Thread: How much did you pay ASI this year?

DUMP... absloutely no vendor cares if you have ASI... and as for how much expense you put out vs. your income, it's totally relative to what kind of expense it is... you can't go out and buy $10K in empty boxes and expect to get more business because of it... thats about what your getting w/ASI...if you know how to source, you can find all the products, and marketing is WHAT WE DO... don't let those guys brainwash you...you probably have a lot more game than the guy feeding you all they've been trained to sell you...

that's exactly what I'm saying...

When I first joined ASI all I had to do was pay an initial fee of $125.00 and show that I was already selling products by submitting 10 paid invoices from different vendors. This should have been the first warning sign. If I was already selling items then why did I need the "number" anyway?? Several years went by with no annual or additional payments required to keep my "number"( about 10 years), and then suddenly in 1999 I received a bill for $399.00 annual membership fee. I called and asked why all of a sudden they were charging me for membership. I was told the rules had changed and if I wished to maintain or keep my "number" I would have to pay an annual fee. a couple of years later it went up to $449.00 and then up to $499.00. I paid my fee in December 2008 and right after that I, January 2009, I called ASI to request my money back. After reading DT for quite a while I had decided that this was money that could be better spent elsewhere. The ASI Representative said they would honor my request and refund my money. That was 2 weeks ago but still no check. The Rep. really didn't ask why I wanted to leave ASI but told me I would be welcomed back if I changed my mind at a later date. I told her that I felt that I was only paying for a number and not getting much else for my money. I also told her that my vendors know that I am a legitemate distributor and that the "number" no longer had any relavance.

Gave it up 2 year ago after 10 years and never missed yet or ever.
Why would you need it when you can get the same for less or for nothing. I use Sage Distributor Central and other sources and never had a days problem.......

We put in a large order with a supplier we've done business with for years, but never large orders. Credit called today and said we'd need to prepay 1/2 because our credit limit was only $1500, and since we aren't a member of ASI, they can't pull a credit report. I told them that I could pull it from PPAI and send to them, but they said they didn't really work much with PPAI..HUH???

Called PPAI, they called the supplier and are setting up a conference call with their credit department to educate them. SO..if this happens to you, make sure you inform PPAI, they need to educate the suppliers.

They don't give what they promise. Was offered free months of ESP for my membership, but they have billed me for those months and have not credited me after numerous calls. I will discontinue service shortly. Almost as easy to find products doing ASI google search.

Promo Man, Send an e-mail directly to Mr. Tim Andrews if you want action. He is the man at the top and he doesn't like controversy. If you were billed incorrectly then he will make sure that you get it straightened out. He took care of my problem and I am very pleased to say that he had my money refunded and I am no longer a member of ASi after paying "dues" for over 11 years. I give vendors my UPIC# or my PPAI# and they work just as well. Finally woke up and realized I was throwing good money after bad. I never did get any of the things promised to me including being able to get ont he web site. None of athe passwords they gave me ever worked.
Good Luck

I just called ASI to find out why Dennis is paying only $660 /year for ESP, and I'm paying almost $1750. It seems that he gets that rate from Kaeser & Blair, because he's an authorized distributor. I told my rep that in this economy, it's time for ASI to give the independent distributor better rates. Maybe, if enough of us call & complain, we'll be able to get the Kaeser & Blair rate. Do you think it's worth a try?

Here's a thought. In this economy why spend even $660 when SAGE costs $495 and you don't have to pay a membership fee for the opportunity to spend $660??

Originally Posted by Remy

Here's a thought. In this economy why spend even $660 when SAGE costs $495 and you don't have to pay a membership fee for the opportunity to spend $660??

Rickey pay attention to this. You do not need an ASI# or ESP> Go to Sage and pay $495. for everything.
It took me 11 years to realize that I was getting ripped off paying membership fees and separate fees for all the rest. To give special pricing to Kaiser Blair is outrageous. What do they consider the rest of us? Are we not qualified distributors too?
Youbetcha!!!! Just my humble opinion.

Mary, pay attention, relax, sit down and smell the roses. I love ESP expensive or not. Suits me better than SAGE did.

And even tho' I am not a K&B guy I do not believe they are getting special pricing. K&B seems to be asking to pay back to them from their distributors the fee that ASI charges to K&B. I know because I have two reps that I charge back the 50.00 a month they pay.

Idea, pay them nothing and use distributor central.

My goals is on all new clients never bring one catalog to a meeting. I am going in with a pad and a pen. I don't want catalogs to come into play.

When you give somebody a catalog, hint YOU ARE LOCKED IN TO THAT PRICE.

No such thing as AA+ margins when you sell out of a catalog or sage.


Bring samples on the follow up appointments.

Sage will give you a 30 day free trial. You can't beat free. Within 30 days you should be able to see if it is worth the $495. per year as verses asi's ESP.
Yes indeed distributor central is free but not always the best option.

the problem with all of these systems is they lead to product selling and not solution selling. Show me how if you send your client to ESP you offer any value to them. you are then selling commodidites, a cup here a pen there.

I am not into that, I want to sell programs, packaging, mailing, fulfillment so I don't try to show a catalog.

Originally Posted by ProPrinters

the problem with all of these systems is they lead to product selling and not solution selling. Show me how if you send your client to ESP you offer any value to them. you are then selling commodidites, a cup here a pen there.

I am not into that, I want to sell programs, packaging, mailing, fulfillment so I don't try to show a catalog.

Obviously, you don't understand what ESP is.

Originally Posted by KathyC

We have only kept our ASI number each year. It's up for renewal, which is $399.00 and I'm waivering on keeping or dumping it.

When we started selling promotional products in 1999, ASI told us we had to have a number or no one would sell to us. The rep we had at the time was so rude and arrogant, telling us that the only reason anyone would question the (I think $1500.00 fee) at the time is if they were "mom and pop" stores. So I hold NO loyalty to ASI, but I think they did a good brainwashing job.

Dump or No?

hi kathy,

i agree with you and had felt the same way in the past about the attitude at asi. happily we bid farewell to asi 3 years ago and have not looked back.

so i vote to dump.

and i spend 0.0