Tandy Leather Factory.. Has Anyone Noticed That They're Faking Their Loyalty Anymore?

[A and T Leather]

When You call Springfield leather ask for Rusty Darnel you will get the answers you need and if you want you can even talk to Kevin the owner or his wife they are always glade to help

[craftsman827]

I've been working with leather for 40 years now ! I purchase my supplies from many different venders.

I started in leatherwork because of TANDY. I STILL PURCHASE FROM TANDY. I have a tax ID #.

I HAVE TO COME TO TANDY'S DEFENSE ! I JUST RECEIVED AN ORDER FROM TANDY, INCLUDING A SIDE OF 8/9 OZ. veg tan leather. THE LEATHER WAS JUST FINE, & I PAID $165.00 for 22 ft.

THE TANDY I DO BUSINESS WITH IS IN ALLENTOWN, PA. THE STAFF IS ALWAYS HELPFUL. ANYTIME I NEED ADVISE, THE MANAGER, BRIAN, ALWAYS HELPS ME OUT. THEY HAVE MANY DIFFERENT GRADES OF LEATHER, SO THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. I FIND THERE PRICES ARE COMPETIVE WITH OTHERS. I ALSO PURCHASE MY BRIDLE LEATHER FROM WICKETT & CRAGE. SO I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE !!!!THE ONLY LEATHER I HAVN'T USED "YET" IS HERMAN OAK, TOO MUCH $$$$$. BUT I'LL TRY IT SOON.

SO GIVE THE TANDY IN ALLENTOWN A CALL. ASK FOR BRIAN, I'm SURE HE WILL BE HELPFUL. 1-866-875-6737 or 610-437-3424

Edited August 22, 2013 by craftsman827

[johnv474]

Sometimes my preferred local, non-franchised leather shop doesnt have a particular tool I want that is made ny Osborne or other better brands, they sometimes have a Tandy cheaper version. I say cheaper because buying Tandy products from their store is cheaper than through Tandy... at least for my 35 dollar level membership. But I mostly buy awesome scrap hides for 3 bucks a sq ft or 6 bucks a pound.

If anyone is in or near Indianapolis, Landwerlen leather is a cool shop.

[Studio-N]

To further show how little they care for thier business customers, the new FO Baird reprint books are on sale.

Wholesale members and businesses are being offered $0.01 off thier regular price.

[Spartan]

To further show how little they care for thier business customers, the new FO Baird reprint books are on sale.

Wholesale members and businesses are being offered $0.01 off thier regular price.

I saw that last week and couldn't believe the price! Theirs are almost 3 times what I paid for my copy

[Studio-N]

The new catalog is available this week as the stores get their orders. Get ready to pay more.

[St8LineGunsmith]

I saw that last week and couldn't believe the price! Theirs are almost 3 times what I paid for my copy

Once they see no one is buying they will eventually put them on sale.

they also combined all three volumes of the Stohlman encyclopedia of saddle making and bumped up the price from 59.95 per copy to 199.99 per copy. I think they are shooting themselves in the foot by offering these publications at such an astronomical price.

just another example of corporate greed.

nevertheless the FO Baird book is astonishing collection of leather project patterns and designs it is not worth the ridiculous asking price.

[Studio-N]

Once they see no one is buying they will eventually put them on sale.

they also combined all three volumes of the Stohlman encyclopedia of saddle making and bumped up the price from 59.95 per copy to 199.99 per copy. I think they are shooting themselves in the foot by offering these publications at such an astronomical price.

just another example of corporate greed.

nevertheless the FO Baird book is astonishing collection of leather project patterns and designs it is not worth the ridiculous asking price.

Gotta agree with you 100%. I know a lot of people who had to save up to buy each individual volume at $79.99. Now they want you to fork over $200 all at once. That isn't always possible.

But I guess when you live in an ivory tower that doesn't matter much.

[Havamal]

To further show how little they care for thier business customers, the new FO Baird reprint books are on sale.

Wholesale members and businesses are being offered $0.01 off thier regular price.

