Loss of Lotion Polishes and Poli-Seal

[Setec Astronomy]

Is anyone else as disappointed with this as I am?  In case anyone doesn't know, Compound II, Polish II, Finish, and Poli-Seal were all recently discontinued in favor of the spray products.

I like the spray products, but for someone who doesn't use them regularly, the sprayers clog, and I've had one physically break and fly apart (presumably because it was clogged).  Also, the whole spray concept can be trying, I usually joke that when I spray the polish on the pad, I also get it on the polisher, my arm, the car, the house, the dog...oh wait...that's not a joke.  And the solvent package in the sprays really lingers, you can't get away from the smell and it's hard to wash out if it's on your hands or towels or pads.

I understand the lotions were not a big seller and considered to be "older technology", but certainly part of the slow sales is not really having anyone online pushing these products out in the larger forum/YouTube world, and I guess of course polishes sell less than wash and sealant/wax in general.

I'm sorry, I'm just venting.  It just seems like in the world of "mass-customization" we ought to still be able to get these products, even if it's only direct from OPT.  Maybe cut the sizes down to one instead of four, instead of 8 oz, quart, half-gallon, and gallon, maybe just sell the quart size.  Or a 16 oz.

[Ron@Optimum]

Change is hard and I understand your frustration, but it's not as simple as cutting down sizes.  To make money you need to manufacture in bulk and it's not just product cost, but packaging, labeling and other related expense.  The more product proliferation, the more complications in the supply chain.  I once used the McDonalds example for Dr G - remember when McDonalds had a limited menu (burgers, fries, soda, shakes, etc) and the food was cheap and fresh (I worked the counter in 1968)?  Now, with so many choices, the process becomes error prone, costly, with cold food the norm. 

Optimum had new technology in spray polishes, something no one else had, and we decided to ride that product line.  While there are issues with sprayers, the old line had equal frustrations with product separating and becoming difficult to use.  As the sales moved into the Hyper products, it was an easy decision to sell out of the pastes and consolidate.  By the way, every industry does it - McDonalds only brings out the McRib occasionally and try to find a Plymouth, Pontiac, Mercury, Oldsmobile, etc.  Progress...maybe not...but it's life in the Wild West!