Weaver Leather--disappointed

[MADMAX22]

4 hours ago, JimTimber said:

You're buying on price alone, but you want the service that comes with retail pricing at the wholesale rate.  That's how businesses fail. 

I remember a time when wholesalers would drive around to business's and setup orders with them over lunch and a couple of beers (if they had time that day). They would deal with concerns on the buyers end and discuss new products and settle on prices and take the order back and fulfill as requested. If the quality wasnt what we thought it should be (like up to a standard) it would be returned with the person delivering the order or we would take it up with the wholesale representative next time they were around. 

Big house makers return large quantities just like small timers return ones and twos its just a matter of volume. Wickett and craig use to carry all those returns as overstock sales but I think the middle business's (like maverick) have setup deals to take those returns before they get dished out to the public so we little guys dont see those deals anymore. 

regardless if its a $500 or $5000 order there are standards that are kept buy the big boys or little girls just the same. Both require customer service (or atleast use to) the only difference is the big boys have a dedicated employee(s) whos sole purpose is to deal with supply and the quality/price of the supply. 

[Sceaden]

2 hours ago, MADMAX22 said:

Has absolutely nothing to do with "rocket science" its leather working and supply, its not that hard. This is also the mentality that has done away with mom and pop type stores in favor of walmart and amazon. My parents were victims of this changing mentality. Unfortunately it was at the cusp of the internet revolution if you will.

Once again the bottom dollar prevails, the 5-15% increase in sales/revenue every quarter. 

It is what it is and aint gonna change any time soon I guess. Just a good thing all the sewing machine suppliers we buy from dont have this mentality (yet). 

I should have added the caveat that this is wholesale business. The flip side is the close personal attention to each and every customer that you receive at a 70 year old family owned hardware store like I work for but it is recognized and accepted that the prices are higher. You go to wal-mart and they literally have no customer service in the aisles and that's ok because you pay nothing for their products. 

[MADMAX22]

1 minute ago, Sceaden said:

I should have added the caveat that this is wholesale business.

Yeah I know, I was talking about wholesale business also. We only had the family business for 20 yrs or so before selling it, us kids moved away and parents were having a hard time finding dependable employees, and wholesalers no longer gave two S**** about little shops anymore.

[Sceaden]

And let's be brutally honest here. If you are making stuff to sell the only reason you want a better price is to make more profit. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that but why complain about the other guy making money? 

I was really happy to find some great pricing from SLC over Tandy wholesale because now every project that goes out the door leaves a few extra dollars in my pocket.
 

[Ken Kent]

Used to buy from Weaver bought their leather splitter a few years ago by the time all was said & done $2500.00.Today went to Tandy for a few what I consider staple products,glycerine bar carnuba wax & beeswax I only got the bees wax.At this point I had to unload on the manager every time I go this is what I get discontinued discon....discon they really don't care about customer relations.When they opened the store in Edmonton it was like a dream come true they have been discontinuing ever since then.It's a 40 min.drive from my place to Tandy.I guess in reality this is now the norm.

[cjartist]

^^^ This may be both the result and the cause of the majority of sales moving to the internet.  For a leather supplier, internet sales means they will need to increase their quality standards in order to survive.

[NVLeatherWorx]

And can we please let this topic die now?  It has become the old "whipping the dead horse" thing and we should probably move on to more constructive things.

[cjartist]

25 minutes ago, NVLeatherWorx said:

And can we please let this topic die now?  It has become the old "whipping the dead horse" thing and we should probably move on to more constructive things.

Why?  I think we are just discussing general business policy.  How is that a 'dead horse'? 

[lws380]

Is there not an option to not read it?

[JLSleather]

I like to save money.  I like a good price.  I'll pay more if I'm getting MORE.  I'll pay more if I'm getting something BETTER.  But I won't pay more because someone told me a pretty story while I shopped.  I do not pay more because you have "awesome" signs and banners on your store. 

You as a vendor have the right to raise your price at any time you see fit.  But there maybe a point in your price changes that I decide to jump ship.  SURELY, ANY business considers this beforehand.

In fact, about the only way you get me to pay more is having something the other guy doesn't have.  Keep in mind that just having something isn't enough--- this 'something' you have needs to be BETTER than what the other guy has.  And it doesn't include taking the same thing someone else sells and adding your own packaging.

Some guy standing in the isle with me? No - -I'm thinking either he's decided I'm a thief there to rip him off, or in some cases maybe a fruitcake who likes me?  Seriously, this is online stuff, largely -- I want exactly what I ordered, at a reasonable price, shipped in reasonable time.