Jo Ann Super Stores now offer Larson Juhl/Custom Framing

Jess Davis

Grumbler
Joined
Oct 15, 2002
Posts
23
Loc
Philadelphia, PA
I dont know much more than all Jo Ann Super stores will offer custom framing and that they are partners with Larson Juhl. I called a super store in Newark DE Jo-Ann Stores 341 West Main St, Newark, DE 19711 (302) 894-1632 and they confirmed the rumor.
 
Business partners, just like you and I are with LJ. This isn't something new either. I hope to someday have the volume they have, so I can negotiate the same qty discounts.

It's just business. I doubt there is a conspiracy or evil plan, regardless of all the silly rumors


LJ remains a good friend and supporter of shops like yours and ours.
 
Jess,
I don't know how you worded it but LJ encourages partnership programs with all their customers. It is usually acheived by spending a certain amount each year or by giving a certain percentage of your wall to them to display their products. Either way Joanns meets those requirements whether we like it or not. There just isn't anything sinister going on there.

Having their product so prominently featured in a BB is disturbing a lot of people. Mainly because we want to offer more choice but there just isn't anything wrong with this arrangement.

Hope this helps.
 
Larson might encourage partnerships but they are actually going into the Jo Anns stores and training the employees. Sounds a little daunting to me. The shops out in my area are already hurting from Micheals and AC Moore. The last thing they need is another super store.
 
Hmmm now who owns Jo anns store isn't it Warren Buffet, and doesn't he also own LJ I could be wrong. If he does isn't it funny how they are now selling custom framing.
 
I visited Joann's website and it may behoove some of us to take some notes from the layout and content of their site. It might be part of the future of framing as we know it.

Joann's website

They have an assortment of decorative prints/posters and a selection of mats and mouldings with large images of the art framed in your choice of frames/mats. I didn't recognize some of the mouldings as being in the LJ line that we have at our disposal so they may be making some bulk mouldings specifically for Joann's or offering box only profiles that I haven't seen yet.

I admit that it is easy for me to talk up this site as there are no Joann's superstores close to my area but I was impressed with the layout of their site and the ease of moving through the choices offered. And the choices were such that a business looking for art could choose from common sense options such as

1. Art for a narrow office.

2. Art for over a desk.

3. Art for a conference room.

The point is that they are narrowing down the choices that a busy corporate manager or a small business owner has to make and that is attractive to many business people who don't have time to explain to a local framer exactly what the parameters are for the art that is needed in his business. This also applies for the average customer who is looking for something to decorate the walls of their living room or den and is intimidated with visiting a custom frame shop or has a preconceived notion that custom framing is "too expensive."

(Who is realistically at fault for planting THAT idea in many of our customers' heads?)

The choices for mats and frames are quite limited which also provides a few choices rather than a stack of moulding samples and mats that may be laying in front of the customer in a local shop. I have the tendency to pull down way too many choices for the customer and I never considered that they might not always want&nbsp a dozen choices that they have to make decisions about.

If you take out of the equation the automatic "threat" to your business and start to take notice to the layout of their site, you may learn something from their endeavors that could help you with your own site.

The internet is a very powerful tool in business today and there are many dollars spent online that were coming into our shops just a few years ago. It may be time to rethink our judgements on how we operate our own businesses and how we want to proceed in this age of direct telemarketing.

This is all part of the Free Enterprise system that we cherish so dearly in this country and it is up to us to stay abreast of the coming trends instead of crying in our beers about how unfair it is for LJ or anyone else to "give away" all our framing to the big guys.

This may bring some warning shots over my bow but it is the truth and we'd better start taking stock of where we are and where we want to be in the future. The internet is here to stay and whether we take advantage of it's power or not is up to each of us. My plans for a website are continually changing as I see sites like this and, although I don't want to offer anything on the scale of Joann's site, I do want to build an internet business that will be more than wasted space for me.

(Now, where'd I put that flak jacket??)

Framerguy
 
Jess, I'm not defending LJ. You just have to take the info at your disposal and do what you think is right. I'm tired of the "off with their heads" mentality of these threads. It is real easy to find other sources, I don't understand the furor. They are not some evil meniachal beast trying to destroy our industry. They are simply making business decisions in our ever changing industry to keep themselves healthy.

We need to make those decisions as the industry changes in order to keep ourselves viable too. What LJ does should not have an outcome on what your business chooses to do.

Use them, don't use them let's just puhleeeeeze quit bitching about it. We will vote with our pocketbooks.
 
He sets down the FrameMaster to check out TheG for a few minutes...

OK so someone else is promoting custom framing :cool: GREAT - that will make more people aware of what we do and what we offer.

