CheapVehicleWrap
New Member
I heard they closed a bunch of warehouses. Sometimes it doesn't always pay to be the biggest. And sometimes the biggest are the first to fall.
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Fellers 2010 magazine
- Thread starter 149motorsports
- Start date
I know many on this on this forum use Fellers so I was wondering if maybe there was a better way to deal with them. I don't price shop every item (don't have time) but when I first started trying to find a supplier, price was one consideration. On a commodity (i.e. a large ruler) I'm not going to pay $35 more. I agree that the our country and free market are great. For our company it has worked well to have a supplier with a sales rep that we know by name and understands our company. They have been to our shop, understand what we're trying to accomplish, our niche, and helps us get the products we need in a timely manner and at a fair price. For instance, $175 is not a fair price for an item that most others sell for $140. If you use Oracal 651 and pay $95 a roll but can get it all day from another supplier for $80, why would you pay $15 more unless the cheaper supplier's service stinks? I have found there are companies that provide great service and support AND still offer competitive pricing. Many suppliers provide a service but comparing price-shopping of custom made goods (i.e. signs, wraps, etc) vs. commodities is not a comparable analogy.
I'm not here to bash Fellers. I have not had a bad experience and I have ordered from them recently. I simply thought other companies provided better service and better prices. I was just trying to find out if maybe I hadn't figured out how Fellers works.
Allen
I'm not here to bash Fellers. I have not had a bad experience and I have ordered from them recently. I simply thought other companies provided better service and better prices. I was just trying to find out if maybe I hadn't figured out how Fellers works.
Allen
Just Another Sign Guy
New Member
personally i think it is kind of sad as far as the evolution of american banner/fellers goes. they were an absolutely top notch service oriented business my personal opinion is that they have drifted from the company they once were.
Pat Whatley
New Member
I buy all my vinyl from Fellers because my rep hooked me up with pricing that blows away anything else I've found (much less than the catalog price)
My problem with Fellers is that not only did I have to ask for that THEY ACTUALLY USED TO TELL YOU TO ASK ON THEIR MESSAGE. That always struck me as their way of telling you that they'd been ripping you off and would continue to do so unless you found a better deal somewhere else.
Everything in the Fellers catalog is priced higher that most places but it's convenient. For most smaller purchases I don't bother trying to find a better deal.
My problem with Fellers is that not only did I have to ask for that THEY ACTUALLY USED TO TELL YOU TO ASK ON THEIR MESSAGE. That always struck me as their way of telling you that they'd been ripping you off and would continue to do so unless you found a better deal somewhere else.
Everything in the Fellers catalog is priced higher that most places but it's convenient. For most smaller purchases I don't bother trying to find a better deal.
CES020
New Member
Mafia, I'd disagree with you on that. First, YOUR product is not a commodity. It's a service and you get what you pay for. There can be a large difference in the end result of paying $3,000 for a service and paying $4,500 for a service. Doesn't have to be, but if the market is working, you may get a better end result from the $4,500 job unless they are just ripping you off.
On to materials. If I have a roll of Oracal 751 I bought from Fellers and one I bought from someone else and one was $20 cheaper, I defy you or anyone else to tell me which one was less expensive. It's the same product, the same service and you want me to pay more out of some sort of loyalty? Loyalty is a one way street in the materials market. I bought exclusively from Fellers for 2 years. Did my loyalty to them get me anything? Nope. Did it get me better pricing? Nope. Did it even get me a phone call from the rep? Nope. So what's the point? You think they care about me?
I'm 100% for being loyal to people in the service business. If I have someone that does good work, I'll stick with them through the good and the bad, but it's a commodity and I'm not going to give Frank Fellers or anyone else $5,000 of MY money just so I can say "I'm a loyal customer". How about them being a loyal supplier and sending me $5,000 at the end of the year for being a loyal customer? I don't think you'll see that happening.
I have unopened packages from Fellers sitting next to me, so this isn't a Fellers bashing post, but not shopping around is just giving money away and I've never seen a successful business owner give that advice "Pay more and don't worry about it".
Just my opinion.
On to materials. If I have a roll of Oracal 751 I bought from Fellers and one I bought from someone else and one was $20 cheaper, I defy you or anyone else to tell me which one was less expensive. It's the same product, the same service and you want me to pay more out of some sort of loyalty? Loyalty is a one way street in the materials market. I bought exclusively from Fellers for 2 years. Did my loyalty to them get me anything? Nope. Did it get me better pricing? Nope. Did it even get me a phone call from the rep? Nope. So what's the point? You think they care about me?
I'm 100% for being loyal to people in the service business. If I have someone that does good work, I'll stick with them through the good and the bad, but it's a commodity and I'm not going to give Frank Fellers or anyone else $5,000 of MY money just so I can say "I'm a loyal customer". How about them being a loyal supplier and sending me $5,000 at the end of the year for being a loyal customer? I don't think you'll see that happening.
