542 replies to this topic

[biggerfish]

At the beginning of 2006, I was approached by a Trade Magazine to the Computer and IT Services Reseller Industry about advertising my promotional products business in their printed publication, and online on their website. The price is right, and businesses in this industry need marketing and promotional products, just like anybody. The magazine has a 50,000 circulation, and the site gets a ton of hits.

I ask for a couple of recent issues to get the feel of the publication, and wow, guess what? ASI is trying to hustle these resellers to get into Promotional Products sales!

ASI's ad is attached. I guess if you sell ANYTHING to ANYBODY you can be a promotional products consultant. I knew that ASI tries to get screen printers, decorators, etc to join up, but I never realized this.

So rather than protecting and promoting the industry, they're attempting to dilute the industry, encouraging end users to join up.

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[Chris Miller]

I've seen a ton of stuff like this but according to some ASI can do no wrong. :rolleyes:

I should start promoting DT to end users and selling memberships for $200. I would be on ASI's level in no time. :lol:

Personally this makes me sick. You decided AGAINST advertising in that magazine right? Or if you already commited do you have a way out now?

[biggerfish]

Not sure what I'm going to do. If they're not in future issues (I committed to two) then I'll probably stay. I'll know more on Monday.

[Chris Miller]

Where do you draw the line between needed growth and greed? ASI services many in the industry already and makes a killing doing so. Why do they feel the need to go outside of our industry and pull in even more people to compete with us?

They are literally using our money to bring us competition and ultimately diluting the industry we are in. I understand they are nothing like PPAI and really are not here for the greater good of our industry, but they do sell us services that are supposed to help us build business all the while using the earnings from those services to promote to others who previously had no interest in selling promotional products.

Like one of our local news stations says "YOU PAID FOR IT".

[AdmanGR]

I'm perplexed:confused:

What exactly do these IT resellers do? Is it on-line marketing that ASI is targeting in this publication? Sorry, in advance, for my ignorance regarding this topic...

[biggerfish]

This is from their memberhip qualifications page at http://asicentral.co...butor/step2.asp

[indent]
Being an ASI Member means Instant Credibility with Industry Suppliers and Manufacturers!

The second step to become an ASI Distributor Member is to review the qualifications of membership. To protect the Distributor and Supplier business model that ensures members are selling through the proper channels and are credible promotional products companies, ASI Members must meet stringent criteria to become and remain members.

For ASI to process your membership application you will need to:

- Complete your application, (available online and in pdf)
- Proof of business activity, (You can do this by submitting copies of invoices from at least three ASI suppliers addressed to you, each over $100, and dated from within the twelve months. International applicants please supply references from three ASI suppliers you've purchased from within the past twelve months in lieu of invoices.)
- Provide payment via credit card, check, or cash.[/indent]

I guess I don't know how a Computer Reseller can come up with 3 invoices from industry suppliers, but I'll know more on Monday when my pals over at Rich's Computer Shop call in to sign up. Maybe they'll let me in the ASI Show in Dallas for FREE!

[biggerfish]

AdmanGR said:

What exactly do these IT resellers do? Is it on-line marketing that ASI is targeting in this publication?

I searched for a "computer store in belmont, mi" Rob (your town) on Google, and came up with this:

[indent]P C MD Svc
(616) 634-4987
4056 Plainfield Ave NE # M
Grand Rapids, MI 49525[/indent]

So if this Computer Guy receives this publication, they'll see a nice big 2-page spread inviting them to come into the Promotional Products business, and start selling promotional products to their customers. I'll bet a plenty of your customers do business with computer and IT consultants.

I just don't see how this is good for the industry.

[AdmanGR]

That Does SUCK the Schl***er!!! What is ASI trying to shape the industry into??? WOW:mad:

[Russ]

ASI has always been about making money for themselves. We all come last.

