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August 21, 2007 at 11:18 pm #1532Tom MMember
Just wondering what’s up with that decision to change the display board system?
You want us to choose between a better-looking residential board, that has a fraction of the color selections on it, or a commercial-oriented board, that has more colors and patterns, but miss some of the most truly beautiful sheets you have in your offering. Fortunately I got annoying enough to have both, but together they take up valuable display real estate bordering between too much and stupid.
On your residential board, more than half the selections are in a finish that may look all nice, but have absolutely no business being on such a utilitarian item as a countertop. The cynic in me thinks it’s perfect for the Home Center crowd. If that’s so, why not let us guys who do both commercial and residential have just one, simple, but more informative board?
From the awesome Mr. D at the top, all down through the line, I beg you. I’m on my knees, here, don’t do this.
Oh, and while I am building up my false hopes, can you go back to offering every color in a matte finish? No one else did that. You guys were the best. Any color/Pattern. Any quantity. Any size available. Any finish you offered. You were as close to perfect as it got. I know the HD’s an’t do this, and I understand it. Everything else was golden.
Oh, and G-d bless Dave Z my rep. He had to hear the long version of this. Wasn’t even his doing. This was Readers Digest.
August 22, 2007 at 6:34 am #25199Mike GladstoneMemberTom,
Sugar coat it a little more!
August 22, 2007 at 7:47 am #25202Gordon ShellMemberedited
August 22, 2007 at 8:05 am #25204Fred AtwoodMemberTom,
I could not agree with you more. We just got the new miniature board residential board, but could not talk our rep into anything else. At least I still have a full Formica board. Maybe when they see the sales shift, Wilsonart will make a change. My customers pick based on color, not brand. Until the board change, more of them went tot he Wilsonart board by choice. I doubt that will happen now.
August 22, 2007 at 8:07 am #25206Tom MMemberGordon,
Think about it:
You’re a customer looking at a wall of different laminate brands. The Pionite board grids pout to 15 across x 15 down. The Formica board is 16 x 16. The Nevamar board (if you still have it up) is similar. WilsonArt is 16 x 7, I think. Who are you going to assume has a greater selection? Or a worse selection?
The commercial board for WA is about 16 x 16, with some special order samples at the bottom. Problem is, they don’t have even all the HD series on it. All boards have a selection that is not complete, but this is nuts.
I feel her pain.
August 22, 2007 at 8:11 am #25207Tom MMemberFred,
You think it would kill them to ask us first?
This is the same problem with solid surface. We’re told we are “partners in the distribution chain” or “value chain” or “daisy chain” – whatever. Well, you used to, you know, ask our opinions before you made major decisions. Not anymore, I’m afraid.
August 22, 2007 at 8:45 am #25209Travis HarperMemberTom, My rep recently came and changed my board also. I was fortunate to get both boards but I am in the same boat as you. It took up more room in the showroom. The only place he could put the second board is right where the ac unit blows and no it blows all the samples off the board onto the floor. My office manager is more frustrated than I because she has to pick them all up every day.
I guess I better get that formica board cleaned up.
August 22, 2007 at 8:53 am #25210Tom MMemberTravis,
Run elastic bands across the clips. That might help.
I took off the gibraltar wall rack to fit this. I already took off the nevamar board for that, and I wasn’t going to take more of someone else’s stuff, so there it is.
August 22, 2007 at 8:53 am #25212Tom MMemberWait a minute: You have AC?
Niiiiiice…
August 22, 2007 at 9:19 am #25213Sue TurnerMemberAll,
My Rep. also said there were two different boards. I don’t have room for both so I went just with the chain that has all colors.
If a customer wants a color for home I will have it shipped to them from WA if I can.
William
August 22, 2007 at 9:52 am #25217Travis HarperMemberTom M wrote
Wait a minute: You have AC?
Niiiiiice…
Just in the showroom and offices. Of course I am always in the shop so I get no real bennefit from this. Except I get to pay the electric bill.
August 22, 2007 at 3:02 pm #25244Tom MMemberDoes anyone from WilsonArt read this forum?
August 22, 2007 at 3:17 pm #25245Travis HarperMemberThey might not have time to read this type of stuff. They are busy trying to get their distributors to put us fabricators out of business.
August 22, 2007 at 9:39 pm #25273Fred AtwoodMemberTom M wrote
Does anyone from WilsonArt read this forum?
I think someone from Wilsonart has stolen the old marketing plans for Formica and is trying to make themselves into a laminate supplier that everyone knows the name of, but no one can get service from.
Formica has made a big turn in our area and they are easier to get than WA now.
August 22, 2007 at 10:13 pm #25277Tom MMemberAs in Politics:
It’s a race to the bottom.
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