Leather Supply Companies - Good and Bad?

[Gulrok]

Hi folks,

To keep a long story short, I’m fortunate enough to be in the process of starting a leather supply and distribution company. We’ve been in our personal business for awhile now and have decided to take the plunge to the next level.

This post isn’t an advertisement by any means and I will be very specific to not name our business or discuss until we have secured paid advertisement here on the board. (Or have full approval by the staff)

We’re looking to solve a frustration that we have with our current suppliers and hopefully offer some more economical options for the other side of the country (east coast). In our opinion, we think we can bridge those gaps.

With that being said, there are a handful of supply companies both good and bad. 
 

My question here is what do some of your suppliers do right, and what do they do wrong? Please don’t name or shame any suppliers. That isn’t the goal of this post.

For me, I think one of the biggest challenges suppliers have is keeping a well kept and manageable website. 

Edited August 6, 2022 by Gulrok

[fredk]

The main problem I encounter (not too often though) is suppliers not keeping their stock records up-to-date and I put in my order only to be told days, or even weeks, later that what I've ordered is out of stock, and was when I ordered it. And even after that the supplier still lists that leather as 'in stock', available to order

On the other hand; one supplier, which I've used for a long time, will send me small samples, about 2 inches square, of leathers, foc, when I've asked for samples

[Klara]

Things done wrong: Erroneous description on the website (there was a language problem involved, shouldn't be an issue for you). 

Done right: Samples sent

I haven't ordered all that much online, because I'm lucky enough to have a shop fairly close by and buying there is much easier. But as a general rule, I need very detailed descriptions and good photos. For irregular shaped pieces of leather I want to know not only the total square centimeters (or inches) but useful length x width (long enough for a belt?) For tools I would want to see the measurements as well,  or a photo of the tool in somebody's hand (I nearly ordered a V gauge that looked good online, but in reality it is so tiny I could hardly hold it). If you want to sell to beginners, it would be helpful if you wrote what tools are for and which rivet to use when. And what to do with various pieces of leather. (Or you could just send people here...)

Not in a leather context: I absolutely hate it when a company sends out a "your order is on its way and can no longer be cancelled" mail 3 seconds after I've sent off the order - and then it takes 3 weeks for the package to arrive within Europe (mostly an Amazon marketplace thing). I love it when I can call a small shop to discuss my needs (and they are then taken care of, like a PayPal address in case the bank transfer doesn't go through for next-day shipping). Btw, PayPal is by far my preferred method of payment. 

I hate it when shipping cost goes UP with order value. Intellectually I realise that I have to pay the shipping somehow, but I'm still more likely to order if shipping is free. Or free above a certain amount. 

Of course, the order should arrive quickly and above all complete. And if I complain that some needles are missing, that I have taken the box apart for recycling and that there is no hole in the cardboard - then I don't want "have you really looked" as a reply.

On communication in general (but that may be a cultural thing, I'm a German living in France): I very much appreciate getting the feeling that I'm communicating with a human being. Big shops especially in English speaking countries sometimes send very long, ultra polite standard mails that have very little to do with what I've actually asked and sometimes add up to "sorry, we can't do anything". I much prefer two sentences to the point, and that preferably solve the problem. 

And on that note I'd better stop...

[Doc Reaper]

I don’t like it when they send you crap that they wouldn’t purchase if they were a regular customer!!!’

Is was a side of 5/6 ounce leather and I was charged for 27 square feet. The side had a hole in it that 2 larger folks could use as a hula hoop, I returned it by hand, the manager I spoke with said he sent it, even said how unblemished it was, when I unrolled it his mouth dropped open. At that point he found a great side and paid for my gas

[Handstitched]

@Gulrok You don't say where you are located ? 

Here in Australia, the biggest problem is....we don't have enough tanneries, and not enough suppliers ...therefore, up goes the cost, because most of it comes from O/S. Freight costs is something no-one can control . 

Here in Oz, our " express post" used to be just that, express, sent out the next day..or so . But now , "express" =    sometime next week ?? 

Suppliers need to be more descriptive in their ads . Describing what each item is used for, tools , materials etc.   especially for the newbies entering the world of leather.  

Some things are simply out of anyone's' control. But they need to keep on top of what they have, and double check the orders. I've already have a few stuff ups this week because someone didn't read the order properly , and I end up with the wrong size, or wrong product . 

