I was under the impression that Gemini sold only to Sign Shops?

[Nat]

Was I Wrong?


Thanks
Nat

 

[CanuckSigns]

they sell do architects, contractors, sign professionals and designers I believe

they always verify that you are indeed a legit company before they sell to you, so your client can't just order directly from them, unless they are one of the above professions.

 

[Gino]

You're serious, huh ?? You think these companies who wholesale ONLY to the sign industry don't sell to the end user..... right........ !!

They most certainly sell to anyone who calls in. All of us in the sign industry have connections and we use those contacts and e-mails and phone numbers religiously. Someone looking in a trade magazine will pick up on the same information. You have a very closed mind. The one side of the room will answer phone calls coming in from sign shops, magazine ads and wherever else they advertise, cause we only use specific numbers or contacts. What do think someone googling individual sign letters will find ?? It won't say GEMINI, but it will be their ads representing them 100%, just not by that name. The other side of the room with those phone numbers and e-mail addresses will light up for them. In the instal videos and extras area... it's all right out of the Gemini catalog. And to boot, the prices are just slightly higher than what we pay. Doesn't allow much wiggle room if you have a smart customer.

 

[CanuckSigns]

You're serious, huh ?? You think these companies who wholesale ONLY to the sign industry don't sell to the end user..... right........ !!

They most certainly sell to anyone who calls in. All of us in the sign industry have connections and we use those contacts and e-mails and phone numbers religiously. Someone looking in a trade magazine will pick up on the same information. You have a very closed mind. The one side of the room will answer phone calls coming in from sign shops, magazine ads and wherever else they advertise, cause we only use specific numbers or contacts. What do think someone googling individual sign letters will find ?? It won't say GEMINI, but it will be their ads representing them 100%, just not by that name. The other side of the room with those phone numbers and e-mail addresses will light up for them. In the instal videos and extras area... it's all right out of the Gemini catalog. And to boot, the prices are just slightly higher than what we pay. Doesn't allow much wiggle room if you have a smart customer.

Do you have any proof to back this up, or are you just rambling again?

 

[CanuckSigns]

Huh.........go figure. Just for chits and giggles I googled "sign letters" and right under the usual Gemini listings was this one........with Gemini install videos.

http://www.buysignletters.com/signdesigns/shopping2/default.asp

http://www.buysignletters.com/signdesigns/shopping2/studmountinstallation.asp

That being said.........not a whole lot you can do or say about North America's biggest letter supplier selling direct. Although I'd be open to alternatives, Gemini has only screwed up one of our orders (Cast bronze letters nonetheless) and they did make it right.

That website is not affiliated with Gemini, they are just reselling Gemini's products. Gemini allows any of their clients to use any photos and text from their website in their own, I am in process of setting up a website showcasing a product we buy from gemini, When I called them they said feel free to use anything I want on the website.

 

[Nat]

As long as they sell at 2 different prices.

or Four prices

My Price
Then Your Price
Then Contractors
Then the General Public

 

[Gino]

That website is not affiliated with Gemini, they are just reselling Gemini's products. Gemini allows any of their clients to use any photos and text from their website in their own, I am in process of setting up a website showcasing a product we buy from gemini, When I called them they said feel free to use anything I want on the website.

So, in your infinite wisdom ramblings.....you're telling me those guys... and perhaps you in the somewhat near future, are not representing Gemini other than by using all of their products, videos, styles, information and whatever else, but are not Gemini ?? Checking out their pricing, free shipping and turnaround, it's actually a better deal than dealing with Gemini. How can they make money, unless Gemini is offering them one walloping continuous discount.... or it basically is already Gemini under a different name ??


So, I'm gonna sell all of McDonald's same identical burgers, french fries, salads, wraps, chicken stuff, sodas, coffee and whatever else they have for about 7% more, but not be McDonald's. I'm gonna use their menu boards, but not use their golden arches or brick buildings. And they aren't gonna mind, huh ?? In fact, they're gonna encourage it.

 

[CanuckSigns]

So, in your infinite wisdom ramblings.....you're telling me those guys... and perhaps you in the somewhat near future, are not representing Gemini other than by using all of their products, videos, styles, information and whatever else, but are not Gemini ?? Checking out their pricing, free shipping and turnaround, it's actually a better deal than dealing with Gemini. How can they make money, unless Gemini is offering them one walloping continuous discount.... or it basically is already Gemini under a different name ??


So, I'm gonna sell all of McDonald's same identical burgers, french fries, salads, wraps, chicken stuff, sodas, coffee and whatever else they have for about 7% more, but not be McDonald's. I'm gonna use their menu boards, but not use their golden arches or brick buildings. And they aren't gonna mind, huh ?? In fact, they're gonna encourage it.

it's not a better deal, I compared pricing with my retail Gemini catalogue, it's about 10% higher than the suggested retail price from Gemini, so while their profits are not huge, if they are online only (which it seems they are) and their website is set up to allow for minimal human involvement in the ordering process, it's still a viable business plan. They would pass on the order info to Gemini, who would produce and blind drop ship the job to the client.

As for your McDonalds analogy, apples and oranges! Gemini encourages you to use their marketing material because the more Gemini products you sell, they more money they make, in your analogy, you are competing with McDonalds, but Gemini is a wholesale partner, the more $ you make, they more $ they make, not sure why this is a difficult concept.

 

[J Hill Designs]

it's about 10% higher than the suggested retail price from Gemini,

which is already 40% higher than wholesale

 

[CanuckSigns]

which is already 40% higher than wholesale

I didn't want to post that, in the interest of not airing pricing in public.

 

[Gino]

I'll give ya that, I forgot about the extra discount, but still, if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck and looks like a duck..... you're saying it's a goose ??