Once customers go to some of these places MAYBE it will whet their appetite for something more - and better - and maybe they'll come to one of our stores. We all have clients who started framing at (insert favorite BB here) who learned the difference and now come to "real" shops. Regardless of who the supplier is, the same problems will apply - staffing and keeping turnover to a minimum in order to be successful. Yes, these places attract talented framers from time to time - but they usually don't stay long (I hired and replaced more than my share over the years)

Do you want to succeed :confused: Then lose the LJ-is-killing-us mentality and focus on YOUR business. If you currently buy from LJ, and this arrangement disturbs you, fire them and find another vendor (it's easy, just make a few phone calls and you'll have more reps than you ever wanted to meet banging down your door). If you don't use LJ, why do you care? DISCLAIMER:I show and sell LJ - I have no JoAnns nearby (but plenty of other competition) - and I don't really care what arrangement they have, I just hope I qualify for something like it one day.

This is a business (I know, that might bother some of you) and we (should) make business decisions absent emotion. So the local JoAnns is now the LJ framing outlet. Great - use it to your advantage and carry something the other guys don't. Maybe you lose some of your LJ, maybe all, maybe none. I guarantee that if you are showing 100 LJ smaples,you're selling maybe 30, and only 10 in big quantities (got POS? Check it and see). That leaves about 270 spots available for other vendors. In our shop we show approximately 1800 corners, and turn over at least 1/3 every year. Those that didn't get touched during the year get pitched. Our vendors tell us what they're selling. Our POS tells us what's selling so we only pitch the bad stuff. Change is good - embrace it. Change won't hurt, if you know your business and do it right.

We just met with our LJ rep - and had my say regarding Partner status 'cuz I felt we'd earned it - and learned otherwise
shrug.gif
I'd like the better deals, but I won't turn my shop into a BB clone for an extra discount. I'd rather have 5-8 vendors who offer unique designs, good pricing, and good service. I don't need 8 or 10 different gold swan profiles - but I do need something no one else has. Our reputation is for unique and different, butI can't do that with only 2 or 3 vendors. In short, my business requires more. But we still carry LJ - a good bit, in fact - and will in the future.

As for their site and their stores: Anyone who thinks they can't learn from others regarding marketing, display, etc is nuts. Look to the industry players - yes, Joanns would be one - but also other business leaders (Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Pier 1, etc) They know how to display and market their products - concentrate on category leaders, attractive displays, great product and good prices. We can LEARN AND USE their best ideas. If they're showing lots of preframed "Singing Butlers" maybe it's becasue they sell. Next time you're doing preframed (if you do in YOUR BUSINESS) you should do up a "Singing Butler" or two. Know and show WHAT SELLS, not just what looks nice.
It's your business, not theirs, but we can all learn something to make ours better and more successful. Or not.


...climbing down off the soapbox to finish up another order the big guys can't do :D

Tony
 
The relationship between Jo-Ann’s and LJ is nothing new and it pre-dates Mr. Buffets ownership of LJ. I worked in the custom framing departments of both Jo-Ann’s and Michael’s four years ago, and in both stores the frames came joined from LJ and mats were cut by LJ (with exceptions). Orders were sent electronically from the POS software to LJ, with staff only needing to double-check the information.

Still, BB’s offer limited selection of materials and techniques, and they don’t train staff extensively.
 
This just occurred to me....20 years ago when LeeWards added custom framing to their stores, Larson completely stocked the shops with supplies and equipment. They installed and set up eguipment. They also trained all the staff either on site or through their schools. Nobody was shouting "traitor" then. We could and did order some frames joined. I wonder what the dif is now? That could have been the birthplace of BB framing in it's early years. Michael's added theirs around the same time, although I think they were first. LeeWards and Michael's both were fairly evenly matched in size. If the breeze had blown a different way it could be LeeWards everybody is hating on.....
 
Great post, Tony. I wonder if some of these posts decrying this sinister act aren't looking for cover because they are getting their behinds blasted.

I wonder if anyone of these people would look (with an admiringly look)at the things that the Big Guys do well that brings customers in like cattle.

List them and review them to see if any of those proven,successful methods just might have any relevance to our shops.

You have to understand these people have staffs that do nothing more than develop and monitor those issues that resonate with consumers. We don't have any such luxury,so we might as well try and learn from those that do.

It's not as much fun as carping, but it might be a lot more productive.

But I am with Tony. If you have an issue with any vendor, fire them. It might be a bigger loss to you, but, hey, it seems pretty apparent that you aren't about to listen to anyone
 
Looking, reading, finding this that and the other I can see only one thing that stands out Bob. These BB's that many fear/hate so much do one thing differently, they make it simple(r), they do this in a number of fashions that are superior to mine anyhow.

