Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies?
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Discuss the wholesale blanks industry: Factory direct, custom labels. You can also use this forum to locate a wide variety of wholesale products including t-shirts, hoodies, mousepads, coffee mugs and other imprintable products.
Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies?
Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies?
I may be really out of the loop, but I hadn't heard of this.
Since I didn't know, I thought I'd post this for the benefit of others who also don't know.
I contacted SANMAR today to set up an account. The lady on the phone informed me that SANMAR recently had a change in policy and how they do business. They will no longer open accounts for anyone but promotional companies.
Those of us buying wholesale for something other than putting another company's logos/promotions on the merchandise are out of luck with SANMAR.
So anyone with your own brand...you can't buy from SANMAR. I don't think this would effect those with current accounts, but I'm not sure. I just know I didn't have any luck setting up a NEW account with them.
I'm comparison shopping for Dickies, Cornerstone, and Red Kap workwear and SANMAR looked like a great option for me. OH WELL!
So why can't you be promotional company. If you have a re-sale permit or sellers permit..whatever it is called in Texas, how do they know what you are going to do with the product? I do have an account with them now but when I order I will order 50 plus most of the time. I do mostly tee for business to either their employee or to give away. But I will do custom orders as well. I guess I am confused on how they will know what you are going to do. Maybe create a new name to reflect that..
I agree with Charles,, tell them you have a heat-press and printer to do logos,, you should have no problems,, also tell them you buy $1000 per month and you will get best discounts,, they will ask you who you currently buy from and if you have had problems with them,,,,
They sure didn't ask us for a receipt for our plotter or heat press!
We have an account with SanMar, and so far this new change hasn't affected us, tho we're considering ordering elsewhere from now on. We're almost exclusively tees, and they seem to be moving more into the corporate apparel world. They don't even have Gildan 2000L's!
Re: Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies?
I think they are trying to protect their wholesale customers (decorators).
So they don't want the decorators to be undercut by people who don't actually do printing. Their pricing and customerbase is garment decorators (screen printers, embroiderers, heat transfers, etc)
If those customers continually get undercut by customers who go directly to SanMar, it sort of defeats the purpose of being a "wholesale" customer.
That way any customer could come in and buy wholesale.
It's not an uncommon practice for big t-shirt wholesalers to require that you are a garment decorator before they will setup an account for you.
Re: Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies?
Well I have tried for 3 years to get a catalog From SanMar to no avail. I have an Embroidery shop and a sales tax number - I finally gave up and do business elsewhere
Re: Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies?
Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-ann
Well I have tried for 3 years to get a catalog From SanMar to no avail. I have an Embroidery shop and a sales tax number - I finally gave up and do business elsewhere
What exact problem did you have? When you call them on the phone, the registration takes maybe 5-10 minutes and they send out the materials right away.
Re: Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies?
I have never heard of this kind of problem before, though I understand why they would be very protective of their existing customer base. Assuming you are a legitimate decorator and have a tax id and reseller's permit, you shouldn't have a problem setting up an account though, right??
Re: Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies?
Well, none of us probably NEED SanMar...or any other particular wholesaler for that matter, but the more dealers you have on speed dial, the more options you have, and that can lead to saving money in the long run. Every wholesaler will have different specials going on from one month to the next, so what might be cheapest from Broder right now, might be cheaper from SanMar the next.
Of course shipping should be factored into that as well.
Re: Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies?
For me I don't NEED Sanmar...BUT I am sure glad they are around. I get great service, via email and phone. All orders on time, correct..and since they are close...usually next day arrival...and yes I do have accounts with others, but the more the merrier I say.
Re: Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies?
Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-ann
I don't need San-Mar - Alpha , S&S etc all sell to me wholesale with my resale number.
I didn't say you needed them , but you posted here that you had problems registering with them.
Since this is a help forum, I was trying to offer help by trying to figure out what problems you might have had registering with them over the years. Like you said, all you need is your resale number and the fact that you do embroidery would get you an account in no time.
Sanmar - will only open new accounts for promotional companies? 
, but you posted here that you had problems registering with them. 
