Fellers

[PromoGuyTy]

Same Here

I've got nothing but good things to say about Fellers. They have one of the most comprehensive product lines, a very informative, well organized catalog, 50+ offices, and have basically everything we use within a day's shipping.

We spend a lot of money on supplies. We negotiate prices on our more heavily used items, but that's it. Why beat up your suppliers on every item you buy? If it's something you only use every once in awhile, pay catalog price on it. Let the guy make a few bucks, because we all know margins on the supply end of our business are not great. I'm absolutely willing to pay a couple extra bucks for outstanding service. I don't beat my suppliers up.

Imagine if your customers called and haggled with you on every item they ever buy. You'd be on here bitching about what a PITA they are.

Our local rep, along with everyone I ever talk to on the phone (I always seem to get the same 5 or 6 people) is very knowledgable about their products and extremely friendly.

As for billing, we don't have any issues either. We had a situation a couple years ago where we kept hitting our $10k credit limit and our orders were put on hold. No big deal, we'd call and fax over a copy of a check, stick it in the mail, and our orders were released immediately. Problem was, we were hitting this every 5-10 days. Jessica in A/R suggested increasing our limit. They did (by a ton, might I add), and we've only hit our limit a couple of times since then. We receive invoices with our orders, not packing lists. We input them as they come in and send checks out regularly.

All in all, Fellers is a great resource.

Same experience here, all good with Fellers over last 3 or 4 years. Quick, accurate, friendly order fulfillment.

I do need to get better pricing on stuff I use all the time, though...

Not sure if we do enough volume to get much discount though... maybe a 2 or 3 rolls of banner, 2 or 3 rolls of vinyl and roll of paper per month...

 

[shakey0818]

Well you can see a couple of them here...http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/border-wars

i knew that was comming:ROFLMAO:

 

[MetroSigns]

As for discounts, its about personal relationships. I deal with one sales rep when I call, Lisa at 2212. I talk to her like a human being, ask about the weather, laugh with her, and it always gets me better than catalog pricing.

They are perfect for all those shop necessities (tape, velcro, squeegees, etc.) but are a little higher on medias sometime.

However I have found that a little personality goes a long way and gets me in some cases, waaaaaay better than catalog pricing.

 

[Turtle]

A squeegee, some olfa blades, even a rolle pro... Yes. Adhesive backed vinyl and banner vinyl, no.

I have yet to meet my new sales rep since the old one quit (with the exception of a quick phone call several months ago). For me it is about service and price. I have been getting nickel and dime service from Fellers so that is what I am spending with them.

I am sure my other vendors don't mind.

 

[Shift Designs]

i couldn't get past the fpp ratio. 87 total franks in 140pg catalog. That's comes down to .62 franks per page.

lol

 

[Jim Doggett]

Thanks ya'll for saying nice things about SW. And I too appreciate that they care enough to devote resources to S101 -- I need the paychecks!!!! :^)

But as a cataloger myself (20+ years), I have watched the Ameriban come Fellers Catalog from the beginning. And I think it's smart to make Frank a brand much like "The Donald" is a brand. I even refer to Mr. Fellers as "The Frank." Love him or hate him, the brand recognition is second to none in the sign industry.

My $0.02

 

[SightLine]

Just downloaded the new 2012 catalog. Looks to be near the same...

I count 88 total Franks on 136 pages for a .65 FPP ratio. :Big Laugh Looks to nearly all be the same picture of him this year.

I couldn't get past the fpp ratio. 87 total franks in 140pg catalog. That's comes down to .62 Franks per page.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

I must say...I buy about ALL my non-substrate stuff from Fellers. I get 95% of it next day from one of 4 warehouses around me. They've always been willing to match or beat Grimco or whoever on products they carry...including 3M. They even made my Solaris Inks the same price as a different ink they don't even carry...so that I would buy inks from them. My rep comes in to check on my and brings me samples of new products he thinks I may use. As for Frank's "ego", it has nothing to do with my supplies. People buy CD's and DVD's from "Celebrities" with huge ego's and pics of themselves all over them...but you still buy their products.

