That wasn't a stab at the magazines or you Fred....hope you didn't take it that way.
I'm just saying they obviously spend big $ on advertising in trade magazines - I would be
surprised if the magazines would openly bite the hand that feeds them.
Having a little article in the "news" section about them taking over the dealership / fleet graphics market is one thing....but them openly saying that they're screwing the independent
sign companies by doing so is another thing.
I didn't take it that way Pat.
Giving the benefit of the doubt to the trade mags, I would say that they would demonstrate journalistic integrity before advertiser concerns. As far as this matter goes ... My personal opinion is that no one should be surprised at this and it's been discussed before here in some depth. In fact the last time it was brought up it was also started by Colorado
Signs.
There are business decisions and there are emotional decisions. 3M made a business decision to pursue an opening in the wrap market. While the quality of what the client may receive is in question, there is no doubt that from a convenience and financing perspective it is a more attractive proposition for the client than taking delivery and then seeking out an independent wrap provider. That happened to impact substantially on Colorado
Signs and his posts here are understandable. The many replies here are also understandable but let's be clear: Most are emotional and not based on what's necessarily best for your business.
One could make a very long list of similar business choices made over the years by manufacturers, distributors and supply vendors. When you see an end user opening their own in-house
sign department, where do you suppose they got their equipment, software, supplies and training? In most cases, they got it from the same companies many of us buy our equipment and supplies from. It's not very different than what this thread addresses but when do you recall a thread about it here?
The reality, from a business perspective, is that we are seeing free markets and free enterprise at work here. Sure, it hurts when a big player uses their muscle to gain a big hunk of market share at your expense. But their move is no more disloyal than when your equipment supply distributor sells a system to your customers and you lose their business forever.
In addition, this doesn't rise to the level of harm and disrespect many of us experienced with the Avery debacle of 2004 - 2005 when failures were being documented with photos all over the place and Avery denied and stonewalled while they continued to sell bad product to unsuspecting customers resulting in financial damage and harm to individual reputations.
So while each of us may choose to cut back or eliminate purchasing of 3M products to protest their business decisions and practices, understand that the only likely benefit to you will be in making your feelings known to 3M.
