24 replies to this topic

[jimknecht]

Good question. Just got back from ASI Dallas last night & I learned something while there. I found out some suppliers hold your requests until they get enough to use bulk mail. So they may hold onto your requests for weeks or months... until the next show.

We are processing our leads from Dallas right now & they will start shipping today. Normally can take 2-3 days to get them all out.

[Badgerfans]

I guess maybe it is time to get on the horn with some of the suppliers. Catalogs and such were requested at Las Vegas and yet to see anything. We know they have the catalogs. You just think that 3 weeks would be pleanty of time to get them out. It is the beginning of February and no 2010 catalog yet.
I would just hate to them send out another 6 if the requested 6 are already on the way. But there becomes a point when you just can't wait any longer and don't care if you get 12.

[royhill]

Today I just received a couple of catalogs and a sample I requested from the Orlando show... almost a month and a half ago.

[DBeavers]

What surprises me most is when a supplier sends the sample I requested - either blank or with a random imprint, and doesn't include a note or packing slip with supplier name/ID or item number.

Just last week I received a mini-pedometer - No supplier or product info. Because I'm with K & B, the return address shows Batavia, OH. The postage indicates it was shipped from zip code 33777, but my gray matter can't process that and quickly turn it into a supplier. My ASI Register includes a supplier by Area Code listing, but not one for zip codes, which really would be helpful.

Even ESP doesn't allow searches by Zip Code.

Hopefully, I can find the sample request in my files to find out who finally sent one 4 to 6 weeks after it was requested.

If it had been requested at a show, I wouldn't even have my back up files to determine the source. Since I only do the half-day shows in Houston or Baton Rouge, I can usually figure out a suppler the following week. But 4 to 6 weeks later, it's a tough call.

Dennis

[DBeavers]

Mystery solved.

A quick search for the zip code on Google yielded Seminole, FL (Largo, FL), so the sample must have come from Hit Line.

Dennis