I saw that and took a screen shot of it and sent it into Tandy asking if this was an error... I sent it once a day for a week... still no response. (that was a month ago) It is hard to keep the loyalty of your members if you keep shooting them in the foot!

Edited October 7, 2013 by Havamal

[raysouth]

For those of you interested in the Baird book, there was a couple of copies at very reasonable pricing, listed in the tool sale at www.proleptic.net .

God Bless.

Ray

[jacket potato]

You guys living in America are so lucky! There is no Springfield in the UK or other great suppliers you mentioned on these pages.. Even if they are great to work with the postage charges are too high, plus there will be duty taxe added at the customs. For example, three bottles of antique stain cost $63.00 while the postage on them is $70.00. And then plus the duty tax.. Even if I do not want to, I will have to come back to Tandy's.. :-(

[St8LineGunsmith]

I have been using American Saddlery locally lately for my leather purchases since I found out they sell to the public. much higher quality leather and usually less than TLF prices

Ya I liked it a whole lot better when Tandy Leather factory was just the leather Factory. the leather factory started out at the old Scholtz tannery in Chattanooga, TN

The leather factory bought the Tandy brand because Tandy was more popular and well known than the Leather Factory so the lrather factory bought the tandy brand for one million dollars when

Tandy filed for bankruptcy.

I still have a good time up at the local TLF on Saturdays just hanging out with my other leather head friends.

[Art]

You guys in the UK have Abbey and I think even a TLF now. For leather you have Baker who produces the best oak tannage that I know of, Sedgwick produces very nice curried products.

Art

[Matt S]

You guys living in America are so lucky! There is no Springfield in the UK or other great suppliers you mentioned on these pages.. Even if they are great to work with the postage charges are too high, plus there will be duty taxe added at the customs. For example, three bottles of antique stain cost $63.00 while the postage on them is $70.00. And then plus the duty tax.. Even if I do not want to, I will have to come back to Tandy's.. :-(

We have Abbey, Leprevo, Batchelors, Metropolitan... Fiebings dyes from Leprevo cost about £4+VAT, from Abbey a bit cheaper.

[jacket potato]

Thank you very much guys! Obviously I did not do much research around here.Thank you for the directions!

[mrdabeetle]

The customer service wouldn't be so bad if some of the employees would stop pretending that they know better than someone who has been doing this longer than they have been alive. I'm always open to new techniques and materials, but giving a customer false information is reprehensible.

[St8LineGunsmith]

My local TLF actually has a very knowledgable staff. some employees have been there back when it was still just the leather factory back when Ron was still

the man in charge.

the only issue I have with TLF is their ridiculous pricing.

[ruger]

Our Tandy is closing down Dec. 31 for good. The employees have been very helpful and friendly. Part of the problem is Tandy seems to overstock them with inventory that doesn't sell in this area.

I don't like the quality of there tooling leather for there price. There memberships are out of line also. But like to shop there because it's handy and friendly help.

The store is or was in Fargo ND.

[Studio-N]

Has anyone noticed they are not doing web specials anymore?

[electrathon]

Has anyone noticed they are not doing web specials anymore?

They have moved the super specials to the outlet store.

They are still having close out sales on items that have not been in inventory for months and months.

[RavenAus]

I would dearly love to have a Tandy near us. There's only one in the whole of Australia and that's in NSW. Here in Brisbane we have a great place for leather - East Coast Leather, very good prices and they know their stuff, but they ONLY do leather. No hardware, not even a buckle, and no tools. Mac Lace do hardware and tools but have a limited range, so sometimes I have to order from Tandy despite the shipping costs which are high in Aus. If Tandy were closer I'd be a regular visitor.

[Jeffrey46]

What Tandy gets wrong, heck what most retail in the US gets wrong, is to forget that the most valuable thing that they have as a company are its own employees. As others have noted here, it was often the people managing and working at the stores that would engender loyalty from the customer.

