Although I get all my vinyl, tape, and other stuff from Interstate Sign Supply (merchant here), I still order from other companies also. One of those companies for the last 12 or so years is Ameriban. I have everything shipped c.o.d., as that is the way I prefer it. I was a good customer to Ameriban all those years and yesterday called to order a roll of Magnetic sheeting. I was told they no longer ship c.o.d. I know c.o.d. has its problems, but to do it that long and then just drop it cold turkey? The thing that bothered me most was the reps attitude. I asked why and she didn't really know, just that they no longer do it. Kinda aggravating,after I had been buying material from them for that long. They also just recently dropped one shot from their stock too. I don't know about some of these suppliers. Seems they sometimes get their heads up their butts.
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
We prefer to pay everything via COD as well. Why Ameriban would stop taking COD is beyond me, unless they've had a lot of packages returned because the recipient didn't accept them. Ameriban ends up paying for the shipping and restocking the material.
One suggestion would be to use a single credit card. One person does it to save the COD fee. But when he does, he writes out a check for the amount as he buys. Its just his way of tracking his expenditures.
Posted by Rob Larkham (Member # 2105) on :
John, I too have been using Ameriban for years. I LOVED them. Lately they have fallen apart. No more oneshot. No more brushes or rollers. I don't know what is happening. They have also not been able to fill my orders out of one store. Seems they always have to have something shipped from east butt****. C'mon Ameriban!!!
Posted by Rob Larkham (Member # 2105) on :
I have a hassle free account with Ameriban. Works out great. $1500 credit line for 60 net.
Posted by Lettercraft (Member # 268) on :
I DON'T DO C.O.D. MAINLY BECAUSE THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE I WON'T BE THERE WHEN THE SHIPMENT ARRIVES. I ALSO DON'T WANT TO PAY C.O.D. CHARGES. I PREFER TO USE A CREDIT CARD. I HAVE ONE CARD JUST FOR BUSINESS AND I PAY IT OFF WHEN THE BILL ARRIVES. ....TOTAL CONVENIENCE, AND EVERYONE GETS THEIR STUFF! PLUS I ONLY HAVE ONE CHECK A MONTH TO DEAL WITH!
Posted by Brad Farha (Member # 931) on :
I will never use Ameriban again. I tried them a couple of times, they said they'd charge my credit card. One time they charged my card for someone else's order! Man, was I mad. They apologized, but only after I brought it to their attention.
They kept calling trying to get me to place another order after that, and I finally told them that I wasn't going to order from them ever again, and to please remove me from their customer database.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
I have my card on account with Ameriban...works good for me...COD would be a hassle I would think.
But, Ameriban has shipped me stuff in boxes that were all taped together and smashed all to smithereens more times than I can count.
They now double box everything they ship to me. Also, those guys have sent me damaged vinyl on more than one occassion. I had a huge multicolor vinyl job literally falling off a good customers tool trailer because they had a bad batch of Permacast White. White was the base with about 4 or 5 other colors layed over.
At least they were kind enough to credit me for the material and pay me for the additional labor. But I still looked like a dolt to my customer.
I JUST got a roll of vinyl from them...10 yds of 24" White Permacast...and once again...it came on a 20" core. So some of the vinyl is hanging off the end of the core unsupported. Makes for fun vinyl cutting.
Let's see...what else? Got a 50 yd roll of Bannercal gold once where one end was cut as curvy as a piece of spaghetti.
Bugs, dust, dirt, hair....you name it is frequently rolled up in the vinyl.
Why do I keep buying there? Good question. It used to be price...but they just recently hiked their vinyl way up....I think Grimco beats them now or comes awful close.
Banners are great! Love those 14 oz rope hemmed BannerMax banners. Can't complain about their banners.
I don't do paint, so that part didn't bother me...but I can sure see where it would you brush folks.
I've had many orders completely screwed up...they send me 10 yds of one color and 3 yds of another, when they should have been reversed...stuff like that.
Ya know what? The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking about looking elsewhere...
Posted by Jim Walz (Member # 2600) on :
I've been using Sign Supply of Kentucky. No problems thus far. Plus, if you like to haggle price you will like this company even more!
I recommend them.
O.K.... I expect somthing free with my next order for saying that!!!