I have unopened packages from Fellers sitting next to me, so this isn't a Fellers bashing post, but not shopping around is just giving money away and I've never seen a successful business owner give that advice "Pay more and don't worry about it".
Just my opinion.
MafiaWraps
New Member
good, thats your opinion, its America your certainly entitled to it. I am a loyal dog when it comes to my suppliers. I have been for a very long time. Like I said, i am a window tinter. I have a competitors shop just 5 blocks from me. My prices are DOUBLE his. Am i ripping my clients off?, not at all. I sell my self on professional image, state of the art shop, and moving the best films and clear bras on the market. i crave to perfect my art just as all of you guys do. I work with passion. I am not a tire kicker as long as prices are close. I understand big ticket items, but no the little stuff. I have been buying my vinyl from fellers for 3 years now, I am very very happy with their service, my rep is fantastic. Im not knocking your reply, I know nothing about you or your business. my point was price matching is nothing more then trying to whore a market out like a walmart, plain and simple.....
Every call I get from my fellers rep begins with, "Are you buying from XYZ?"
No, "Hello", "How's business" or "Is there anything I can do for you?" just accusatory questions about where I spend my money. Last time I dealt with XYZ, they told me that they could lower my costs on the vinyl I use the most of. BAM! Done and ordered. If it wasn't for caller ID, I would pay full catalog price for everything at Fellers, and NEVER would they offer the same product to me cheaper than the deal that I had to beg for and is called into question everytime. Oh yeah, XYZ doesn't need to go into the reps pricing for me, they just see on their screen what the deal is that I pay and I know what my cost is before I hang-up the phone.
Yes, this is a bashing post because I can't stand a rep that calls once in a while and has never visited me since doing business and is constantly bashing the competition who treats me like they want me.
I do buy a few products from Fellers religiously, but I am not getting a big enough break on it to worry about losing my "deal" with them. Oh yeah, I am "Fellers Certified", so that didn't buy me anything either.
Doing business with someone else is a pretty easy choice to make right now.
No, "Hello", "How's business" or "Is there anything I can do for you?" just accusatory questions about where I spend my money. Last time I dealt with XYZ, they told me that they could lower my costs on the vinyl I use the most of. BAM! Done and ordered. If it wasn't for caller ID, I would pay full catalog price for everything at Fellers, and NEVER would they offer the same product to me cheaper than the deal that I had to beg for and is called into question everytime. Oh yeah, XYZ doesn't need to go into the reps pricing for me, they just see on their screen what the deal is that I pay and I know what my cost is before I hang-up the phone.
Yes, this is a bashing post because I can't stand a rep that calls once in a while and has never visited me since doing business and is constantly bashing the competition who treats me like they want me.
I do buy a few products from Fellers religiously, but I am not getting a big enough break on it to worry about losing my "deal" with them. Oh yeah, I am "Fellers Certified", so that didn't buy me anything either.
Doing business with someone else is a pretty easy choice to make right now.
MafiaWraps
New Member
take a deep breath, its gonna be ok!!!! You can leave fellers if ya need........ breath deep
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gbahue
New Member
Fellers provides us with great pricing, great service and has earned my loyalty. We have a rep that stops by every six weeks or so. Good guy with lots of local knowledge. I have never seen my local supplier stop by to say hello. I tell my guys that if we have to order locally it's a failure to plan correctly. Pricing matters and Fellers provides us with the best value.
Billct2
Active Member
I use several SIGN suppliers that deliver daily on their own trucks, Garston, Hart and occasionally New England Sign Supply.
They are all price competitive, with each I have a personal sale rep who knows me and my shop. They carry a full range of sign supplies, which means a lot of stuff that the cheapy catalog places don't bother with or can't do. I am loyal to these guys and wouldn't switch just to save a couple bucks on a roll of material, because it would cost me a lot in the end if I had to have a sheet of aluminum sent common carrier.
They are all price competitive, with each I have a personal sale rep who knows me and my shop. They carry a full range of sign supplies, which means a lot of stuff that the cheapy catalog places don't bother with or can't do. I am loyal to these guys and wouldn't switch just to save a couple bucks on a roll of material, because it would cost me a lot in the end if I had to have a sheet of aluminum sent common carrier.
MafiaWraps
New Member
thats the ticket, loyalty, alot of these young cats just dont get it, nor will they ever!!!! You sell yourself on image and value to the client, not a price!!!! You sell them on the warm fuzzy feeling that they made the right choice on spending more going with you. Its all about how you market yourself, point blank.
CES020
New Member
Mafia, I'm far from being a young buck that doesn't get it. I get loyalty. I do. But loyalty is a two way street. We had a very first sales rep stop by yesterday. In more than 3 years, we finally had one rep come by. He was from Gemini, a company based in the upper mid west.
However, the local company that we buy most of our products from has never so much as called to see how we were if we needed anything, nothing. Zero, zip, ziltch, nada. Fellers rep? Never been here.
