[Tom M]

We were informed last week that our LG distributor will no longer be providing Hi-Macs. This will be the third in our area. WilsonArt tried it and failed. DuPont is trying a hybrid version of it and is succeeding for the most part.

Can anyone share whether they like LG as a direct distributor? Are there sample or service issues? Did they institute charges you did not get from your old distributor?

It seems obvious they feel this is a cost-cutter. If I see that I am paying the same price and they are the only ones seeing the savings I will know who they do and don’t care about.

[Lenny E]

Tom,
Those guys are Progressives…just redistributing the wealth ya know (to themselves).

Of course this accusation may result in the legendary Seinfeldian conundrum of NO Soup for You!..or Me!!!!!!)

[Tom M]

It moight, Rabbit, it joost moight.

I have not yet been contacted by anyone, but I am curious how this is going to work out.

[Steve Mehan]

Posted By Tom M on 16 Aug 2012 07:08 AM

It moight, Rabbit, it joost moight.

I have not yet been contacted by anyone, but I am curious how this is going to work out.

Hi Tom, We just switched over also.You need to get in touch with Thomas Kleckner @ LG. 

[Andy Graves]

Buying direct from Avonite and HI-MACS is a bit difficult. Livingstone has it down pat and should take note. LG’s ordering system is cumbersome and the pricing with delivery and added cost are hard to factor into the countertop estimate.

[Tom M]

Andy,
How so on the pricing fro delivery? I agree about the ordering system. It’s worse than DuPont’s.

Steve, you and I share a distributor, don’t we? If you would, could you PM me his email addy or contact info. Is he the rep for our area of the country or just in your area?

[Michelle Goetzinger]

I think it is the wave of the future, we are seeing more and more company’s cutting the distributorship out one less hand in the pot. The problem sometime is lead time.

[Tom M]

Michelle,
I don’t know about that. Sometimes it is easier to deal with the little things when you have a closer relationship that usually happens with a local distributor. From samplers to display items and literature, there seems to be a difference. Of course, everyone is cutting back nowadays, so I need to take that into account.

DuPont is our distributor here, but they use Parksite as a service center and we hardly notice a difference. It is the only system I have seen so far where it works out. Another manufacturer tried a direct approach and failed at it.

[Len Smith]

Tom,

That hybrid system that DuPont uses is not really “direct.” The success of the hybrid system still depends on an intermediary who warehouses and delivers the product, and in our case, they do the billings too. They’re still acting as a distributor, taking large loads and breaking them down into smaller loads for shipment, but now they are doing it for a fixed fee, and they don’t have to spend money on marketing. The marketing is on DuPont. If I’m not mistaken, that is how it works. Does that sound right to you?

[Andy Graves]

Len, that sounds right. Hallmark is still distributing the product, just not dealing with the marketing staff or cost.

Tom, when you order direct, you loose the close relationship. Many of our distributors in the past would set the pricing to cover all shipping cost. They knew your volume and could adjust the pricing accordingly.

Now, when you buy direct, everything is the same cost and they add a $75 – $100 delivery fee. That makes it difficult to price projects unless you know exactly what you have on order. On a vanity, if you add $75 to the price, you can price yourself out of getting the job.

I love the way LivingStone does it and breaks orders into quantity prices and then they don’t charge separate for shipping.

[KCWOOD]

I just ordered an Avonite job, my first poly job in 2 years. Wow had the price gone up. 

So, when the solid surface manufactures wonder why their business is shrinking, maybe its because I just paid more for a 30 sq ft sheet of solid surface than a 50sq ft sheet of Quartz cost. 
ouch….
 

[Tom M]

Len, Andy-
Our system is different with DuPont. The sales materials come from DuPont, but they are administered by Parksite. DuPont utilizes a shipping system using common carriers, and the materials are stored in a central warehouse in NY somewhere near the Yerkes plant near Buffalo. DuPont coordinates the order/shipping process. Parksite visits the customers except for the large OEM sized ones.

There is an order fee unless you order on the website, then the only charge is to match half sheets.

There is not a lot of difference than the older system, except there is no material close to us to go and grab it if you need it. That is the worst difference by far, and it is one of the things I bemoan about this.

[Tom M]

KC, yeah, we just did an Avonite job a few weeks ago and fond the same thing. The acrylics aren’t too bad really, but the poly’s will kill ya.

[Len Smith]

For the guys who have been in business for 20 years or more, it’s not like it used to be, but we are never going back to that state of affairs either, so it’s a matter of determining how to best serve the customer with what is out there, and which manufacturer best meets your particular needs for the niche that you are in.

There are bright sides to the current set-up too. ;^)

[Tom M]

Tru dat, Len, but it often makes it morwe difficult to provide the service we used to. As with other things in our word, the more you wish to offer, the harder it is getting to offer it.

[Author]

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