I'm looking to vent for a minute, so here we go.

I did paperwork with a giant distributor a bit ago with a place called A**0. (I'll adjust the name for the innocent.)

What a sh**show that turned out to be. I placed my first order late Monday (for a Chief rolling cart for a training area). Tuesday I get the email for fill out this credit card form or do a wire transfer. I fill out, sign, scan, and re-email the CC form (just like any other distributor), no problem.

After that, I get an email from the sales rep that says the credit team will not "accept credit cards with a billing address that are not a commercial store front." To follow that up, the next sentence is "Also, our research showed that your business has been in and out of good standing with the state for some time."

WTF!!!! Unreal, not even close to the truth (the address yes (which was clear in my original paperwork, how many of us are one-man shops), but not the standing with the state). 10 years on my own, I've never had anyone tell me that, at least not in print. I understand I'm a little guy etc, but c'mon man.

Anyhow, I told basically told the rep to F off, cancel the order, I've got licenses, pay my taxes, bla bla bla. So much for that. The only reason I added them was to help product mix for commercial jobs... oh well.

Thanks for skimming my post,
Tom

LOL, the billing address not being a commercial address. I wonder how many dealers they piss off with that BS. I bet a lot.
I have a PO Box for all my correspondence and billing. Had it for almost 30 years now. They can kiss my ....

"your business has been in and out of good standing with the state"
WTF does that even mean? As far as I know, no one can look up any information between you and government agencies. That would be illegal? If they could see your tax returns without your explicit consent. Or tax liens against you or your business, etc. That statement sounds like a load of BS. And I would demand an explanation from them, even thou I decided not to touch them with a 10ft pole.

I’ve actually seen dish do this. While they were partially correct on one item with the state at the time, they were wrong with the fed side.
I still don’t know how they check this and they aren’t very forth coming, so you have to jump through hoops to figure anything out.
It’s absolutely insane and makes no sense as to why they even care.

All of these companies are now doing self audits from some company that starts with an A. Its come out of no where.

It has caused me MAJOR grief, because I started in one state, moved to another. But because of the way the Disties and suppliers do their paperwork shit hasnt matched up. And because of that its now my fault to scramble to get paperwork out that these places already HAD.

it has been beyond frustrating, and of course they decided to self audit at the end of the year.

Crimson has some TV carts that are decent. Fred at a nice distributor in MN can help you.

BlackWire would never do that to you <3

It IS amazing the amount of stupidity some distributors do.

Dealing direct doesn't seem to be any better either.

I tore up a $10,000.00 certified check at CEDIA one year, after having a conversation with the "rep of the month" for Denon. Explained to him that I didn't need is product, since there were so many others on the market. Guy was a total dumb ass.

In MN anyone can look up the validity of your technology system contractor and personal PLT license as well as the history of any lapses.

In Colorado you go to the Secretary of State website and you do a "search business database" here:

[Link: sos.state.co.us]

And as an example when I enter AVAD it lists all of their business records in regards to anything listed as AVAD.

Here are the results:
120051277973 20051277973 AVAD LLCStatement of Foreign Entity
Authority/ Entity Name Good Standing FLLC 07/20/2005

220051220884 20051220884 AVAD ROCKY MOUNTAINStatement of Trade Name Withdrawn DPC 06/03/2005

320051225884 20051225884 AVAD SouthwestStatement of Trade Name Expired FLP 06/09/2005

420051161547 20061272275 AVAD Southwest, Colorado Authority Relinquished July 5, 200

I use Cap a lot, Sony TVs and what not. Looks like they might be dropping Crimson, only three skus that I can see. I think they used to have a lot more.

True, and I'm all good there, as I just triple checked. No immediate needs til next years renewal.

To CMAs point, I did go inactive with the SOS LLC, so there's that. I think that happens a ton though since they seem to randomly send out tiny postcards for renewal.

I once saw a LARGE TV manufacturer decline a dealer app because the guy got a arrested for fishing without a license - 3 years earlier.

They won't even let you pay up front with a credit card, crazy!

Also...they sent me candy on Halloween. I was stuck in an apartment downtown Chicago trying to finish up a project so i skipped lunch. Little packages of sugar showed up with my order.

You might try Wave Electronics. Been doing business with them for a while. They treat their customers right and have a good mix of products and they ship anywhere.