WCAF SHOW Report

By the way, what happened to Roma's once huge and eye catching photo frame line? Roma wasn't in good photo frame mood this year, or was it?

Cornel,
We actually displayed a hundred or so of our photo frames and wrote some very nice orders for them, too. Perhaps you missed them since they were actually inside the booth along the back wall (you probably just gazed longingly at the exterior with it's spectacular collection of the finest length mouldings in the industry). And yes, I am excited about our new website. It is just the beginning of the best and most interactive site in our industry and will be an asset not only to our customers, but to me and my fellow sales reps, too. I love your line, too, but please don't play the elitist card - we all have our place in the industry. Ours happens to be as the design innovator in length mouldings and 2007 was actually a year of growth for our company.
 
Flair

At PPFA: Baer had the most flair:p
 

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PMA

PMA was HUGE! Lisa took this of me at the very end around 3:30 on the last day.
I had a great photo of Rob leading his show tour, PPFA sign held aloft, but alas, it was out of focus.

Oops, I guess I just changed the topic. Thought this was anther show post.

Carry on with quality...Right now I'm just feeling like it's all good and we are lucky folks indeed.
 

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... spectacular collection of the finest length mouldings in the industry ...

Sorry to interrupt, but I hope that "finest" does not apply to the actual quality of your length product. Don't get me wrong, I have quite a few Roma samples on my wall, and they look great, but many of Roma's higher end finishes are wrapped around an inferior base material. By comparison, all of the high end product from Arquati that I have seen is at least built on top of decent base wood. I can also call Evergreen and get a nice wide, deep, and beautiful moulding in the hardwood and finish of my choice. If you are going to say "finest", you better be sure of it. In my opinion Roma is not even close.

I will say that Roma is much better than some of the companies I did business with in the past. The problem is Roma's price is not equal to it's quality.

P.S. Both Arquati and Evergreen have considerably better prices than Roma, and they are both better about returning my calls.
 
substrates - the next generation

many of Roma's higher end finishes are wrapped around an inferior base material.
I can also call Evergreen and get a nice wide, deep, and beautiful moulding in the hardwood and finish of my choice.
The problem is Roma's price is not equal to it's quality.
The current state of the moulding industry is such that Ramin and other, more desireable substrates are no longer available. This has affected everyone on the manufacturing end, and if you haven't already, you will begin to see adjustments from other companies, too. We are now using ayous and finger-jointed pine on many of our mouldings with very good results. These are also harvested from carefully managed, regenerating forests. There are several great companies furnishing beautiful hardwood mouldings (Picture Woods comes to mind), but theirs is an entirely different kind of product. I will defend our price point by saying that 100% of our product is manufactured in Italy in factories adhering to strict environmental standards using ecologically friendly materials. We use recycled packaging, too. We also generally spend more on our research and design, so our cost of goods tends to be higher than others', but my (subjective) opinion is that we're worth it.
 
I have to say to Cornel, I love your frames and what you do, You are a very talented frame maker, no question about that,

But Paul is right. so far all I have seen from your posts are very
negative statements and really not any solutions of any kind.
I realize we all need to keep our eyes open but screaming constantly that the sky is falling, really isn't helping anybody.


You seem to be a very intelligent person, but I am having a hard time with what you are trying to say.:shrug: What is it that we should do? What changes ,specifically, am I to make?
That is what I really want to know.

I am willing to listen, just give me the next step!

I've got what you've said so far,
"the Sky is falling", Now what?:shrug::bdh:

I think that is what is rubbing people on here the wrong way.;)


Oh Am I think Roma frames are fabulous! One of my all time favorite companies and always so easy to deal with.
You really get what you pay for!:thumbsup:
 
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Jennifer:

Stop wasting your time waiting for an answer from Mr. D&G, except maybe a repetition of the same tired drivel.

On another thread he offered an answer that's beyond ludicrous!
 
It's easy to think that what Cornel is saying is only D&G, and asking him for "Retail" solutions is just left of asking your garbage man to diagnose your liver problems.

Cornel is a wholesaler, but he IS very astute. And in through all of the language structure, what he has pointed out is basically the same that Bob Carter has talked about, as well as others. You need to find your niche and flog the heck out of it and set yourself apart from the BBs.

Carter shared some stats with me, when I pointed out that, 'yes there are long term framers folding up shop; but there are also newbies to replace.'..... but according to the PPFA research paper.... for every 5 that go, only 4 replace. But then I gotta ask: So how many new BBs, and Internet frame shops set up to replace that one shop that wasn't?

Cornel (and I) both see that the frameshops that make the efforts to learn about and how to sell Closed Corners and nice hand wrapped fabric mats, and selling "Renaissance", "Baroque", "Rococo", "Craftsman", "Art Nouveau" instead of "Tuscanano", "Bareezaba", "WooDo", and other "Styles" and learn to know WHY they are selling them, will do better in this economy then the framers who slap down a "Big Gold Goopy" frame and say 'that will look nice'.

But sadly, this year's PPFA "PRINT" is a necklace of costume jewelry that could be Victorian or could be 1920s Art Nouveau.... and there isn't a doubt in my mind that at least one entrant that makes it to the International level.... will be in a Tabachino, "because it echos the dark colors of the aged silver".

And then they will be shocked because they didn't even make Honorable Mention.
 
If you feel that someone is being negative why bother wasting efforts posting to answer/comment to them. You"re just making yourself the victim. Instead ignore it, move forward and post your positives.

Best,
Tim Hayes
 
It's easy to think that what Cornel is saying is only D&G, and asking him for "Retail" solutions is just left of asking your garbage man to diagnose your liver problems.

...

In fariness, what is it Baer that makes Cornell qualified to know what retailers are doing wrong, yet unable to give them contructive suggestions?
 
It's easy to think that what Cornel is saying is only D&G, and asking him for "Retail" solutions is just left of asking your garbage man to diagnose your liver problems.

Baer, my friend, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar (brings back WCAF breakfast memories, huh....:p) but I think the word "garbage" is not just a Freudian slip of the pen in this context.
 
If you feel that someone is being negative why bother wasting efforts posting to answer/comment to them. You"re just making yourself the victim. Instead ignore it, move forward and post your positives.

Best,
Tim Hayes

Yet you felt compelled to respond here while telling people to ignore what they disagree with? :shrug:
 
Wow! a Double-barrel of "Paul"......

Cascio, there is the language problem... what he is seeing is, (and says)that his customers (educated sellers of CC and better framing) are not closing up shop, they are instead growing.

When you look at shops that are trying to compete with the 'Always on Sales" and close up.... a cigar is a cigar. They are selling the same as the BBs.

The shops he visits (and in 50 states, HE is the salesman) he sees the shops that could care less about the BBs, or the Sub-prime ####... they will always have the best clientèle. And those positions are not all filled, there is room to educate the new "aspiring to be" discerning customers.

PaulN... it may be, but it still stinks. Nora hates them too.
 
Feel welcome to refer to me by my last name if that makes you feel superior.
Maybe I should refer to myself as a nerd in hopes that others will think I'm smarter than them.
 
wow...Sounds awesome...

I plan to attend next year.. I was moving this year.. I really want to meet everyone!!! Oh well sometime...

My parents were there, so at least I'll get some learning done from them!

Can't wait to hear more!!!

Take care!

Justin Alvarez
 
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