There goes another supplier selling to my customers.

[Bigdawg]

A shame too, because I've done business with this company in various ways for neigh on 20 years...

but in my monthly check of where we land on google with our targeted search terms... viola' they appeared just three spaces under us. (I work VERY hard to keep us on the front page and it shows in our results). Took a look at their revamped website - which used to be wholesale targeted since they didn't do retail business before... and there they are. Marketing to MY customers.

Just pisses me off that they think I will buy from them when they are competing with me. I know we all have to diversify in the new economic reality - but I will most certainly drop any vendor from my list that decides trying to take my customers and directly compete with me is the way to do it.

WTF is a screen printing company doing offering wraps anyway????

 

[Letterbox Mike]

I know how you feel...

 

[phototec]

WTF is a screen printing company doing offering wraps anyway????

Just what you said, they are diversifying, just like Walmart did, here in Texas they are competing with the grocery stores selling grocery items, so now of of our big grocery chains, HEB, has a new store called Super HEB, and they have a full range of products to compete with Walmart. They even have a tool section, with air compressors, nail guns and mechanics tools.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating what your supplier is doing, just making a statement about how retail is changing and in this economy everybody is out to get theirs at any costs (yours).

I do feel your pain and agree with 1000%, don't give them any more work!

Hey, you could also go into the screen printing business to compete with him?

 

[Mason]

Of course they are offering Vehicle Wraps, next Jared and Subway will be offering them... no wonder business sucks..

 

[phototec]

Of course they are offering Vehicle Wraps, next Jared and Subway will be offering them... no wonder business sucks..

My wife tells me she saw something on the news about the big 3 auto makers are going to start offering Vehicle Wraps also, just go on line, pick a design, and order your vehicle already wrapped when delivered! Don't know how soon it will really happen.

 

[Gino]

A little bit of information............


I completely believe with all my everything that these same vendors that we are finding out about selling to our customers or end-users as they call them.....have been doing this all along. We were all just too stupid to recognize it or naive to grasp it.

I've bitched about this for years and everyone told me I was nutz. Like I didn't already know that part............ ​

 

[knifemaker3]

This surprises us how? The sign industry is one of the few things left that a person without a college education can go out and start on their own with a small amount of money. Just drop a couple thousand bucks and voila you're a sign guy! And until factories start back up here in the states so common people can get work you will see the industry keep getting worst.

There is not very many job opportunities left in America, and with the construction industry in the tank and most factories going overseas it will just keep getting worst. Plus with all the vendors selling cheaper made Chinese produced equipment and making it cheaper of an investment, you will continue to see their bottom line increasing while yours decreases.

I don't like it, but this is the America we've created. All we can do is try and find a way to survive.

I agree with you on not buying from those vendors anymore, but unfortunately you may soon find out that you will have to if you want supplies!

 

[gabagoo]

This surprises us how? The sign industry is one of the few things left that a person without a college education can go out and start on their own with a small amount of money. Just drop a couple thousand bucks and voila you're a sign guy! And until factories start back up here in the states so common people can get work you will see the industry keep getting worst.

There is not very many job opportunities left in America, and with the construction industry in the tank and most factories going overseas it will just keep getting worst. Plus with all the vendors selling cheaper made Chinese produced equipment and making it cheaper of an investment, you will continue to see their bottom line increasing while yours decreases.

I don't like it, but this is the America we've created. All we can do is try and find a way to survive.

I agree with you on not buying from those vendors anymore, but unfortunately you may soon find out that you will have to if you want supplies!

you mean i wasted 3 years of my life going to college!!!!! damn

 

[DPSS]

This surprises us how? The sign industry is one of the few things left that a person without a college education can go out and start on their own with a small amount of money. Just drop a couple thousand bucks and voila you're a sign guy! And until factories start back up here in the states so common people can get work you will see the industry keep getting worst.

There is not very many job opportunities left in America, and with the construction industry in the tank and most factories going overseas it will just keep getting worst. Plus with all the vendors selling cheaper made Chinese produced equipment and making it cheaper of an investment, you will continue to see their bottom line increasing while yours decreases.

