I have no idea what po'framer just said, but it's certainly possible I agree with him.
No doubt about it. If Larson-Juhl opened even a single retail outlet in my market, I would drop them without a second thought. Also, I would expect every other Grumbler and PPFA member, everywhere in the world, to drop them, as well, as a show of support.
Now if a retail competitor in my city, say, John Ranes, decided to start distributing a line of moulding, my course of action would be less obvious to me.
I probably wouldn't buy it. I'd always know that he was selling it in his shop, too, and getting a MUCH better price than me. And, while I enjoy the camaraderie and cooperative spirit between our businesses, I don't know that I'd care about contributing directly to the financial success of a local competitor.
But other than choosing not to buy it, I can't see where John distributing moulding to other framers would really concern me one-way-or-another.*
Call it a double standard, but I don't think it works both ways.
It's an interesting idea, Gryphon, and one I hadn't thought much about. Thanks for bringing it up, and I'm sorry if I thought you were picking on Bella.
Edit: *If I were a moulding distributor, especially one selling even a remotely similar line, THEN I might be concerned about a retailer, especially a very large one, moving into the moulding business.
[ 02-19-2004, 10:07 PM: Message edited by: Ron Eggers ]