I can't believe the prices! These folks must literally have slave labor to pump out those kind of jobs for the price. I realize it's all "Top notch" design (cough, cough) but still.
-------------------- Brian Diver PDQ Signs Everett, Wa
posted
Wow! Looks like we all just found ourselves a new retail at wholesale prices supplier! With prices that low we could send them the design and let them do all the work and we'd still make a lot of money! Man where's the profit for these idiots?
Takes all kinds I guess.
-------------------- Tony Broussard Graphic Details Digital Media Loreauville, LA
posted
Before I had my 4B I used to purchase from this guy. Steve is a super guy just trying to make a living just like me & you, the only difference is now he must rely on the customer to buy his product instead of us.
As stated in his ad he used to sell wholesale to sign shops. I'm sure the numbers have dwindled considerably over the years as more and more shops bought thier own machines.
He sells vinyl letters, I sell an image and advertising. Sometimes I use vinyl, sometimes I use chisels, sometimes a brush.
If you feel threatened by this service then maybe it's time to rethink your career or the type of work you do. I didn't see anything on the sample page that made me get all excited.
Just my opinion!
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you."
Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
It's like I'm back in florida again that's what stuff retails for down there, except those magnetics they sell them everywhere for $24.00 per pair.
-------------------- Scott Moyer Canadensis, Pennsylvania 570-595-0310 Posts: 111 | From: Canadensis PA. USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
I read that it was wholesale but thats not the point I was trying to get across (my fault for not explaining).
Even a wholesaler shouldn't have to run a sweat shop and sell product for that low. There is an awful lot of volume to make up for those low prices. All of us can sell for pennies if we want to, but to each their own.
A speaker at the last BIG show I attended, in Ft. Worth was talking about getting what you ask for and showing your quality, value, etc. One of the quotes he said was "You can go out of business, or go out of business really tired".
Stephen, a couple of saddlebags on those dogs with some lettering would work perfect. They could even hold a few brushes, tape, etc.
-------------------- Brian Diver PDQ Signs Everett, Wa
I lettered up my van and got a call whilst driving out of town. The guy asked me how much my magnetics ran. I told him they start at $50 and go up in price determined by the amount of detail. I told him I didn't price any thing over the phone, without an idea of what he was visualising.
I told him to check out my website and call me if he was interested. His riding partner was furiously writing down all the info on my van while they rode beside me. It felt good for a few minutes, but when you can get a pair for 25 bucks, why did they even bother? We had a death in the family that weekend, so I didn't call all the "unfamiliar at a glance" phone numbers on the caller ID. They may have called, but they didn't leave a message, or an order.
I tried not to put anything fancy on my website to scare off the bread and butter jobs. Maybe I should change that? LOL. Can't please everybody.
posted
His 10oz banner 2x4 for 7.75 is 3 bucks cheeper than I could buy them from Mid-west supply!!!
KEEP HIM OUT OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN!! ITS ALL READY HARD ENOUGH TO BUY DINNER
HE NEED TO TELL ALL OF US WHERE HERE GETS HIS SUPPLIES !!THEN JUST MAYBE WE COULD LOWER OUR PRICES ABIT! JUST MAYBE
where he says he's a wholesaler to the industry and other businesses !!! well that other business could be that trucking co. up the street! I see a threat there !! if that trucking co. go and tell 3 or 4 other businesses in town where he got his lettering and for how cheep after they called you !! think they will call back? I dont think so! if he was selling only to sign shop that would be fair !! but not hows he's doing it!
posted
I'm sure he buys the material in bulk and does the stitching himself,I had a friend in fla. who did banners he did them really cheap nobody could compete with him on price and he was one of the most succesful sign shops around.
-------------------- Scott Moyer Canadensis, Pennsylvania 570-595-0310 Posts: 111 | From: Canadensis PA. USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Last I knew, we lived in America where capitalism and free trade rule.
As far as I'm concerned, if the guy wants to give away his product at a loss...more power to him and that's HIS business.
If anyone feels "threatened" by anyone else, they always have the freedom to change careers or work for somebody else. Nobody has told any of us that we MUST work in the sign business and we WILL receive "X" amount of dollars for our wage till we retire. I think they do that in China.
Added> To call them "idots" is pretty harsh without knowing their bottom line. Maybe they make there money in volume sales and are hitting their desired profit levels.
[ February 13, 2002: Message edited by: Todd Gill ]
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
Just how much does one get for a 2 x 4 banner these days? I'm curious
-------------------- Rob McCauley
Production Manager Archway Graphic Designs a Division of Sign Express, Inc. www.signexpress.tv Little Rock, Ar 501.224.0227 --- The most beautiful thing about a tree is what you do with it after you cut it down. ;-) Posts: 53 | From: Little Rock, Ar | Registered: Feb 2002
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scott.. where in fla were you? and you moved to penna......and that was a move up? hahahaha iam from near pittsburgh, lived there for most of 32 years. dont see it as a real great growth place. i tell people down her in fla the reason fla got such good football players, is most of there parents moved from penna/ohio/new york to fla.hehehehhe as for him bein cheap....2x4 banner for $44 bucks....thats $5.50 a sq. ft. thats what i charge for a 10 oz. banner and you can buy you banners for less then he sells em for(he does)all you need to do is shop around. i got a place here doin 2 x 6 banners for $25.....and he is a storfront business. and todd go play golf.....and you drive a corevette right?
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Even if the guy is selling to businesses other than sign businesses, so what?
Nobody said you have to compete with anyone else's numbers and if you pin blame on another shop's prices for your shop's failure, your problem is still you and not them.
If your area is too cheap to support high end design and good products, you either need to step back and provide what the market wants, move to somewhere that will support the work you wanna do, or learn how to market a business.
Quit blamin "the other guy" for a business market you can't crack.
-------------------- "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
Joe I moved back to the poconos1999 most of my work comes from the lehigh valley{allentown]It is so much better here price wise, and customer loyalty is much better florida was like a phirana tank, If I got a sign call there I had to close the whole deal in less than an hour or the job was gone, not all jobs were like that but most of the walkins and phone stuff was. I miss the florida winters & fishing, but I love the mountains, trout fishing, hiking,extra friendly people,& pennsylvania Dutch cooking my dog likes the cool weather too. I miss florida alot I am leaving tommorow for vacation to clearwater 2 weeks. have a nice day. Scott
-------------------- Scott Moyer Canadensis, Pennsylvania 570-595-0310 Posts: 111 | From: Canadensis PA. USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Up to a few weeks ago I was one of those guys who spent a lot of time blaming everyone else. NO MORE. I have a new and different attitude. I do what I do, get paid what I want and answer to noone but my wife and my customers. If they want High end work I can do it. If they want low end I'll do that to. I don't care what you get for the job because I get X-amount. No more negative attitude from me. I just want to have fun and paint signs. As my Uncle Bud said, "take time to enjoy life".
-------------------- Rob Larkham Rob Larkham Signs & Lettering 21 Middlefield Road Chester, MA. 01011
413-354-0287 Posts: 517 | From: Chester, MA | Registered: May 2001
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You guys have it right. I'm with you. As for OP, well, his comments/attitude speak volumes about his lack of business.
A bad attitude rubs people the wrong way, including clients. And I keep telling you OP, I don't drive a corvette, and I might play golf once a summer if I'm lucky....I'm too busy working and living instead of whinning.
My father-in-law had a good answer for unmotivated relatives that always told him about how "lucky" he is (in reference to being able to retire and live a semi-comfortable life):
"The harder I worked, the luckier I got"
Nuff said OP. Quit whinnin' and get to work.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI
Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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