I don't like it, but this is the America we've created. All we can do is try and find a way to survive.

I agree with you on not buying from those vendors anymore, but unfortunately you may soon find out that you will have to if you want supplies!

Regarding your (Knifemaker3) comments on the need for a college degree in the sign business, I agree that you probably don't need one, but I'd say a college degree is much more common than you realize.

I might just design a poll on that topic.

 

[knifemaker3]

Sometimes I wonder why I even comment on here.....geez. Guess cause I ain't got a colleeeegeeee deeeegreee I ain't smart enough to say anything with ya'll higher learner folks.

I'll shut up now since I only gots me a high school deplomy.

Just kidding (well I do only have the high school education). But in all seriousness you really don't have to have a college degree to be a sign maker. Would it help? Absolutely. Is it necessary? Not really... as long as you have a good eye for design and a willingness to learn.

 

[SignManiac]

Hey Knifemaker, don't fret it none. I quit HS in my senior year, I did eventually go back and finish the following year just to spite the nay sayers who predicted I'd be in prison or dead. But I'll go head to head with any college grad any day on the subject of sign making. You either have what it takes for this biz, or you don't. No amount of money can buy real artistic skill or business savvy!

 

[fmg]

WTF is a screen printing company doing offering wraps anyway????

Why not! Everyone else is starting to. Kinda makes you step up ur game a bit don't it!

 

[screener24242]

"If you keep doing what you are doing, you are only going to get what you have got"

apply it.

 

[luggnut]

WTF is a screen printing company doing offering wraps anyway

i would consider a screen printer a sub not a supplier... so if they decide to diversify it is different than fellers selling to my competition right?

i know many sign shops that started up screen printing to diversify, so it is fair game really.

 

[ProWraps]

merrit graphics sells to end users. i see them all the time when i check my google ads. sometimes at the top of the list

yet they are one of the most respected whole sellers on here...

just an observation.

i think gino is correct.

 

[andy]

Why do lots of people flood into the sign industry? It's a barrier less industry with no requirements in terms of qualification or competence. It's also cheap to get started, a basic set of equipment costs almost nothing.

Why do lots of people struggle to earn a living in the sign industry? It's a barrier less industry with no requirements in terms of qualification or competence. It's also cheap to get started, a basic set of equipment costs almost nothing.

 

[ddarlak]

i would consider a screen printer a sub not a supplier... so if they decide to diversify it is different than fellers selling to my competition right?

i know many sign shops that started up screen printing to diversify, so it is fair game really.

+1

 

[Bigdawg]

Just to clarify... this vendor - and maybe you can call it a sub but we bought supplies as well as had them screen print signs for us - has been very insistent that they would and don't EVER sell to the general public. Ever. Claimed that as late as last month when I got a quote from them.

Reality is I should have seen it coming. A friend of mine told me they printed some signs for his very un-related to signs business..... when I asked him how he got them to do that, he said he didn't know - the designer took care of it. Blew it off to a designer that already had an in (they have always sold to ad agencies too). When I got the last quote from them my rep told me they were still wholesale only... just didn't realize they meant wholesale to the friggin' public.

I have no problem with diversification - but don't lie to me about it.

 

[Bigdawg]

When I deleted all the political stuff you guys posted here I accidentally deleted one that wasn't... and can't remember which one it was, so while I apologize to that person... the rest of you guys whose posts I deleted should know to keep politics out of the general forum. NHB is the place for that.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

When I deleted all the political stuff you guys posted here I accidentally deleted one that wasn't... and can't remember which one it was, so while I apologize to that person... the rest of you guys whose posts I deleted should know to keep politics out of the general forum. NHB is the place for that.

Politics is everywhere, you cant separate it.

As to your other issue. wholesalers have been selling to the general public for as long as I can remember with the internet being prevalent. A sale is a sale.

It maybe frustrating to you or I, but as a business person I can understand why they do it.