what would you do?

[Geneva Olson]

If your business was next door to a paper printer and the paper printer sold to a new person who now sells the same items as you. (but doesn't advertise that they sell the same items). AND, they put a photo of both of your businesses on YOUR google page?

 

[caribmike]

I would review my lease to see if there was any clause that prohibited the landlord from leasing space in the building to a business that competed with you. If there is no such clause, you probably dont have any recourse. But, it certainly wasn't nice of him to do that. Regarding the photo, I dont know what recourse you have there. Maybe start selling commercial printing? You can buy from a big reseller like DFS or Navitor. You dont need much additional knowledge or equipment. I did the opposite, I started off as a commercial printer and then added signs. Now signs are almost bigger than my print biz.

 

[Geneva Olson]

no such clause exists. Funny thing, most of the paper wholesalers walk over to me when they are done visiting him. So i know that's gotta be a ball buster for him.
He actually came into my shop after he posted the photo. Don't know why he came in, but he now knows to never walk into my shop again. AND, the photo was removed off of my google page. He did call the police because I posted an update on my google page that said we were in no way shape or form associated with his company. That was quite the laugh for us and the police.

 

[JBurton]

So it's like a copy shop that now also sells banners?

 

[Geneva Olson]

So it's like a copy shop that now also sells banners?

yep. he's got 3 big copiers. that's it. He doesn't even have a plotter. he has to farm plottered graphics out.

 

[ikarasu]

Start a sign war, make back and fourth jabs about eachothers companies and what you do better.... Thatd be the funny option, you could post some nice large 4x8 signage about how his shop sucks compared to yours, and he can print some 8.5x11s and tape them together. Thats the childish, petty way that I would likely take....


My local facebook is filled with $4000 printers that can do everything our $30,000 printer can..... I think as stuff becomes more affordable, more people will be competing.


On the bright side... He cant buy experience, soo even if he does have a printer, or outsources all his stuff... Odds are he's going to lose money / close up shop with all the unhappy customers that he's sold cheap shitty vinyl / signage to that fades in a week because he doesnt laminate it. In the 10 years I've been doing printing, I've seen more shops close their doors trying to spread themselves too thin, vs someone trying to do everything succeed - Heck... he may already be realzing how little money he's making, and trying to get into wide format is his hail marry to survive another few months.


So the best answer is probably going to be "Do nothing" and wait for them to go out of business. If he's outsourcing he cant compete with your expertise, your turn around, or with your experience. He probably doesn't know the difference between a cast or a calander vinyl... wont know what coro vs alupanel is for, etc. He may see all your customers and think it's a good idea to try to get into your side of the business... But I rarely, rarely ever see printshops that try to do both succeed.... Focus on your wide format items and ignore him, if you start to lose business to him... then I'd worry about it.




If it makes you feel better.... Our shop was where its at first.... Then about 8 years ago another sign shop that does exactly what we do opened on the corner.... Then another sign shop opened next door to our warehouse.... And last year a fourth sign shop opened across the street. Standing at the front of our building you can see 4 sign shops that do all types of signs / 3d letters / etc We havent noticed it hurt our business...only 1 of them caters to walk in customers, we all overlap in certain areas, and specialize in others... We tend to throw work at eachother when we're too busy, or they do something better than we do, or vice versa. your neighbor sounds like a dick, which is too bad- you two could have joined forces and you send paper jobs over to him, and he sends wide format over to you. So I'd just ignore him, see how it plays out... but I also wouldn't be too worried about it.

 

[TradeBalanceBoss]

no such clause exists. Funny thing, most of the paper wholesalers walk over to me when they are done visiting him. So i know that's gotta be a ball buster for him.
He actually came into my shop after he posted the photo. Don't know why he came in, but he now knows to never walk into my shop again. AND, the photo was removed off of my google page. He did call the police because I posted an update on my google page that said we were in no way shape or form associated with his company. That was quite the laugh for us and the police.

Deleted rude comment. That guy sounds crazy.

 

[caribmike]

Start a sign war, make back and fourth jabs about eachothers companies and what you do better.... Thatd be the funny option, you could post some nice large 4x8 signage about how his shop sucks compared to yours, and he can print some 8.5x11s and tape them together. Thats the childish, petty way that I would likely take....


My local facebook is filled with $4000 printers that can do everything our $30,000 printer can..... I think as stuff becomes more affordable, more people will be competing.


On the bright side... He cant buy experience, soo even if he does have a printer, or outsources all his stuff... Odds are he's going to lose money / close up shop with all the unhappy customers that he's sold cheap shitty vinyl / signage to that fades in a week because he doesnt laminate it. In the 10 years I've been doing printing, I've seen more shops close their doors trying to spread themselves too thin, vs someone trying to do everything succeed - Heck... he may already be realzing how little money he's making, and trying to get into wide format is his hail marry to survive another few months.


