Defiance, Paulding, Van Wert, Mercer, Fulton, Henry, Putnam, Allen, Auglaize, Lucas, Wood, Hancock, Hardin, Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca, Wyandot, Marion, Erie, and Huron County. Cleveland Division covers the counties of Loran, Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga County. Youngstown Division covers the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana County. Akron Division covers the counties of Medina, Summit, and Portage County. Canton Division covers the counties of Crawford, Richland, Ashland, Wayne, Holmes, Stark, Tuscarawas, and Carroll County.
The Northern District provides copies of records, local rules, schedules and official filing instructions. The instructions provided are general, and are not a substitutive for good advice. For instance, the information provided does not adequately explain the benefits and burdens of each chapter for debtors or the long term effect of filing. The Code is specific: judges, clerks and personnel are prohibited from providing what may be construed as true advice. This rule of law applies equally to debtors, creditors and parties in interest. With new laws looming on the horizon, now, more than ever before, qualified proper advice is a necessity before initiating any suit. County bar associations all typically provide referrals to local attorneys.
The Ohio Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District maintains three offices which serve 47 counties. The southern District maintains offices in Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton. The Courts jurisdiction extends over the counties of Darke, Preble, Butler, Hamilton, Shelby, Miami, Montgomery, Warren, Clermont, Logan, Champaign, Clark, Greene, Clinton, Brown, Union, Madison, Fayette, Highland, Adams, Delaware, Franklin, Pickaway, Ross, Pike, Scioto, Morrow, Knox, Licking, Fairfield, Hocking, Vinton, Jackson, Lawrence, Coshocton, Muskingum, Perry, Morgan, Athens, Meigs, Calla, Guernsey, Noble, Washington, Harrison, Belmont, Monroe, Jefferson County.
The Southern District provides examples of petitions, schedules, forms, local rules and official instructions that may be useful when filing. Be aware that instructions provided are general, and are not a substitutive for legal advice which may provided by a qualified attorney. The Code prohibits judges, clerks and personnel to provide debtors with information that may be construed as fair counsel. This provision applies equally to debtors, creditors, and parties in interest. Individual filing pro se may call trustees and inquire about case plot. Trustee offices generally explain the basis of all objections filed.
The majority of courts allow either electronic filing or paper filing. A small number of courts only allow electronic filing. Likewise, a small number of courts only accept paper filings. The trend however is clear: all courts will eventually accept only electronic filing and will probably continue to accept diskettes at the clerk’s office rather than requiring only online submission. The goal adopted by the U.S. Court system apparently requires the elimination of paper documents by 2010.
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Filed under Corporation Chapter 7 Bankruptcy by on Nov 17th, 2011. Comment.
Ritz Camera Centers Inc. has filed for bankruptcy protection this morning, in Wilmington, Delaware. Ritz Camera, the largest camera store chain has suffered from slumping sales and a slowdown in the American economy.
Ritz Camera, has 1,000 locations under different business names, in 45 states. Some known Ritz Camera brand stores are Kits Cameras, Inkley’s and The Camera Shop. Ritz Camera Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection bankruptcy filing states that: “The loss of revenues and profit margins from the diminution in the photo-finishing business proved too much of a burden, coupled with the losses experienced by the Boater’s World business, for Ritz Camera to remain a salubrious company under its current structure.”
The statement is by to Marc Weinsweig, Ritz Camera chief restructuring officer.
Boater’s World is a boating-and-fishing retailer owned by Ritz Camera, that has too seen a decline in sales. Boater’s World also blamed its downfall on credit issues and an increase in fuel prices.
According to ritzinteractive.com, Ritz Camera Centers Inc. owns brands such as RitzCamera.com, WolfCamera.com, BoatingOnly.com, Boatersworld.com, CameraWorld.com, FishingOnly.com, OuterBanksOutfitters.com, PhotoAlley.com, KitsCamera.com and Inkleys.com.
RitzCamera also runs eBay auctions under the eBay shops RitzAuctions and BoatersWorldAuctions.
RitzCamera plans to continue operating, while it tries to reorganize its business structure and all of its brands. According to Los Angeles Business Journal, the three biggest creditors of RitzCamera are Nikon Inc., owed $26.6 million; Canon USA Inc., owed $13.7 million; and Fuji Photo Film USA Inc., owed $8.4 million.
Sources:
http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2009/02/23/daily3.html
http://www.ritzcamera.com
http://www.ritzinteractive.com
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/ritzauctions
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/boatersworldauctions
http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stories/2009/02/23/daily2.html
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Filed under Franchise Bankruptcy by on Nov 17th, 2011. Comment.