Lowen... Your new local competitor.

[ProWraps]

http://www.lowensignvehiclewraps.com/

gotta love it. they are advertising in my area and probably yours if you are in a metro area.

i dunno, maybe its just me, but seems to me that they are going to be burning a few bridges.

its really neato how they even give you a price right on their site for the graphics and the installation.

i hope all the people that are doing their installs, and getting $500, enjoy seeing the other $500 lowen is making off them to do nothing but print.

why ANYONE would sub ANYTHING out to a company that competes with you on a DIRECT level, is beyond me, and beyond stupid.

 

[Mikeifg]

When they started their certification, I told everyone this would happen. Next their comp will do this to. It will have a bad effect on all of us. We don't have the millions they can invest in equip / and advertising.

 

[tomence]

Even in their FAQ section there is a question:

Why should I buy my car wrap from Lowen, instead of my current sign company?

 

[BigfishDM]

If alot of guys in here would put together a buying group then it could help get your pricing down and make you guys more profitable on vehicle wraps. That sucks they are screwing up the wrap industry.

 

[tomence]

If alot of guys in here would put together a buying group then it could help get your pricing down and make you guys more profitable on vehicle wraps. That sucks they are screwing up the wrap industry.

That is a really good post BigfishDM, i never thought about that but it can help a lot.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

I'm surprised anybody's surprised by this actually. They've sold direct forever. I'm not sure if they've ever really targeted the small fish customers out there but it's inevitable. I've had them quote some big banners and what not for me before, and if you can actually get someone to return your call their "wholesale" pricing might as well be retail.

I am surprised to see that the sample prices they show on the site are not rock bottom like I would have expected. They're probably not as high as they could be but at least they're not selling to your customers for pennies on the dollar...

 

[National Sign Co. - Print]

They have been doing this for years and years.

Best thing to do is to pretend they do not exist and concentrate on your own shops business development. Lowen is not going anywhere and they sure are not going to change there business model... If you do not like them just do not support them by outsourcing to them and getting "Lowen" Certified.

There is plenty of work out there for everyone..

 

[Pat Whatley]

If you're charging $500 for the labor to wrap a van and Lowen pays you $500 why should you care that they're making a profit off of finding the jobs?

Not on your case about anything, don't get me wrong, I'm just not understanding.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

If you're charging $500 for the labor to wrap a van and Lowen pays you $500 why should you care that they're making a profit off of finding the jobs?

Not on your case about anything, don't get me wrong, I'm just not understanding.

Also not on your case but I don't understand either. What's the difference between that and me printing a wrap and shipping it to Sacramento to have you install it for me for X dollars? If you agree to be a subcontract installer for me at a given rate, in this case $500, will you be angry with me if I charged that customer $3000 for the job, $1000 of which is installation?

Again, not trying to harass you, I just know you're eyeball deep in wraps so I'm genuinely interested in why you have that opinion.

 

[ProWraps]

its one thing to charge it, but to me its just a bit more of a slap in the face to advertise it in the open.

but again what do i know. i wouldnt piss on lowens teeth if their gums were on fire.

after matt's wonderful comments on this site, and them competing with the same people they are "certifying", i dont see why anyone would.

 

[TheSnowman]

Awesome...

 

[Techman]

what goes on in lowen's house should never affect what goes on in your house...

 

[Stan B]

white text on yellow menu... real estate logo scroller as realtors are main customers... the whole gallery is realtors too... cheap clipart logo... car selector does not even have cargo vans. oh wait for aurora wrap designer to be attached...

I mean cmon. let them put them self out of business. just a matter of time.

 

[ProWraps]

I mean cmon. let them put them self out of business. just a matter of time.

heh. i mean 60 years in the biz, they are BOUND to be gone soon!

sorry as much as i wish you were right, i couldnt help myself.

 

[Stan B]

I do think so. The moment big corps looses it's foucs and becomes realtor sign company that also does fleets and also wraps and also certifies and also advertises and also outsources... and who knows that... that is the beggining of the end.

 

[speedmedia]

The only thing I would be the least bit worried about is their cheap pricing. Their work does not look ground breaking by anymeans. Typical boring stuff...

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[Border]

what goes on in lowen's house should never affect what goes on in your house...

Best advice!

 

[Mikeifg]

The thing is they are driving the install prices down. Once they get everyone certified they will not have to pay the premium price for a good installer now that they have alot to choose from. They will (The Lowen Certified Installers) see their wrap installs go from lets say 600.00 for a cargo van down to 375.00. You know that's comming.

 

[ProWraps]

about their pricing:

im already right there. i have to compete on a national level.

the fact that they are perpetrating as a wholesaler yet selling retail is bullsh*t. devil in a blue dress.

double dipping is not acceptable in any industry.

the fact that they have created a separate division "Lowen Sign Company" and advertising in the local markets of the same people they are wholesaling to, is bullsh*t.

we live in a capitalist society and they are free to do whatever they want to do.

as well as we are to do in our choice of who we spend our money with, and how we express our opinions.

but as a member of this community, and a member of the wrap community, i have to take offense to their multi-handed tactics and their false pretense of being a resource to the same people they sell to.

Matt Lowen's comments on this site sealed the deal in what I think about their company.

i'll leave you with this:

Jester, as a card carrying member of Uasg/pdaa I would expect no less from you. If you want to be in our program, then sign up and pass the test, otherwise quit wasting our time and that of others who take their jobs with pride. Thanks. "

--Matt Lowen


and this gem:
"Pro. Peice is actually piece. But we're just saying. Thanks for the advice. Frankly we don't need your advice. Those installers that are choosing to make dollars with us are doing so. Those that don't can live their choices. ProWraps, we don't really need your opinion, just be happy we don't choose to target your area. Yet. "

--Matt Lowen


and no its not personal because of this guys posts. its personal because i was too stupid to see that this guy was telling the truth. and i misspelled "piece".

he did one thing i have to respect. he told the truth.

he's in our area now. as a retailer.

god love him. i relish a good fight

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

I do think so. The moment big corps looses it's foucs and becomes realtor sign company that also does fleets and also wraps and also certifies and also advertises and also outsources... and who knows that... that is the beggining of the end.

Stan B has hit on something here. for MANY years the majority of the big boy shops wouldn't mess with the 'little jobs' the economy has changed so much that the big shops are forced to take on almost any and every job.

Lowen is just another example of this, but take a look on a local level at your larger electrical signs shop (if there is even one still around because the market has changed so much the majority of those large electrical shops have been replaced by smaller companies with much lower overhead)..but take a look on a local level, those larger shops that wouldnt touch the smaller jobs now are producing single banners and anything and everything that they can to keep the doors open.

And before anyone knocks my analogy .. yes I know lowen is not an electrical shop..i am just makign a comparison to larger shops on a local level and that is the easiest one for me to make.

What I am witnessing is these larger shops who feel they are forced to explore other markets (rather than downsize and minimize overhead) are almost without exception struggling to make their existing business model work with the expectations of the new markets they are 'exploring'..they normally have longer lead times which the customer is not willing to wait for when they can go to a smaller shop with much faster turnaround.

It may not happen overnight but MANY long established shops are finding that they can not compete in this current market as they have for many years. Many are going out of business or downsizing greatly.

There are additional factors at play other than the economy as well. The customer has changed, the customer's needs have changed. The playing field has changed, the competition has changed..and our industry is rapidly changing as well and my prediction is that our industry is going to change dramatically in the next decade in ways that most can not imagine, there is going to be great opportunity for some but my money is betting that most will not be able to compete in the new marketplace.