Hey Fellers and Montroy.

[player]

It's one thing to say you won't be using a particular supplier but be careful about using the word boycott or making a call to action such as a boycott unless you have the financial resources to defend yourself in the legal system. Just speaking from experience.

So it is against the law for sign makers to organize and not deal with a business that is doing something that is going to ruin the market for everyone? But it is OK for them to tell your customers how much your supplies are costing and then sell directly to them...

I would think the publicity they would receive from suing individual sign makers would not put them in a better light. They would be seen as predatory bullies who are not to be trusted.

 

[MtnView]

So it is against the law for sign makers to organize and not deal with a business that is doing something that is going to ruin the market for everyone? But it is OK for them to tell your customers how much your supplies are costing and then sell directly to them...

I would think the publicity they would receive from suing individual sign makers would not put them in a better light. They would be seen as predatory bullies who are not to be trusted.

I quoted your post because it seemed more inflammatory than most in this thread but was intended to educate (those who don't know) and remind others (that know better yet may get carried away in the heat of a topic) that what we write on a forum or on paper can be used against us. As the lawyer we hired in this lawsuit told us, even though we didn't do anything we now have to prove we didn't. This BIG supplier spends millions with the law firm they have on retainer. The bigger distributors who could spend big bucks to fight were not sued but given C&D letters as a warning. We still had to spend thousands to prove our innocence. As I said in my example the negative publicity this supplier earned with other distributors that saw the lawsuit as a bullying tactic was felt by the supplier.

I am not trying to scare anyone. Just bring awareness of what can happen when a forum topic explodes since this closely follows the topic on that other forum years ago. Do what you want with the information I share.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Americuns are so litigious.

Dude, be quiet, you'll make them think we are all as dumb as you.

 

[player]

Dude, be quiet, you'll make them think we are all as dumb as you.

You shut the _**** up. Doode.

 

[bikecomedy]

 

[CanuckSigns]

You shut the _**** up. Doode.

Lol @ you getting completely butt hurt over a company that doesn't even operate in canada.

 

[player]

Lol @ you getting completely butt hurt over a company that doesn't even operate in canada.

Oh... so your customers can't go to that site and see the pricing, or buy the products? You do know the internet does not stop at the border? I am not stupid like you to think I am safe up here. My customers are able to buy from the US.

 

[ronl1975]

I'm glad they reverted back however we already scheduled a meeting with Grimcos sales rep for today on Friday. This outta be interesting.. LOL

 

[d fleming]

First thing in the shop my phone ringing with my Fellers rep apologizing and telling us that there is a young man down south losing his job today for posting their pricing on line for 48 hours.

 

[Techman]

In any event...

this is pretty revealing to have an entire website set up with the code able to list a complete catalog with pricing on line.

 

[WeekendDirectionals]

I quoted your post because it seemed more inflammatory than most in this thread but was intended to educate (those who don't know) and remind others (that know better yet may get carried away in the heat of a topic) that what we write on a forum or on paper can be used against us. As the lawyer we hired in this lawsuit told us, even though we didn't do anything we now have to prove we didn't. This BIG supplier spends millions with the law firm they have on retainer. The bigger distributors who could spend big bucks to fight were not sued but given C&D letters as a warning. We still had to spend thousands to prove our innocence. As I said in my example the negative publicity this supplier earned with other distributors that saw the lawsuit as a bullying tactic was felt by the supplier.

I am not trying to scare anyone. Just bring awareness of what can happen when a forum topic explodes since this closely follows the topic on that other forum years ago. Do what you want with the information I share.

Good input, thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[HulkSmash]

Um what?

Um, you have no idea what you're talking about, that's what.


Anyways I'd like to thank Karl E. at Fellers. Super nice guy, very professional and courteous. He's probably the single best hire Frank has made. Looks like Fellers is fixing their mistake, and is trying to find a way to make everyone happy. Thanks Fellers for the quick and professional response.

 

[Billct2]

Well maybe they have fixed their "error" but I think this whole thing is very revealing. I didn't know that
"anyone" could buy from Fellers at the same prices as a signshop.

 

[wildside]

at the end of the day, i have a problem with the concept of direct to public....

however it does take a lot of knowledge, equipment and money to actually produce anything of significance with these materials. Being able to police the entire concept of selling to sign and wrap companies only would be next to impossible, the only way to even attempt is to require a sales tax id number, which most likely might exclude some members here on this forum

this concept is exactly the same as auto mechanics being up in arms that parts stores are everywhere selling these same parts to the end user.... difference might be that the mechanics usually have better pricing then carquest or your favorite parts store flavor. These mechanics know however, that the real money is in service and skill, not in raw materials....

my rep has been very up front and quick to discuss this, am I ditching fellers, probably not, out of every supplier we use, i have been visited by 3 reps in 10 years... 1 from gemini and 2 were from fellers.....

if you are selling vinyl by the pound, i suppose online pricing is a scary thing when your supplier opens up like that, i know a few others that sell direct to public, under different names, but the prices are about the same from retail to wholesale, and no i don't use them much if at all

basically it looks like a supplier tried a new business model, the industry flexed its muscles back and the supplier might have saw the error in the ways....maybe.....

 

[d fleming]

I have to say that my Fellers rep is the best rep I have ever had service my account. None of my other suppliers over thirty years in this business have ever had a presence in the shop like Herb. Always available for questions/help and stops by monthly to check how things are going. For service they get A+.

 

[Mosh]

how do you "accidentally" launch the new website too soon?

Ask President Obama....

 

[Joe Diaz]

First thing in the shop my phone ringing with my Fellers rep apologizing and telling us that there is a young man down south losing his job today for posting their pricing on line for 48 hours.

Well I'm glad they saw the light. I cannot believe that it was an accident though. Even on their website the apology says "Though we had good intentions with the launch to speed up shopping and eliminate hurdles" This leads me to believe that this was purposefully done, and I'm having a difficult time believing that only one "young man" was responsible. These types of decisions would involve input from a lot of folks including those at the top. It seems as though this rep is throwing someone under the bus and trying to distance the company as a whole from a mistake that was made.

I know we are willing to forgive. I don't think much damage has been done since the problem was fixed in a relatively quick manner. I doubt any of our customers visited the site, and if they did I don't think it would have greatly effected us. But I just wish that they could get their story straight and just be honest with us all. Their loyal, long time customers deserve that. I don't know the whole story, but it seems as though it was a momentary lapse of judgment by an entire company, not a mistake made by one person who is now being fired and so I believe the apology should address that. We weren't all born yesterday and can tell when people aren't being sincere. and when they aren't it shows a lack of respect for the customers that helped make them a success. So just apologize, tell the truth and be sincere. That will go a long way.

So far I think Frank's apology on the site is a good one, and believable, so they need to rein in all their reps get everyone on the same page and lose the contradictory excuses.

 

[player]

I have to say that my Fellers rep is the best rep I have ever had service my account. None of my other suppliers over thirty years in this business have ever had a presence in the shop like Herb. Always available for questions/help and stops by monthly to check how things are going. For service they get A+.

Now the really good rep that stops into your shop can tell anyone who wants to buy something how you and others do things.

 

[zmatalucci]

Ask President Obama....

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Winner!

 

[Makproductions06]

I"m The Best!

Funny how Brian keeps bragging about Fellers being the biggest and best but fails to mention that the sign shops are the ones that made them the biggest.. Fellers being the best is questionable.