Full Version: Discount Labels
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#10]
21 Dec 2006
To: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#8] 22 Dec 2006
Two more things.
This thread was not about credit. It was about a great supplier.
Second, on a $20,000.00 job I would NOT do it without a 50 percent deposit. I don't care who the customer is. Further I would have paid my supplier regardless of whether I was paid by my customer or not. It is MY responsiblity to pay my bills, and the " I'll pay you when I get paid "excuse does not cut it with me.
I owe no one anything.
Credit by the way is NOT an entitlement, it is EARNED. I have earned it from those that still trust. Only ONCE in 20 years have I had to ask a supplier to coorperate with me and extend terms to 90 days. Guess what? They were paid in full in 60 days.
It is simply business. I"m sorry you got burned.
EDITED: 21 Dec 2006 by C_BURKE
From: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#11]
22 Dec 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#10] 22 Dec 2006
Half of the problem we had with that particular client was a new overzealous salesman. He got a minimal amount down on a job that we outsourced. He set the order up to accept far less profit than we normaly would to "get" the order because of the volume......the combination of these two situations, and them deciding to string us out for a year was not good....The salesman is gone (in prison for 20 years for possessing child pornography among other things), and our client is on a cash with order basis (yes we still work with them). I would say we were lucky to get our money back, but we probably didn't make a penny on the job by the time everything was said and done. Our problem? Absolutely! But it was a good example of how trust has it's limits.
As I said...we do extend credit, and it has helped both us and our clients grow their businesses, but anyone that would come to me with the attitude that they deserved credit would totaly rub me the wrong way.
It has nothing to do with greed....it's just protecting the integrity of our business, by making sure we don't have too many people "borrowing" our operating capitol.
I still don't think you understand your vendors position. Obviously they had a reason to deny credit to you. I highly doubt that it was to make you feel inadaquate, or anger you....I have no reason to believe your credit is anything less than stellar. but as you said, credit is earned.....and for the same reason....there is a limit to how much should be taken, and how much can be given. If your credit is that good, you should have no reason covering it with your credit card or getting a loan and moving on without feeling snubbed.
I live my life like you do. I don't believe in paying minimums on credit cards....and I pay the people that I owe money regardless on if I have problems collecting money from my customers or not (I don't like to make my problems other people's problems). Not everyone is in a position to do this, but our relationships with our vendors are very important to us, and that trust thing that you spoke about needs to be earned. :)
Regarding the great company that is being discussed here.....
We have worked with Discount labels for years and have had nothing but positive experiences with them. I would highly recommend them. They're so good, I was hoping to keep them to myself. ;)
From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#12]
30 Dec 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#9] 30 Dec 2006
Amen!
I know it's common practice for many businesses to pay bills at a particular time of month. However, I can't stand for a bill to just "sit"...all the while knowing that I owe someone money! We almost always pay our bills within a day of receiving them.
When we first got started, we had a hard time getting business credit (even though our personal credit is excellent). There were a couple of suppliers that took the risk of extending credit to us (most notably Trinity Capital and Catania Medallic). We have a HUGE appreciation for these folks, as they played a part in getting us established.
In fact, when Catania first granted us credit, we had a large medal order for Catania....to the tune of about $1,500. The order was for one of our school accounts, and we knew that it would be just over 30 days when we got paid. That was NOT Catania's issue to work out....it was OUR'S. To get them paid on time, we took out a loan, and paid our bill immediately.
This can't work for everybody, but it certainly works for us.
<end rant>
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Okay, back on topic now.
A couple of years ago, someone recommended US Tape & Label to me. I placed an order with them for some nice - but simple - foil labels. They promised the labels within a couple of weeks. Cool.
Four weeks later, I saw that they had charged my credit card for the labels, but I had not received them. I called the company back to ask about the order, and the owner (?) told me that they would ship that same day.
Two weeks later, and still no labels. I called to cancel the order, and the guy insisted that I give them another chance. He practically ARGUED with me about it. He relented and credited my card.
Since then, we have just bought Avery labels from WalMart and printed them ourselves. That works great for lots of low-end items, but not so well for our high-end products.
I avoided Stouse for some reason, but I can't seem to remember why now. I'll give Discount a call next week to see about getting some done.