So the best answer is probably going to be "Do nothing" and wait for them to go out of business. If he's outsourcing he cant compete with your expertise, your turn around, or with your experience. He probably doesn't know the difference between a cast or a calander vinyl... wont know what coro vs alupanel is for, etc. He may see all your customers and think it's a good idea to try to get into your side of the business... But I rarely, rarely ever see printshops that try to do both succeed.... Focus on your wide format items and ignore him, if you start to lose business to him... then I'd worry about it.




If it makes you feel better.... Our shop was where its at first.... Then about 8 years ago another sign shop that does exactly what we do opened on the corner.... Then another sign shop opened next door to our warehouse.... And last year a fourth sign shop opened across the street. Standing at the front of our building you can see 4 sign shops that do all types of signs / 3d letters / etc We havent noticed it hurt our business...only 1 of them caters to walk in customers, we all overlap in certain areas, and specialize in others... We tend to throw work at eachother when we're too busy, or they do something better than we do, or vice versa. your neighbor sounds like a dick, which is too bad- you two could have joined forces and you send paper jobs over to him, and he sends wide format over to you. So I'd just ignore him, see how it plays out... but I also wouldn't be too worried about it.

Interestingly, I used to have a 10,000 sf commercial printing and basic sign shop (mostly flat panel signs, banners, no installs, etc). After 50 years, I closed it when the lease ran out about 4 years ago and moved it to my house. Now I still maintain most of my long term local customers, but also sell through my website and outsource 100% of the work. Most of it blind shipped direct, and have I essentially no overhead, no employees and can work from anywhere. We can easily match or beat any local competitor's price but I'm as busy as I want to be and sometimes refer biz to competitors. So, there are many ways to exist in a market and dealerships like mine are very common now.

 

[Geneva Olson]

Start a sign war, make back and fourth jabs about eachothers companies and what you do better.... Thatd be the funny option, you could post some nice large 4x8 signage about how his shop sucks compared to yours, and he can print some 8.5x11s and tape them together. Thats the childish, petty way that I would likely take....


My local facebook is filled with $4000 printers that can do everything our $30,000 printer can..... I think as stuff becomes more affordable, more people will be competing.


On the bright side... He cant buy experience, soo even if he does have a printer, or outsources all his stuff... Odds are he's going to lose money / close up shop with all the unhappy customers that he's sold cheap shitty vinyl / signage to that fades in a week because he doesnt laminate it. In the 10 years I've been doing printing, I've seen more shops close their doors trying to spread themselves too thin, vs someone trying to do everything succeed - Heck... he may already be realzing how little money he's making, and trying to get into wide format is his hail marry to survive another few months.


So the best answer is probably going to be "Do nothing" and wait for them to go out of business. If he's outsourcing he cant compete with your expertise, your turn around, or with your experience. He probably doesn't know the difference between a cast or a calander vinyl... wont know what coro vs alupanel is for, etc. He may see all your customers and think it's a good idea to try to get into your side of the business... But I rarely, rarely ever see printshops that try to do both succeed.... Focus on your wide format items and ignore him, if you start to lose business to him... then I'd worry about it.




If it makes you feel better.... Our shop was where its at first.... Then about 8 years ago another sign shop that does exactly what we do opened on the corner.... Then another sign shop opened next door to our warehouse.... And last year a fourth sign shop opened across the street. Standing at the front of our building you can see 4 sign shops that do all types of signs / 3d letters / etc We havent noticed it hurt our business...only 1 of them caters to walk in customers, we all overlap in certain areas, and specialize in others... We tend to throw work at eachother when we're too busy, or they do something better than we do, or vice versa. your neighbor sounds like a dick, which is too bad- you two could have joined forces and you send paper jobs over to him, and he sends wide format over to you. So I'd just ignore him, see how it plays out... but I also wouldn't be too worried about it.

He was literally trying to confuse people to get them to go over into his shop. We are in the middle of a sign war now. We always have window perf on our windows. We change them out every 6 months or so. He has put "welcome. enter here" on his door. our door has, "enter here, not over there".
He doesn't even advertise that he sells signs and banners. he advertises paper products only.

 

[Boudica]

Now we need pictures......

 

[TradeBalanceBoss]

Let the sign wars begin! Haha, but on a serious note make sure you are fully documenting what this guy is doing... Seems like he is doing some unfair business practices by trying to pass off his business as yours (he is doing actionable deception with the Google thing).

But this really gives you some fire to strengthen your branding and make it more clear, distinct, prominent. Maybe communicated how long you have been there "Serving since XXXX". Do a bold welcoming "Entrance" sign with an arrow and your logo. Your business name repeated by the door. Floor graphics or a sidewalk sign directing people in. For your google add more of your own quality photos (interior, exterior, your work, your team). Make sure your website and social links are all connected. You want to make your brand so clear and established that there is no possible confusion (don't even mention the other guy because it gains him attention, make YOU stand out more). Since you are the sign company and he is the paper company this actually puts you in a great position here to really shine.

