Supplier/Distributor Frustration

[Mosh]

I love Grimco. BUT, they do have more in the catalog than what they stock.
I have pushed them a few times and gotten stuff trucked in freight PAID!
Talk to your sales person, I have Aarron, he is always helpful on stuff like this.

 

[weaselboogie]

N. glantz here from cleveland. INCREDIBLE TEAM. I've even gotten same day delivery on exception.
I stopped using grimco a while ago too.

 

[petrosgraphics]

we in the new england area get all sorts of coverage by suppliers.... we must be spoiled..

we have 4 major suppliers, with deliveries, by their trucks tues. thru friday....

again, we really are very lucky.... good luck....

 

[royster13]

Is part of the problem with stock that shops do not order consistently and will shop around for the best price.....Hard to manage inventory when you do not know what is coming....

 

[Brandon.McCarter]

Is part of the problem with stock that shops do not order consistently and will shop around for the best price.....Hard to manage inventory when you do not know what is coming....

very true statement sir.

 

[Ginger]

Is part of the problem with stock that shops do not order consistently and will shop around for the best price.....Hard to manage inventory when you do not know what is coming....

Doesn't everyone have to deal with this? At least distributors have a list of products. As a small sign shop we rarely ever do the same job twice! Talk about not knowing what is coming in and trying to keep inventory.

I think it is a chicken versus the egg issue. If everyone has to wait a week or two to get colored substrate, guess what, no one is going to order it. Then in turn the warehouses will have no point in stocking it.

But again, my main point to suppliers/warehouses/vendors:
Have a list/catalog of what you HAVE IN STOCK.

A pretty 1000 page catalog of what you might be able to get in 3 weeks is of no use to me.

 

[mark in tx]

Call November 2nd, they explain they can't have it until November 8th?! In the mean time I have already told my customer would be installed this week, sooooo... now I am stuck letting my customer down

Lesson learned, don't promise a delivery date until you have all materials on on hand.

Doesn't everyone have to deal with this? At least distributors have a list of products. As a small sign shop we rarely ever do the same job twice! Talk about not knowing what is coming in and trying to keep inventory.

You think that suppliers might have the same problem as you?

Supplying a small sign shop that rarely ever does the same job twice! Talk about not knowing what is coming in and trying to keep inventory.

 

[Brandon.McCarter]

A pretty 1000 page catalog of what you might be able to get in 3 weeks is of no use to me.

stocking everything in that pretty catalog isint cost effective, do you stock everything you offer or do you call a distributer once you get the request? stock is tied up in products that move, that catalog part number may sit on the shelf for a year. if there are items you use on the regular ask them to bring it in for you. My distributer does it for me.

 

[thinksigns]

I'm lucky in that I have many in town suppliers to choose from. Each of them offer something different. Tubelite, better in stock selection and free delivery. Piedmont Plastics, higher prices, but they will cut 4x8 sheets into many small pieces at almost no cost. And Farco Plastics, generally the lowest prices but not a huge selection.

 

[MikePro]

+1 to Midwest Sign & Screen... i frequently make last second orders at 9am and its hand-delivered to me 'round noon. great service.

Grimco is good too, Fellers is ok, and Advantage Sign Supply is my new upcoming favorite.

 

[cdiesel]

+1 for mark in tx! Don't promise delivery dates until production is finished.

 

[Marlene]

I sure hate to see someone crapping on Grimco as they are a great company to deal with and calling them worthless is way too harsh. since you had a tight deadline, did you call to make sure the piece was shipped or just wait at the door in hopes of seeing a truck pull up?

 

[Signworks_WI]

Ginger......Grimco is worthlessssssss. We stopped using them about a month ago, we would order something.....same issues you are having, order something, oh it's coming in....day comes no delivery.......no call......maybe another two-three weeks. They are always changing their suppliers. One day you could be getting poly-metal the next omega bond the next MaxMetal. Catalog doesn't help because you hear a lot of ....we don't carry that anymore. I feel your pain......we started using N. Glantz for almost everything. Good Luck!

 

[Ginger]

Ginger......Grimco is worthlessssssss. We stopped using them about a month ago, we would order something.....same issues you are having, order something, oh it's coming in....day comes no delivery.......no call......maybe another two-three weeks. They are always changing their suppliers. One day you could be getting poly-metal the next omega bond the next MaxMetal. Catalog doesn't help because you hear a lot of ....we don't carry that anymore. I feel your pain......we started using N. Glantz for almost everything. Good Luck!

Glad I am not losing my mind. I imagine their service varies between locations, but I can definitely relate to every word you just stated.

UPDATE: Got a call from Tubelite today (apparently they patrol on signs101) and based on our feedback they are going to start stocking double sided Laminators Omega Board in their Columbus warehouse! and we will be ordering it from them, everyone wins!

 

[cmaxdesigns]

I think Grimco is hit and miss depending on what office you are purchasing from. I purchased my GS6000 through Grimco in SoCal and it was the worst experience I could have imagined. It took over 3 weeks to get up and going because Grimco's staff did not know how to install the RIP software. I paid another company $550 to get me up and going since Grimco SoCal through their hands up in the air. They never called me after I got it up and running to see how things were going.

I am just saying that their are opinions on the forum and rightfully so but that does not mean that you will deal with the same customer service each individual on here does as there are several different offices.

For all those that think I am throwing Grimco as a company under the bus that is simply not what I am saying.