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Re: Neon Pricing

Ronnie,

What a great, informative post.  Thanks.  Many of the things you mention 
certainly hit home.

It does sound like prices are a bit cheap there in Columbia - but during 
dry spells those same prices show there faces here.

I too have been trying to sell people first on quality.  I have always
felt I made really good window signs.  I use 3/16 or 1/4 plex and hot-form
a 3" 90 deg. at the top and bottom, and use first-rate trans., boots, and
other hardware.  I plan my electrodes (like a production beer sign) so
that there is a minimal amount of GTO, and what's there is short, neat,
and enclosed.  I also have my NAME on the back. 

The problem is, there are some here in town that just bolt a $15 core &
coil to the back of 1/8" plex (or wood, or...) then wire-nut a power
cord to the primary and presto (leaving the trans exposed, btw).  Many
times they skip the plex altogether and just hot-glue the neon on the
window, then string 20' of GTO over to an exposed outdoor trans. I used
window signs just as an example - this "type of work" is done with all
sorts of neon projects. It's very hard to bid against someone doing this. 
Especially with retail work, where you're just "the shop with the higher 
price" in the Yellow Pages.

As you I have had success lately at educating new customers on quality.  I
have a photo-album in the shop that shows some excellent work AND some
trash, and it's been very helpful in the process.  Referals from these
customers are usually sure-sells.  I also got some really good looking 
(but unobtrusive) labels for the backs of signs.  I am hoping I'll get 
some mileage out of that advertising as well.

I guess I feel a bit different than you about wholesale work.  My main
clients provide me with really good patterns, so that makes it easier to
just crank out the glass when you need to make some money.  I also find
that wholesale customers appreciate good glasswork, and will come back
with great loyalty for it.  So in that sense, I've been more sucessful at 
selling them on quality than retail folks.

A few of us (neon shops) here in Austin have been communicating lately
about this sort of stuff.  And even though we're in competition, I can
honestly say that I see a small tide turning in the neon market as a
result. 

      -John Anderson
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