Also let your loyal customers know about the situation so they aren't confused.

 

[Geneva Olson]

Let the sign wars begin! Haha, but on a serious note make sure you are fully documenting what this guy is doing... Seems like he is doing some unfair business practices by trying to pass off his business as yours (he is doing actionable deception with the Google thing).

But this really gives you some fire to strengthen your branding and make it more clear, distinct, prominent. Maybe communicated how long you have been there "Serving since XXXX". Do a bold welcoming "Entrance" sign with an arrow and your logo. Your business name repeated by the door. Floor graphics or a sidewalk sign directing people in. For your google add more of your own quality photos (interior, exterior, your work, your team). Make sure your website and social links are all connected. You want to make your brand so clear and established that there is no possible confusion (don't even mention the other guy because it gains him attention, make YOU stand out more). Since you are the sign company and he is the paper company this actually puts you in a great position here to really shine.

Also let your loyal customers know about the situation so they aren't confused.

this bold enough? The landlord made us remove the curb stops but they are polar tac. Yep. they stick. in fact, the landlord thought it was paint.

 

[visual800]

you know what i would do....ignore it and ignore him. He wont be there long with that attitude and that taky ass shit signage all over his storefront

 

[rydods]

My competition follows me all over town, calls the electrical inspector anytime they can, calls the city constantly to see if I have my permits. I just keep my head down and keep working. First thought is always to see what you can do to get back at them and believe me, I could. It's just not worth it and will take way too much of my time and energy physically and mentally.

Our company has been voted by our town best sign company for 5 years in a row now. There has to be some good reason for that. My customers and employees are all I'm focused on, period.

 

[Geneva Olson]

you know what i would do....ignore it and ignore him. He wont be there long with that attitude and that taky ass shit signage all over his storefront

That's my signage

 

[TradeBalanceBoss]

this bold enough? The landlord made us remove the curb stops but they are polar tac. Yep. they stick. in fact, the landlord thought it was paint.

You are a super person.

My competition follows me all over town, calls the electrical inspector anytime they can, calls the city constantly to see if I have my permits. I just keep my head down and keep working. First thought is always to see what you can do to get back at them and believe me, I could. It's just not worth it and will take way too much of my time and energy physically and mentally.

Our company has been voted by our town best sign company for 5 years in a row now. There has to be some good reason for that. My customers and employees are all I'm focused on, period.

That really is the ticket. I have no idea how the haters can even get anything done. I'm so busy building and progressing. But I'm also a realist and know that there is bad in the world that has to be dealt with. It's like if you don't take out the trash it will pile up. So my formula is 80-90% on the good and 10-20% on taking out the trash.

 

[Boudica]

He was literally trying to confuse people to get them to go over into his shop. We are in the middle of a sign war now. We always have window perf on our windows. We change them out every 6 months or so. He has put "welcome. enter here" on his door. our door has, "enter here, not over there".
He doesn't even advertise that he sells signs and banners. he advertises paper products only.

So he doesn't advertise that they can provide signs and banners, but they will provide them should a confused patron walk through their door instead of yours? That's pretty slimy, but I wonder how often it really happens? Your repeat customers wouldn't be confused, and if this dickhead neighbor doesn't steal your vinyl wrap business away - just small signs and banners, then are they really getting away with that much of your business? I can see how it's aggravating, but maybe it's just that - aggravating.
....And entertaining when the police are called out for no reason - which will backfire on them hard if they keep doing it.

 

[visual800]

That's my signage

WHAT!...OK obviously Im confused as to whats going on here

 

[Geneva Olson]

So he doesn't advertise that they can provide signs and banners, but they will provide them should a confused patron walk through their door instead of yours? That's pretty slimy, but I wonder how often it really happens? Your repeat customers wouldn't be confused, and if this dickhead neighbor doesn't steal your vinyl wrap business away - just small signs and banners, then are they really getting away with that much of your business? I can see how it's aggravating, but maybe it's just that - aggravating.
....And entertaining when the police are called out for no reason - which will backfire on them hard if they keep doing it.

So, while I agree with you. I actually had a customer come in to pick up decals that he thought he had ordered from me. He was TRYING to order from me. He was a farily new customer to me and had only placed a couple of orders. When he googled printers, he assumed it was the other guy. THEN, when he put the picture of both of our businesses on my google page, he was intentionally trying to confuse people. So we have flooded our google page with updates and photos where his business is completely blacked out. He got mad. LOL too bad.
But, heres my issue...he's selling banners and TENTS. those tents are a grand a piece.

 

[Geneva Olson]

WHAT!...OK obviously Im confused as to whats going on here

yea his is all white plottered vinyl because he doesn't have a printer. our graphics change about every 6 months. my husband design this one INTENTIONALLY in response to the neighbor. its the sign war that he can't compete with with his plottered graphics that he has to farm out.