Have you ever tried to sell your distributor on a specific brand?

[Joe Diaz]

We just got off the phone with a distributor who doesn't offer Oracal, a brand we use... a brand we use a lot of. He tried to sell us on the idea of switching over to Avery, which we will never use again, then he tried to sell us on 3M.

I told him about the 3M/Original Wraps debate that I have been closely following on this forum. I told him that even if the 3M/Original Wraps didn't effect us, it effects many other potential customers of theirs, some of which may be switching over to Oracal. I wouldn't go as far to say our shop will never use 3M, but we don't really have any reason to stop using Oracal, other than to buy film from a distributor that doesn't offer it. If they were to offer it, they may pick up some business from shops that use only Oracal. So I thought that might be valuable info for them.

Anyway, have any of you tried to sell your distributor on offering a specific brand? How many of you talk to your reps about issues being discussed in this industry? Do you think they listen? Or do you think they listen more to the manufacturers than us?

 

[idsignsil]

Being that we are in the same state and only a couple hours apart, I can guess that it is 1 of 2 distributors. I have talked to both with no luck. I have started getting our Oracal and many other supplies from N. Glantz. They just opened a warehouse down in St. Louis and are up this way every Wednesday. Shoot John an email and see if they will come up to you. jjohnston@nglantz.com

 

[Joe Diaz]

We used to use N. Glantz almost exclusively when they were one of a few distributors that would actually deliver to us. Now for whatever reason they don't come our way anymore.

 

[Gino]

I'm not sure which is which, but some manufacturers offer more incentive to their distributors in the way of profit margins which is a deterrent to bring other manufacturers in. Ever notice how someone will push a particular product over another for no apparent reason ?? They make more on certain items than on others.

I'm almost positive A V E R Y is the one who makes some of these underhanded offers to their distributors, but I wouldn't want to be one to start rumors........


If you can get enough of their customers interesting in stocking OraCal, they'd be forced to listen to you. Again, in numbers you can control. However, then all of your competition would be getting the exact same deals. It might be wiser to find the closest dealer to you that already handles OraCal and just switch your OraCal needs to them.

 

[Billct2]

Usually it's the opposite, the distributor trying to comvince that the new line they switch to is superior. I actually have one distributor that just dropped Arlon for Oracal, which is fine for digital stuff but not the cut vinyl that we still use a ton of.
I definately bring up many of the same issues with them that I see discussed here.

 

[Molenbeek]

Advantage Sign Supply is a full line stocking distributor of Oracal products, plus Avery and 3M. We have 10 locations with the closest to you in Schaumburg. UPS delivery would get to you next day in southern Illinois.

Let me know how I can help!

Matt
877-237-4464 *1590
mattm@advantagesignsupply.com

 

[BigfishDM]

Oracal won't setup new dealers unless you meet a certain criteria, also the margin made on oracal is a lot less then what they make on Avery so they are just trying to sell you what makes sense for their business.

 

[Charlie J]

I wish Wensco would offer oracal. I just order it from Fellers instead.

 

[Jillbeans]

I am lucky enough to have several local suppliers, so if I need Arlon I call one and if I need Oracal I call the other. Glantz brought in Ronan at my request.
All I did was ask them.
Love....Jill

 

[Gino]

Our Glantz around here has handled Ronan for a very long time. They probably just bring it in from another location as needed. If they don't have something, they'll get it from a hub within a day or two..... then stock it if you tell them you're gonna use it alot.

However, the Glantz in my neck of the woods, just recently fired everyone and brought in all new people and none of them seem to know d!ck about much of anything. It's one thing not to be up on a certain item or a few, but everytime you call..... I'll hafta find out for ya. I'll call ya back. Then no call back.

 

[Joe Diaz]

Oracal won't setup new dealers unless you meet a certain criteria, also the margin made on oracal is a lot less then what they make on Avery so they are just trying to sell you what makes sense for their business.

