The Framers Forum

....is Simon's web site sh*te?

are you THAT bored lol

It is not you!

I have been telling my rep for years now, they would get more business from me if it was better.

a web site???????....................

Well I couldn't find the swept frame I wanted on Simons site, so I had a look on Arqadia. Better.... but rather than scroll through the reams of pages I tried the Search facility. I knew the ref number, so typed it in the box. I got five different sorts of backing board.

Not as bad as the Lion search though. Type what you like in that and you get 0 results.

I don't have any problems with Lion's search facility, or Arqadia's - chances are your frame was discontunued last century

I see on Simon's website it says "New 2004 mouldings" - that's a LOT of new mouldings!

Calling it a web site is too kind - We would have laughed at something like that 10 years to, I've given up 'using' it. Actually, when I say 'use' there's very little I can do with ZX81 low res pdf's to be honest - it's just not worth the bother. If I can't see it in their catalogue I'm going somewhere else. The amount of easy business they've lost to Arqadia or Lion purely because it's so much easier, well, they could have a nice weekend away somewhere or something. I just don't get it, maybe it's a joke of some sorts?

I tried using the LIon on-line order form once - big order, well, lots and lots of bits and pieces - typed it all in, went to delivery - van delivery not there, rang them - can't do it online for their van. Maybe you can now (?), it was a while ago.

Nielsen's website is about as much use as Simon's, they are supposed to be launching a new one "just like Arqadias" but the launch date keeps getting put back. Watch this space http://www.nielsenonline.co.uk/

I use the Lion website to order stuff. It works quite well - once you have found the thing you want. And they have a lot of things.

One niggly bit. You enter the first item. Maybe it's a roll of tape or summat. And you get a snotty message in red letters saying "You have not reached the minimum order level". It should wait until you go to checkout before laying down the law.
Well give us a chance fer feck's sake. I haven't finished yet.

Ah - you can get around that by entering a ridiculous quantity of the first item, add the rest of your order, then adjust that first item - simples!

Hah! Next time I'll order a 12 double mitre saws first. That ought to shut it up.

btw. Not having a dig at Simons in my OP. I love them really.

I think Simons should take it as constructive criticism, they are loosing out on a lot of sales.

They don't even have an index in the catalogue, and the mouldings are not laid out in any constructive manner.

Lets face it their catalogue is chaotic at best so what chance have they of making a decent website?

They need to understand the basics of laying out a catalogue before they can comprehend a website, either that or spend some money on someone actually putting a professional one together, that and a catalogue while they are at it.

While I am having a gripe perhaps they can get a price list which actually has relevant up to date prices and not ambiguous totally irrelevant ones.

Rant over

Uh Oh - it's not a price list, it's a price "Guide" - they're not the only ones to have one of those either.

I don't have a 2013 Catalogue as I did not go to Springfair this year. Last year they did put the index back in so have they left it out again? Perhaps indexes are only done every other year!

Certainly lagging behind the times without an e-commerce website. My latest Price Guide is still in £'s per 100 feet. It would be far easier if they priced by the metre like every other supplier and then comparisons would be made easily and they might get extra business.

No new moulding catalogue this year just a supplement and new price guide.

Roboframer wrote:Uh Oh - it's not a price list, it's a price "Guide" - they're not the only ones to have one of those either.

Funny that it has price list written on it. I have just found the caveat on pricing which basically says what ever they print might be B*llocks and should only be used as a guide and to refer to your rep for a more accurate and up to] date quote.

Jonny2morsos wrote: My latest Price Guide is still in £'s per 100 feet. It would be far easier if they priced by the metre like every other supplier and then comparisons would be made easily and they might get extra business.

Multiply by 3.281 and divide by 100 then add on a totally random number divide by four add the square root of the Popes age in days then......................

Look at the Caveat above and ring your rep for a price in feet.

Well my Simons Rep says that they are "finalising" their new website and were trying to get the images to rotate (similar to Mainline mouldings site) and then it would go live.

Trouble is ....... he told me this in 2011