 

[quicksigns]

Love Feller's as a company here, thanks to our sales rep Ron. I sure wish they carry other stuff too like aluminum and MDOs so I can get all my stuff right on time, everytime. Grimco sucks in our area, their pricing is never the same with different sales rep and different customers.

 

[149motorsports]

Yea i cant wait for my 2012 cat. in the mail...our rep hasnt even called me yet to introduce herself and its been 5 months since she has been in the company lol!

 

[JoshLoring]

Nothing to bad mouth about fellers at all. If you talk with your rep about pricing (as you would any other supplier) then you can get excellent prices on media. In fact, my wife gets better pricing from them than anywhere. Free shipping and always promt delivery.
Really depends on your purchase quantity too on how much they will discount.

 

[149motorsports]

walked into my fellers this morning and they got a big picture of frank wrapped around the desk! talking about seeing him at 830am looking at you lol

 

[Kottwitz-Graphics]

Yea i cant wait for my 2012 cat. in the mail...our rep hasnt even called me yet to introduce herself and its been 5 months since she has been in the company lol!

I have never heard from my rep, except when I call him.

I have started looking at the costs of some of the vinyl, and I'm somewhat surprised.

Just recently, I placed a large order (for me) that consisted of 50 yards of black - 24", 20 yards of 30" red, 20 yards of the Vinyl FX film, some application tape, and bty cut piece, total was pushing $900. I questioned the cost of the material, and they discouned the gold FX film. They were pushing $60 more than a local supplier.

But they stand behind their sales. They shipped a 24" roll instead of a 30" roll, and all the paper work said 24". I didn't notice untill almost 6 pm on Thursday night (the day it came in), the night before I was supposed to get started on my project (a tanker truck that was leaving out on Monday Morning).

I called them up, and they overnighted me a roll from CA, and sent me a call tag for the 24" roll...All at no cost to me. Gotta love that they stand behind their sales. Saved the job, and my backside.

But honestly, if Harbor would sell oracal (or just about anything other than avery), I'd buy from them.

They are just down the road.

 

[SignBurst PCs]

I have had a different kind of relationship with Fellers than most. We (SignBurst™) built computers for them for a couple of years and I traveled with them to trade shows and visited their facilities in Tulsa several times. With a company like theirs, it is very much about your local rep. Your local or sales rep will either make or break your experience with Fellers. I have met great ones, good ones, and poor ones.

In my experience, Frank is an outstanding individual with his customers constantly on his mind. That goes for the close group of people around him as well. Even though I haven't always seemed eye-to-eye with him, I cannot take that away. He is very much about the customer. The effort that they took in their equipment support when I was around was exceptional.

Now it has been a couple years since I have dealt with them, but it is hard for me to believe that much has changed. Personally, I have my issues with them, but as far as their business philosophy goes, I was always impressed.

As for the ego and number of times his face is in the catalog, who cares? Does he (or Fellers as a whole) treat you well? Whether that is a yes or no, that is what should matter.

 

[HulkSmash]

I love their reps.. they know their stuff..now.. if their customer support people who answered their phones had half the brain they did..

 

[rjssigns]

Never had any issues with Fellers. In fact I had a bad roll of 3M gloss overlam and they said no problem send it back you're covered. Free shipping saves coin too.

Although I am going to give Big Fish a shout and try some of his products even though he is quite a distance from me.

Bottom line is I do business with folks that have what I need and can get it to me fast.

 

[john1]

Fellers shipping sucks, It's crazy for orders that don't meet their minimum. 2 yards of 15" vinyl was like $15 last week on shipping.

 

[Pat Whatley]

If you talk with your rep about pricing (as you would any other supplier) then you can get excellent prices on media.

That has always bothered me. To me that is just there way of saying they're going to screw you if you let them. I'd really appreciate them just giving me their best price up front and not making me beg for it.

 

[john1]

That has always bothered me. To me that is just there way of saying they're going to screw you if you let them. I'd really appreciate them just giving me their best price up front and not making me beg for it.

exactly. It's not fair practice at all.

 

[Malkin]

I was extremely surprised at the rate I was charged for 180c (colored, 24" x 10yd). It was about a 50% increase in cost compared to grimco.

I buy various supplies and cheap Oracal vinyl from them, and generally save all my cast vinyl purchases for my local supplier.