Grimco and Epson Issue

[torontosignguys]

Hello,

I just wanted to share an ongoing issue we've had with Grimco and EPSON in the USA (California).

First of all, we had 2 reps just stop replying to us when trying to order in equipment so we had to push up to a Regional Manager (RM) at the Printing United show who promised to sort it all out. The reps would just not reply, not send our quote, etc. It was a very weird experience.

Grimco's RM offered us a roll of material and waived the install fee for the equipment. We thought wow this is good!

At Printing United, Grimco's RM promised to hold a promo and specific pricing on an Epson SureColor S60600 Printer for us until we had our new location setup.

We emailed them saying we are now ready to roll in the machine.

This is when the Grimco Regional Manager tells me he can no longer honor what he promised, and we had to pay the "new" pricing which was about $3000 more.

We reached out to a Business Development Manager (BDM) from EPSON that we had met at the show in regards to this, and he told us he will help us. He asked us to forward screenshots of the conversation we had with Grimco. We did.

The day after, the EPSON BDM switched his word and told us to continue talking to Grimco and he can't do anything.

There are several other resellers and brands out there for large format. We've been around since the 80's and have purchased so many equipment over the last 45 years. We're shocked that EPSON and Grimco have treated us in this way. We've used Grimco for years and have 8 locations that regulary make purchases from them. EPSON was a first and possibly a last.

We just wanted to share our experience with Grimco and EPSON. What would you do in this situation?

 

[victor bogdanov]

Did you have a signed contract? If you know 100% you are going to buy a printer and there is a good deal going on, sign the contract. Words an promises mean nothing in business

I bought an Epson from Grimco, as smooth as can be experience

 

[torontosignguys]

We were ready to sign the agreement, but the Regional Manager told us there is no need until we have the new location set up. In writing, he stated not to sign it and he promised to hold the pricing and promotion until we had the new location set.

Words and promises are legally binding agreements in business.

We had amazing experiences with Grimco in Canada over the years. We've just had a bad experience now with California (purchasing location) and New York (where the regional manager is from).

 

[victor bogdanov]

Why didn't you purchase from someone else after grimco did this to you?

 

[torontosignguys]

They did this yesterday. We're posting to inform the community.

 

[balstestrat]

Just a guess but maybe they were expecting you to move on it end of the year and not 2025.
Now they don't want to eat the 3000 which was probably manufacturer promo to begin with.

 

[torontosignguys]

Just a guess but maybe they were expecting you to move on it end of the year and not 2025.
Now they don't want to eat the 3000 which was probably manufacturer promo to begin with.

Sorry to clarify: It was before year end when we confirmed with Grimco, but the back and forth communication, lack of response from Grimco, and involving Epson happened yesterday.

It was a show LOI and Roland trade-in promo that they were offering ($1000+$2000). We attended both the Sign Expo in Orlando and Printing United in Las Vegas making us eligible for the discounts.

It's just sad to see Grimco can't uphold their word and EPSON being such a large brand not caring.

 

[MarkSnelling]

Why buy from Grimco when you could deal with real professionals who are more local and more helpful? Try Clint Fox or someone who really knows wide format in LA. If you don't know Clint, hit me up and I'll introduce you.

Also - I believe today is the day Roland is launching their new high speed printer which can be loaded up with dual CMYK or you can go with CMYK+OGR+1 other for an insane color gamut like the Epson. With dual CMYK you'll get around 200sf/hour for $21K. It is going to be a sweet machine.

 

[White Haus]

I bought an Epson from Grimco, as smooth as can be experience

Same here, but in Canada. Aside from the fact that they assembled it in their warehouse and practically threw it out of the back of a van when they got here, everything about the process was smooth.

I'd just bring your business elsewhere. Screw them. If that's the kind of "support" you can expect from them before they have your money, just imagine how helpful they'll be when their machines go down after the fact.

 

[Johnny Best]

I was thinking of buying a new printer from Grimco but this post has changed my mind on going through them.

 

[d fleming]

Try Nazdar/Source One.

 

[chester215]

We recently purchased a s40600 from Grimco and were told that it was in stock by sales and ready for immediate delivery.
The sales guy went on vacation for a week and it ended up that it took around a month and a half to get it delivered and set up.
It was not in stock and was shipped by Epson.
Next printer we will look elsewhere.

 

[Black Star]

I bought a Mimaki printer through Grimco last year and it was a horrible experience. My Grimco sales rep offered me a printer that was no longer available after I signed the contract. After we finally received a different printer, I had some questions so I emailed her and she called me and told me that all of the sales reps had been let go and there was no one at Grimco that could answer my questions. She also told me that she would never sell Mimaki unless a customer specifically requested it. To top it off, she asked why I was concerned about a ventilation system on an eco solvent printer...

Needless to say, I will never buy equipment through Grimco. I've tried finding my supplies through other vendors as much as possible.

