Signs Your Distributor is Going Out of Business

[Mikey P]

You'll want to be sure to not buy any high maintenance items from a Supplier that may not be around to honor your local contract within the next coupe of years.

Many around the country won't make it through another hard, cold and slow winter.


I have an anonymous supplier willing to cut to the chase who will be along shortly...

 

[Lee Stockwell]

The recent massive flooding may have saved a few in this region, but I think you are right.

 

[handdi]

doom and gloom

how about tryin this for a change
we are in recovery mode and we are all goin to
have a record winter

 

[joe harper]

doom and gloom

how about tryin this for a change
we are in recovery mode and we are all goin to
have a record winter

Just kiddin..randy... :mrgreen:

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I have had that feeling that a few local suppliers were hurting or business was way off.

I would always buy from my local supplier and do. The problem is I have spent so much over the years I basically have everything I need.

Jon Don and Interlink can't be helping. They are the Wal Mart of the supply business. If you rely on your supplier for advice and service, I would not order products from online distributors.

If a distributor has a lot of customers that buy on credit, they may be hurting.

If they open a rug plant for local hacks to drop rugs off they may be searching for additonal income.

If they go out on the weekends or nights and compete with you they may be in trouble.

If they offer to help you do some job. Well that is not so bad.

And last if they have not sold a new truck mount in a year, they may be going down. New truckmounts simply are not selling.

 

[joeynbgky]

When they are only open a few days a week. The porn store i shop at isnt open at 2 am any more. so i assume they are going to close down too. !dork! BTW im just joking, i think.

 

[rhyde]

no kidding ..when you can get porn and big vibrating toys on the net for free!

 

[joeynbgky]

My local distributor is doing great especially since the floods in nashville. chris pond will never go anywhere

 

[Dolly Llama]

One of the local distys folded a couple/few years ago.

the signs were clear.
Less staff
Less and less equipment on the floor
less chems in stock (even popular ones)
Buy what you need and it gets drop shipped

I saw the same pattern at another disty that went under about 8-10 years ago


..L.T.A.

 

[joeynbgky]

Not everyone was meant to be a distributor. people think oh it looks easy let's open one up.

 

[Mikey P]

Your distributor COULD be in trouble if:

He offers you a BIG discount to prepay the order (can you say "Ponzi Scheme?)

He tells you parts that are broken are your equipment are unnecessary anyway when he's out of them.

He introduces you to a "new product" each time he's out of what you want. Especially if the "new product" ends up being old stuff that has been stuck in the back of his warehouse.

He tells you he dropped a widely popular line of products because he "doesn't like the way they do business". (they way they do business is not to ship if they don't get paid on time)

 

[Dolly Llama]

people think oh it looks easy let's open one up.

then they'd be NUTZ.
It's a large investment and the internet has made competition FIERCE .
We're "somewhat" insulated from that, as we sell a "service", not juice and widgets .

The brick and mortar store distys have to compete with "internet only" dudes selling the same widgets on-line.
They have little to no overhead with little to nothing invested in product...it can be drop shipped from the manufactures


.L.T.A.

 

[Steve in Omaha]

New truckmounts simply are not selling.

Really? Seems every time I walk into Brite 'N Clean here in Omaha, Monte has just delivered yet another brand new el Diablo.

 

[rhino1]

The only disty. that sells or has anything to do with TM's only sold 1 in the past year when they usually sell 6

 

[John Watson]

My local distributor is doing great especially since the floods in nashville. chris pond will never go anywhere

If this is the same Chris Pond that was a maniac mechanic at Prefered Supplies in Seattle in the late 80s, who moved on to JonDon in the 90s, helped develop the Water Pond Reel set up.

If he be the same, This guy can sell ice cubes to Eskimos in February... Tell him John and Helen from Skagit county say YO!!!

 

[daniel@procarpet]

If all the local apartment HACKS switch to purple power as their juice of choice and laundry detergent as their rinse agent.

My supplier is doing great by the way because carpet cleaners make up a small portion of their business. They deal with lots of chruches, maid services, and janitorial services. Somone is always going to need equipment worked on and professional supplies. Being fair and honest with your customers will go a long way and I can say they have been more than fair with me. That is why I will always continue to buy from them.

 

[joeynbgky]

It is the same chris pond, I believe he bought into a small supply shop.. He has himself and one helper as mechanics. Theres nothing he cant fix. So many times ill buy chems while im waiting on my Tm to get repaired and he doesnt even charge me cause i bought chems

 

[joeynbgky]

whats the Water Pond Reel set up?

 

[Ryan]

Whats wrong with purple power

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

whats the Water Pond Reel set up?

 

[Lee Stockwell]

John Hill has been well established in Nashville with the Cleaner's Depot for many years. The addition of Chris Pond is a welcome addition. Of course they compete with the flagship Bridgepoint hub just a few blocks away. I usually hit both when I go to Nashville.

 

[FB7777]

the top telltale sign your supplier is going out of business is when the only thing longer than the 7 months it took for him to deliver a truckmount was the time it took to read the diatribe laundry list of excuses he came up with to justify the delay