Yeah but at a certain point it won't matter how different the margin is when enough of an industry prefers one brand over another. I'm sure that point hasn't been reached yet though, and that is most likely why they won't provide it. That being said, at the same time we aren't obligated to use a different brand just because they don't have what we prefer. In other words there are other suppliers out there that do offer what we want. You want out business? provide what we want. It's that simple.

Yeah I don't think it's really as simple as "convincing" them to switch. There are territories and regulations involved etc etc so I don't think they can just "pick up" another brand.

Why isn't it that simple. If enough of your potential customers want a certain type of sign, and you have the means to make that type of sign, why not offer it.

I guess I don't understand why one distributor can't offer a product that other distributors can and do, unless it's not profitable. But I would think it would be profitable. It apparently is for those other distributors.

Honestly I don't care if one distributor doesn't have it, as long as we have several other to choose from that do offer it. I just think it's important to communicate with them and let them know what we like and don't like and what others in the industry are discussing.

 

[tsgstl]

N Glantz like said before. John is a good guy and is very eager to increase their now growing St. Louis branch. Before they set up here I was getting rolls shipped to me from Kansas City free within a day or two. Once N&F got bought I had to scramble. If your distributor is a larger St. Louis outfit then I wouldn't hold my breathe as to them getting Oracal. They had a well known falling out with Oracal which I don't see patched up anytime soon.

N Glantz is also about 10% cheaper across the board on Oracal than N&F was.

 

[TheLairdGuy]

Why isn't it that simple. If enough of your potential customers want a certain type of sign, and you have the means to make that type of sign, why not offer it.

I guess I don't understand why one distributor can't offer a product that other distributors can and do, unless it's not profitable. But I would think it would be profitable. It apparently is for those other distributors.

Hey Joe, I saw your post and thought I might be able to shed some light on the situation.

Usually it's one of two cases:

1. It has to do with the Manufacturer deciding to let a distributor move their product line.

-or-

2. It has to do with the Distributor deciding what's going to be more profitable.

In the first situation, a manufacturer only has so many customers who are distributors. And not all distributors are created equal. Some over promise how much they sell and then default on payments when they can't move inventory. Also, they have to find out how much competition they're causing for their current customers. If they add another into the mix, their current customer base usually has backlash and the manufacturer gets an earful.

In the second situation, a distributor might decide that it's not worth doing business with that manufacturer. Some manufacturers will use exta perks to differentiate themselves from their competition. They might provide distributor sales reps with on site sales/product training or provide special pricing. As a distributor, it's hard to justify adding product lines that might reduce the volume you already use from people you have great relationships and business partnerships with.

 

[John Butto]

There has to be a Fellers close by your area. They are like Burger King and McDonalds.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

If Grimco (in Springfield) is who Joe is referring to, I don't think distribution territory is any sort of issue. the reason I say that is because Grimco bought out N&F Supply a little over a year ago and N&F was an Oracal distributor. I myself have asked Grimco why they don't carry Oracal and the way it's been stated to me, I would assume that there is no chance Grimco will be carrying Oracal anytime in the future and they don't like to divulge any specific reason why. Bad blood maybe?

 

[Joe Diaz]

There has to be a Fellers close by your area. They are like Burger King and McDonalds.

Yeah no problem getting stuff from Fellers. LOL Really we have no problem getting Oracal. That's not the issue at all. It's just that a distributor wants us to buy materials from them, but they don't have the brand we like. Long story short, they want to sell us a few different brands, and we want to sell them on offering the brand we like LOL.

 

[John Butto]

Have that same problem from the distributor I buy crack from. I want him to get into heroin but he just wants to sell me crack and meth. Says the herion supplier is loyal to some other guy and won't sell to him.

 

[Joe Diaz]

John you need switch over to jenkem. LOL all the kids are doing it these days.

 

[John Butto]

Jenkem, that is probably like Oracal to my distributor, but I will ask him like you asked yours.

 

[chrisphilipps]

I can say from personal experience that unless Oracal drops a dealer or the dealer goes out of business that Oracal is not setting up new dealers, at least in our area. It is also true that the margins on Oracal are not as good but if they would let us sell it we would.