[AdWiz]

biggerfish said:

At the beginning of 2006, I was approached by a Trade Magazine to the Computer and IT Services Reseller Industry about advertising my promotional products business in their printed publication, and online on their website. The price is right, and businesses in this industry need marketing and promotional products, just like anybody. The magazine has a 50,000 circulation, and the site gets a ton of hits.

I ask for a couple of recent issues to get the feel of the publication, and wow, guess what? ASI is trying to hustle these resellers to get into Promotional Products sales!

ASI's ad is attached. I guess if you sell ANYTHING to ANYBODY you can be a promotional products consultant. I knew that ASI tries to get screen printers, decorators, etc to join up, but I never realized this.

So rather than protecting and promoting the industry, they're attempting to dilute the industry, encouraging end users to join up.

Rick
Thanks so much for sharing this information. ASI has changed during the last few years. I think it is important to remember that anyone you work with can change their policy at anytime.

When I started my company in August 2001, I contacted the ASI Distributor Rep about getting a number for my new company and was told that I had to meet the criteria before I got a number. It was a catch-22. I needed ESP and the number to do business and I couldn't get the number until I had a dozen or so invoices from different ASI Member suppliers. I remember asking this ASI Distributor Rep why they were making it so difficult, to cut me slack, etc...He knew that I was a successful promotional products sales person from another distributor company. I was told that they were the rules and ASI was not trying to increase the number on distributors or suppliers - They provided services to existing companies. GUESS IT HAS CHANGED, HUH!

ASI offers services that are a real benefit to it's members. I have observed that they are a self serving entity that plays hard ball with anything that speaks out against them. Competitiion is the American way of taking care of business bullies and one day a competitor is going to come in with enough capital to compete across the gamit of services we distributors need. We have a few options but no single source competitor to address all the goods and services offered by ASI. I for one, look forward to the day I can drop everything with them.

[Mark246]

I've had a bad opinion of ASI since I got into this business (4 years) and this just cements the impression.

What would you expect?... My understanding is that ASI is a "for-profit" organization, while PPAI is a "non-profit".

And,... the annual PPAI show in Las Vegas is Much Larger than any of the ASI shows.

[waxseals]

As a supplier I agree that this is terrible.
The ASI membership is full of rubberstamp makers, print "brokers", etc etc
They will take money from anyone with a few references.
We don't even exhibit at the shows anymore as I was tired of explaining exactly what our product was used for and then getting asked for free catalogues and samples...

[Schlep]

It is not not ASI or any of the suppliers that will hurt us and our industry, it is us who will do the damage because we continue to support ASI, suppliers and groups like them who continue to go direct.

[biggerfish]

Schlep said:

It is not not ASI or any of the suppliers that will hurt us and our industry, it is us who will do the damage because we continue to support ASI, suppliers and groups like them who continue to go direct.

I did'nt think of it that way Schlep. ASI is in fact going direct to end users by advertising to them. This is proof, in print.

[ConsultNoah]

and you're surprised because?????????????????

:eek: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[CopShop]

Since 1980 I've been selling AD Specs. At that time I thought I needed to belong to ASI to continue to operate. I left them several years ago and found no need to pay them to list my name & info to suppliers I've been dealing with for years. Once established get out and quit funding their fortunes and give the money to your children. It's what [B]you do everyday that makes you a winner, not association to an association that flat don't give a hoot. Do better Detective work and you find evidence that agree to these statement.
Good selling to all my friends that knock on doors, make the calls and hit the street, each and everyday to feed their family.

[eronan]

I find it interesting that nobody at asi seemed to care at all when we discontinued our membership last April. No phone call from anyone asking why we were leaving, if we had issues they could fix, or how they could retain our business. They just simply let us drop.

It seems to me they would do better to bend over backwards to keep current customers rather than solicite new avenues for business which only alienates more of their customers thus losing more business. Makes no sense to me !?!

[flybridge]

I disagree with one response. For the money we pay ASI every year it certainly is THEIR job to protect all of us versus going vertical. I do agree that it only shows what greed they do have. This troubles me and we will start looking for other avenues such as SAGE or DISTRIBUTOR CENTRAL.