Incorrect Crescent pricing in Lifesaver database

tnframer408

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Posts
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Loc
Knoxville TN
Just quoted a customer on a job using three Crescent 1100 series boards. Lifesaver spit out the resale at about a paper mat.

Went into the mat database and found that, on the last update, a bunch of the 1100 series were priced as "Class 2" mats. The two-plys are all "Class 2"

For you Lifesaver users, check your database. The Museum mats are a far cry from Crescent paper. Most are Class 7
 
Thanks Mike,
Have you notified Lifesaver? Mine were all over the place from 2 to 10 for 1100 series most were at 5.
 
In order for Lifesaver to provide quick and easy (?) internet updates, they had to arbitrarily assign price classifications to all matboard. If your classes don't match theirs your pricing will be way off. To correct, you have to browse the matboards to see which boards are in which classes then change your prices for each class to match whats in there. Also be sure to check how your moulding is priced; when we did the update it changed our pricing from chop to length. We lost several hundred dollars before we caught this.
 
Originally posted by naturephotographer:
In order for Lifesaver to provide quick and easy (?) internet updates, they had to arbitrarily assign price classifications to all matboard. If your classes don't match theirs your pricing will be way off. To correct, you have to browse the matboards to see which boards are in which classes then change your prices for each class to match whats in there. Also be sure to check how your moulding is priced; when we did the update it changed our pricing from chop to length. We lost several hundred dollars before we caught this.
Hmmmm, correct me if I am wrong on this issue, you are paying a maintenance fee each year to Lifesaver to have updates posted to their website for you to download which are classified by Lifesaver to something other than what your database shows them??

That is a benefit that I'll bet none of the other software companies have thought of yet.

I am not sure I understand how the update prices for the various matboard companies are downloaded and entered into your database from LifeSaver. Aren't you in control of your markup on each individual matboard? When, say a Crescent 1551 mat board is updated with a new price, and it is downloaded and entered into your database for 1551 Crescent, doesn't that matboard price reflect the current retail markup price for that board with your multiplier applied to it?

I can't see how LifeSaver can change what is set up on your computer. The new price for that board is "X" dollars. Your markup is "Y" multiplier. X times Y should = your current retail price.

Maybe this is a "duh" issue. But I can't see how their price updates could change what your database for matboard and moulding is set up for.

Enlighten me, please.

FGII
 
As I understand it....
Lifesaver gets the data from the manufacturer, in this case Crescent, Lifesaver requires the data to be put in a file in a certain format, specifically a text file. Lifesaver imports the data into Foxpro (Database Program) and creates a matupdate.dbf data file and then zips it and posts it on the web, in this case it was Crescent0901.zip. Lifesaver does not verify the data other than to make sure that it is in the proper format for importing into the database. Crescent should therefore be notified that their is an error and have the file updated. Being that there has been a recent Price increase it might behoove someone to notify them of the problem before they send the new update.

Now that said, Something could have happened to toast the data as it was being sent to lifesaver, or once lifesaver received it the importation could have been miss read by the database engine, it's a Computer it happens. If I had a nickel everytime Win98 didn't work right, or locked up, or corrupted a file, didn't complete on startup, stopped after logging into the network, didn't see the printer it has already seen a thousand times or just plain didn't turn on, I'd be a millionaire and I wouldn't be working my A S S off for nothing. (PS Not just 98, but 95, NT, 2000, and Novell Netware.)

But again THANK YOU mike for bringing it to the attention of us on TG i've already fixed mine.

THE EVILS OF ELECTRONIC BRAINS,
 
I caught this, then notified the boys at Lifesver to give them a heads up.

The 2-plys are also classified incorrectly.
 
Tom:

Lifesaver classifies all mats in various classes: 1-2 for papers, 5, 6, 7 for rags, 11-15 or so for the Moormans, etc.

Yes, you determine your selling price within these classes. But in this case, the 1100s were dropped into class 2 instead of class 7.

You gotta use Lifesaver to appreciate how it works.
 
If the above didn't explain enough -- look at it a bit like sliding scale moulding markup. One may wish to charge a higher markup on the cheaper mat boards......to get a labor plus materials kind of rate.

And, since we're on the subject -- pricing methods -- the different software programs handle in an assortment of ways....from simply putting in a price chart to an array of multipliers and formulas.
 
Rick Bergeron was kind enough to e-mail me the list of Crescents inapropriately labeled. They are most of the CW series, those Specialty matboards--too numerous to list here but check out your own databases.

By the bye: updated on Satuday and ol' Lifesaver has deleted some LJ profiles, specially 415BL, that little 3/4" black swan shaped thingy. We buy it by the box and I went into apoplexy. called LJ yesterday--my day off--and they hadn't heard anything.

Today in the store I'll call Lifesaver and see whazzupwidis. Then will post back with their answer
 
Here's the response from Lifesaver:

They only put into their database what they receive from the vendors. While on the phone with them, Bob in support entered the Crescent numbers I had and said they dropped into their proper mat classes.

However, since other software programs are obviously "seeing" the same errors, I would guess it is coming from the vendors' inputs.

So, POS users, check your updates randomly for errors, I'd suppose
 
After a more thorough investigation, my POS (SpecialtySoft) is pricing the matboards correctly. It was just very confusing to see a RAG mat in a PAPER mat category. It just happened to be a 2 ply ragmat whose cost was in the same price range as papermats... thus the reason for it being in that category.

That also explains why some other Crescent matboards are in categories that do not necessarily match their description. It is the cost of the mat that affects its category, not its name.

Sorry for any confusion that I might have added to the discussion.
 
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