And you think Dealerships were the only....

March 26, 2008

This is a huge problem on the flat glass side. While everyone was bitching about the MFGRS setting up car dealerships, there has been at least one distr for a major manufacturer that has been actively recruiting all the shutter and blind shops they can sign up. I did some work in Knoxville for one of them last year, and he told me that he was told he could get a good tinter for .45 to .55 cents per square ft. He had attended a Maddy meeting in Dallas and there were a lot of other shutter & blind shops there as well.

Why these guys cant help thier existing "core dealers" sell more film rather than recruit more dealers is beyond me. I know that they want to sell more film, but doing it at the expense of thier existing dealer base makes no sense.

This has been going on for a while now. Seems to me that the only possible end to this scenario (should things follow the course now set) will be the demise of the industry as a whole. The more they saturate the market with dealers, the more prices will drop, and more will get out of the business. Should 50% of the existing (and experienced) dealers start looking for other sources of revenue, that would make a huge hole in the MFGRs dealer base.

The whole fiasco over dealer loyalty began shortly after they started courting the car dealerships in our areas, and here of late, the shutter and blind industry. They whine about the fact that we dealers are no longer as loyal to a brand as we used to be, and all the while they are saturating our markets with more dealers!!!! The WalMart mentality is spreading everywhere. And according to the MFGRs, it's OUR FAULT as dealers, for not selling enough film.

Where is the IWFA while all this is going on? Whose interests are they REALLY looking out for? While we certainly cannot prevent a MFGR or thier reps from selling film, we DO have a choice in which brand of film we as dealers carry. I will NOT be loyal to any MFGR or DISTR that is looking to cut into my slice of the pie by saturating MY market. We need an association like the PWFA now more than ever. United we can tell them that we are happy for them that they signed up those shutter and blind shops, and hope it works out, We can tell them also that we hope those shutter & blind shops will buy that 2 million or so in film per year that we USED to buy from them.

This trend is going to continue into other venues. There is talk about the home improvement stores being courted to offer film. Any related industry like window washers, interior designers, etc are prime targets as well. Where does it end?

I encourage everyone to at least take a look at membership in the PWTA. We need to unite.

March 26, 2008

Great! Now flat glass is trying to sneak in the back door through franchise business's I can guess who it is

Marco, It's BEEN going on!!!

I'll bet it begins with an M, and it doesn't have 3 of 'em!! Them, and thier Biggest distributor!!! Although they SWEAR to me that they aren't doing that. The absolutely CRAZY part of it is that they do this to us, lie to us about it, and we (some of us anyway) continue to support thier doing so by buying MORE film from them. We are telling them in not so many words that it's OK for them to screw us, and don't worry, we'll still buy film from them even tho they are screwing us.

March 26, 2008

I did a quick search and found this franchise offering window film Visit My Website
And this is the company they are promoting Visit My Website

The cornerstone of Jeff's business at WFD has been this Budget Blinds account. I would not be surprised if the boys in Dallas have carved into his once exclusive business. BTW-- MMM doesn't seem to have a problem with WFD distributing nationally....dont know how that happened since they dictate sales by county when it comes to dealers.... :poke

Cuttingedge · March 26, 2008

I did a quick search and found this franchise offering window film Visit My Website
And this is the company they are promoting Visit My Website

Actually that was the old way he was doing it....not making any money just referring to get the job done. I am talking about them starting to have a "Private Label" film at their disposal for them to buy and have it installed for their customers. In other words I dont think they can say what the manufacturer name is, just that it is a Budget Blind Film....

March 27, 2008

Amen Key West!! Where do ya sign up? The mannys want us to be loyal to them and only them, but it seems like they will cut our throats any chance they get. :thumb

IT

tintlife · March 27, 2008

This is a huge problem on the flat glass side. While everyone was bitching about the MFGRS setting up car dealerships, there has been at least one distr for a major manufacturer that has been actively recruiting all the shutter and blind shops they can sign up. I did some work in Knoxville for one of them last year, and he told me that he was told he could get a good tinter for .45 to .55 cents per square ft. He had attended a Maddy meeting in Dallas and there were a lot of other shutter & blind shops there as well.
Why these guys cant help thier existing "core dealers" sell more film rather than recruit more dealers is beyond me. I know that they want to sell more film, but doing it at the expense of thier existing dealer base makes no sense.

This has been going on for a while now. Seems to me that the only possible end to this scenario (should things follow the course now set) will be the demise of the industry as a whole. The more they saturate the market with dealers, the more prices will drop, and more will get out of the business. Should 50% of the existing (and experienced) dealers start looking for other sources of revenue, that would make a huge hole in the MFGRs dealer base.

The whole fiasco over dealer loyalty began shortly after they started courting the car dealerships in our areas, and here of late, the shutter and blind industry. They whine about the fact that we dealers are no longer as loyal to a brand as we used to be, and all the while they are saturating our markets with more dealers!!!! The WalMart mentality is spreading everywhere. And according to the MFGRs, it's OUR FAULT as dealers, for not selling enough film.

Where is the IWFA while all this is going on? Whose interests are they REALLY looking out for? While we certainly cannot prevent a MFGR or thier reps from selling film, we DO have a choice in which brand of film we as dealers carry. I will NOT be loyal to any MFGR or DISTR that is looking to cut into my slice of the pie by saturating MY market. We need an association like the PWFA now more than ever. United we can tell them that we are happy for them that they signed up those shutter and blind shops, and hope it works out, We can tell them also that we hope those shutter & blind shops will buy that 2 million or so in film per year that we USED to buy from them.

This trend is going to continue into other venues. There is talk about the home improvement stores being courted to offer film. Any related industry like window washers, interior designers, etc are prime targets as well. Where does it end?

I encourage everyone to at least take a look at membership in the PWTA. We need to unite.

Where can I sign up? Anyone else intrested in preserving there lively hood would also consider it. THANKS!

V4V · March 27, 2008

http://advancedfilmfl.net/2008/02/21/when-...s-go-badly.aspx

http://advancedfilmfl.net/2008/03/03/profe...ion-update.aspx

This Budget Blinds issue is the "tip of the iceberg" and no one should be surprised.

March 27, 2008

This Budget Blinds issue is the "tip of the iceberg" and no one should be surprised.

I would have to agree - all though I wish didnt

Customtinting · March 27, 2008

Learn to adapt or die off, boys. Been running into this issue for years against the big M'cow.

Customtinting · March 27, 2008

Another view is:

You install for Joes Glass company as a sub. He advertises film, and you do the work and provide the product. Now, you go out and market to get work from Charlies Glass, A-Plus Glass and so on. At which point, Joe get pissed that you are doing work for his competitors. You just wanted to sell more film and make more money. Now jJoe demands that YOU stop working for the pther companies, or he will not send you any work. Of course, Joe did'nt market to any of these companies to get work, you did, but you could lose his because you did the work at getting MORE OUTLETS.

Sounds like the spot we are discussing. Only WE are JOE, adn the installation company is the Mannys. This could be(or have been stopped) stopped, should we as installers get out there and get the dealerships, the blind guys, and so on, so the Mannys would'nt have to. They are JUST LIKE US. Looking to sell their product anywhere to increase market share. If we don't do it, they will !!!

Just playing devils advocate!!!!