selling the military

DELIVERY SERVICE UPDATE

This past week I was visited by my Federal Express representative reviewing the service they provide me with and was told the following.

They provide us with three day delivery service over about 90 percent of the United States at this time. The balance of the country is four days or less they claim.

The way it works is simple. If you place an order that we can ship on a Monday the three day count starts on Tuesday not the day that the package is picked up. This guide can offer to customers the knowledge to know that they may not have the need to have merchandise sent by any of the air services. Since Wiggy’s pays for the ground service versus the customer paying for air service one can judge if the air service is really necessary.

I was also told starting January 2021 Federal Express will start delivering in all of the metropolitan areas of the country on Sundays that means seven days a week delivery service. Within the following three to four months afterwards they will have seven day service in the balance of the country.

As I see it my customers can now knowing the speed that Federal Express delivers means that my customers can better plan as to when they will receive delivery of Wiggy products.

If before placing an order you are not sure specifically when you should expect delivery call and we will tell you.

What I can tell you without printing every state in the union is three day service exists from Maine to Florida and every state heading west to a line from Wisconsin south to Louisiana. From there on west it is broken up to three or four day service as you go further west to the coast. Before the year is over they may have reduced the balance of the country to three day service as well.

WIGGY’S AND SALES TO THE MILITARY

I do not know how many of the gsa contract holders my articles read, I know some do; so pay careful attention you gsa readers.

Years ago I was selling to some gsa contract holders when a government representative of the gsa called me. They wanted me to set up an account. Being naive I was eager to work with them. In time I realized that my price to the government had to be at least one penny below my best customer. I did continue to get some orders from existing gsa contract holders as well at that time. Then I was called by a gsa representative telling me I had to pay them ¼ of one percent of all sales each quarter. When I was told this I decided that I was NOT going to pay any buyer of my products including the US government to buy my products. The result was that I terminated my contract much to the dismay of my account manager and ultimately more gsa contract holders started to contact me so they could list my products on their schedules. This all took place in the 1990’s.

Now I had any number of companies representing Wiggy’s and in many instances these companies had representatives visiting the bases. I had significantly more representation. Since I was basically the only domestic manufacturer and had a presence with many of the units ordering bags and they wanted Berry Amendment Compliant product I was the company to go to.

Over these ensuing years because these gsa contract holders were now competing for sales of Wiggy’s bags they started looking for other companies to make what was supposed to be competitive with Wiggy’s; to date they have not found anything because nothing exists that is remotely close to equal. However they categorically LIED to the unit representatives at the time and still do showing them Kelty, Sierra Designs, or imported bags that they claimed and still do that are either equal to or possibly better than Wiggy’s bags, amplifying the LIE. When one of these companies represents one of these brands they may very well have an exclusive with the company so their profit margin is better. But the product fits the category of the “NO SLEEP SLEEPING BAG” that is also in the category of the “NO DURABILITY SLEEPING BAG”.

ALL of the people employed at companies like Kelty or Sierra Designs as well as the rest of them are so well versed in the manufacture of sleeping bags and insulations combined ALL of their knowledge would not fill a gnat’s rectum.

Over the years I have pulled my products from some gsa contract holders because they have no loyalty to the warfighters who are issued what they sell to the units. It is pitiful when I find out that the salesman for these companies and almost to a man am ex-military. Some after an enlistment and most after as many enlistments as it takes to earn a pension. I have asked them if they were happy to get poor quality product issued to them. Many actually were in and issued Wiggy’s bags especially those who were SEALS or other SFG members. They were the first who started receiving my two bag system. So these men who experienced using Wiggy’s bags and by their own admission to me loved them and some still have them 20 or more years later. In addition many have bought them for their family members. But today they are so concerned about making a buck they offer trash to the units but telling them the bags are as good as Wiggy’s; A HELL OF A BIG LIE.

The reason the government wants the units to buy from gsa contract holders are so they create competition and then gets their ¼ of one percent rebate every quarter.

The fact that the products being purchase do not work to begin with is meaningless, the soldiers they think will make them work. Many have told me they just throw them away and buy Wiggy’s. So nobody cares that tax dollars are being wasted, soldiers are being abused because they are issued non-performing trash to use, and now they have to spend their own money to get something that works.

Maybe at some point the powers to be meaning the unit commanders will get involved and step up to the plate and tell their subordinates to get what works. And to save some money they will come directly to Wiggy’s Inc. which is a business registered in the U.S.A. with the government of the U.S.A. And if they do come directly to me that will cut out the gsa contract holders with respect to Wiggy’s bags.

Another reason I dislike and do not trust most gsa contract holders has to do with an order I received this week. A unit called asking for multi cam sleeping bags. He told me the quantity and needed them in 5 days. I told him no problem and they were shipped so he actually had them in 4 days. In the conversation he told me he called one of my dealers who told him it takes 4/5 weeks. I told him I never received a call from this so called dealer. And since I am the only manufacture of multi cam sleeping bags in the country I have no idea who he could have called. The result is I no longer trust the dealer and may not accept orders from him any- more and the unit will now continue to buy directly from Wiggy’s. So they are not restricted to buying from gsa contract holders if they want something and can get it from the manufacture direct.

What these gsa contract holders do not understand is that Wiggy’s is a 30 year old company; Wiggy’s is the largest producer of sleeping bags in the world which it is not hard for me to be since no other company in the world produces sleeping bags. Yes there are a host of companies that produce the “no sleep sleeping bags” and they can fight for the top spot all they want. It will change nothing as they will still not be making sleeping bags.

If the military did not buy from Wiggy’s via the gsa contract holders the way things are and have been going for Wiggy’s I’ll still be here in 30 years, the company will be here even if I am not.

My advice to gsa contract holders is that you re-evaluate at the minimum the sleeping bags you want the units to buy which are in the best interest of the men whom they will be issued too. and if you chose to continue to sell them trash bags maybe the thought of what you sold them will weigh on you so you don’t sleep knowing the men who have been issued the bags you sold them aren’t either.

If you are a member of the military and want to order the original two bag system contact me so I can give you a discount; proof of membership is required.