Shouldn't sample match moulding ?????

F

framinzfun

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Aug 28, 2002
Posts
893
From
eastern pa
We ordered some moulding from a major manufacturer (I'll leave names out of this, for now)for a customer that is less than easy to please. The customer was in with her painting 4 times and took samples with her several times and the moulding she finally chose was a brand new sample that we ordered in just for her... so wasn't I surprised when the length came in today a totally different color!!! Not even close. I understand some minor fluctuations in tone for the natural woods, and hand finished mouldings, but this was none of the above, and when we called the company, they said their whole stock was that same color! So how is the sample they just sent me a completely different color from what the stock is now!!! What a pain in my #*&%!!!!!! :mad:
 
I had a chop sample from a company I love. The moulding coming in didn't look much like the sample, so I ordered a new sample.

The new sample looked exactly like the old sample - and nothing like the moulding that was coming in.

When I called for an explanation, I was told that they were using up the old stock to cut corner samples and were cutting chop and shipping length from the new stock.

Maybe that's what happened to you.

On the plus side, the samples were free.
thumbsup.gif
 
ouchie! Sounds like a certain major that had sent us a wonderful sample on raman but the sticks were philipine mahogany....
kaffeetrinker_2.gif
 
Tell the customer the truth. Maybe the new coloring is just what she wanted. Then remove the samples.

We did have some new samples for about 2 weeks when the company pulled two colors from the line. We received notice by mail.

A pain, yes,
fire.gif
but not the end of the world.
 
Customers are surprised when they see that a lot of the samples are a veneer and not "real" woodgrain. Sometimes they'll ask for the "real" frames.

But when I order them mouldings that are real wood, not veneer they are upset that their are knots in the wood! They want authentic and consistant and "natural"! I guess another case of "pick two!"

I have a white cap that comes in anywhere from glaring white to shades of pink, or purple, depending on the section of the log it came from. I forwarn my customers, and have samples of the color range to date that I have made. They are ok with it because I have been able to forewarn them, but in your case I would be pissed as it came in as a complete shock to you and the customer.

I hope you get reimbursed for their mistake, that they make good on their samples, and that they send you samples that match their "new" mouldings. Oh well two out of three would be nice! ;)
 
This, too, has happened to me on more than one occasion by my major supplier whose name will remain unsaid. I have requested samples for what they deliver... but I have to say the quality is much less than the original sample piece and I don't like it. In a couple of instances, I have taken the moulding completely off the wall - till they straighten our their quality control, or lack thereof.

It's certainly annoying - especially for the highend jobs/clientele that are very discerning on their color/coordination. It's important to get what you see.

Roz
 
That's another thing that irks me that I had forgotten about. It's one thing to have SLIGHT variations due to a 'natural' product, but when it looks like a totally different moulding, that's uncalled for.

Another thing is, did you ever go to join 2 corners of a frame together and find that the miters don't match up. Sometimes I've had, no lie, 1/8"+ of difference in the width!!! Are they whittling the moulding by hand???
 
I had a rep argue with me about that. After I showed him the difference, he said my customer wouldn't be able to tell.
He left with his samples never to return.
fire.gif
 
Whew -- this is a tough subject for manufacturers as well.

I used to be the head of sales/marketing for Ivy Industries, so am certainly familiar with this issue.

Here's the problem: Sometimes it's out of the manufacturers hands. With wood-grain items, sometimes the stain company's change their stains/chemicals/formulas. One would think that the stains would always be the same, but they aren't. They're usually close.

With gold and silver items, there's another set of issues. Most are manufactured abroad -- Brazil, China, Europe. The issue here is that many of the manufacturers in those countries are going out of business, while new manufacturers pop up. It's very difficult to get a new manufacturer to exactly match the items previously made by the now-gone-manufacturer. I know it seems like it'd be easy to dupicate mouldings, but it's just not the case.

In general, make sure your reps look through your lines when they're there and ask them to identify items that might give you problems.

Just my two cents worth -- Harris Haynie (rep for Blue Ridge Moulding and Vermont Hardwoods)
 
Back
Top