Advice Needed

[truckmount girl]

A distributor has sent us an order for one each of the six glides they order most. Normally this distributor has us dropship to their clients, blind with no identifying marks on the product or packaging (we assume they tell clients that they are THEIR glides), however this shipment is to "them", but does not match the two base addresses we have on file for them and goes to an industrial complex.

We have a very strong suspicion that they are purchasing these in order to duplicate them.

Certainly there is no patent that would cover them, so there is no legal recourse...the only issue being ethics/morals.

My dilema: Do we fill the order and let them try to copy them (good luck!)? Do we call them out?

How would you guys handle this? I am tempted to simply decline the order and fire them as distributors, but I don't want to be hasty.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[hogjowl]

You can't trust anybody.

Don't fill the order.

See if they call you and then ask what's up with the weird address.

Let your radar be your guide in relation to what they say.

 

[Desk Jockey]

If you feel the least bit uncomfortable I wouldn't send it to them, why make it easy, make them pay full retail from someone else if they want them that bad. I would question them and see what there response is and make your decisions from there.

 

[floorguy]

are they a big disty for you???

and are they known to copy??

you have been around long enough, what does your spidey sense say??

 

[J Scott W]

I suspect that most distributors will find a way to get the glides if they want to copy them. Refusing to fill the order just burns a bridge. If they intend to duplicate the glides, you will be losing them as a distributor anyway. Let it be their choice rather than yours. This also gives them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they have another reason for the order.

 

[FredC]

Scott must have ordered them.

 

[hogjowl]

Definately don't sent them to Scott.

 

[packfancjh]

If I'm not comfortable with a business deal for one reason or another I don't continue with that deal. Have you searched the address given to see what type of company it is you are sending them to?

 

[Mikey P]

Tell Rob or Bristor to pound sand


Neither can be trusted what so ever.





You, Lisa know the plans to move Glides through this site so no worries as late night shoppers will have a place to order now.

 

[bob vawter]

ROAD TRIP!

 

[Jimmy L]

But weren't you a dist, for Ken HairASS and took his idea ?

 

[truckmount girl]

If I'm not comfortable with a business deal for one reason or another I don't continue with that deal. Have you searched the address given to see what type of company it is you are sending them to?

Yes, the address goes to a large industrial complex. The suite number doesn't come up on Google for any business name. Street view on Google doesn't show the suite.

Scott, I like your style. I don't want to be unprofessional or accusatory, however I hate to be treated like a doormat when I am 98% sure they are duplicating them. I have never felt entirely comfortable with their practice of wanting all product shipped with no identifying markings....it seemed they were being deceptive to their customers on a certain level and this irks me, however I have not made an issue of it.

BTW, they are not a tiny distributor, nor are they a big distributor.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[hogjowl]

Ignore Jimmy.

He's just frustrated because allsixofus forum won't allow him to be mean.

 

[truckmount girl]

Jimmy has a point though. As I said before there is no patent on glides and anyone can make them. The concept for our glides cam from Ken's and I am sure the concept for many other makes of glides over the years has come from our's.

My issue is not with copying the concept and making their own improvements...but with copying it exactly and calling it theirs.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[Royal Man]

If your product is easily duplicated and not able to be patent protected. You need to work harder to make your brand and product to stand out. Could be your guarantee. being the original, price, availability, ease of ordering, engrave something unique into every glide. Whatever. But, lay a strong foundation now. To stay the dominant brand.

 

[Jimmy L]

See smarty marty I was right.

Lisa and Greenie WERE dist for ken HairASS and basically took his idea and made their own.

So NO Lisa I wouldn't send any product to that dist again.

 

[Royal Man]

See smarty marty I was right.

Lisa and Greenie WERE dist for ken HairASS and basically took his idea and made their own.

So NO Lisa I wouldn't send any product to that dist again.

What's good for the Goose.........

 

[truckmount girl]

See smarty marty I was right.

Lisa and Greenie WERE dist for ken HairASS and basically took his idea and made their own.

So NO Lisa I wouldn't send any product to that dist again.

