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Sign supplier listing on craigslist, with prices.......ugggh!

Typestries

Typestries

New Member
As if this business isn't fun enough, now a whole bunch of us are gonna have peeps bringing us vinyl to cut? I appreciate the fact that this supplier needs business, but this?

Carry on

http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/bfs/2084765638.html
http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/bfs/2084765129.html
http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/bfs/2084762834.html
http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/bfs/2084762568.html
http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/bfs/2084761932.html
http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/bfs/2084761620.html
http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/bfs/2084760723.html
http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/bfs/2084760028.html
http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/bfs/2084762260.html
 
CheapVehicleWrap

CheapVehicleWrap

New Member
Rick, I don't see prices in those ads. Not too sure who that is but if they're as big as you made them sound it sounds like they're clearing house.
 
Typestries

Typestries

New Member
yup, prices are there. It's a small distributor, looking for his niche, I guess.

It's gotta be tough to compete selling oracal against the big guys. I suppose for a small shop he might be competitive, but in the volume I buy his numbers dont work and I was honest with him about it.

I thought he was a member here, too? I've seen his name mentioned.

I guess it's not too terribly different than the one or two big guys guys selling on ebay, but it's still disappointing.
 
shakey0818

shakey0818

New Member
Everyones gotta make a living.It sucks but this business has been changing for years,and everyone who has been in it a long time will tell you.Those who have sculptured their design,business management,customer service & personal financial management will survivor.those who haven't done this then they need to find another trade.
 
Techman

Techman

New Member
If we would not worry about who is doing what in their house
But worry what is going on in our hose..
We would all be better off.

Yes?

There has always been someone trying to break into the distribution channels. Always has been and always will be.

There has always been disdain for others trying to break into any industry. There is even disdain for those in our industry who make innovative changes.
 
Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
He's selling uncut vinyl, what's the big deal? If a customer brings you some vinyl to cut just figure up your regular price, deduct your cost of the vinyl and do the job. You'll make the exact same amount of profit on the job.

It would be different if he was selling finished goods but they aren't. They're selling raw materials. You can't expect a raw material supplier to be "trade only".
 
SignosaurusRex

SignosaurusRex

Active Member
techman said:
if we would not worry about who is doing what in their house
but worry what is going on in our hose..
We would all be better off.

Yes?

There has always been someone trying to break into the distribution channels. Always has been and always will be.

There has always been disdain for others trying to break into any industry. There is even disdain for those in our industry who make innovative changes.
Click to expand...

pat whatley said:
he's selling uncut vinyl, what's the big deal? If a customer brings you some vinyl to cut just figure up your regular price, deduct your cost of the vinyl and do the job. You'll make the exact same amount of profit on the job.

It would be different if he was selling finished goods but they aren't. They're selling raw materials. You can't expect a raw material supplier to be "trade only".
Click to expand...

ditto!!!
 
C

CentralSigns

New Member
Just tell the customer the vinyl is poor quality and it will damage your equipment to cut it. Offer them an apology and send them to your competition. This isn't the type of customer you want. Nor is it the best practice to cut the customers crap.:peace!:
 
jiarby

jiarby

New Member
If some one brings you vinyl to cut then just tell them the cost of the job is mostly in equipment, software, labor, and overhead. No discount at all. They will leave.

The people buying from them on Craigslist are the cricut cutters. They aren't coming to you anyway. No loss.
 
signage

signage

New Member
This remind of a garage owner I new that would tell his customers that wanted to buy the parts and have him install them! He would say to these people "Do you take your own steak to the steak house and have them cook it at a lower price"!
 
L

Locals Find!

New Member
I saw no prices on any of those links. If someone wants to bring me the materials thats fine with me they are going to sign a waiver against damages and then I am still going to charge them the same rate as if I supplied them.

So let someone bring me the supplies. More profit in my pocket.
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
Customers bringing in their own materials is a double edged sword.

On the one hand, you don't have to worry about depletion of your own stock, so you are able to get more money out of the deal

but

On the other hand, you have to worry about did they get the cheap piece of crap. If they did and you work your magic on it and then it fails(for whatever reason), they might just come back to blame you for that failure. Signing a waiver is perhaps the best thing to do as that at least shows that they were aware of the possibilities of what could happen.

I've seen some shops(diesel shops mind you, not sign shops) that if they suspect or know that the quality of a product is questionable, they won't do the install. They don't want their name attached to it in any way, shape, or form.

Personally, I wouldn't do it. I would merely say "I don't do that type of work due to my inability to know about the quality of what you are bringing me". I may or may not know if it's good or not, but people don't like to be told that they bought crap even if they are cheapskates. Even if they don't do business with me at this time, I prefer to have everyone leave without a "bitter taste in their mouth".
 
AUTO-FX

AUTO-FX

New Member
IMO, a supplier advertising on craigslist is a pretty good indication of the state of their business right now. They are grasping at straws and just may be out of business in short order. Just who are they trying to target with those ads? There is no mention or cricuts or hobby or scrap booking. Its a desperate shot in the dark and it likely wont bring them any business. IMO.
 
Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
How are people not seeing prices on these ads? 7 of 9 ads have the prices on them, the other two are just generic ads.
 
royster13

royster13

New Member
To assume that someone who does not run their business like the "pros" on Signs 101 will go broke is just "silly"....Look back many years and business analysts thought Walmart would not last because of their low prices....I guess they were wrong.....

I think "pros" go broke as well because they spend too much time worrying about others, their prices do not reflect the reality of the marketplace, they have too much overhead because they want to be everything to everyone, they do not go out and knock on doors, etc. etc....
 
CheapVehicleWrap

CheapVehicleWrap

New Member
agree with AUTO-FX. It's craigslist...

Royster... do not think Walmart is immune, it's just a mater of time. And if you don't think they're wrong, you have some googling to do.

-Walmart free for over 2 years.
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
wrapswrapswraps said:
agree with AUTO-FX. It's craigslist...

Royster... do not think Walmart is immune, it's just a mater of time. And if you don't think they're wrong, you have some googling to do.

-Walmart free for over 2 years.
Click to expand...

I've been walmrt free a lot longer then that and Target and all those other stores along the same lines. I just don't go there period. For actually a variety of reasons, some of which people would think I'm just nutso.

However, there will always be the majority of people that do shop there for the bottomline reason of cost. Ironically, they are the same people that are the most outspoken and say we should only buy American or only have American products.

I don't think they will be going away any time soon unless the fundemental ideaology changes around here, which isn't going to happen during a downturn like this.
 
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