Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

You know, one of the most difficult things a retailer has to do is face the facts about a line of merchandise which isn't really selling or has somehow slowed to a snail's pace.
There are all sorts of retail scientific theories which tell us how long we should have a line of merchandise in our store before the axe falls.  Some say 3 months, some say differently. 
The real problem is that we get very attached to that merchandise and we just can't face the fact that our customers are (1) tired of that line  (2)  never liked it in the first place  (3)  think it is too expensive  (4)  all the above and more.
On the other hand, we are married to that merchandise line...it is so close to us, we loved it the minute we saw it in the showroom or the catalogue.  We are happy to see it in our store every day.  It appeals to our taste.  We would even consider putting in our home.
And then reality sets in and it is now up to us to decide to put the merchandise on sale.  Sometimes that is all that it takes.  25% or 50% off is just the right price for our customers.  If they have waited to see if we would bring the price down, they are now ready to snap it up for a discounted price.
If only we knew from the beginning that this merchandise we truly love isn't going to make it in the store, we could have saved ourselves the anguish of letting it go.
Occasionally we pick through the shelves and find those special little pieces that most appeal to us.  Where do they go?  Well, usually they go home to the garage, stay in their boxes for year after year until we finally face the fact that we don't even have a space for them or (ugh?) we don't really like that stuff anymore!!
So, breaking up with an inanimate object like a figurine or a piece of jewelry is just about as hard as breaking up with a person.....cuz that person we are breaking up with is our old self that bought the stuff in the first place!!