Perhaps another factor is (as someone already said) the removal of emotion, easier for them as they must focus only on the $ in front of them at head-office. How can the small shop remove emotion from a business that sells emotional stuff?
 
Although it may make selling and competing more challenging for us, I think that the emotional component is something we don't want to remove from the process. It's something we can offer that they can't. It's selling the sizzle along with the steak, and it's part of why people have custom framing done.
I think the real issue is putting people at ease with the process, so that they are excited about it, not apprehensive. That's a matter of educating the customer and building relationships. That's a part of the business I really like.
If I had to remove the emotion from the process, I'd just get a job at some anonymous company, and let them have the headaches that go along with running a business. Plus, I'd probably go crazy (er).
:cool: Rick
 
From the business aspect, not the sales aspect - sorry for the confusion Rick.
 
How can the small shop remove emotion from a business that sells emotional stuff?
One suggestion, hire help to work the counter and pay them a commission on what they sell. They will only push higher price merchandise to increase their paycheck and not give a hoot about your customer or you. Instruct them that when they have a price resistant customer to point to the ready-made section and walk away.

Just an observation of mine.

Having said that, I can't do it.
 
step one: Stop using and pull the samples
step two: Have some mouldings custom milled for your store.
step three: Go to trade shows and pick up new suppliers!
...four: Do what you want (It is your store!)
 
Efren! Great to see you up on the Grumble!

Years ago, at the annual Ace hardware general meeting the president or somebody was asking who had truly suffered from having Home Depot move into their area.... a couple of hands.

And who had seen their business increase... most of the congregation.

Our local JoAnne's is closing and moving 3 miles away to open a Super Center...

I'm not sure that it will truly affect our business. But I do know that we are selling a more upscale photo frame these days, and not in onesies and twosies. And it is rare that we do a "Poster" job too. Things are slow, but this is historical for our shop.

But I also know that for the first time in over 15 years, the shop will be closed during the Vegas Show.
 
So called 50% off, 60% off and advertise like heck!

However, once you start that, can you ever stop?
If you buy well and have great margins on those sale items and they bring in customers, why on Earth would you wanna stop?
 
different question----how did JA get the rights to show/publish all those 'undead' artists??? Anyone have an idea how to make it happen???


Be interesting to know where JA bought the software to do this website(awfully crisp/sufisticated-especially that wall color changer--for homegrown, but NOT impossible)---no small undertaking!!!!being an old programmer & new webdesigner(framing doesnt keep me THAT busy all day!!!) I can appreciate all that went into the site
 
They probably hired someone who had templates- For the site, it's not unlike many business templates I have seen.
 
Than You Baer! It feels good to let your hear down and talk (or listen) to what is really happening around.
See you in Las Vegas Show.
 
Originally posted by BILL WARD:
...Be interesting to know where JA bought the software to do this website(awfully crisp/sufisticated-especially that wall color changer--for homegrown, but NOT impossible)---no small undertaking!!!!being an old programmer & new webdesigner(framing doesnt keep me THAT busy all day!!!) I can appreciate all that went into the site
I believe that this may answer your question.

Art Select

John
 
The thought process of, Joanns is making the consumer aware of custom framing, is a page out of the larson juhl sales traing manual.
The reality of joanns, is they are educating the consumer to only buy custom framing at a discount.
They are running TRUE 60% off pricing. They are selling Conservation ng Glass at $1.00 under my cost. They are advertising, along with ac moore and michaels, every week to save at least 50% off custom framing. They are another discount framer creating water cooler conversation on how much I saved on my custom framing.
They are the only framer we can mesure now, by looking in the back of the larson juhl truck, and seeing 10 plus cases of frames, and 1/4 of the truck loaded every Tues And Thur.with supply's

The question we must ask ourselves is what do I buy at full price when I go Shopping?
 
dtwwillowgrove: this discussion has rambled and twisted and contorted on this forum for years. Go searching and you'll see various threads, rsponses, etc.

Answer to your last line: NOBODY pays full price anymore. PERIOD

Here in Knoxville this morning's paper has ads for both Joanne's and Michaels. Here we're in a discounting war I guess. Michael's stll has their "50% off frame moulding sale" while Joanne goes a little better: "50% off total custom framng" then in smaller type offers the customer a 10% additional discount if theybring in competitor's coupon and/or a WRITTEN quote from a competitor

Needless to say, we do NOT EVER EVER hand a customer a written quote so they can go shopping elsewhere.

So that's a circuitous answer to your question. Bttom line: you just gotta deal with the reality and adjust your marketing and business accordingly
 
Back
Top