ARrrggggh!!!!

[Stephen Beckham]

Rant on... :mad:

Well, I verbally committed to buying 1000 boxes from a supplier (only needed 900). Nice box, nice price (so I thought). But only needed the first 500 immediately and he only had 400 on hand. He sent 400 that he had in stock and 100 drop shipped from his supplier. And placed an order to replenish his stock plus another 500 for me...

Quandry... Do I research the import guy (knowing without a doubt it will be cheaper) or finish order with the guy I committed to. Well, being the good Christian and poor business I man I seem to be, I went ahead and placed the second order to complete the 1000....


THEN.... I researched the importer and found that the price difference was .96 each - or about $480 too much I spent not switching to the importer (a total of $960 too much total order). I know it's just business to mark items up, but it seems silly to mark an item up $1 each when you don't even touch them or open the case. If I was buying 1, 2, 5, or 10, yea, but 1000 - no bulk discount... 8 of the cases still had the tape on them from China...

To make it worse - I had to commit to 500 at a time. Talking to the importer today, she made it clear that they come 96 to a case (which is true - I got four full cases and a box of 16) and if they break a case... tada - higher price. Oh - they sell them in batches of 12. So I guess my real gripe is that I've got 100 extra now that I paid too much for - because my supplier told me it was required by his supplier. Why would he say that if he had something drop shipped right to me with the possibility that I could find out the truth...

Well, took my lemons - added some water and now seem to have sold 30 today and another sell of 50 with a follow on order possible for another 250 of them...

Moral of the story - I wasted too much time griping already - I've found the box for a $1 cheaper, I raised the sell price $1 each (still way below market price because that includes acrylic and engraving) and have possibly sold a couple hundred more.... All because I felt like the supplier was greedy and I googled the part...

Rant done....

[Frank Corker]

Steve, sorry to hear that mate, I seem to be caught out on things like that on a daily basis. Because I am a one man band (not a loud one either) everything that I manage to beg them to send me costs much higher than it should.

In your case it is a lesson that you won't forget. It does show, this being to your credit, that you are a man of your word. You followed through with your end of the deal, knowing there was an alternative, but you stuck to your agreement and that makes you a better man than most.
I'd be happy to deal with you.

[Stephen Beckham]

Thanks Frank - appreciate the kind words.... Just had to rant - this was a second item I used a bunch of in the last couple months that after buying, I found the importer to the change of big money. The other was ornament hangars and it was a difference of $2.75 each down to $1.05 each... Oouch! :eek:

I'll admit it was easier completing the sale prior to researching the price - had I known the difference - I would have least tried to bargain a bit, but then who knows if I'd been big enough to follow through...

The good news in the whole story still goes back to the fact that I didn't loose money - I lost profit. One will keep the creditors happy the other just keeps the wife happy.

One other note - I'm in negotiation to make another $2K purchase from the supplier - so relationship is still sound, I'll just refrain from using their jewelry boxes...



BTW... Frank, need some jewelry boxes??? :D

[Lonny Meeks]

Well, Steve, you can at least rest peacefully knowing you did the right thing. It does say a lot for the kind of person you are and now, just a little smarter. I think in your case, you are not the only one that has done that. There are those who have and those that will.

Are they acrylic boxes? I have been seeing the bamboo boxes showing up more.

[Albert Nix]

Steve what kind of boxes are they and do you mind sharing the source.
Al

[Ed Lang]

Steve,

Same question from me. Who, what were, if you will share that info.

Got any pictures of your finished product to share with us?

Thanks!!

[Eric Fuller]

Business is business. Once I found out where I could buy them cheaper, I would have contacted the original seller and given them a chance to renegotiate. If they stood fast, I would have switched the order to the importer. That goes double if the original seller misled you, which it seems like he did.

[Doug Griffith]

You mad a commitment and held to it. That is what I would have done. The next time is a different story though.

There is one variable we're missing. The price you paid per box. That extra .96 could have brought their margin to a reasonable amount or over keystone. Businesses have to make money but keep the margin within reason.

I suspect they justify the minimum quantity as making it worth their time.

Cheers,
Doug

[Stephen Beckham]

I posted a picture of one of the finished products in this thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=90509

I hope that link works. Basically, they are rectangular universal jewelry boxes. I cut a same shaped 1/4" acrylic block with a specialized hole to hold the coin. The military guys give these coins out by the dozens, but usually just hand them out like a piece of gum. This gives the presentation a much more professional look. The more people that see it, want a hand full for VIP handouts.

The importer was Nobel Packaging out of NJ - I'll have to find the exact link tomorrow at the office.

Again - I left the name of the original provider off because I do like their product and customer service, I just believe this is one of the 'red-tape' items that they just charge a high rate for a pass-through. I will continue to use them for other items - which are very reasonable prices already compared with others providers. Hence - I thought the box would have been reasonable also without checking...

If anyone wants one of these to try before buying a bunch, PM me to work it out some details... I seem to have a little over 40 of them laying around waiting for the bite....

Steve

[Bill Cunningham]

Every month or so I get a very high quality, glossy catalog from a company that supplies jewelry stores with boxes like yours, and many other types in materials from wood to cardboard . I have no idea how I got on their mailing list, I have never bought anything from them, but they do have some real nice stuff.. Their called 'prestige pack'