supplier issue

[Gino]

I think we should stop using Grimco's name. People are thinking they are your problem vendor, when in fact they are not.

We've had things dropped shipped and sometimes we weren't charged anything extra and other times we had to pay a fee for them to go out of their way and send to us, instead of using their regular trucking system. This sometimes incorporates extra packaging, someone having to make special labels, make sure they do nothing wrong in getting it to you, possibly having to run it to a UPS center and going above and beyond what the manufacturer's role really is... You then, pay a price for that from some companies.

It's no one's fault. It's just a part of doing business and one must be prepared to take on extra costs, especially if someone forgot to tell you there would be an additional fee..... or as in many distributors cases.... they have it in the fine print and then it's totally on you. Please be careful not to out someone because they didn't inform you of rules that might already be stated somewhere and you didn't know about it.

 

[parkedcar]

It was NOT Grimco

And it has NOT been resolved. I have called and left a message every day.
No other vendor i deal with charges a drop ship fee. And if they did, it most definitely wouldn't show up on my card 2 weeks later. I don't care what they had to do to get it here, $55 is ridiculous unless it was overnight, or 2nd day. This was ground.

 

[Marlene]

We've had things dropped shipped and sometimes we weren't charged anything extra and other times we had to pay a fee for them to go out of their way and send to us, instead of using their regular trucking system. This sometimes incorporates extra packaging, someone having to make special labels, make sure they do nothing wrong in getting it to you, possibly having to run it to a UPS center and going above and beyond what the manufacturer's role really is... You then, pay a price for that from some companies.

there's a big difference in drop shipping. if you call your supplier for, as example, a color of vinyl that they don't stock, I can see the extra charges as they are getting something sent to you that they normally don't sell. if the item is something they don't have in stock but should, I don't see why you should have to pay extra as they sell what you want and just don't have any of it at the time of the order.

 

[sar bossier]

It was NOT Grimco

And it has NOT been resolved. I have called and left a message every day.
No other vendor i deal with charges a drop ship fee. And if they did, it most definitely wouldn't show up on my card 2 weeks later. I don't care what they had to do to get it here, $55 is ridiculous unless it was overnight, or 2nd day. This was ground.

So, really - WHO is it? I think it's high time to "out" them ...

 

[parkedcar]

Another ignored call. I have to dispute it with my bank, which means the account will be canceled. This is such a pain in the rear.

For those of you who buy from Tubelite, Beware! Check your statements!

 

[Marlene]

So, really - WHO is it? I think it's high time to "out" them ...

yes, time to get out the pitchforks and torches!

 

[tcorn1965]

FYI

http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76574&highlight=tubelite

 

[parkedcar]

Another ignored call. I have to dispute it with my bank, which means the account will be canceled. This is such a pain in the rear.

For those of you buy from Tubelite, Beware!

 

[Marlene]

years back when we used to bend neon we used them but not since. thanks to the info as it is always a good thing to know if a company is bad to work with

 

[parkedcar]

hmmmm.... this post must be on their radar, because suddenly I just got called back. They are refunding me the $44.81. Surprisingly didn't have to argue much this time around.

 

[MGraphics]

Take it and run away and never look back!!!!

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

I am very glad you got your refund.

I have seen this so many times and I have a slightly different view than I have read above...to be 100% clear I do not agree with the billing practice.

But having sold supplies/equip at one point in my career and having been on the other side of the coin this is the problem I witnessed.

Is a client of mine (the sign maker) would need a specialty part, non-stocked item, out of inventory item, drop shipped item...I witnessed the same scenario I'm going on to and think we all would not be happy but would be more excepting when it is a non-stocked item, specialty part, etc versus out of stock inventory item, etc.

Is that the vendor (sign supplier) orders the specialty part, non stocked item, out of inventory item and their vendors send them or better YOU the part directly, your supplier knows the what they normally pay for the price when it is incorporated with their stocking orders, or in volume, etc.

But when their supplier sends 1 item, or it is not included with their bulk order etc., they ordered the part / item / whatever, had it sent directly with you and billed you for the part/item...I've seen this so many times and the company I represented simply absorbed the cost but often it resulted in zero profit on a sale or even a loss...and a week later or even a month or 2-3 later they get their regular statement from their vendor depending on how they order (they aren't ordering 10yrds of media or 50yrds, or 1 plotter blade, etc) and they have a charge for their supplier sending that 1 part...when most often the supplier is purchasing in bulk, items are arriving at their store or central warehouse via freight or large combined ups/etc. Not a single item pulled, processed, and sent in a manner other than they normally do business with their supplier.

So then they pass that freight charge on to you. Or even a cost that is different for the item because they didnt purchase it in volume or didnt meet their minimum order, because they were attempting to satisfy your needs...a/r gets this freight charge, item charge different than what they normally pay with their bills (and time it has taken for invoice to reach them in the mail) then they bill you (at later date) or send you a date and the customer can not understand why they are getting billed at this late of a date.

It can be a mess is all I am saying having seen the other side. Again I do not agree with it on non-special order items or definitely NOT if they offer you an alternative and you say I've got to have it NOW! (seen this too many times) and they have no idea what the part is going to cost to ship or what it will cost buying a single item...and DIFFERENT vendors have different policies where one media company will send anything they produce from their facility direct to the sign supply company's customer (usually won't bill for freight at all) and another media manufacture won't sell items that they don't normally buy (or make them jump through hoops to use their 'other divisions' even though it is all the same company.) and then bill the sign supply company a higher price because it is a single item order and not their stocking order, not shipped to them in bulk/freight/, or shipped direct to you/sign supplier's client.

Even trying to explain it makes my head spin, that is why I loved it when the company I represented just said 'screw it' we'll eat it, it isn't worth frustrating a client or losing their trust. But from a business standpoint that presents problems as well, you can't operate consistently at break-even or a loss consistently...obviously.