Cody
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#13]
30 Dec 2006
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#12] 2 Jan 2007
Cody,
I do not think you will be dissapointed with Discount at all. They did make a mistake on the phone number on the labels for me, but once I pointed it out, they said no problem. Did the order again and I have my labels. All in about a week. No muss. No fuss.
As for Stouse, if I may venture a guess as to why you avoided them, it could be because the did not seem welcoming. At least not to me. Among the things I have learned and read since getting into this business, one is " Make it easy and convenient for your customer to do business with you".
Stouse in *my* opinion did not do that.
( insert picture of Chuck stepping off of his soapbox here). ( insert laugh here)
SEE YOU IN VEGAS!
From: JHayes55 [#14]
30 Dec 2006
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#12] 2 Jan 2007
Cody - we have used Discount for our customers orders and for ourselves the last 7 years - all I can add is that they have been excellent to work with. All of our products leave with a Discount label on them or the gift box some where.
We get 2 or 3 different styles of labels to use on various products from them - they are very easy to get reorders from and extremely fast (only a couple days). Good company that I highly recommend.
We do use Stouse for some customer orders - their selection of labels is larger - they have items that Discount is not able to produce. We have not had any bad experience from them but they may not be as friendly as Discount.
As Chuck would say - that's my .02 want change?
From: Vicky (ANDERI) [#15]
30 Dec 2006
To: JHayes55 [#14] 31 Dec 2006
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#16]
30 Dec 2006
To: JHayes55 [#14] 31 Dec 2006
I have only used Stouse and Gill-line for labels. I have the catalog from Discount Labels, but haven't found the need to use them yet.
I would agree that Stouse doesn't emit warm fuzzies with every call, but they've always done a nice job on my orders.
Gill-line is a different story. They are awesome in every way. After all, they've been around since their recently deceased founder invented the bumper sticker. The company is still family-owned.
If you ever need political signage of any kind, Gill-line is the one!
From: JHayes55 [#17]
31 Dec 2006
To: Vicky (ANDERI) [#15] 31 Dec 2006
We purchase labels for our own use on awards, trophies, signs and other products we sell - and we also purchase labels that are resold to our customers - we do the layout and proof of the label for the customer - place the orders and contact the customer when the labels are delivered to us.
I am sure Discount is happy that I am using there product as well as selling it - why wouldn't they? They collect the same profit from me if I use it or if I resell it. :-)
I am confused as to why a custom cast pin supplier would not want you to use his product for yourself but only to sell it for him!! What am I missing here? Isn't like a car company telling it's dealer to sell the cars but go somewhere else and buy there own personal car. 8-O
Happy New Year
From: JHayes55 [#18]
31 Dec 2006
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#16] 31 Dec 2006
David - I am passing your recommendation along to the catalog queen. :-)
I think she has used them before but having a two thumbs up from you will make her review them again.
Thanks & Happy New Year
From: UncleSteve [#19]
31 Dec 2006
To: JHayes55 [#17] 31 Dec 2006
What they want to avoid is everyone getting in for one self-promtion order and NOT even try to sell to others... In other words, signing up as a dealer just to get the discount for ourselves.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU, TONI AND THE REST OF THE CLAN! :-)
From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#20]
2 Jan 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 2 Jan 2007
Cody
Only 49 days 'til VEGAS!!
EDITED: 2 Jan 2007 by BOBTNAILER
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#21]
2 Jan 2007
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#20] 3 Jan 2007
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
From: Toni (TONI56) [#22]
2 Jan 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#21] 2 Jan 2007
Chuck,
You are so reserved & shy. I can only imagine the teachers clicking their heels together at the end of each school year. No doubt in regret that you were going to the next grade level. :>
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#23]
2 Jan 2007
To: Toni (TONI56) [#22] 2 Jan 2007
Toni,
I doubt it was regret ;-)
From: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#24]
13 Jan 2007
To: John (ICTJOHN) [#4] 23 Jan 2007
From: JHayes55 [#25]
13 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#24] 14 Jan 2007
From: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#26]
14 Jan 2007
To: ChiefD (CHIEFDCCD) [#24] 14 Jan 2007
Beyone reading about it....you should check out the free software...Seeing mit work is much easier to understand that looking at the main description page.
They have free tutorials on their software that you can see via the web on a daily basis. This would be a great introduction for anyone.
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