Request For Entries : Postcard Competition : ILFORD Photo / APUG

[Jerevan]

Silverprint has this information on their website regarding Ilford fibre based papers:

"Small sizes, including postcard have now been deleted by the
manufacturer, and 5x7” is only in packs of 100."

But I know where to go to get answers on general questions about availability of Ilford products: it's here on APUG. That's good to know. I ordered from my local provider of photo products and my box of "deleted" postcards arrived today.

 

[Aggie]

J&C carry the postcard stock, and ship world wide.

 

[jknotzke]

Wonders of of all wonder.. I went to a local photoshop which has left B&W products for dead (in favor of those digi-snappers) and WHOA there were 3 boxes sitting there. So I grabbed a box.. They also had 4 whole bottle of Viradon. I thought I'd never see that stuff again. So I bought 'em all.

Now I just have to decide which image to submit.

Great idea BTW.

 

[Muihlinn]

Portfolio Postcard Gloss 10x15cm 100's 1834846 Pearl 1856084

item number of postcard paper as I've got from Simon, it seems to be RC double weigth.

 

[John McCallum]

Hi Simon, thanks for the reply and the concession re paper for the contest. If you are able to give things a rev up down this way, I'm positive you will make get good results. And now's a good time. Many people are smarting as the stocks of MC111 and 118 dwindle. Agfa was carried extensively by retailers until recently.

Best, John.

 

[kjsphoto]

Where do you submit the images to adn when is the cut off date?

Thanks,

Kev

 

[Andy K]

Hi Kev, see the first post in the thread.

 

[Frank F]

J+C, Calumet, and Freeestyle carry all carry the Postcard stock.
For Freestyle, search for....
856084 for Pearl and
834846 for Glossy

Prices are all pretty much the same, so buy from your local.....

 

[antielectrons]

Hi Simon,

I have sent you a PM about this so apologies for the repeat, but I just wanted to make another plea for Ilford to set up an online store. Getting Ilford postcard paper here in Spain is proving impossible....

Antonio

 

[antielectrons]

Just a brief update. Looking like it is going to be very hard to source Ilfrod Postcard paper here as I have been told it is a special order item with a 3 month lead time and you have to order a lot of it... Not what I had understood a few months back when it was anounced that Ilford were making the stuff again and not the sort of buying experience that most folks are going to tolerate. Its a great shame. I have said it before and I'll say it again. Unless Ilford can actually bring its products to market and make them easy to purchase they will have a hard time of it. An online store with the full product range is looking more and more essential.

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Antielectrons:

Whilst I share your frustrations, I have already stated that I will accept entries on normal photo paper posted to me in an envelope as long as they are 10 x 15cm ( approx ) : As to distributors, they will only stock what retailers will buy, they really are an excellent set of distributors and thay and we expend a huge effort ensuring good distribution, but you can all help, TELL YOUR RETAILER TO STOCK ILFORD Photo products, enough people lobby...more stock gets sold, I have already explained several times Worldwide e.tailing of our products is just not practical
at the present time ...chemicals, x-rays, minimum orders, 2,000 + items, our stuff is HEAVY it ain't no DVD, although some local ( country ) e.tailers / mail order houses do a great job.

Kind Regards

Simon.

 

[antielectrons]

Simon,

This is the first time you have come out and said categorically that Ilford will not be setting up an online store for its products (your previous comments indicated you were open to the idea).

That is a great shame. As you know the Spanish distributors have said they will not be improting any of your postcard paper to Spain unless a bulk order purchase can be agreed and with a 3 month lead time.

I just want one box of paper - not to spend the rest of the month drumming up purchases for your companies products, much as I like them. If this is Ilfords new marketing strategy then I fear you will fail. Digital photography is already a much easier route to follow for many and you are making it even more so by placing such restrictions on the purchase of your products. I mean, come on, are you seriously saying we have to lobby in order to buy some of your products now? I do not think you are living in the real world. People just wont bother.

If Apple can ship much heavier computers all round the world then then I do not see why you cannot ship boxes of paper. Marketing is principally about brining products to market remember. If you cannot bring your product to market what is the point of having the product? At least lift the volume constraints on your distributors.

To me this attitude speaks of a company in some kind of monopoly position, sitting back and running the business for its own benefit not its customers, rather than a company that recently went under and should be fighting and innovating to remain a viable business. The customer is always right.