To survive as a retail concern, Tandy needs to draw in new customers to the hobby - a difficult thing to do in the age of cell phones, Call of Duty and cable TV. Without new customers, they are only going to last so long. The only way to grow the retail business is to give the men and women who have a passion for leatherwork and who work for you the tools to succeed.

I am not sure that they are doing this any longer. My local store has some great people, but I no longer see signs for classes, etc. Tandy needs to empower people to go out and create business, even if this means paying them more to attract people with the right stuff.

Without some kind of turnaround, eventually I can see them pulling out of retail and going mail order only again.

Sound familiar?

[Studio-N]

What Tandy gets wrong, heck what most retail in the US gets wrong, is to forget that the most valuable thing that they have as a company are its own employees.

Oh they give a LOT of lip service about their employees being their best asset and yet the have replaced almost every manager in their system with new younger models with little or no actual leather

experience. Their new philosophy is that you don't have to know the product to sell the product. sell it. just sell it. Their goal is still to reach $100 million in sales so they can get the stock up, and they plan to make it on our backs. hell, the ceo and vp didn't even have the dignity to come out of their office during their corporate Christmas party to say hi to the troops they work with everyday much less giving a crap about the ones out in the field. But don't worry, he'll give the speech about about their employees being their best asset at the next quarterly stock meeting.

I am not sure that they are doing this any longer. My local store has some great people, but I no longer see signs for classes, etc.

same reason, they only hire sales help, not leather experienced sales help. Not a requirement. So if they act like a used cars salesman - they probably were.

[WScott]

There are so many really good online retailers for tools and supplies with better quality than Tandy.

I think Tandy is good for a start out in leather, allowing you to get going with relatively a low tool investment cost, but after that you begin to want better stuff.

As for ordering leather, it is hard to order it sight unseen; so much better when you get your hands on it before you buy. Neither online or Tandy handle that well.

[kwelna]

I recently sent a letter off to Tandy as to my dissatisfaction of the "Bennefits" of being a club member. I received a friendly response from them and i am waiting to see if they change some of their offerings\practices. (The loss of the free tool each month etc.) I also understand that they are in a tight spot. First they are a specialty shop shop so they have a limited audience. While we grouse about their prices and leather quality, they need to keep some of thier prices and costs low so the cost of entry into this hobby is low enough that a noob can afford to try it out and see if they like it. They also have to keep inventory levels high enough to both make the store attractive and to assure that all products are available when you walk in. This is a tremendouse cost to have inventory just stiing there waiting to be purchased. To make up for that loss, they have to charge more. I frequent the Tandy store in Roseville, MN the staff is great, the customer service provided by the staff is awesome and Tom the Mgr is fantastic. So I do cut them some slack on their prices. I go there and spend my money because of these people not the Tandy brand.........Upon second thought, that is not totaly true. I am never afraid to purchase Tandy tooling\products because of the their warrenty. It it breaks or does not perform as expected I can return it for an exchange or get my money back. I have done this on a few occasion and was able to return the item with out hassle. So I guess I mostly (80%) go for the people and customer service. I agree that for the price I would like to see a little bit highter quaity in both the leather and some of the tooling, but I also understand with the internet and having to compete with online sellers with reduced overhead it may not always be possible. As to the complaints about the water based dyes, finished etc. With all the tree huggers and over reactions to petrolium based and "chemical" based products I do believe that tandy is just adjusting to the changing politics of the market place. I have a feeling that they are trying to get ahead of the curve. Has anyone tried contacting coprorate about perceived failing of the water based products and offer possible suggestions to rectify issues or work arounds? I do beleive that in less than 5-10 years it will be impossible to find many of the spriit and oil based products (Remember Zip Strip wood stripper you know the stuff that acrtually worked?) The same thing is coming for our hobby\business' and hopfuly by then these eco friendly products will be better and function in an expected manner.

I too spend money with Springfield, RJF and Sherridan (All fo whom have stellar customer service and leather). But I will continue to spend some of my money with Tandy so long as the staff and customer service are superb and Tandy stands behind the products they are selling.