But,on the plus side, they do their best to correct their mistakes, with no additional cost.. They haven't asked for me to send the incorrect item back , they let me keep it/them. They are courteous and polite , well, those that I deal with are   

Good luck in your venture .

HS

 

[Mulesaw]

Good things:

Ease of communications, whether you call by phone or send an email.

If a mistake is made e.g. wrong length of zippers sent to the customer, then it should be very easy for the customer to call and get it sorted out. My local supplier did it and I had expected a inquisition like questioning, but instead they said, oh, we are very sorry, we made a mistake, the correct ones should be with you tomorrow. I was dumbfounded and stuttered, well, don't you want the wrong ones back or see any proof etc. - but Nope, I could keep the wrong ones and they believed me without a doubt or without demanding evidence. 

Pictures of the actual stuff on the website and an accurate description.

Calling you if they think you are buying the wrong thing unknowingly. My shop called me when I had ordered some double prong buckles for a 2" belt. They just wanted to let me know that if I wanted to make weight lifting belts, the particular model I had ordered was not strong enough. Just a friendly call and no trying to sell me other stuff, but the exact same sort of advice that you would be glad to get if you were in the physical shop. 

Offering a free printed catalogue to be sent along with your purchase.

 

Bad things:

Missing items from an order, even with ease of fix it is still better to get it all correct in the first place.

 

 

 

[fredk]

Double wrap and pack orders.

#1 company wraps hides inside each other and with heavy duty wrapping paper integral to the roll. This is wrapped in a corrugated card wrap.  Then this is put into a plastic tube bag of heavy industrial plastic, then this is put into another bag of the same. Small items such as buckles have been bagged and put into the centre of the roll. Never any damage to anything upon arrival.

#2 company rolled 3 hides individually, with a piece of lightweight brown wrapping paper around each. These were put into a not very substantial card box and one piece of parcel tape to keep each end of the box closed. A bag of buckles, conchos etc was just placed in one end of the box. One end of the box burst partially open during transit. Fortunately not the end with the bag of fittings. But on a previous occasion it had been and the supplier had to send me the fittings again.

[chuck123wapati]

3 hours ago, Doc Reaper said:

I don’t like it when they send you crap that they wouldn’t purchase if they were a regular customer!!!’

Is was a side of 5/6 ounce leather and I was charged for 27 square feet. The side had a hole in it that 2 larger folks could use as a hula hoop, I returned it by hand, the manager I spoke with said he sent it, even said how unblemished it was, when I unrolled it his mouth dropped open. At that point he found a great side and paid for my gas

[Tequila]

I purchased some veg tanned leather from a supplier that offered splitting.  The splitter must’ve had a problem because it was obvious that some of it had an extra layer of hide on it. To me that’s a sign of quality control, and I’ll be hesitant to buy from them again.  And no I didn’t call and tell them, I couldn’t wait another 10 days to get another piece, on the plus side the leather face was very good (holes, scars, etc.).  So for me quality control is important, if I get charged a premium price I expect a premium product. 

Customer Service:  I’m tired of hearing excuses.  If you have a “Contact Us” section I would hope that you have someone to answer the phone/respond to email. 

Website: Keep it uncomplicated.  I really like vendor’s sites that allow you choices to view leather by weight, tannage, cut, etc.  If I’m looking for 2oz veg I don’t go through pages of chrome, and heavy weight stuff.  I looked at a vendor’s site recently that didn’t list the tannage, so you didn’t know if you were looking at veg or chrome tanned  

Tools:  People are different; not everyone wants expensive high end tools/equipment, but others are willing to pay for a quality product, clearly labeled choices are nice.  If you’re going to sell stamps seeing a picture of what the stamp looks like on leather with a ruler to show the size is nice. 

Hope some or all of this helps.

[doubleh]

I don't do a lot of leather work anymore but recently my interest revived somewhat. I have been using the same supplier for a long, long time and ever one of the products he sells is topnotch. I am close enough to take a day out and go pick what I want but when I do order online I know it will right and good. He is a one man operation and I stopped in last week when I was in his city for another reason and picked up a belt blank and a couple of other small items. He said that unlike past years he has a supply problem and delivery of most thing is 3 or more times as long as it used to be. I expect every retailer in the leather goods business is suffering the same.