Very Frustrated

pclark · Post by **pclark** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:45 pm

I live really close to one of the major kiln manufacturers. I have been giving some fusing classes in my home studio and have had people ask about purchasing a kiln. Well, I thought I have a business license and a tax id so I will go down and see if I could resale their kilns. I thought it was foolish to send these people to someone else when I could help them and make a little extra for my time as well. Well, that was not the case. I was told in no uncertain terms that I had to by $2500 of product up front and do $4000 a year in business not to mention have a brick and mortar store. I asked well, is there anyway around the $2500 upfront? I told them I was sure with all the interest I could do the $4000 with no problem. Especially with a web-site. If you want to get technical I have spent $1900 with this company in the last year and was prepared to purchase another $1000 kiln today for my own studio. No dice. You would think with the economy as it is, and with the Internet evolution that they would be a little more flexible with someone wanting to start a business. Not everyone has $100,000 they can plop down at once for inventory. I know for a fact that NO one except the larger glass supply resellers like CR Loo etc... stocks kils and sometimes not even larger places do it. They basically wanted me to buy a stocking order just to get started and they build there kilns on a as needed basis. Well, can you tell I am frustrated? Does anyone else have any thoughts in regards to this? You also would think that they would give educational discounts or some type of discount to someone that is not just a hobbiest. They would not even budge off of their retail price even when I showed them online where I could purchase the same kiln for $200 less. Oh well... Nuff said.

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:56 pm

yes. you're asking to be a distributer, cutting out your local wholesalers. why should they cut out that lucrative business for small distributers like you? add to that, the extra hassle they have to deal with a very small customer, it's just not worth it to piss off their distributer.

they didn't ask for $100k upfront. they asked for $2.5k upfront, with $4k/year after that, or $6.5k for the first year. that's not much for a distributer, and only starts to get their attention.

Susan Moore · Post by **Susan Moore** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 8:27 pm

I think the company's terms are very reasonable. They have probably spent plenty of time and money establishing their product and corporate image. They shouldn't let anyone who shows up at their door have special pricing nor should they allow people to sell out of their garage/store. If someone wants to buy wholesale from me they have to have a mimimum order amount and they have to have a retail store.

Just my 2 cents worth....

Susan

pclark · Post by **pclark** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 10:14 pm

I guess the most frustrating thing about this is that you are right I am the little guy and this company started in a garage as well like so many other little guys. Once you get large you forget where your roots are. I wasn't asking to be a distributor just a wholesaler. Which I could very well be according to their yearly amount. There are ceramic shops and onezie twozie places around this area that do not do huge volume for these people and they do not stock. Lets face it kilns are not tennis shoes. I could put 50 people in a room and I would venture to say that 45 of them would not know what a kiln was and the five that did might know that they are used for ceramics but, not melting glass. Anyway, I know the reason for the policy. I actually work for a huge distributor of after market motorcycle products. We make exceptions for the little guy. I just thought someone else might be willing to as well.

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 10:18 pm

I know it sounds unfair, but imagine if you had to stop your normal routine to deal with one person who wanted one of your things and wasn't going to come back for more. The occasional retail sale out of my studio takes at least an hour, and sometimes 3. A gallery can call up and order 3 pieces in 5 minutes. And I know they'll be back for more, and I know I can trust them for the money, etc.

What you might do is ask if you can order through one of their distributors and arrange to pick the kiln up at the factory, thus saving shipping charges.

pclark · Post by **pclark** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 10:30 pm

Thanks Marty,

Thats actually what I ended up doing. I am not mad at them for their policy as much as just you know... being turned down. I still thinkn they have a good product. I called a company I deal with here in Texas and they sold it to me for $200 under list so I am happy with that.

Paul

PaulS · Post by **PaulS** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 7:47 am

Paul, as a wholesaler would you also be responsible for guarantee & after-care? That could tie you up a lot in time & money running round.

But one solution might be that if you are a regular buyer from the same source, maybe they would give you a price break for buying so often.

I'd work with a local blacksmith and build the kiln myself, using that to teach with would be a good selling point, also if it's small and cheap enough to get someone started up, that's all they need.

.