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Re: Wholesale neon !
Posted By: neontek In Response To: Re: Wholesale neon ! (MVCS)
Date: Tuesday, 16 October 2007, at 2:59 a.m.
> Well, I have to admit Neontek, your post was
> more intelligent and thought out. Yet you
> still make claims and accusations you know
> absolutley nothing about.> Greed? I work on an overall lower profit
> margin than you do, by your own accounting.
> I would much rather have neon done outside
> for the aggravation and cost of the
> equipment involved, but it is still less of
> both than using the shops we have dealt in
> the past 10 years. We have dealt with
> SEVERAL shops of experience, and longivity
> in the business, all with a commmon thread.
> Marginal glass at top prices, no care
> whatsoever about deadlines and delivery
> dates, and an air of self importance as if
> dealing with them was a privilege. There was
> one exception and he put himself out of the
> business through his "nose".> If it weren't for those same attitudes and
> run away pricing, Signwriters might still be
> around today in numbers. Their own self
> indulgence created the need for the
> development of vinyl for signage. I would
> much rather have a signwriter do faces, or a
> bender do neon, but the facts are what they
> are.> There are many, many more cost effective and
> attractive forms of signage than neon, with
> nowhere near the number of limitations,
> cost, vulnerability to the elements, prone
> to failure in the components involved (not
> just glass), and ongoing maintenance needs.
> Most customers we have, who have had neon
> for any legnth of time never want it again.
> It is a money pit and there are normally not
> any quick, affordable repairs, and there are
> always repairs.> You want to talk artistic? We have and use
> more artistic skills in the design,
> manufacture and installation of almost any
> form of general signage than one or two
> colors of bent glass on a plastic mount.
> Don't misunderstand me, I think neon is a
> beautiful form of signage and has been an
> important one. But again, it is only one
> style of signage in a sea of many, many more
> cost effective, reliable and attractive
> forms of signage, and as much as some like
> to think it is, it is not rocket science.> You wanna survive? Come to grips with the
> fact that you are a commodity, expected to
> deliver a quality product for a reasonable
> price, focused on service and your
> customer's needs...not Picasso.> Your customer wants a quality, affordable,
> reliable sign, not an heirloom.I never stated my profit margin. I said, I allow my customers to have room to mark their end prices up 50 percent, but they usually use a larger mark-up.
It is unfortunate you have received the service you have in the past. - Our shop usually provides next day "repairs/replacement units"(for service work jobs), and has never missed a deadline. We turn out a high-end product. I just assume most others do the same, that is my oversight.
YES, my customers also think my prices are high (but yet they make as much or more profit on each unit as I do, without turning a wheel)
I'm just tired of people whining about "high" prices (it's always too high with most customers, no matter the price). My rates seldom increase, and when they do they are not near the percentages of increase in health ins., business ins., etc.Reliability in outdoor exposed neon signs not only depends on the neon itself, but the ENTIRE constuction (and components) from start to finish. I am assuming you're involved in that stage of production? Most of my work is wholesale, but I also fabricate "old world" (steel and sheetmetal) exposed neon sign cabinets from time to time. We don't use plastic supports or take shortcuts. We terminate in glass housings and meter load each transformer. We run GTO sheathing even on the interior of cabinets, etc. A few of those signs have never had to be serviced in 15-20 years. A few have had to have only a transformer replaced in the same timeframe. NEON signs can be reliable and efficient, but every stage of the fabrication needs to be done CORRECTLY ! There are too many places for error, and most of them are your responsibility if you're fabricating the signs yourself ! Wholesalers can and should be making long-lasting, quality units..... the rest is up to you.
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