Complaint Review: SMC Specialty Merchandising Coorporation - Simi Valley California

I have recently joined SMC and while I will agree that they are always trying to sell you some product so far they have been a good business partner. I too went through the sales pitches until I told them I already host my own website and run an online business selling merchandise. I haven't heard from them again since that day. However I have found their website useful to get information and pictures for my website. I have found them very easy to order from and receive my packages quite quickly. Some people have had issues with shipping charges but I just charge my customers 27%, because I'm in zone 8, of the white price on each item they purchase. It all comes out pretty even in the end on the shipping charges. I do feel sorry for those who have been raked over for the website production, a lot of money for nothing, you can all do the work yourselves if you have a little time to spend and know how to type. Most website companies now allow you to do your website in an advanced editor instead of html code making it easier for us folks who didn't go to school to be computer wizards. I pay $24.95 a month for my website and can list up to 1000 products on it with my own designs. I do not get any extra charges to add images or anything else, so yes a cheaper option is available other than what they are selling you. I also use paypal which allows me to let buyers use credit cards and bank accounts to purchase products with a small percentage, maybe 2% if I remember correctly, going to paypal for their usage. To me well worth it, I don't have to pay to have a merchant account with someone else. The merchandise seems to be exactly as described and the pictures quite accurate. The product prices are great and I have made a little bit of money so far. I do think their "retail prices" are quite high so I lower mine down to what I would pay for something if I went into a store. I think you have to be firm up front with them and let them know that you are not interested in any of their other items just the membership then you need to take it from there on your own. I went to their website, printed the price list, entered in each product number, pulled up descriptions, inventory and pictures and transferred them to my website. I then added the prices I felt were fair and got started. The hardest part for me has been finding the time do it all. I did that all before I even got the so called "books and catalogs" from them. As far as a business coach from what I have heard don't even bother calling them, I didn't. I felt it would be a waste of my time to just have them keep trying to get me to buy something else from them. Good luck to those of you who are giving it a go... and also to those of you who have been ripped off by their unbelievable prices for everthing else besides the membership. I wont spend another penny on their services except for the annual membership fee! By the way, I got the membership for a lot less than most others, just haggle a little bit and tell them you have to check it out with your spouse, they don't want you to hang up and loose their commission so they will keep dropping the price for you.