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Screw you 3M.
- Thread starter HulkSmash
- Start date
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ironchef
New Member
I tried a panel out today from a 5yd sample roll. Very nice! Colors pop, lam is clear. No tinting effect. I called oracal directly and requested a sample kit. When i received the package. I called them back and someone there helped me out with a bunch of questions i had. Including heater settings..... Win!!
letterman7
New Member
I have to agree with Auto-FX. The dealerships are looking out for themselves and 3M happened to have what appeared to be a good deal. The dealerships get a guarantee on the wrap (good or bad, and never mind the quality of the install). At the end of the lease the wrap has to come off, so I would imagine that any issues stemming there would be kicked to 3M or the installer, hence the program. So.. instead of bitching about how much 3M is stealing from you, make yourselves their competitor and approach the dealerships about their leasing and wrapping program - set one up yourselves. Show how much better your wraps are and prove that you can install and remove cleaner and more efficiently than whomever 3M has contracted, regardless of what brand wrap material you use. Take photos of yours and theirs and let the dealer make the comparison. The dealer wants to present the best image for their clients; why not you? Don't get mad - get even.
Obviously it would not be a good career move for you with 3M to talk about the elephant in the room. That being said... Someone that has the authority to respond to the fact that 3M is truly taking business away from sign companies by selling directly through the manufactures would be a good idea!
I would also like to know the percentage of dealership owned employees that are in the installation program at the current time. Are you currently advertising to dealerships on how they can hire, profit and maintain the wraps by becoming certified? If the dealerships get to decide on who gets the install, how many dealerships are going to allow someone other than their own staff to do the job? I would think not many, if any...
I still believe that part of the price increases that we see every few months comes in part to help finance OW stealing away clients from sign companies. It would be great to see a full list of pricing from the prints to the installation of OW products. My guess is that your prices would be below market value in an effort to corner the fleet market and butter up to the dealerships for the contract rights. But then again you guys are pretty damn greedy, so maybe you increased the market value b/c you control who gets it.
Right now you have the contracts with major manufactures for the right to sell directly to customers that purchase from dealerships. That may or may not be the case in a few years. I don't think you will continue to have this as just a hot topic in a public forum based around sign companies.
I hope that the other wrap vinyl media brands approach the Top 10 largest Wrap companies in the US with major price discounts on media to compete with OW on the automotive manufacture contracts. Then they could team up and develop a system to go after your OW market and bid on the contracts that you have now in the future with the manufactures! I don't care if that means I never get another wrap fleet project at least it would be b/c SIGN COMPANIES secured the work, not my supplier!!!
Greed is funny... But make no mistake about it. Levi Jeans learned their lesson from biting the hand that feeds them. It is a shame that your company still does not see it! I hope your actions over the last few years will have a major impact on your total sales in the vinyl industry in a negative way over the next few years.
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Fred I understand what you are saying about the suppliers that sell equipment for in-house production for large retail companies. The difference is that only a few of them will ever go outside their own needs. I was not happy with Roland for selling and bragging about selling to directly to race teams. That took sales and jobs away from sign companies.
But there is still a large gap from 3M selling vinyl to us and then taking fleet clients away from sign companies using OW. They are going after all new fleet sales and that is the largest market there is in wraps. Even if you do an incredible amount of individual wraps during a year, that is nothing compared to having some of the larger fleet sales. If sign shops lose this war vs. 3M... Jobs will be lost and sign companies will close, not b/c of a superior sign company coming into the market, but b/c one of the largest suppliers decided to that they needed more money!
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Yes, I am emotional in some regards. But hey this is my life, it is not a job.
Sign companies can still provide excellent services to clients without the help of 3M! I hope that 3M feels a negative recourse that will lead them to sell OW!!! But that is not going to happen...
It's not impossible to secure the contracts from them and I think it would be wise for the largest companies to work together as a network and approach any automotive manufacture that 3M does not already have a contract with under OW. Then bid on OW's contracts as they expire!!!
Cale Frederick
New Member
Just want to say thank you to Lisa from oracal! She saw my post earlier in this thread about my sales reps not ever getting me a sample of 3751 and she sent me a pm and got our address and a roll shipped out today. She also sent a roll of 290 laminate. Can't wait to try them out!
J
john1
Guest
How are you getting sample rolls? All my vendors say they can't send samples of oracal or avery material.
I really want to switch but would like a sample roll.
Thanks!
JoshLoring
New Member
Hey, I can buy 3mwraps.xxx for 99$ a year and make it a naughty site.
(let's see if they buy it by tomorrow)
(let's see if they buy it by tomorrow)
JoshLoring
New Member
JoshLoring
New Member
It would be like if you cheated on you wife and she knew. Of course you would have nothing to say.
CheapVehicleWrap
New Member
Adam, you reckon this 3m vinyl vehicle wrapping film and originalwraps.com will just become a fad; similar to pockets?
As for dealers training in-house installers... with installation rates pushed down how many would attempt quality installs themselves. How many attempted and succeeded when rates were great? 3m probably though a quality install could actually be taught to the average Joe. Thankfully thats not the case. How many attend wrap training just to realize it ain't for them? Every dealer doing installs? Not in this lifetime.
Pro... i like the 3msucksballs.com domain. Sure you saw 3msucks.com was registered way back. Funny how the guy is 10 miles from me. Maybe I have something to trade him.
As for dealers training in-house installers... with installation rates pushed down how many would attempt quality installs themselves. How many attempted and succeeded when rates were great? 3m probably though a quality install could actually be taught to the average Joe. Thankfully thats not the case. How many attend wrap training just to realize it ain't for them? Every dealer doing installs? Not in this lifetime.
Pro... i like the 3msucksballs.com domain. Sure you saw 3msucks.com was registered way back. Funny how the guy is 10 miles from me. Maybe I have something to trade him.
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