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  • William Smith & "Smith"

    Posted by Warren Beard on September 5, 2016 at 8:54 am

    So today came the big announcement William Smith has created a new brand under the name of "Smith" which represents the ‘Trade Manufacturing’ division.

    So does this mean William Smith is no longer Trade and will be supplying our customers direct?

    I’m only speculating but recently had another incident with a different company who also has a "Trade Division" where my customer received better pricing than I received from their Trade Division and our price didn’t include the double sided graphics where the clients prices did, so they were offering cheaper prices including the prints direct to my client then they offered me without prints.

    Feels like this is becoming a regular occurrence in the industry.

    Warren Beard replied 7 years, 6 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • Stuart Taylor

    Member
    September 5, 2016 at 10:22 am
    quote Warren Beard:

    So today came the big announcement William Smith has created a new brand under the name of “Smith” which represents the ‘Trade Manufacturing’ division.

    So does this mean William Smith is no longer Trade and will be supplying our customers direct?

    I’m only speculating but recently had another incident with a different company who also has a “Trade Division” where my customer received better pricing than I received from their Trade Division and our price didn’t include the double sided graphics where the clients prices did, so they were offering cheaper prices including the prints direct to my client then they offered me without prints.

    Feels like this is becoming a regular occurrence in the industry.

    Hi Warren

    To reassure you and the whole of the industry today’s launch of the "SMITH" brand does not change the way we engage with our customers

    William Smith has always been a trade manufacturer and when I joined the business some 31 years ago we supplied cut graphics, printed graphics and signage to the UK Sign and Graphics industry …. This has never changed. However over the last 15 years William Smith has become better known as a Material distributor and the launch of SMITH today is designed to differentiate the two parts of the business.

    William Smith the Material Distributor and SMITH the trade only manufacturer of signage solutions.

    We have a huge customer base of UK Sign and graphic companies and this announcement is only designed to make the trade aware of the varied offerings of material, component and finished signs to the trade.

    We have an intensive vetting process for any new customer and any "end user" making enquiries regarding our services is informed that we are trade only and we would suggest them contacting one of our partners for the full service offering. We do not offer installation or surveys etc … That’s where you as our partner comes in.

    William Smith only wishes to help our partners increase their offering and allow them to use our large manufacturing resource to aid their own business

    I am happy to discuss this directly with anyone requiring more information

    I hope this reassures you of our position and I can reassure you that when we say trade only we mean it.

    Stuart

  • Warren Beard

    Member
    September 5, 2016 at 10:26 am

    Good to hear, wish all the other companies would do the same 😉

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