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

[Cedri]

I've been in and out leatherworking but three years ago I noticed the stamping tools where about $6 ea, ( and the free tool monthly) this week I paid $8 ea with the gold account, way to much inflation to my way of thinking in that short period of time. I also noticed the sides I purchased three years ago where $80.00 / $100.00, same sides today at a $230.00. Makes me wonder how the small craft businesses here actually can earn a living with the cost of materials rising so significantly.

[St8LineGunsmith]

Well first off go to Springfield leather and submit your gold club membership to get your stamps for 5 dollars a piece and their start rite stamps sets are very good quality so get what you can of those.

unfortunately as leather prices go up leather workers have to raise prices of their work as well.

[Studio-N]

snip...... Makes me wonder how the small craft businesses here actually can earn a living with the cost of materials rising so significantly.

You need to shop around. TLF does not care about businesses small or otherwise. The margin is just too small.

They only pay $1.25 or so for the stamps from China so at full blown retail $10 they are making an 87% margin compared to

a 37% margin at business cost. which do you think they want? Thier goal is/was to make $100 million in sales. They didn't make

it last year and so they went to a flat price scheme to make it this year mostly off the retail customer. I say scheme because now thier 12 sq foot shoulders they send cost the same as the 18 sq foot ones they advertise at thier flat price. They of course are still mostly buying hides at a square foot price from South America and Mexico.

Best way to save is to go in with some friends and buy 10 sides or whatever from some of the other vendors be it Herman, Wicket, Springfield or some

of the others when they have good leather at a good price. And you always pay for size you got versus what you should have gotten.

Cheers!

[RavenAus]

I do wish people would remember where they started. Without Tandy there would not be a leather hobby in many countries. It's where the majority of leathercrafters start. You may have moved on from them but for a lot of people, especially those outside the US, they are not only the best option if they want to work with leather, they are sometimes the only option.

[St8LineGunsmith]

that is it in a nut shell, shop around.

fortunately for me I found some of the nicest veg tan leather at really good prices called sho tan leather from american saddlery

but they also sell on line and take phone orders too.

might want to give them a shout

[WScott]

I do wish people would remember where they started. Without Tandy there would not be a leather hobby in many countries. It's where the majority of leathercrafters start. You may have moved on from them but for a lot of people, especially those outside the US, they are not only the best option if they want to work with leather, they are sometimes the only option.

Good points here for sure. We all had to start somewhere.

Edited March 10, 2014 by WScott

[almac]

my membership renewal forms arrived from tandy last week.

due to poor service, raised prices, and constant shipping problems after 5+ years of membership, I will not be renewing my membership again. hell, they don't even give the 'free tool' anymore.

I'm so pissed with their corporate greed, I doubt I'd even accept a FREE membership.

[Monroe leather]

Tandy leather factory has no loyalty to there customers whatsoever my family has been doing business with them for over 70 plus years when the Spokane wa. Store got a new manager Jason he was doing some things that were just not good so I would contact the corporate office theay would look into it and he told them a pack of lies and had me and my business black listed from there store and if I go into that business I would be arrested and the corporate office is backing him theay won't even talk to me