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Hey Betsy from 3M!

njshorts

New Member
We've been transitioning to Oracal exclusively, only stocking 180cv3 and matching laminate for one broker/wholesale client.
 

Betsy

New Member
Hi people! Not ignoring anyone. I want to be sure I reply properly without adding to the problem. Please let me get back to you on this topic shortly - today!

Betsy
 

HulkSmash

New Member
Hi people! Not ignoring anyone. I want to be sure I reply properly without adding to the problem. Please let me get back to you on this topic shortly - today!

Betsy

Nothing you say can make me believe 3M is not competing with us. Please don't waste your time.

I rather hear an explanation.
 

Craig Sjoquist

New Member
I'm laughing so hard I can't stop .... booo hooo booo hoooo still do you want more cheese with that whine lol lol ... you whiners are all the same just because a outfit figures a better way to profit you start to whine lol

If you wanted the fleets so bad and do so many ...WHY DIDN'T YOU make the same move like what 3M is doing, this America this is free enterprise at it's best. Geez I do almost every thing by hand no big bucks to venture out and get great equipment unless I have the cash, sure I like to but unable, so what do I do find ways to profit using what I have...

If your doing 50 wraps a year that's alot of cash to be moving around enough to double your cash flow fairly quickly, enough to hire people that do alot for you, 3M has just done that, now get out there and do better they still have the same problems dealing with what ever you do.
 

njshorts

New Member
Yes, this is America- the people here are expressing that their upstream manufacturer is entering direct competition and that the practice is not appreciated, so we're going elsewhere. They make the materials and obviously will have pricing cornered- with their pull, they will certainly have top-notch equipment and installers.

Freedom of speech and free enterprise, all in one thread that you just tried to one-up...
 

Custom_Grafx

New Member
This reminds me of the panel beating industry in australia.

large companies have always and will always try to do this... with limited success.

the people they affect most, are the mediocre panel shop, which aren't all that great at what they do, nor are they cheap. they are the ones who felt it the most.

those at the top, were pushed even further to the top because they were seen as specialists in their field.

i think if you are a pro you have nothing to worry about.
 

Mainframe

New Member
They had the nerve to send me an email "proudly" announcing their new business venture, (I guess they think I am going to be a wrap installer for them???!!!) (Can't wait until someone comes rolling in here with one of those fresh from the dealer, I will quote them a full wrap price & make them pay up front. Here is the email I sent back, I edited one word on it for this forum,

Hey Mike,

F%ck You for becoming my competitor, I just stopped using your products!
Thanks for the heads up because I just ordered $1,500 worth of wrap vinyl & lam from glantz & guess what, it wasn't 3m like I used the last time!
Since you are into printing wraps now I think an independent sign company would be insane to buy your products!
I guess you idiots think the production end is the money end??????????
Thanks again!

ps I am working on a box truck wrap right now & will be using oracal, maybe it is different but I will make it work.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Someone is always trying to corner the market somewhere..... somehow, but it's really sad to see it happen from a company, we've all come to trust. We've all given nothing but great reviews and shining honorable mentions everywhere and to everyone. I've always recommended 3M or in the early years Gerber vinyl. To think, we all helped knock their biggest competitor out for them..... A V E R Y Well, things could change.

Various manufactures over the years have screwed this industry.... usually out of lack of knowledge and/or deceit. For the most respected company probably in the world to take this view, only means they are going to become our competitor and see something in the future that we aren't anticipating.

This is kinda like the Heckingers, Home Depots and Lowes syndrome that knocked out about every Mom & Pop hardware store across the country. It's like the WalMarts and other Grocery Food chains that have again.... knocked out just about every corner grocery store in your town.

Make your money while you can, because this will be a tough one to battle. Wraps and partial wraps only represent 10% of our truck lettering because in our area, it's tough to get the many wraps some of you others are getting. We do many fleets and many small contractors in our area.... so this 3M proposal will not affect us at all. However, it is only the ground work to make an industry, once revered by most as an art-form and talent required trade, to become just a run-of-the-mill business. It will soon be the commodity many of you speak about. For years, this industry has been dummied down to where a monkey can do this and we're just about there. I, for one, will die with a brush in my hand, but many of you might wanna start looking for something else for your future.

It's not going to happen overnight, but many of us have been talking, PM'ing and discussing this very action for a few years. Like some of my colleagues and friends have noted.... we have about 5 good years left with maybe 10 until its over.

