FastFrame!

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kirsten

Grumbler
Joined
Apr 28, 2005
Posts
43
Loc
Jenkintown, PA
I have a feeling that they have been discussed already on this forum before I arrived here, but I'd appreciate hearing any personal experiences anyone has had with these guys opening up shop near them.
I'm pretty steamed to say the least. I understand that franchises are owned by "people like me", but they have alot of nerve opening up in my town and I'm ready to fight for my territory.
I'm not sure how worried I should be. Corners opened up around another corner form me a few years ago, hardly made a scratch in my business. They are still there - one of the hold out locations I suppose.
Anyway, thanks for e-listening!
 
Sounds like your location is the "Right" location and they probably are wishing that they could have been in your location.

Why not go on over, take a basket of fruit and make nice-nice with the new framers in town.

Unless you are a Great Frame Up or a Deck the Walls.... you probably won't be addressing the same customer base.

Now wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall of the Corners store....? :D
 
Wait a minute! Was that town granted to you? Who's got a lot of nerve here? If I knew that there was money to be made in Jerkintown, providing I had the right product, I too would descend in there to take my share of it. Who's to stop me or anybody else?
Don't worry, QT, local tatoo owners will frame with you anyway.
 
You're "pretty steamed" that someone else had the temerity to open up a similar business in your town? I understand the anxiety that newfound competition brings, but you need to put the focus where it belongs- on your business. Adapt to the changing situation. Start thinking about your response to the inevitable grand opening sale. Do you do anything? Do you do nothing? What is your business response to this development?
 
I don't have a franchise close to me, but from what I've seen the individual stores vary depending on their local ownership.

There is obviously some consistency in products, signage, and training, but local marketing and market penetration will be highly dependent on the franchisee, not the franchisor.
 
I know of a few and they do well. Middle to upper end clients and framing. Some are kwite smart and knowledgable. I would be trying to find away toremind my customers where I am at, as well as introducing myself to new ones.

It is a pooper anytime a new business opens that will compete with you...but they have the right to do just that. You have the right to react and take action.\
Patrick Leeland
 
Originally posted by Baer Charlton:

Now wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall of the Corners store....? :D [/QB]
Click to expand...
From what I hear about their business lately, the Fly on the wall may be the only living thing in the store other than the employee(s) and an old lunch in the refrigerator. :D


Kristen, if you survived the initial onslaught of the Corners opening , Fast Frame will not hurt you either. That Corners store actually opened very strong for them and still does OK (Though it is consistant with the rest of thae chain and not doing particularly well for the third year running) Like I said though, it still doe OK which is why it is still there when the others in PA are not.

No Worries. Do what you do and don't worry about them.

Good Luck, Harry
 
Hit me with any Corners questions...

I was their in the Nj,Ny,Pa begining.

The Jenkintown store made money hand over fist in the begining. It's numbers were unreal!

The N.Plainfield and Edison New Jersey stores also started strong but mis management put them in a bad situation.

Then it was sold at least twice. Each year things went from bad to worse.

Last I heard the franchise that bought them rents space at many well known BB stores and does framing under the name of the bb stores.

The biggest problem at Corners is that they no longer frame in house. They get everything from frames to mats pre cut at a wharehouse down south.

Their moulding samples changed from nice stuff to not so nice stuff. The double mats didn't line up very well and some times when the wrong things were shipped they were told basically too bad.

The framers at the stores that I knew were very commited artistic framers. The best framer I ever met Lisa made the Jenkintown store the success that it used to be. She was absolutely amazing.

The guys that started Corners in my area also started with other franchises that they ran into the ground as well. (Boston Market, Blockbuster) both of which dropped off the radar in this neck of the woods.


I guess what I am trying to say is if FastFrame moved a few doors from me I would be somewhat bothered by it but I would try even harder to do what they cannot.
These things fall down sometimes as quickly as they go up.

Corners opened 50 stores in about 1 year and all but 4 at last count closed in the following 2 years.

Concentrate on what you can control. Your product, skill, advertising and never take for granted your clients.
 
Thanks for all the replys!!! I'm worried but trying to keep it in perspective. I don't know if I have it in my to bring fruit and make nice, but maybe it's not a bad idea (keep your enemies close?). I know I don't own the town. I just can't believe that they would open up here. There are three places to get custom frames in Jenkintown - not including Corners which is located on the outer edge of town. We have been here for almost 30 years, the place down the street 20 yrs, and there is an art supply store that also does framing thats been in town for maybe 8 years. We are all friendly competetors - and all agree that we have all the competition we need! I am actually very good friends with the present owners of the 20 yr old shop - had them over for dinnerlast night.
Anyway, I'm multi tasking here and loosing my train of thought. I'll kepp you all posted. And keep the advice coming!!! Thanks for the words fo encouragement. I will stay focused on us, as we do have alot of good things in the works in gearing up for our 30th annaversary celebration next June. Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Are you so worried that it is a FastFrame? Or would you be so concerned if it was any Custom Framing Store?

If you worried because it’s FastFrame, I guess I am at a loss of words as that sounds personal. If you are concerned because it’s another frame store, then I agree with others that you should continually strive to do you framing the best you can.

I remember this being brought up about a year ago, that of the franchise stores and it amazed me at how much fear/resentment/hostilities a lot of the independents carry towards these. Just because franchises do business different from you does not make them inferior, in fact in many cases they do business better.
 
30 YEARS???? Gosh, golly. Why do you need our help? Sounds like you've been successful if you've been around that long.

Many congrats. You'll be fine.
 
Rumor mill around here says the local Michael's is in trouble.

FastFrame growing like weeds.

God bless all of us.

Happy Thanksgivings too.

I say we go through 11K this time.
 
Just keep doing what you are doing... but do keep in eye for any innovative tactics they may take to help their business. I know competition means watching what your competitors are doing and trying to do better.

Happy Thanksgiving
 
Originally posted by Whynot:
Wait a minute! Was that town granted to you? Who's got a lot of nerve here? If I knew that there was money to be made in Jerkintown, providing I had the right product, I too would descend in there to take my share of it. Who's to stop me or anybody else?
Don't worry, QT, local tatoo owners will frame with you anyway.
Click to expand...
I forgot to add that I find the end of this post mildly condescending. But I'm going to choose to take it as a compliment and assume that since you think I'm cute, you must have printed out that pic I posted of myself on the dress code thread and have it framed up nicely on your desk! ;)

Again, thanks for all the advice - and compliments! Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
 
If you think you will lose 15% of your business, then raise your prices by 15% I know it doesn't work our exactly, but the point is that your loyal customers pretty much don't care what you cost, and if you doubled your prices and lost half your customers, you would have the same amount of money and half the work.... think about it. Only partially being facetious.
 
Worried about a FastFrame? Try this remedy:

Take 8% of your gross sales and send it to me (or any other Grumbler, but I prefer me). Then, take a look at what it does to your net profit?

That 8% is the approximate amount of the royalty your new competitor is paying to FastFrame.

Feel better?
 
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