Wanted Distributor - Rarely "out-of-stock" items!

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ahohen1

BFL
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Nov 26, 2006
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This is getting more and more pathetic:soapbox: . I try to order a few framing supply items from 3 different distributors (same or very similar items). With a total of 14 items (examples: glue, BLACK putty, boxing tape, double stick tape, etc.), all were out of at least 3 or more items. Does anyone know of a framing supplies distributor who is "rarely" out of stock of anything? This is very aggravating :fire: when you really need ONE certain item, combine it with other items to reach the minimum $$, and they call you back saying the item you really really needed is out of stock and everything else HAS been shipped! I feel it is the framing supplies responsibility to keep in stock what they sell (excluding equipment) or don't charge their customers anything for the shipping of "out-of-stock" items!

WHAT SUPPLIER HAVE YOU BEEN USING WITH DECENT PRICING AND RARELY ARE OUT OF STOCK? :shrug:

Thanks for any info!
 
I'm sure they have "minimum orders and quantity issues like we do. And that they suppliers are low as well. In these economic times I would expect a lot of supply issues will be popping up! And being resolved.
 
I know what you mean...every time I order from United I get half the stuff...
Never did my bulk exacto(#11) or my adhesive remover...finally got most things, took 3 shipments.
 
I guess the question is which supplier are you using that charges shipping on backordered items? The ones I use sure don't.
Might as well chill out on this subject. It's gonna get worse and might never get better. We are a small group and getting smaller. The people supplying us are seeing lower volume and smaller margins and they are doing all kinds of promotions to try to get what's left of our business. We may have to start acting as our own supply houses and ordering hardware and the like that will last the whole year instead of relying on distribution for immediate inventory needs.
 
wpfay said:
I guess the question is which supplier are you using that charges shipping on backordered items? The ones I use sure don't.
Might as well chill out on this subject. It's gonna get worse and might never get better. We are a small group and getting smaller. The people supplying us are seeing lower volume and smaller margins and they are doing all kinds of promotions to try to get what's left of our business. We may have to start acting as our own supply houses and ordering hardware and the like that will last the whole year instead of relying on distribution for immediate inventory needs.
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Well, i guess i will continue trying to find great deals of framing supplies on the internet. For example, a few months ago i purchased (did not bid) on 96 rolls of 3M Highland Brand Economy ATG Tape 1/2" x 36 yards for $75.00 + $12.00 shipping cost... average cost per roll was only 90 cents. I would have ordered more than one box, but only one was available. :popc:

(Use caution: It was listed only as "3M ATG Tape" with very few details. I emailed the person and asked him a few questions about the ATG tape. His reply stated EXACTLY what i was getting. Have been 100% satisfied.)
 
I like the Highland better than the 924 anyway. It is less aggressively sticky, and has less of a tendency to gum up the gun. Since we generally use ATG in conjunction with dots of FrameWeld glue anyway, I don't need the aggressiveness of the 924. Also, L/J's own brand, available in 1/2" width, is comparable in function to the Highland product.
:cool: Rick
 
I am probably going to get flamed for this......

I rarely have an out of stock with Larson, and with so many DC's if they are out in one, they will probably have it in another. Chicago and LA seem to have the most of everything.

OK so they are more expensive (maybe)- whenever I am out of stock I am less expensive too.......:)
 
i agree with Rob! Also, they are very accurate with ETAs on back orders, and CS is great! Size does matter...hehe!
 
Rob Markoff said:
I am probably going to get flamed for this......

I rarely have an out of stock with Larson, and with so many DC's if they are out in one, they will probably have it in another. Chicago and LA seem to have the most of everything.

OK so they are more expensive (maybe)- whenever I am out of stock I am less expensive too.......:)
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I'm with you. LJ is rarely out of stock of anything, and if they don't have it in my closest location, they will ship it from another one. I don't buy all my supplies from them, but if it's something I urgently need, I usually do. They might be a bit more expensive, on the other hand, it goes on the regular truck delivery so I don't pay for shipping and I know when to expect it.
 
couture's gallery said:
I know what you mean...every time I order from United I get half the stuff...
Never did my bulk exacto(#11) or my adhesive remover...finally got most things, took 3 shipments.
Click to expand...

I have the same issue with United. If there is one item I really need, I need to bulk up my order to meet the minimum requirement, and inevitably the thing (or things) I needed the most are unavailable.
 
"What we have here is a lack of communication"

At United we try our best to keep inventory available. As a business model, our system causes MBA’s to go bald. We purchase from about 500 different suppliers. In the economic situation the world and our industry is in, no one and I mean no one keeps any depth of inventory on hand. We have to deal with back orders ourselves on a daily basis.
We have 5 full time inventory controllers/buyers constantly monitoring stock levels but we too are faced with manufacturers who are cutting back on inventories.

