Banners Quote Surprise...

[kdw75]

One of our largest clients gets hundreds if not thousands of banners, but we were never able to get much of their large format work. A banner here or there, but that was it. They had some staffing changes and the new person we deal with had us quote 200 3x8 foot banners for them. We got a quote from our usual source for large orders, Signs365, but she sent back asking if I could match the price of their other vendor and she included a screenshot showing they were buying from Signs365. This shocked me since they are in the animal health business and I had thought Signs365 was a trade-only vendor, since they used to make a big deal out of that.

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

"All symbols fall."

 

[jwheeler]

I had thought Signs365 was a trade-only vendor, since they used to make a big deal out of that.

I think you should contact Signs365 and call them out on this... They do say on their homepage that they are trade-only (see screenshot below). Let us know what they say!

 

[kdw75]

I think you should contact Signs365 and call them out on this... They do say on their homepage that they are trade-only (see screenshot below). Let us know what they say!
View attachment 293418

That was the very first thing that I did.

 

[jwheeler]

That was the very first thing that I did.

And....what did they say?

 

[kdw75]

And....what did they say?
View attachment 293427

No response yet. I signed into our account and used the leave feedback button.

 

[keith1]

Often 'trade only' shops will have a retail division as well that could operate under a different name but same building, same equipment etc.
Also, they don't seem to vet trade qualifications closely. If you have what looks to be a bonafide company email address, you're good to go.
Awhile ago I had a plumber to my house. The subject of printing came up - I had done small jobs for him in the past. Turns out his helper/apprentice had a login account with the same 'trade' shop I used. I didn't bother asking how he came about it because it came as no surprise.
On top of that, there's often very little difference between the trade & retail division pricing. The main difference is availability of some items and the terminology to describe some items, such as paper weight & finish.
On the subject of terminology, Vista Print dumbs it down to the point that I wouldn't even know how to order from them. I wouldn't know what I was getting.

And....what did they say?

Some B.S. reasoning, no doubt.

 

[MailGuru]

No response yet. I signed into our account and used the leave feedback button.

It's gonna take a day or 2. The "chat" person has to check with their superior to ask: "how would you like me to respond?"

 

[kdw75]

Often 'trade only' shops will have a retail division as well that could operate under a different name but same building, same equipment etc.
Also, they don't seem to vet trade qualifications closely. If you have what looks to be a bonafide company email address, you're good to go.
Awhile ago I had a plumber to my house. The subject of printing came up - I had done small jobs for him in the past. Turns out his helper/apprentice had a login account with the same 'trade' shop I used. I didn't bother asking how he came about it because it came as no surprise.
On top of that, there's often very little difference between the trade & retail division pricing. The main difference is availability of some items and the terminology to describe some items, such as paper weight & finish.
On the subject of terminology, Vista Print dumbs it down to the point that I wouldn't even know how to order from them. I wouldn't know what I was getting.


Some B.S. reasoning, no doubt.

She sent a screenshot and the pricing matched ours exactly. This was her response to my quote.

 

[jwheeler]

She sent a screenshot and the pricing matched ours exactly.

Ooof! That just makes it worse!

 

[MailGuru]

More than likely, your situation is not unique. They probably do this to their other trade partners also. Not good business though.

A good trade partner can send them a whole lot more business over the course of a year than that one retail customer.

 

[chriscozi]

More than likely, your situation is not unique. They probably do this to their other trade partners also. Not good business though.

A good trade partner can send them a whole lot more business over the course of a year than that one retail customer.

How many of us had a 'digital vendor salesman' take note our larger customers and then try to sell them machines?

 

[chriscozi]

One of our largest clients gets hundreds if not thousands of banners, but we were never able to get much of their large format work. A banner here or there, but that was it. They had some staffing changes and the new person we deal with had us quote 200 3x8 foot banners for them. We got a quote from our usual source for large orders, Signs365, but she sent back asking if I could match the price of their other vendor and she included a screenshot showing they were buying from Signs365. This shocked me since they are in the animal health business and I had thought Signs365 was a trade-only vendor, since they used to make a big deal out of that.

And 'we' all believed them.

 

[pippip]

That's so annoying. Does the work come in ready to go? or is anything taken care of your end?

I'd certainly be interested to here Signs365 response. I always feel a trade printer has alot of ethics it has to stand.

 

[tngcas]

On the subject of terminology, Vista Print dumbs it down to the point that I wouldn't even know how to order from them. I wouldn't know what I was getting.

I have one person who told me she orders from vista print because she can always go back and complain that they used the wrong paper weight and they always just agree and reprint her order for free so she ends up with a bunch of extra prints from them. The downside to being overly generic is they can't prove when they send the right product.

 

[kdw75]

As of today, I have heard zero response from Signs365. I visited with our client about some other offset work we do and noticed they had several pallets of large-format printing from Signs365. I never tipped our hand that we used them and just told her that we couldn't beat the pricing she was getting.

Our second largest client used to get yard signs and banners from us regularly and we would have them blind drop shipped from Signs365. A couple years ago they abruptly quit and being with employee changes and Covid we figured some salesman had gotten to them, but now I am wondering. They are a huge employer with lots of turnover and would get signs with their name and number all over them.