I thought she did a really good job there - she took a risk and (from the editing) it seemed to pay off. Also, having just rewatched the episode, SirLord says "come back to places like this" so going to a different wholesaler was still in the spirit of the task. I know she didn't 're-invest' as such, but she still deserved some praise? Am I missing something?

Of course she reinvested.

She may have been praised by Sugar but it just didn't make the edit.

i mean re-invested as in went back and bought more. (due to time restraints).

She didn't reinvest. Bracelets were bought on the second day, but she didn't return to buy more bracelets with the money she earned from selling bracelets, did she?

I agree with Kittycat. It would be nice if Susan's move was acknowledged and praised in board room. Then again, no one had acknowledged and praised Susan's involvement with the copper tanks deal from an earlier task either.

Also, I doubt this, as otherwise Natasha wouldn't have been likely to try and use her as a scapegoat.

To my mind, she didn't follow the rules, she just knew what she could sell, sought it out and went on to sell it. It still missed the point of 'discovering' what they could sell and cashing in on this discovery. It's exactly the same mistake Melody made, but using prior knowledge of the market. Neither 'sniffed out' a bargain.

What she did was not too far away from using a skill, such as juggling, knowing you can make a killing on Covent Garden, and proceeding to make money for the team like that. Totally missing the point of the exercise, but making money just the same, and winning to boot.

To reinvest means to take the money you make from selling your original products and investing that in buying more goods. That is exactly what she did. It doesn't mean buy the same thing or buy from the same people.

Good point.

I think Sugar had got the red mist because the task didn't go the way he wanted it to go.

I doubt she did anything that was contrary to the rules of the task.

Sugar was furious that they won because of their supposed failure to reinvest (although they clearly did).

Had they in any way broken the rules he could have used that to legitimately adjust the result rather than indulging in the little temper tantrum that he did.

to be honest I suspect LAS temper tantrum was because he so desperately wanted natasha in the firing line he manipualted the task so that her team would loose only they didn't

Susan did not get the praise she deserved and Natasha was shown up for the clueless buisiness person and nasty woman she really is last night

I didnt really understand whether they could re-invest in other items (other than those given at the start), or not? He never seemed to say that they couldnt but I know we dont get to see the full brief on the rules, both teams invested in different products so that indicates that they were allowed to. It's not as if she only bought the bracelets, they still got the best sellers from day1. I think she made a very good move - she went to a wholesalers (not a retailers) and choose a suitable item. Portobello market is very popular for jewellery, girls will buy armfuls of bangles and multiple necklaces to wear, plus be willing to pay good prices there, so I think she choose the perfect item for the area.
Plus she sold very well, which wasnt picked up on much, her and Jim won the task - they won inspite of Natasha's poor leadership not because of her.

I suspect the bracelets were "hot goods" and they saw Susan coming.

BBC wanted distance themselves from that fact

Because it's not cool to praise Susan.

I don't think it ever was a case of reinvesting in more of the original products they were given (which were a pretty naff selection...) - it was a case of reinvesting the money you made from selling those into more products (of any variety) that would sell....

I think the point of the task was that they were meant to go back and reinvest in more product more than once. It wasn't just necessarily more of what they were given.... the point was to take the goods sell them and reinvest the money in more goods to sell and so on!

Susan knew that the duvets and towels were duds so she homed in on things she knew she could sell at a good price - which she went on to do with a vengeance (much to Natasha's disgust - and jealousy!).

Both LS and the voiceover said that the task involved identifying the best selling products from those that they were given and buy more of those same items from anywhere.

Lord Sugar:-

Voiceover:-

It wouldn't matter about the items that were given to them that they didn't even try to sell, the wholesale cost of those items would still count towards their total. They couldn't pick items other than those issued at the start. There had to be restrictions on the products or it would be very time consuming just selecting the products.

But the whole way the task played out - both teams - contradicts that.

Perhaps both teams mis-understood Lordalun?
I certainly thought he was pissed at them going 'off-piste' with regard to the stuff they sold. Though it seemed more that some had also mis-understood that stock value would be added to cash to give the total so they had no reason to hold back from buying more stock. Certainly Natasha seemed to think LordAl was only interested in cash.

It's possible.

As I've said elsewhere, this task was a complete foul-up.

Setting up a two day task and using a wholesaler that closed for a quarter of a day without telling the teams was yet another major failing on the part of the producers.

According to my calculations if the wholesaler had not taken a half day off Melody's team would have won - probably even without Sugar's fine.

Perhaps LordAlun expects candidates still in after 10 weeks to have the nouce to ask the wholesalers what time they stayed open 'til when they picked the stuff up?
After all keen viewers of past apprentice will know how this has screwed tasks before.

"Half day off"? Some wholesalers operate during mornings only, some during normal working hours, and some 24/7. A wholesaler near where I live opens every day from 4am to 12noon only.

If they had been trying to go to a business at 17:00 or even, at a pinch, 16:00, then yes, it might have been provident. But 14:00 is ridiculous for a business that sells to other businesses. (Of course, they might open very early but as they were initially provided with a palate they had no chance to clock the opening times displayed at the site.)

I don't think anyone else in any series has turned up at a business to business seller and found them shut just after lunch.

Yes. You know. When you shut after lunch. That's usually known as a half day.

Funny. It sounded as if you found the idea of a wholesaler closed during afternoons unusual. I was pointing out it wasn't unusual. Let's face it, they didn't think to check the closing times of their chosen wholesaler (I'm assuming it was a different wholesaler because Jim managed to buy umbrellas half an hour before 6pm).

In the boardroom LS said:-

He pulled up Melody for selling the electronic goods which were outside the initial product list.

Even if LAS wanted them to seel what they knew had sold Susan sadi I know these sell

I dont see how knowing from previous life expereince can ignored

On what basis do you suspect that? The wholesalers had an entirely legitimate-looking premises, and there was extensive filming inside.