Gino I understand what you are saying. I didn't type out a long list of things to just make the message long. I was giving him a short quick answer. Just because I do not manufacture my electrical signs, does not mean I don't know what I am doing. I am a license contractor, and could build them if I had all the equipment to do so, but I don't, so I outsource my manufacturing to reputable companies and stand behind their products. And yes I only use vendors who make U/L licensed electrical signs.
So are you really going to give your customer all your wholesale vendors names? Call Fellers, that's who I bought the vinyl from, they can deal with the issue of it failing, is Feller's then going to pass the buck to Avery? (yes cheap shot at Avery)
What I am saying is that the customer doesn't really need to know every detail of how your business is ran, until a major issue come ups. Then yes, they need to know how the sign was made, by who, and to what specs, install, etc. I am pretty confident in my work, as well as my vendors.
- So, you don't approve of labels on your groceries telling you where the food was grown... or how or anything ?? If I got bad food from the grocery store, I would go back to the store not the farmer, they are who supplied me the food and are the first point of responsibility. Yes it could need to go deeper than that.
- You don't care if someone puts things in your car's engine that are unacceptable at a regular garage ?? Well I would use a reputable garage and I consider my self a reputable sign shop.
- You're telling me, as long as you get something to an end-user.... they have no right to know what or how it's made in case something goes wrong ?? Again I should be the first point of contact, and I fix it or the manufacturer would fix if I could not.
Nope.
Between the two of you is what I'm talking about.
Most shops and with the wording in many of these posts, the general idea seems to be... The customer gets what I give them and the heck with how or who makes it and if it's built to code specs, let alone U/L. This is the mentality which when a consumer gets burned, puts a bad taste in their mouths and they don't trust anyone from there on in. It makes it very hard to do business the right way, where the customer gets what they want and they are always right....
or at least thinks that.
In selling a simple truck lettering job, I give the customer a choice of cast or intermediate vinyl. I also give them the pros and cons to both choices. I will tell them I deal with many manufacturers and how we will do the whole job. I give them the choice and they can decide, but at least they are more educated on making the decision and it will be their own fault if they choose cheap, but they already have been warned.
As for a can sign [
backlit] , if we're under the gun, we'll do it from a knock-down kit and go from there. Just a few months ago, we had to put together 5pcs. 4' x 8' cans, doubles-sided. We told the customer we weren't building them in house due to his time frame, but it was the next thing to it. We got them done in time and he was happy.
There's a lot of people that will buy a ready-built can from a manufacturer and have no idea of what they're buying, let alone what they're going to be putting up code-wise and should something go wrong.... you're not gonna get a wholesaler to stand behind something some schmuck put up... especially if it wasn't ordered correctly. If this thing catches fire and burns a building down.... well, insurance will fight it out. However, should it fall on someone's head while burning or not and kills that person.... believe you-me, someone is gonna pay dearly for that and if the necessary people involved didn't know they were getting an inferior product.... look the heck out, cause the lawyers are gonna have a field day.
That's why it's dangerous to give advice here. No one asks full questions and in turn... don't listen to long answers. They take the easy way out and just do what they want and take their chances. That is bad business strategy in my opinion especially when dealing with electrical signs.
In your case, if you know what you're doing and know right from wrong, then it's fine, but as the OP suggested he'll just do what he wants and gives no indication what he's doing, then I think this practice is foolish.
Oh, by the way, should you buy a tool, an appliance or many other items at most stores today, you cannot return it to where you purchased it, but you must deal with the manufacturer in almost all cases. It's not told to you, but in the instruction manual or guide in the fine print.:Oops:
As a leading manufacturer of 