 

[CanuckSigns]

I'll give ya that, I forgot about the extra discount, but still, if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck and looks like a duck..... you're saying it's a goose ??

If you don't believe me, call Gemini and ask if you can use the images/videos/ text from their website on your own, see what they say. When I asked they even told me if I don't see something to email them and they will take a look as they have a ton of photos that are not on their website that we are also free to use.

Also look at the "quality" of that website and compare to http://geminisignproducts.com/, do they look like they were done by the same company?

 

[Gino]

Okay, you just wanna get the last word in, but to answer the OP's question...... INDIRECTLY they sell to end users at a slightly higher price behind the guise of someone else's name.

Watson..... people, companies and all kinds of businesses will go to great lengths to hide their true identity, just look around here. Recognise anyone ?? Almost everybody is hiding behind fake identities, but you think because they say they aren't..... they aren't. Fine by me. You keep on believing that, but it's just not so. Perhaps Gemini is trying to keep it as wholesale-like as possible, but it's happening and you just don't wanna believe it.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Okay, you just wanna get the last word in, but to answer the OP's question...... INDIRECTLY they sell to end users at a slightly higher price behind the guise of someone else's name.

Watson..... people, companies and all kinds of businesses will go to great lengths to hide their true identity, just look around here. Recognise anyone ?? Almost everybody is hiding behind fake identities, but you think because they say they aren't..... they aren't. Fine by me. You keep on believing that, but it's just not so. Perhaps Gemini is trying to keep it as wholesale-like as possible, but it's happening and you just don't wanna believe it.

Once again you provide no real proof for your argument, let me spell it out for you, If I choose to sell Gemini products on the web to the end user (my clients) that is an entire universe apart from Gemini selling their products directly to the end user. As I said earlier, they allow and encourage you to use their marketing materials on your website, so the fact that there are a bunch of websites that use the same photos isn't surprising.

You seem to enjoy stirring the pot by coming out with wild unfounded statements, not just in this thread...

 

[Marlene]

So, in your infinite wisdom ramblings.....you're telling me those guys... and perhaps you in the somewhat near future, are not representing Gemini other than by using all of their products, videos, styles, information and whatever else, but are not Gemini ?? Checking out their pricing, free shipping and turnaround, it's actually a better deal than dealing with Gemini. How can they make money, unless Gemini is offering them one walloping continuous discount.... or it basically is already Gemini under a different name ??


So, I'm gonna sell all of McDonald's same identical burgers, french fries, salads, wraps, chicken stuff, sodas, coffee and whatever else they have for about 7% more, but not be McDonald's. I'm gonna use their menu boards, but not use their golden arches or brick buildings. And they aren't gonna mind, huh ?? In fact, they're gonna encourage it.

I called Gemini on this very subject and yep, they do allow people to set up a website, use their logo, photos and such with a link to where to buy which brings you to a sign shop. the actual Gemini site doesn't have any links to where to buy but directs you to call your local sign maker. I was really pi$$ed off one day and called them and this is what they told me and from what I can see, it is true

 

[Drip Dry]

I've had more than a few occasions where a contractor called me and said Gemini gave them my name.
They tried to order and were told they could only order through a sign company
This tells me they are truly wholesale only

 

[Gino]

I don't deny, when you call Gemini or some of these other wholesale companies in the backs of these magazines they'll tell ya they're wholesale only..... they have to do that. All I'm saying is, they are set up to sell to any end user that uses a different phone number or e-mail address...... or just a different approach than what WE know. Do you think the vinyl companies are sign shop exclusively ?? The printer/cutter companies ?? The software companies ?? It only stands to reason, there are not enough sign companies world wide to keep them in busimess, so they find ways to private label their goods and sell to anyone. Those addresses pat found are one example and he found it quite easily. You really think a company that looks identical to another is not a fake front ?? They sell NOTHING else. It's just another avenue for them.

 

[TheVinylGuy]

I don't deny, when you call Gemini or some of these other wholesale companies in the backs of these magazines they'll tell ya they're wholesale only..... they have to do that. All I'm saying is, they are set up to sell to any end user that uses a different phone number or e-mail address...... or just a different approach than what WE know. Do you think the vinyl companies are sign shop exclusively ?? The printer/cutter companies ?? The software companies ?? It only stands to reason, there are not enough sign companies world wide to keep them in busimess, so they find ways to private label their goods and sell to anyone. Those addresses pat found are one example and he found it quite easily. You really think a company that looks identical to another is not a fake front ?? They sell NOTHING else. It's just another avenue for them.

I am one of those "vinyl companies". We in no way, shape or form sell to end users, period. There is plenty of markets for us to penetrate without having to resort to that. You probably can find a few cases of backdoor sales at some companies, but from my view, that is generally not the norm.

 

[MikePro]

i've always known that anyone can purchase from Gemini, at catalog prices.
we, however, have had wholesale pricing at x% off catalog setup through them for years.

 

[J Hill Designs]

i've always known that anyone can purchase from Gemini, at catalog prices.
we, however, have had wholesale pricing at x% off catalog setup through them for years.

+1 - selling to the end user, and selling to the end user at wholesale rate​ are two very different things.

 

[Billct2]

hmmm...I've always thought all those Gemini resellers sites were just that, someone who set up a site to resell Gemini letters ,not some nefarious plot on Geminis part to sell to end users direct. I do know that years ago I accidentally called a few of those resellers after looking up a number on the web and it was obvious that they were just another sign shop selling Gemini letters. I'd like to see some evidence that Gemini is behind any of these sites.
In the meantime J Hill is right, big difference between selling to end users at retail and wholesale. But Gemini always has claimed it doesn't sell to end users that at least don't register and prove they are some type of contractor.