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First Previous Next Last

WINDOW-PRO Digest for Wednesday, April 22, 2009.

1. How to become a member & post
2. Touch Roller Shade Mechanism
3. Ebay (an Earth Day question)
4. Wake up and smell the coffee!
5. Who manufactures cell shades for Penny's?
6. Graber's Operation Overlord
7. san diego installer
8. RE: window-pro digest: April 21, 2009

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Subject: How to become a member & post
From: Lennys123@aol.com
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:45:38 EDT
X-Message-Number: 1

Hi Roy
 
Can you post how new pros can become a member and then once a member how to 
 post to the board.
 
Lenny
Len-Lor Construction Corp

___________________________________________________________________________
From Rory,

Hi Lenny, looks like you've got it all figured out:-)

To subscribe to Window-Pro you can go here;

www.window-pro.org and click on subscribe.

To post, all you have to do is reply to the email you receive and change the subject line.

Happy reading and posting.

Best Regards,
Rory McNeil

http://www.linkedin.com/in/rorymcneil
www.twitter.com/rorymcneil

TechStyles Window Covering Products Inc.
300 N. Graves Ave., Oxnard, Ca. 93030
t: 800 385 3888, f: 800 385 0583
e: rory@tech-styles.net
w: http://www.tech-styles.net
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Touch Roller Shade Mechanism
From: Rory McNeil <Rory@Tech-Styles.net>
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:05:13 -0700
X-Message-Number: 2

Hi Pros,

Is anyone familiar with a touch roller shade mechanism with no loop  
control? I'm told there's a mechanism out there that when you touch  
the bottom bar the shade moves in response to the force and stops once  
the force is removed.

Has anyone seen this? Sounds very cool.

Best Regards,
Rory McNeil

http://www.linkedin.com/in/rorymcneil
www.twitter.com/rorymcneil

TechStyles Window Covering Products Inc.
300 N. Graves Ave., Oxnard, Ca. 93030
t: 800 385 3888, f: 800 385 0583
e: rory@tech-styles.net
w: http://www.tech-styles.net

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Ebay (an Earth Day question)
From: Levolorman@aol.com
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:22:49 EDT
X-Message-Number: 3

An installer I use asked me if I was familiar with Ebay as a way to get rid 
of a variety of window treatments that have made it into his bone yard.
 
My only experience with custom window treatments on Ebay was abysmal,  
however, it was also 8 years ago.
 
Does anybody have any insight into whether Ebay (or something else) is a  
good alternate to the landfill for custom window treatments?
 
Best
 
Rick
 
Rick  Smith
JDR Window Treatments
280 N Bedford Rd
Mt Kisco, NY  10549

Providing quality window treatments throughout North  America

914-666-5777 x.01
914-730-9823 (fax)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Wake up and smell the coffee!
From: Laurie Dorsett <laurie@blindlady.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:16:07 -0700 (PDT)
X-Message-Number: 4

Greetings Pros,

Hey this coffee stinks! I guess "Operation OVERLORD" is nearing its completion. 
Thats the name of Graber's "plan" to sell direct to all of its fabricator's 
dealers. I think it started in Austin many years ago, just after they
took out The Blindmaker, rather than refer to another fabricator, they 
descended on the central Texas area like vultures trying to scoop up as many 
accounts who would buy directly from them, offering us all an automatic 5K 
line of credit without even checking credit.

I was on a panel of dealers 
consulting with Graber just before that all happened, and I remember it just 
seemed they were very focussed on doing whatever it took to try and get some
of Hunter Douglas's cell business. At that time they had already sold us 
out (dealers) by allowing Home Depots to retail Crystal Pleats at my cost.

I think they are still priced the same but I don't really sell them any
more so not too sure. At least Hunter Douglas attempts to keep the
playing field level for all players...

I once complained on this forum about fabricators selling direct, and I was
told " Wake up and smell the coffee Laurie, everyone sells direct!" I 
guess with Hunter Douglas going in to JC Penny's its the wave of the future.
 
Graber going after it's own fabricator's business is a different animal in
my opinion, and its LOW. It makes no sense to me in a world where having 
effective branches and expanding your operations is a great thing, they seem
to be set on eliminating the branches and trying to do it all themselves 
for the whole country. ??? Bizarre business plan. I think its par for the 
course with whomever decided to put both Graber and its twin line Bali into 
the box stores side by side with different skus for identical items one 
being priced higher than the other...???

I have had the honor of trying to explain that one to many a customer in the past.
Whats the point of that strange marketing program? Desperation to get some business?
Customers are not all stupid idiots, they can see the products are the same.

Laurie Dorsett

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Who manufactures cell shades for Penny's?
From: "Mark Snider" <fawindows@cybernet1.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:26:14 -0600
X-Message-Number: 5

Does anyone know who manufacturers cell shades for Pennys? I was asked to 
match the existing cell shades but the label on the headrail only said, 
"Manufacturer: CF" and "Taiwan".