Actually Jeff was a distributor for Ken before we got together. I don't believe he sold more than a handfull because there were many problems with product delivery. He had stopped selling for Ken before we got together. We didn't consider making our own until, some considerable time later, Mikey came to us frustrated that Ken was going to kill the concept with his business practices at the time and begged us repeatedly to do it. Before we started the glide endeavor, Jeff was working with me in my cleaning business.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[John Olson]

Lisa what does your heart tell you. They people that have always stood by you will always stand by you. Call them and ask them point blank. There is no reason to help them cut you off at the knees tell them to bugger off. I think you alreayd know the answer to this your just needing some reassurance. Call me give me their number ill call them. Anyone that treats you with that much disrespect after what you went through for all the carpet cleaners of the world deserves to die a very slow and painful death. Same goes for any carpet cleaner that buys anything other then a green glide. We should read about COBB floating down the Rio Grande for selling ken Harris glides over yours. There you have my absolutely non politically correct response...

 

[Art Kelley]

I say you name the scum placing this order so we can all know not to buy from them when they eventually take this design to China for development. As time goes by only a few people will remember your legal victory over Harrris Research that was an incredible win for all of us in the trade against a legal system that favors large corporate interests in patent cases. Harris Research didn't want any carpet cleaners outside of their franchise to use glides and used their legal muscle to get any of us to "cease and dceceast" from doing so. You are a hero to the cleaning community and should be rewarded for your efforts. Love you Lisa.

 

[hogjowl]

Cobb doesn't sell Green Glides?

 

[The Great Oz]

If you're certain they're going to knock them off, alter them before you ship. They'll make thousands of copies that won't work. Of course you could be wrong and you'll shoot yourself in the foot.

If a distributor did go offshore to get copies made I'm sure they'd fail, as the Chinese understand the look of something but not always the entire purpose. They'd make the glides out of something that looks like Teflon but would melt onto the carpet or get warpy in use. It wouldn't pay to get the Chinese involved in copying something that has such a limited market anyway, since you'd have to buy a quantity that could take ten years to sell.

Dave's right in this case; if anyone can copy it then they can, and you just have to make your brand stand out.

 

[truckmount girl]

Cobb doesn't sell Green Glides?

Cobb does sell GG's, he also sold Ken's glides, and probably others as well. I have no problems with that. He is not representing them as "Cobb" glides, as if he made them, he is simply offering his customers a choice.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[truckmount girl]

If you're certain they're going to knock them off, alter them before you ship. They'll make thousands of copies that won't work. Of course you could be wrong and you'll shoot yourself in the foot.

Believe me...The little devil sitting on my shoulder whispered that in my ear right away.....but I felt that was just as deceptive as what the disty was trying to do and I didn't want to stoop to that level.

I love Olson's John Wayne attitude, but I'm more John Lennon than John Wayne.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[Mardie]

Be honest and you will win

 

[John Olson]

Cobb doesn't sell Green Glides?

Call him and ask him to sell you a glide. He and his staff will try to sell you a $70 Harris glide and tell you it is every bit as good as a green glide at twice the price.

 

[John Olson]

Believe me...The little devil sitting on my shoulder whispered that in my ear right away.....but I felt that was just as deceptive as what the disty was trying to do and I didn't want to stoop to that level.

I love Olson's John Wayne attitude, but I'm more John Lennon than John Wayne.

Take care,
Lisa

Just call and ask. There is no harm in being straight forward. You do not want to do business with liars just as much as you don't want to do buisness with those out to harm you. You will not lose buisness. Those that want a green glide will find you or find me and buy a green glide. Now that I have pictures to work with and your back to having some glides in inventory I can agressivly market again.

P.S. what can I count on for the L&L raffle and CAD?

 

[Chris A]

John Olson" data-source="post: 4214641" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Call him and ask him to sell you a glide. He and his staff will try to sell you a $70 Harris glide and tell you it is every bit as good as a green glide at twice the price.

maybe it is? besides what do you care wouldn't you rather be the only guy on the board selling green glides?

 

[rwcarpet]

I've seen your operation many years ago in it's infancy. All the custom machining bits made for each different glide. Someone would have to invest a good deal of cash into machining tooling to get it right. I don't think the market is big enough for that kind of investment....besides, nobody here would buy them. I'm sure some person with machining skills could come up with a decent copy, but then, they wouldn't be "Greenglides". My Son is a machinist, and he didn't want to bother trying to make one. Screw that order and keep up the "Made In USA" Greenglides!!

 

[Dan]

I know the machinest that GreenGlides uses. My glides are coming out next week... From the same machine shop...69.95