Suggestion Sledge Hammer Business Model

[Jeff Rodier]

I see all of the time that stores that are staying in business and not struggling to survive are selling old used equipment for basicly nothing. Much of this equipment brings a couple hundred bucks and effectivley sets up competitors that do framing for an extra $20 over cost.

Here is my suggestion, rather than setting up hobbiest competition why not take a sledge hammer to it and take it to the scrap metal dealer in the area. Many of the very old dry mount presses are selling for a hundred bucks more than the scrap dealers would pay. A good whack to the thermostat, one to the platten and another to the arms that the platten swings on. The industry has become so dilluted that an ongoing business would be well served by not putting it in commission to create competition.

Recently Fletcher went through a Bankruptcy and a piece of that is 25 year old cutters are being recycled to death. A couple whacks to the head and bars would help protect them in the future. We tend to keep this stuff in service for decades to the demise of much of the professional trade.

The best analogy would be like Israel selling well maintained and fully functional but aged fighter jets to Iran. Heck the U.S. might as well sell the old nukes to N. Korea.

[Rocco Penny]

As an owner of all used equipment,
I must ask,
at which point in my progression to make beautiful things could I beg entry into this very exclusive guild.
Well I guess if you're not born into it 'eh?
Or maybe if I could manage to not be an @$$whole everytime someone tries their best to elicit pity for their inability to move through life as a giver and not taketaketake until the only thing left is what you might let me lick from the pool of your own parsimony?
I mean this seems a little short sighted

[Jeff Rodier]

Originally Posted by Rocco Penny

how dumb
now I remember you from another thread,
what a dumb idea

I live in an area where there are thousands upon thousands of pieces framed each month by hobbyest for a fee. I have not met a single one that collects and/or pays sales taxes. Regional unemployment is 23% so in addition to the local economy not collecting payroll taxes the counties and schools are not receiving their fair share from those working under the table. The economic impact is huge.

There are enormous amounts of cutbacks on services and spending by the local government which in turn causes businesses to fail. When those businesses fail other businesses lose receivables which causes more business failings. This all occurs in the name of letting a hobbyist just frame a few things for a couple extra bucks. Every hobbyist that is not collecting and paying their fair share of taxes deepens the recession. Every hobbyist says what can it hurt if I just frame a couple dozen pieces a year under the table. Now multiply that in my area by 1,000 or 2,000 or 3,000 hobbyist (these are realistic numbers here) and you have multiples of tens of thousands of framing jobs that take from the local economy and do nothing to contribute.

[Richard Darling]

Wow Rocco. Sounds like perhaps you disagree with Jeff's idea.

I think Jeff has made an intriguing point worth some thought.
I'd like to hear thoughtful counterpoints and discussion.

[Luddite]

All of my stuff is "USED" ...Well Ok the 2100 was unopened ,new in box...but a closeout when the transition to th 2200 hit. What`s wrong with recycling equipment? No way in 7 kinds of quick drying cement I could get anything for the catalog(wholesale,or not) price.If you don`t want to sell to a hobby user,ask questions...lots of em.Sledgehammer?! Isn`t that like the wealthy wahackjobs that euthanize the pets because they don`t match the new furniture? L.

[Rick Granick]

Reminds me of when Hendrix or the Who used to destroy their equipment on stage at the end of a concert. My thought was always, "NO! Wait! Give it to ME!".
Rick

[DVieau2]

I guess you could try and reduce the the competition but cutting off the supply of used equipment.... Good luck with that.

A much greater threat to existing professional frame shops is the free exchange of information here on the Grumble. Sheesh... anyone can just come on in and browse around and learn all the trade secrets of experience framers who give it away for free.

Jeff... How many posts do you have on the Grumble?

Doug

[Jeff Rodier]

Originally Posted by DVieau2

Jeff... How many posts do you have on the Grumble?

Doug

4,712 including this one. I think that you will see that much of the information shared on the G shows the amount of expertise and incredible amounts of inventory items it requires to frame a picture. There are thousands of resources that teach how to frame a picture using hack methods that are the default by the masses.

I take no issue with someone that wants to open a framing business and many will tell you that I have assisted them. When Jim Miller was in his early years of framing he was just a few miles from one of my stores. He will tell you that I was always willing to assist in any way and as I told him there was plenty of room for the two of us in nearby markets. I even bought Jim's Pistoius and a Fletcher manual mat cutter from him when I opened this business.

I do take exception to those who have decided to run under the table operations that dillute the industry and return nothing to the community or tax base. I welcome anybody to open a store even right next to mine. Two businesses going head to head is what made this country great.

[rmehoves]

I don't get your point.
Everybody starts at the bottom and works there way up. According to your theory you could pick a trade and using your advice everybody would not be able to start a small business unless he/she were independently wealthy, any trade you can think of! And I know you state that the used equipment goes to non-tax paying cutthroats..........how do you know that?

Aren't you the one who is always starting threads about how bad the economy is because of the current admin and yet you are forever posting threads about how great you are doing and business couldn't be better, blah blah blah....

Now a thread about how to eliminate competition, jeez.............

[Jeff Rodier]

A business is competition that is welcome. An under the table operation would qualify as an unlawful or illegal activity. The poor economy has worked very well in my favor because I operate in a manner that does not allow even under the table framers to compete with me. I had an under the table framer cause me some harm to the point where I put 3 of them out of business at the same time since I didn't know which one had done it. All three were framing from home and collecting cash only with no sales taxes being collected or paid. I am curious in the manner that you operate that you are offended by my comments. Do you collect and pay sales taxes in your business. If so good for you, if not then shame on you.