A Tiny Supplier Whine

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MerpsMom

MerpsMom

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Founding Member
Joined
Jul 30, 1997
Posts
4,248
Loc
Leawood, Kansas USA
I ordered a chop last week from a well-known supplier. This week I placed another order for a very large chop of a nice wide moulding. After taking the measurements, etc., I told the order-taker to use my credit card. She couldn't find me. They had dropped me from their accounts.

Now, I'm not completely without sympathy for them: I hadn't ordered in more than 18 months. I did think it was somewhat puzzling not to at least give me a yoo-hoo before killing me off, but that's not here nor there. What really teed me off was the fact that they threw my first order of last week into space, with no intention of ever filling it. Huh? I don't ever get short-tempered with people because it's bad business, impolite, and definitely ineffective. But I sure had a hard time being anything but incredulous about such a policy.

They reinstated me, but Holy Cow. I guess I'll start sending cookies if I can't buy their mouldings with more regularity.
 
This is the Grumbler, you can tell us who it was.
I promise not to tell anyone :cool:
 
I hadn't ordered in more than 18 months.
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Merp's,

If the stuff is such a slow seller that you hadn't ordered in 18 months, the samples are just taking up space. Why not get rid of them and make room for stuff that will sell?
 
MM, because some of their mouldings are just cool and just perfect.
I have a lot of designer clients who like to see variety, so I give it to them. (I've never seen the harm in keeping the really goodlookers on the wall.)

Psstt.........it's Max. But don't say I told you.
 
Originally posted by MerpsMom:
(I've never seen the harm in keeping the really goodlookers on the wall.)
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Cathie, is that why I keep waking up, velcroed to a wall in Kansas????
 
MerpsMom: We deactivate our (infrequent purchasing) customers but don't delete them! The reason we do this is so our computer system recognizes them as inactive so we keep our mail list managable. I don't know if Max is the same way or not.
 
Yes, John, that may have been what happened because she reinstated me after searching for about ten minutes for my old account info. And I don't object to the deactivation process at all: I deserved it. It was the completely weird idea of actually taking an order from me without any warning about the change in situation. (I still wonder when it would have dawned on me that they were not filling it: had I not asked for another, I'd have waited at least two weeks. Ooo, the angry customer.)

Charles, aren't you on LOTS of walls, then??
 
A funny thing happened the other day.

We have a vendor who, for the most part had to remove from the wall due to the quality and service side not being commensurate with price side of the equation.

The funny thing is this: I get a call from the vendor. I expect them to tell us we no longer qualify for their pricing programs due to not meeting purchasing levels.

But instead they tell me I now fall into another category that makes me eligible for an even better discount.

I left for vacation with a giant "huh?"

After spending a week at summer camp with a 150 screaming kids, and then reading your post I still don't get it.

You buy less and they cut you. I buy less and they up me.

What gives?
 
If this company is getting Hungry I would exepct it to be breaking news.

So, either they are hungry and steath about it, or not hungry and just off the deep end.
 
Hi Marc and fellow Grumblers’

What is with all the secrecy? Please let me know who these vendors are. One of the powers of this forum is helping each other out find who the best vendors to deal with are. Why keep it a secret? If there are companies with good quality products, service, and prices, why not tell everyone? Framers will benefit, the vendor will benefit, and the others will wake up and smell the coffee!

I am just going to mention a few high end-moulding companies.

The way I see it the economy is in a downturn, the players who need to move those large mouldings are willing to deal (as they should). Not every frame shop chooses to sell these mouldings.

Larson has great service, but their price-to-quality points are not as attractive as others.
Sure you can negotiate a decent deal, even if you don’t make their numbers, but their prices are higher to start. What still keeps Larson in the game for me is their consumer marketing and they will deliver to me, which saves a lot on shipping, and just about eliminates damage problems.

Roma has been kicking Larson’s butt, in the design, quality, and price arena. They’re prices are actually less than Larson’s equivalent, and they give me a more attractive discount program. Roma also does an excellent job of packing.

La Marche has beautiful mouldings, but they have been having stock issues, and I am tired of having moulding shipped across the country. This takes time and adds shipping expense. They only offer me 10% on length and 0% on chop. They are losing more and more of my business.

Max seems to be a great replacement for La Marche and have many unique mouldings as well. They have many of the same mouldings and are willing to offer attractive pricing programs. Although I have not made a switch yet, I do carry a few of their samples, and they are the first place I go when I need to find an out-of-stock La Marche.

I believe we can discuss the business aspects of these companies without it being a bitch fest! How else will these companies know on a large scale how many united framers can have an affect on the market.

Offer great service, quality products, and competitive prices and you will get more of our business.
 
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