The common complaint in this thread seems to be that when ordering the one item you really need you have to fill in to meet minimum and consistently that item is out of stock and you received the filler. How about we try this: When you order and have a particular item needed most, you tell us. We can then let you know the status and either, hold for the item or give you the choice as how to proceed. We can do this.

By the way, if you are charged freight on a back order, let me know as this not our policy.



"What we have here is a lack of communication" quote attributed to warden in movie - Cool Hand Luke.
 
unitedmfrs said:
By the way, if you are charged freight on a back order, let me know as this not our policy.
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This is so. Whenever I receive a back ordered item from a bulk purchase, there is no shipping charge. And if shipping does shows up on the invoice, a quick call to United has always confirmed it was mistake.
 
I just tried to order an item from a company that ONLY sells one item. They have absolutly NOTHING for my machine and won't until March. (sigh)
 
Ding ding ding.

How is that possible? Isn't that like Home Depot running out of 2x4s?
 
about 2 weeks ago(maybe 3????) i received the 2nd/final portion of an order I placed with um(it had been, so they said, out of stock--& I absolutely cannot believe they were OUT of the 3 colors ordered)---it was placed(& bo'd) around november 11th-2008. this 'catchup' shipment consisted of only 6 touchup markers........there were so few 'other' items in the 1st box there could have been at least a dozen pens(IF they'd have shipped them!)
this is something that has, apparently, become "just the way of doing business"B]NOT[/B] the exception. I was also hit with a 2nd shipping charge---which REALLY frosts my pumpkin!! I see that this seems to be routine as :"a quick call to United has always confirmed it was mistake" and did they then offer to credit or refund the charge? It's wonderful if they will do this BUT WHY THE ^%$ SHOULD I HAVE TO CALL THEM when it happens---IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN in the 1st place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They run things off a compute and ALL that info/programming is/should be in there for referencing/utilization and automatic procedures in place(loong ago) to prevent just such an occurrence!!!!!!!! AND personnel trained to prevent this scenario.
...and NO, I am not just "dis'in" one of our supporters....it's simply the way things have been allowed to work out.
 
and in answer to your wondering if ANYONE but 'us' reads these rants of ours.........................why YES, yes they do!
I just had a call from a nice lady from NY(UM hq???) about my above post---said 'someone' had called her about it and that I was being issued a cc cr for the shipping! thank you very much.:thumbsup:
Unfortunately, no 'definitive' answer on whether or not their system was 'fixed' in this reguard(to tag 'old' orders as connected to previous ones, as bo'd, and exempt from ship chgs), however(apparently it was supposed to be fixed, but, by this episod, it obviously wasnt, yet?).

time WILL tell.
 
unitedmfrs said:
At United we try our best to keep inventory available. As a business model, our system causes MBA’s to go bald. We purchase from about 500 different suppliers. In the economic situation the world and our industry is in, no one and I mean no one keeps any depth of inventory on hand. We have to deal with back orders ourselves on a daily basis.
We have 5 full time inventory controllers/buyers constantly monitoring stock levels but we too are faced with manufacturers who are cutting back on inventories.

The common complaint in this thread seems to be that when ordering the one item you really need you have to fill in to meet minimum and consistently that item is out of stock and you received the filler. How about we try this: When you order and have a particular item needed most, you tell us. We can then let you know the status and either, hold for the item or give you the choice as how to proceed. We can do this.

By the way, if you are charged freight on a back order, let me know as this not our policy.



"What we have here is a lack of communication" quote attributed to warden in movie - Cool Hand Luke.
Click to expand...

Does this include matboards? :shrug:
 
unitedmfrs said:
At United we try our best to keep inventory available. As a business model, our system causes MBA’s to go bald. We purchase from about 500 different suppliers. In the economic situation the world and our industry is in, no one and I mean no one keeps any depth of inventory on hand. We have to deal with back orders ourselves on a daily basis.
We have 5 full time inventory controllers/buyers constantly monitoring stock levels but we too are faced with manufacturers who are cutting back on inventories.

The common complaint in this thread seems to be that when ordering the one item you really need you have to fill in to meet minimum and consistently that item is out of stock and you received the filler. How about we try this: When you order and have a particular item needed most, you tell us. We can then let you know the status and either, hold for the item or give you the choice as how to proceed. We can do this.

By the way, if you are charged freight on a back order, let me know as this not our policy.



"What we have here is a lack of communication" quote attributed to warden in movie - Cool Hand Luke.
Click to expand...

DOES THIS INCLUDE MATBOARDS "NOT IN STOCK"??? :confused:
 
Relax

Matboards are a whole new issue. We never ship less than 15 sheets in a box as we have learned that with less than 15 sheets there is consistently damage to the boards. We are able to ship 15 – 25 sheets in one box. Back orders of less than a full box are not shipped. Since a back order of mat board would have been a separate box and you would have paid freight on it anyway, we do not pay shipping on back ordered matboard.
 
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