So for some reason, unknown to me, I'm supposed to be loyal to that type of service? Apparently you and I do have different standards. I'm very loyal to those that serve me and show that they do care if I'm a customer.
Blindly ordering from a mail order company over and over while they get richer and richer, while my competition shops for price, is just not smart business on my part.
I'm not one that religiously shops around by any means. I do tend to use someone and stick with it, but every once in a while, we do a sanity check to see if we're wasting money for no reason.
The day a sales rep stops in and actually cares whether I am a customer is the day I become loyal to a supplier. Been waiting 3 years, just saw Gemini, who I am a loyal customer of, so let's see how many more years I have to wait to hear from any of the other big boys. I've got $75,000 worth of equipment here we bought from suppliers. Never seen any of them since we picked up the equipment. Not as much as a phone call.
You ain't loyal to me, I ain't loyal to you, that's my belief.
However, the local company that we buy most of our products from has never so much as called to see how we were if we needed anything, nothing. Zero, zip, ziltch, nada. Fellers rep? Never been here.
So for some reason, unknown to me, I'm supposed to be loyal to that type of service? Apparently you and I do have different standards. I'm very loyal to those that serve me and show that they do care if I'm a customer.
Blindly ordering from a mail order company over and over while they get richer and richer, while my competition shops for price, is just not smart business on my part.
I'm not one that religiously shops around by any means. I do tend to use someone and stick with it, but every once in a while, we do a sanity check to see if we're wasting money for no reason.
The day a sales rep stops in and actually cares whether I am a customer is the day I become loyal to a supplier. Been waiting 3 years, just saw Gemini, who I am a loyal customer of, so let's see how many more years I have to wait to hear from any of the other big boys. I've got $75,000 worth of equipment here we bought from suppliers. Never seen any of them since we picked up the equipment. Not as much as a phone call.
You ain't loyal to me, I ain't loyal to you, that's my belief.
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
I look at my relationship with my vendors in the same way I look at my relationship with my customers. By that I mean in building loyalty by providing excellent products and services at prices that are reasonable ... but neither the highest nor the lowest. For me to change a supplier requires a huge change in circumstance. That's because of the time spent in building a relationship with them.
Sure I want competitive pricing, and a relationship never gets started without some negotiation in that regard. But once done, I am there for the service I get. Like a few years ago when I had some problems with my Edge. My primary supplier was right there with a loaner and quick shipping in of several modules that could have been the cause. I was able to get my work out on time and my Edge was fixed, with their telephone support and less than an hour of my time for a cost of $175 and the shipping. Had it not been for them, my downtime would have likely been measured in weeks and the cost in thousands.
When I place an order with them, it is a rare instance that it isn't here the next day. I don't have to ask the price when I order because I continuously get the discounts we negotiated years ago. I am competitive and profitable in part because of my relationships with my suppliers.
I have the same kind of relationship with many of my customers. In many cases we never even discuss price. I am their sign guy ... price is irrelevant or at least it is way down the list in importance. They get what they want at a fair price. That's why I'm their supplier.
Relationships and loyalty matter. We should strive for the same thing with our suppliers as we do our customers.
Sure I want competitive pricing, and a relationship never gets started without some negotiation in that regard. But once done, I am there for the service I get. Like a few years ago when I had some problems with my Edge. My primary supplier was right there with a loaner and quick shipping in of several modules that could have been the cause. I was able to get my work out on time and my Edge was fixed, with their telephone support and less than an hour of my time for a cost of $175 and the shipping. Had it not been for them, my downtime would have likely been measured in weeks and the cost in thousands.
When I place an order with them, it is a rare instance that it isn't here the next day. I don't have to ask the price when I order because I continuously get the discounts we negotiated years ago. I am competitive and profitable in part because of my relationships with my suppliers.
I have the same kind of relationship with many of my customers. In many cases we never even discuss price. I am their sign guy ... price is irrelevant or at least it is way down the list in importance. They get what they want at a fair price. That's why I'm their supplier.
Relationships and loyalty matter. We should strive for the same thing with our suppliers as we do our customers.
Amen. That was the gist behind my original contact with Fellers. It didn't seem like they cared much so they haven't become my primary supplier. I have found a company that I'm loyal to and they have treated us well. I'm glad to hear that some on this forum have a Fellers rep that knows you, checks on you, and gives you deals. I was told that I didn't need to contact a rep, I just need to call the 800 number and talk to any of the operators/order takers (I don't know that I've ever talked to the same person twice).
I've had some more local suppliers try to sell me on the fact they "have a truck in my town every Thursday". I guess that's great but my current supplier ships UPS and has stuff to me (in most cases) the next day. The supplies once a week doesn't work well for us but may for some.
It boils down to what works for you and your company. I know many buy lots from Fellers and love them. From this thread I've learned that some people have a Fellers rep that gives them deals and comes to their shop but I haven't had that luck and was told I wouldn't have a rep to contact.
Allen