21'st century nametapes

[a2capt]

So is that how you get the 'special' order? Call 'em? .. it's so much less error prone to submit orders in writing .. IE, online.

[IceNine]

Calling is the first step.

This company is high class, you won't be disappointed unless your expectations are unrealistic.

If they make a mistake they will fix it.  If you want something custom they will work it. 

If you want something they can't do well they will tell you to go find someone else.

They really want your business and do what it take to keep you coming back. 

[Mustang]

...all I ever found was their quick and dirty C&D notice for CAP. So.. they must have that special order buried way in deep or obscure.

You gotta figure they can make everything .. if asked. ;-)

That's exactly it. It's like ordering off the menu at your favorite mom & pop Italian restaurant.

I'd really like to see what it takes to bust NHQ's nuts over this exclusive crap.

It's all about the Benjamins.

CAP's leadership seems to think it should be making a profit off the backs of its membership for required uniform items (the WRONG idea, IMHO), so like every collegiate and pro sports team, it requires vendors selling official merchandise to license the rights to manufacture/sell said merchandise.  Additionally, CAP's contract with Vanguard probably calls for Vanguard to be the exclusive vendor of all CAP merchandise.  And in return, Vanguard cuts CAP a thick slice off the backside of the proceeds.

[Ned]

CAP's leadership seems to think it should be making a profit off the backs of its membership for required uniform items (the WRONG idea, IMHO), so like every collegiate and pro sports team, it requires vendors selling official merchandise to license the rights to manufacture/sell said merchandise.  Additionally, CAP's contract with Vanguard probably calls for Vanguard to be the exclusive vendor of all CAP merchandise.  And in return, Vanguard cuts CAP a thick slice off the backside of the proceeds.

You say it like it was a bad thing.

I can't think of a single organization that doesn't control who can produce their uniform items.  You are certainly correct about non-profit universities, but add organizations like the Scouts, Indian Guides, and the VFW to the list.  It is the norm, not the exception.

Remember, for multiple decades CAP tried to perform the function in-house with the Bookstore and CAPMart and lost thousands of member dollars doing so.

The Vanguard thing is a win-win for the members with no particular downside.  CAP doesn't have to maintain a CAPMart with a dozen or so full time employees, and Vanguard is forced to rebate some money that is exclusively dedicated to training.  Money that CAP would not otherwise get.

You assume that Vanguard (and others) would somehow charge less than they currently charge for CAP-exclusive items if they did not have the exclusive rights to sell.

I agee that - essentially by definition - they could charge less, but there is no indication whatsoever that they would. 

There can never be enough competition in supplying a 50,000 person organization with unique insignia to significantly affect prices.  Indeed, the most likely effect of eliminating the exclusive relationship is that no manuafacturer would even bother to make most of our items.  Simply because they could never expect to make signifcant money selling pre-solo wings, for example, after factoring design, manufacture, and distribution of an item that only several hundred folks could wear.

Kinda like how pharmaceutical companies can't make much money on vaccines - so they mostly don't make them.

Vanguard is not the enemy here.

Ned Lee

[Mustang]

You say it like it was a bad thing.

I can't think of a single organization that doesn't control who can produce their uniform items.  You are certainly correct about non-profit universities, but add organizations like the Scouts, Indian Guides, and the VFW to the list.  It is the norm, not the exception.

Remember, for multiple decades CAP tried to perform the function in-house with the Bookstore and CAPMart and lost thousands of member dollars doing so.

The Vanguard thing is a win-win for the members with no particular downside.  CAP doesn't have to maintain a CAPMart with a dozen or so full time employees, and Vanguard is forced to rebate some money that is exclusively dedicated to training.  Money that CAP would not otherwise get.

You assume that Vanguard (and others) would somehow charge less than they currently charge for CAP-exclusive items if they did not have the exclusive rights to sell.

I agee that - essentially by definition - they could charge less, but there is no indication whatsoever that they would. 

....

Vanguard is not the enemy here.

Ned Lee

I never said Vanguard was the enemy, nor do I believe that.  What I did say, is that *CAP's leadership* has no problem with profiting from licensing fees and sales royalties paid by the membership, and I think that's wrong.  No, I don't care what they do with that money (which, IIRC, has mostly gone to Hawk Mountain and Blue Beret, which benefit the tiniest minority of members).   Any commercial enterprise has to make a profit in order to exist, I get that.  CAP is not a commercial enterprise, and should not be profiting from what are expenses required of its membership. What I have a problem with is CAP using it as another revenue stream at the membership's expense.   And frankly, I don't care that it's the norm among Scouting and other organizations.  You've used that comparison time and again to justify increased encampment fees, and that dog just doesn't hunt.  It's an excuse, not a justification.

Yes, contracting CAPMart out to Vanguard was a great idea, and so far I've been happy with the service they provide. But CAP should eliminate the licensing fees and royalties it collects from Vanguard in order for its members to obtain required uniform items at the lowest possible cost, period.

If I sound like I'm tired of being nickeled and dimed by CAP, it's because I am, and I suspect I'm not alone.  I'm sick of CAP selling my personal information without my consent, sick of paying 2-3x market prices for things like nametapes (compare Vanguard's prices with Spur's), just so the powers that be don't have to cut back on things like their personal assistant's travel expenses, or having a dozen NHQ staffers on hand to cater to the NEC whenever it gets together.  Every time I watch the streaming webcast of an NEC meeting, I inevitably think to myself, "what a colossal waste of money that was".  Every time.    

And don't even get me started on the late Bill Schell's $10,000 budget--which comes from membership dues--to buy stuff off eBay for the CAP archives.  I can't tell you the number of times I caught him grossly wasting that money on eBay--like $60 for an ARCHER patch he could've had for less than $5 from CAPMart/Vanguard, or even the cost of a phone call to Drew Alexa.  I even raised the issue with my region commander, only to be told that it wasn't worth the political capital to bring it up for discussion amongst the NEC.   Misuse of corporate funds isn't worth the political capital to bring it up??   

Bottom line, when the powers that be start getting serious about being responsible stewards of our membership dues, I'll stop ranting about $3 nametapes.