I realize that this type of company can fill a void for the type of clients that we don't want anyway; and their prices don't seem (too) far off to me. It's just the derogatory impression they imply about all of us and our profession.
I usually don't start, or reply, to this controversial kind of stuff, but this one bugged me.
posted
No sign language? Maybe they can't speak it! Did you see that they are building an on-line design page for the customer? Thanks Pat, that was fun.
-------------------- Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics 41628 River Road Ponchatoula, La.70454
Old enough to know better...Too young to resist. Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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-------------------- Brian the Brush brian the brush uk Yorkshire, UK www.brianthebrushuk.com Posts: 123 | From: United Kingdom | Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
I guess I need to clarify something here...
This company has taken to installing illegal snipe signs around Melbourne with their website and phone number. Complaining to the code enforcement won't do anything as they don't have a leg to stand on. There is a code against these signs, but it's so soft that there are literally hundreds of these types of signs in town. The company will probably get a call, but I doubt that anything will be done about it.
I have nothing against a company being innovative; however illegal signs, along with selling more illegal signs, and belittling a craft's experience are just not classy.
They may as well have put the sign language there on the front page cause either way you look at it.. technical jargon or sign language.. it's too much to read.
The only reason I read it is cause Pat brought it up, but if I was a potential customer I'd never take the time to read it and neither would anyone else. Most people will either close the page, or skip over the novel to find the links to other pages, which they made really annoying to access!!
Anyway, there is some truth to what they're saying. Customers don't want to be educated to all the ins and outs of the processes when they need a sign. They want a sign, you offer a *couple* choices - not bombard them with information, and let them make a choice. The more choices they have, the more confusing it gets and the less likely they are to make a decision or purchase - it's fact.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
I don't think they're going to corner the market. Their emphasis seems to be on: LOWEST PRICE and FAST SERVICE and not on design, which is really most important.
They even admit that their much-touted rush jobs are subject to "rush quality".
cheap quick and good......you can have any two but never all three.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7409 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
I remember that song that said, signs. signs, everywhere a sign, don't do this, do that, can't ya read the sign. Well now we have a sign person on every corner, is there a new song for them?
And they look so professional with great big smiles, I wonder if they know which side of the quill to use or if they know what a quill is. These people look more like those who know nothing but want your business because as we all know making signs are easy.
Pat, no matter what they do shouldn't really bother you cause like the Sp[ice girls, whose gonna remember them down the road?
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
posted
I personally wouldn't trust any business on the internet that does not exhibit an actual business mailing address on their site, only an 800 number.I may be the skeptic here but that looks somewhat fishy to me even in this "virtual age".If I mised somewhere on their site that shows an address or actual business location correct me please.
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Pat, if you had not mentioned about the snipes, my first reaction was that this was a scam to collect credit card and bank account numbers.
There is no reference to a real human or a real place. If you fax them a copy of your check and don't get your merchandise, what government agency do you complain to if you don't know where they are.
The 800 number googles to timeplex.com.
Guess the only way you know for sure is to call and talk to them and see if they will tell you where they are. Vic G
-------------------- Victor Georgiou Danville, CA , USA Posts: 1746 | From: Danville, CA , USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Other things that crossed my mind here... One one hand, they are creative enough to find an "ANGLE" in the biz or at least to appear as if what they have to offer is new, refreshingly honest and an advantage to 'you, the customer'. I guess I'll give them credit for trying this. I think that they could offer high end signs (if they can make 'em) and sell them this way as well. I wonder about the free shipping anywhere policy. Certainly you MUST add this to the cost of the sign or signs.
This is no different than a recent real estate customer I had. They were a new business in town... we already have a lot of real estate offices, but they wanted something designed that was different, fresh and gave the appearance that they were someone that you wanted to do business with. This is something that YOU as a signmaker/designer do for all of your customers. How many of us have more than one real estate agent, lawyer, plumber, contractor and on and on. You don't give each of them the same "look". These people are trying to create a special image.
Unfortunately, this could give the rest of us a black eye. The snipe signs that they are offering are signs that I could and have made from time to time. I guess I do not promote them this way, this is just another option. Many of the municipalities are coming down hard on these types of signs. I pull down the "work from home" coroplast signs that they place near my shop.
This company could offer higher quality stuff and become known for good work. They have chosen to push the types listed on their web page. Also unfortunate is the idea that other sign companies for the most part are rip off artists that try to confuse you with "sign lingo" and hidden prices. Legit sign shops certainly do none of these things.
So, I give them credit for trying but I think that they should try again and become part of the rest of us instead of trying to give the impression that the rest of the sign industry is flawed.
-------------------- Jeff Vrstal Main Street Signs 157 E. Main Street Evansville, WI 53536 1-608-882-0322 Posts: 670 | From: Evansville, Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2001
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person: Se Habla HTML Web Designs nic-hdl: SHH1-GANDI address: Se Habla HTML Web Designs address: 504 Castleberry Rd address: 89502 address: Reno address: Nevada address: United States of America phone: use email e-mail: a049806t@onebox.com
I started to reply to this when Pat first posted it this morning, but I stopped myself and shut down the browser. See, where I live it's considered a rural area.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Akamai.com is an (reputable) internet storage provider, basically hosting files and bandwidth for larger companies that see lots of traffic. Most of the major TV networks and larger corporations use them for hosting their images and other content instead of upgrading their own equipment and hiring the staff to take care of it.
Akamei.com appears to be a similar thing, capitalizing on the fact that people cannot spell worth a darn. I guess they think they're gonna pick up the akamai.com domain name if it isnt registered again before it hits the auction block. The Akamai.com name itsself would probably sell for millions with the traffic that site receives.
As far as the signheaven.com site's registration information, it doesn't mean ANYTHING.
The info listed there can simply be the information for the person that registered the domain name, and that person may not be related to the website in any way, except they filled out the forms and techincally "own" the domain name. An example could be a website that I design and arrange the hosting and domain registration on. While it may be a certain company's web site, they left all the work up to me so the domain and everything is in MY name, *I* own the site and the WHOIS shows MY info, not the company that the site represents.
Anyway, yeah it does look fishily (just made that up - ha!) anonymous.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
Am I reading this right? This is taken from thier "How To Order Page"
"If you are not comfortable with paying in advance, you can pay a 50% deposit on orders of $999.99 or less if you would rather pay a service charge for the extra paperwork created by deposits. The service charge is typically 100% of the original price."
-------------------- "B0LT" on the chat room thing.
posted
From a marketing stand point, It aitn goona hunt.
Its a plain jane slam site with no real marketing message. Statistics show it dont work.
It does speak about the pain of not gettin a good sign in a rural area. But, we all know it aint true. And so does a customer. Most rural people stick with who they know. They like good ol' boys.
And finally. Using "under construction" type pages is a big turn off. IT screams amature. If they are not ready then don't show them.
Usually slam sites are self written by someone who is thinking small.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5278 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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I guess they think they're gonna pick up the akamai.com domain name if it isnt registered again before it hits the auction block. The Akamai.com name itsself would probably sell for millions with the traffic that site receives.
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