Mark Snider
Neffs' Flooring America

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Graber's Operation Overlord
From: "Ray Hicks" <RHicks@DeLaineJames.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:27:39 -0700
X-Message-Number: 6

In 1998 Springs/Graber/Bali/Nanik developed a covert plan to takeover
their fabricators code named "Operation Overlord" (You can not make this
up).  Since then the Overlord has acquired or absorbed Sierra, New
Fashions, Essex, Window Fashions, Source, Mark and probably a few I
don't know.

They act without regard for loyal partners. I talked to one
ex-Graber/Bali guy that told me he considered hanging himself in the
rafters of his blind shop after a sudden and unexpected end to his
relationship with the Overlord.

My family background with them goes back over 60 years. My father
retired from Bali Blinds (Carey McFall).  My company, The Blind Maker,
purchased $19 million from Springs in 1998. We were Graber's largest and
most loyal fabricator by far for at least a decade.  In an effort to
support their brand, I voiced my opinion about price parity between
channels, good, better, best strategies and sample costs.  Graber
promised to address those issues and more if we would sign their
exclusive agreement.  Once we signed they raised our prices multiple
times and burdened us with mandatory marketing expenses.  We discovered
those marketing events were designed to capture our customer information
so they could pursue our business..

It was a trap the court (and appellate court) agreed was fraudulent.

Not much has changed today. The Overlord by their own admission sees the
fabricator as a level of "waste" to be eliminated.  They have no respect
for the value added by an independent fabricator.  Their press release
also shows they have little respect for the dealer's ability to run
their businesses.  If a dealer signs their contract the Overlord will
show them how to run their business better.

The truth is that the Overlord is doing what they think is in their best
interest.  They see the profits made by others and want a piece.  In
their arrogance, they think they can do what you do better and show
their investment bank/stock holders more profit.  Ironically, it is the
good margins from dealers that support the lower prices at the "other
channels" (i.e. Budget Blinds/Home Depot/Lowes/Internet...).  The
Overlord needs the margins from dealers to support the volume business
from the other channels.

In their arrogance the Overlord seems to believe they can out perform
independent fabricators and retailers with Mexican production and a
young sales force motivated by next year's bonus.  My personal belief is
that independents add more value and that the Overlord cannot emulate
that with Scott Fawcett at the helm.   They'll probably do well for
themselves with the canned package for a certain set of retailers but
they'll miss the most creative, free thinkers in the market.
Independents will sell the products that separate them from the masses, 
provide creative solutions for their clients, make them money and don't
require call backs regardless of what Springs tells them to do.

The fact is that the Overlord has good product but the company shouldn't
be trusted. Use them, abuse them, love them, hate them but NEVER TRUST
THEM. We spent $2,000,000 in attorney fees to prove they were frauds.
Unfortunately we paid the ultimate price.  I pray that our loss is not
in vain and that some of you will learn from our lessons.

Personally, I've lost almost everything because of my trust in the
Overlord.  But I will never lose my faith and my faith in the
independents in this industry. People didn't buy from The Blind Maker
because of any Springs product, they bought from us because of the value
added by The Blind Maker. It's the same reason that Roger wins over Home 
Depot - he adds more value.

I'm sure all of the above is old news for most of you and some might
suggest I carry a grudge.  I really have moved on.  My opportunities are
ahead of me not behind me.  However, I will always feel very strong
about the issues and I'm a little disappointed that others continue to
fall for the same traps.  It doesn't matter if it is the Overlord or any
other supplier.  No creative independent free thinking business person
should make a commitment to a supplier unless they know the supplier is
trustworthy.  Any commitment should be bi-lateral.  If you are
exclusive, then so should be your supplier.  If their products are
available on line, through franchises, at Home Depot and at others like
you that sign up then your commitment is not reciprocal.   Why would
somebody trust a supplier that thinks you are a sap?

Ray Hicks | DeLaine James, Inc. | Direct:  512.852.0931  | Cell: 512.791.0406

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: san diego installer
From: "Ron Cogan" <ron@finecraftshutters.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:11:56 -0400
X-Message-Number: 7

Looking for an installer in San Diego for some shades, can anyone help?

Kind Regards,

Ron Cogan

Finecraft Window Fashions
90 Wildcat Road
Toronto, Ontario
M3J 2V4
(416) 661-2126 - Office
(416) 271-8499 - Mobile
www.finecraftshutters.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: RE: window-pro digest: April 21, 2009
From: "Charlie Hurst" <churst@automatedshadesplus.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:15:01 -0400
X-Message-Number: 8

We are looking for a top quality motorized patio screen manufacture, can
anyone suggest a good company to purchase from?

Charlie Hurst
Automated Shades Plus
Office: 704-399-9660
Fax:    704-248-2511
charlie@automatedshadesplus.com

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