 

[unclebun]

I will add a different perspective. We were trying to keep our old S70670 going but one day it just up and died. So I called Grimco (this was late October 2023) to see about getting an S80600. There was a promo going on with very favorable pricing, and so I said let's go ahead. Then they checked availability and it was zero. But they had a number of units on the way that were in transit across the Pacific, and three of them were headed to a nearby PSP who was just replacing 2 year old S80600s. So they called that company to ask if they could divert one of them to us, which they agreed to. Less than a week later it arrived. I unpacked and installed it myself (it's not rocket surgery, and I had done the same with the S70670 over ten years ago) and Grimco sent someone to go over the machine with me a couple of weeks later, which was the next available appointment. I was very grateful to Grimco that they went out of their way to get a machine to me, and thankful to the PSP (of which I am a customer for grand format prints) for helping out.

In the OP's case, I can see what happened. There was a year end promotion which their Grimco reps were using in the original negotiations. But the promotion expired while the OP dallied. Since the promotions come from Epson, not Grimco, it wasn't available any more. It's the same as when auto manufacturers offer manufacturer incentives like rebates or price reductions. They are only offered for a limited time and if you try to use the incentive after the deadline, it isn't available. The place where these particular salesmen were remiss was in not informing the OP that the promotion had a deadline.

 

[Solventinkjet]

She also told me that she would never sell Mimaki unless a customer specifically requested it.

As a Mimaki dealer who competes with Grimco, love to hear it.

 

[BigNate]

In the OP's case, I can see what happened. There was a year end promotion which their Grimco reps were using in the original negotiations. But the promotion expired while the OP dallied. Since the promotions come from Epson, not Grimco, it wasn't available any more. It's the same as when auto manufacturers offer manufacturer incentives like rebates or price reductions. They are only offered for a limited time and if you try to use the incentive after the deadline, it isn't available. The place where these particular salesmen were remiss was in not informing the OP that the promotion had a deadline.

you have a good point - I am a little concerned that the OP says he actually has a statement in writing from the Grimco regional manager that the pricing and promotion would still be honored and held until a specified time (new location)... Sales hyperbole and puffery is one thing, but a promise in writing is usually legally binding - and at a minimum should be honored.

 

[White Haus]

you have a good point - I am a little concerned that the OP says he actually has a statement in writing from the Grimco regional manager that the pricing and promotion would still be honored and held until a specified time (new location)... Sales hyperbole and puffery is one thing, but a promise in writing is usually legally binding - and at a minimum should be honored.

Agreed. At the very least said manager should eat the loss and take it as a lesson learned. Would have saved them thousands in bad press in this thread alone.

 

[torontosignguys]

Why buy from Grimco when you could deal with real professionals who are more local and more helpful? Try Clint Fox or someone who really knows wide format in LA. If you don't know Clint, hit me up and I'll introduce you.

Also - I believe today is the day Roland is launching their new high speed printer which can be loaded up with dual CMYK or you can go with CMYK+OGR+1 other for an insane color gamut like the Epson. With dual CMYK you'll get around 200sf/hour for $21K. It is going to be a sweet machine.

Sending PM

 

[torontosignguys]

I will add a different perspective. We were trying to keep our old S70670 going but one day it just up and died. So I called Grimco (this was late October 2023) to see about getting an S80600. There was a promo going on with very favorable pricing, and so I said let's go ahead. Then they checked availability and it was zero. But they had a number of units on the way that were in transit across the Pacific, and three of them were headed to a nearby PSP who was just replacing 2 year old S80600s. So they called that company to ask if they could divert one of them to us, which they agreed to. Less than a week later it arrived. I unpacked and installed it myself (it's not rocket surgery, and I had done the same with the S70670 over ten years ago) and Grimco sent someone to go over the machine with me a couple of weeks later, which was the next available appointment. I was very grateful to Grimco that they went out of their way to get a machine to me, and thankful to the PSP (of which I am a customer for grand format prints) for helping out.

In the OP's case, I can see what happened. There was a year end promotion which their Grimco reps were using in the original negotiations. But the promotion expired while the OP dallied. Since the promotions come from Epson, not Grimco, it wasn't available any more. It's the same as when auto manufacturers offer manufacturer incentives like rebates or price reductions. They are only offered for a limited time and if you try to use the incentive after the deadline, it isn't available. The place where these particular salesmen were remiss was in not informing the OP that the promotion had a deadline.

The issue is we told the Grimco Manager we will pay for the equipment and sign whatever is needed, we just wanted the pricing that was offered. He told us in writing he will lock our pricing and promo.

Now he’s saying no. The CEO Keith is unresponsive. EPSON seems to commemorate such behavior.

 

[torontosignguys]

you have a good point - I am a little concerned that the OP says he actually has a statement in writing from the Grimco regional manager that the pricing and promotion would still be honored and held until a specified time (new location)... Sales hyperbole and puffery is one thing, but a promise in writing is usually legally binding - and at a minimum should be honored.

Of course we have it in writing and we have already emailed both Grimco and EPSON that we are ready to serve them a statement of claim should they continue to not care. We’re not a small company and we have a really good legal team on retainer (who has approved this post). Hence why we aren’t afraid to take this public with all the facts.

We appreciate everyone’s comments and we’re glad the community is informed of both Grimco and EPSON’s bad behavior. We were just thinking if we needed to do a warranty claim with EPSON and they reacted in such a way…it really makes you think three times before going with such a brand.