Posted by Brian Snyder (Member # 41) on :
Most suppliers are eager to offer 30 day net terms but I prefer to pay with American Express. Costs $75/year for a corporate card but I get far more than that back in benefits and rewards. I also prefer to write out one check per month for supplies instead of 30 to 40.
Posted by John Deaton III (Member # 925) on :
C.O.D.works for me, and I am always there when UPS comes in the morning. I usually know when something is coming so I make sure I am there. I like paying for things as I go. Like I said though, my vinyl supplier has basically everything I need, and everything else I'll get from companies that send c.o.d. IF they all stop doing it, well, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
I've never had a problem with Ameriban....of course their warehouse is only 10 minutes away! I piock up my orders and have an account with them, write a check, once a month. Sorry to see them drop paint and brushes, though!
Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :
Hi Heads. Here's a suggestion you may or may not find helpful. I have a MasterCard "AirMiles" card that I use exclusively for all shop purchases. I make it a point to pay off the balance each month when it's due, so that NO INTEREST charges are ever added on. What DOES get added on are the points you accumulate with each & every purchase, and these really add up month-to-month. By year end, I usually have enough points accumulated, so that I can redeem them for an airline ticket, or hotel reservations.
It's a neat way to subsidize a trip to a Letterhead meet of your choice, without having to fork over actual cash.Since you have to buy materials, gasoline, shop supplies etc., anyhow, you might just as well get this little extra bonus for prompt payment.
Hope this idea helps someone get themselves to a Meet.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
They probably stopped COD's cause it's a whole hella lotta money to front and it cuts into the cashflow, and from what I hear from everyone else the economy is in a slow-down.
I have a different perspective on COD's.. as a shipper, I HATE COD orders. Imagine if all YOUR customers came into your shop and they wanted you to make their signs, but wouldnt pay you one red cent until you had it delivered and/or installed to their site, but still had the option of rejecting it after the fact... oh and since they werent there when you came by the first time, you had to go back and try again the next day.. Not gonna happen right? Lots of money in materials and labor... not to forget the possibility of a rubber check coming back.
UPS and US MAIL take AT LEAST 3 weeks to return COD payments and that's in a regular situation.. nevermind all the delays and mix-ups in shipping since Sept 11th. FedEx is the only way to get COD payments back quick, they overnight them back to you... of course we all know FedEx is a little more pricey (not much more though since USPS and UPS have both raised rates and FedEx added 5 day service.. haha)
I was told by Ameriban that they are phasing out all paints and paint related products.. guess that way they dont have to deal with HazMat shipping, let alone the hazards of storing that stuff.
I've never had any problems with materials I've ordered from them and I use them exclusively now for Avery A8 films. Only hair I ever noticed is my own dog's hair that gets sucked in by the static electricity.
Those ReadyBlank banners *are* pretty nice.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Like Ken I use a credit card with some perks and pay off the balance every month. I use a GM card, and get 5% back on purchases up to $500 a year. In addition to my inlaws GM discount, this makes buying a new vehicle a LITTLE more tolerable...
Wish I coulda taken advantage of the 0% this fall...but I'm still saving.
The hair in the Ameriban vinyl could have been my own.....I need to have my wife apply some of those european wax strips to my back....eeeeeyyyouuu.
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
I have and will use ameriban, but I maybe use them twice a year.
The phasing out of paint is just the evolution of our industry, If they were selling tons of the stuff I'm sure the hazmat stuff wouldn't matter.
Posted by Tony B (Member # 935) on :
I used COD with Gregory a few times, but I use a "checkcard" from my bank. Just like a Visa but comes out the checking account, no interest. All I do is enter the purchase into Quickbooks when I make the order and I'm done.
Works for me
Tony B
Posted by Lettercraft (Member # 268) on :
About vinyl prices.....(Someone commented above)... I use high performance exclusively, for everything, and buy, first, with my eye on service, a close second being brand, like black, red, blue, white, yellow...I use MacTac9600. For other colors, I use other brands. I basically don't care that much about the price, if it's reasonably competeive. After all, how many jobs will you price using a 15X50 ft. roll! I set my sights on quality and service, and build THAT into my pricing. The COST of the vinyl is really nickel & dime.