To Betsy and the rest of you at 3M..... thanks for the ride !!
 
I figured I would chime in. Who cares if they buy a shop. They are looking to offer graphics to auto dealers which I m sure will need to be dirt cheap. Half the time I hear all you guys say you are not going to work for that cheap..

Did they directly steal your client base? Would you of even gotten a sniff from the market they are going to target? They are also offering graphics that are Scotchprint and MCS certified of which I am certain nobody who has expressed concern in this post is qualified for or even fully understands what that is. So you were not getting that business anyways.

I am not one to brag about how many vehicles we wrap or how much vinyl we consume or purchase monthly but I am certain it is more than many distributors out there. We also use alot of 3620, 3552 and ij40. Aside from FLexcon, 3M is the only PSV we use and after 18 years doing wraps at a national level never saw a need to switch and still do not.

3M hands down has the best media solutions on the market today, the best warranties, the best marketing and are a great company to work with.

Anyone who thinks they are making a bold statement by switching and stop using 3M based on losing business you never had is not thinking long term or logically based on what the market offers and what your business really needs to stay ahead of the curve in the wrap world.

If your wrap business is that good who gives a crap what is going on down the block.
If you steer clear of the Politics and BS you can profit on your craft no matter what.
 

signswi

New Member
I'm with Merritt though I prefer Oracal anyway. Bottom-cost wrap accessories can really only be leveraged at a high volume, doesn't much impact localized custom design/install--at least not yet. Decent way for 3M to instantly have a field R&D which is a good thing. Somewhat interested in getting in on the installer lists, depends on the contracts. In any case, the industry is consolidating like every other industry, do what many of us in the forum have been harping on for years and distinguish yourself on something other than price.
 

njshorts

New Member
This reminds me of the panel beating industry in australia.

large companies have always and will always try to do this... with limited success.

the people they affect most, are the mediocre panel shop, which aren't all that great at what they do, nor are they cheap. they are the ones who felt it the most.

those at the top, were pushed even further to the top because they were seen as specialists in their field.

i think if you are a pro you have nothing to worry about.

that's actually... pretty re-assuring. still not changing my opinion on purchasing at the moment, but hopefully that's what we see.
 

andy

New Member
Oracle, Hexis, Ritrama. KMPF, Neschen. Graffityp....

Take your pick... all quality European brands... all capable of supplying you with the kind of materials you need to earn a profitable living.

In Europe 3M vinyl is NOWHERE... barely on the radar... don't know anyone who uses it, in fact I don't know ANYONE who even stocks it. There are 500 million people in Europe and a thriving wrap industry.... using 3m isn't a fundamental requirement for wrap work, it's a choice, and an expensive one at that.

3m have made a clear decision that loyalty to you and your sign shop is irrelevant.. you mean nothing to them and they WILL gladly to all they can to take as many of your customers from you.

Stop buying 3m material immediately.
 

HulkSmash

New Member
Oracle, Hexis, Ritrama. KMPF, Neschen. Graffityp....

Take your pick... all quality European brands... all capable of supplying you with the kind of materials you need to earn a profitable living.

In Europe 3M vinyl is NOWHERE... barely on the radar... don't know anyone who uses it, in fact I don't know ANYONE who even stocks it. There are 500 million people in Europe and a thriving wrap industry.... using 3m isn't a fundamental requirement for wrap work, it's a choice, and an expensive one at that.

3m have made a clear decision that loyalty to you and your sign shop is irrelevant.. you mean nothing to them and they WILL gladly to all they can to take as many of your customers from you.

Stop buying 3m material immediately.

:goodpost:
 

phototec

New Member
They had the nerve to send me an email "proudly" announcing their new business venture, (I guess they think I am going to be a wrap installer for them???!!!) (Can't wait until someone comes rolling in here with one of those fresh from the dealer, I will quote them a full wrap price & make them pay up front. Here is the email I sent back, I edited one word on it for this forum,

Hey Mike,

F%ck You for becoming my competitor, I just stopped using your products!
Thanks for the heads up because I just ordered $1,500 worth of wrap vinyl & lam from glantz & guess what, it wasn't 3m like I used the last time!
Since you are into printing wraps now I think an independent sign company would be insane to buy your products!
I guess you idiots think the production end is the money end??????????
Thanks again!

ps I am working on a box truck wrap right now & will be using oracal, maybe it is different but I will make it work.

:goodpost:


That was a great response, you have my support 110%

Oracal will be my next and future orders!
 
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