Antonio

Edit: It is not just postcard paper I am having dificulty purchasing, but also Ilford Multgrade Paper developer, Warmtone and Cooltone developers, Warmtone FB Papers in certain sizes, etc. etc.

Dear Antielectrons:

Whilst I share your frustrations, I have already stated that I will accept entries on normal photo paper posted to me in an envelope as long as they are 10 x 15cm ( approx ) : As to distributors, they will only stock what retailers will buy, they really are an excellent set of distributors and thay and we expend a huge effort ensuring good distribution, but you can all help, TELL YOUR RETAILER TO STOCK ILFORD Photo products, enough people lobby...more stock gets sold, I have already explained several times Worldwide e.tailing of our products is just not practical
at the present time ...chemicals, x-rays, minimum orders, 2,000 + items, our stuff is HEAVY it ain't no DVD, although some local ( country ) e.tailers / mail order houses do a great job.

Kind Regards

Simon.

 

[Sean]

To me this attitude speaks of a company in some kind of monopoly position, sitting back and running the business for its own benefit not its customers, rather than a company that recently went under and should be fighting and innovating to remain a viable business. The customer is always right.

Nothing could be further from the truth...

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

If you're purchasing online, there are already retailers who can ship anywhere. I'm not sure it would be a viable business proposition for Ilford to set up a retail e-commerce operation to compete with well-established retail outlets. What advantage would it be for the consumer to be able to order from Ilford, rather than, say Calumet?

 

[Sean]

here are a few options from Calumet:

http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?ac.ui.pn=search.Search&query=ilford+postcard

freestyle: http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=125

 

[Mick Fagan]

Antielectrons, I live a lot further away from photographic centres of the world than you do.

I have had the importer/distributor of Ilford products in Australia catagorically state that they will not import postcard paper into my country.

Well, I hopped onto the internet and purchased 6 boxes from Germany. I could have purchased just one but I thought I'll be using a fair bit of this product so I just bought what I required.

I also have no luck in getting Ilford warmtone developer, Australians apparently don't wish to use it the importer/distributor says, so it will not be brought in. This is more problematic for me, but I think I have found a way to get it via sea freight from America.

If I go back just 15 years, I can tell you that the state of supply in Australia for general photographic products from any manufacturer, was terrible. These days If it's not available locally, or more likely, they are charging like wounded bulls (something you should know about) I just hop on the net and cruise, until I find what I'm after.

As a matter of interest my wife uses quite a lot of ink jet paper on her six colour printer. Purchasing quality paper for this machine is not easy. One can get run of the mill stuff, but quality product in electrical computer type stores, doesn't happen, the local camera shops are even worse.

With this in mind we cruised the web, found what we required, purchased 1,000 sheets from a German supplier.

Mick.

Ps:- I read some time ago on this forum, a posting by Simon stating that direct e-commerce was not a viable proposition, you must have missed it!

 

[FrankB]

Getting back on to topic , this competition is a great idea!

True I don't stand a cat in hell's chance of winning (or placing, for that matter!) but it's given me a renewed interest in getting out there and burning some film. It's been a longish dry spell with only scattered showers, but I think it may be over!

I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone's output. (Sean - Cue for a Gallery?)

 

[photomc]

Mick makes some excellent points. Not sure that there is any other film/paper mfg that sells direct via the web...not Fuji or Kodak, so why expect Ilford to do this? I purchase most film, paper and chemistry from the likes of JandC, Freestyle and Calument...and not just because of cost, but due to the fact that even living in a large metro area in the US, does not allow to run down to the local camera shop to pick something up any longer.

Antielectrons, not know your circumstances I can not say what is best for you...but don't beat Simon or Ilford up - they are after all on our side.

 

[antielectrons]

Mick makes some excellent points. Not sure that there is any other film/paper mfg that sells direct via the web...not Fuji or Kodak, so why expect Ilford to do this? I purchase most film, paper and chemistry from the likes of JandC, Freestyle and Calument...and not just because of cost, but due to the fact that even living in a large metro area in the US, does not allow to run down to the local camera shop to pick something up any longer.

Antielectrons, not know your circumstances I can not say what is best for you...but don't beat Simon or Ilford up - they are after all on our side.

Good for you - I beleive the USA is one of the few places you can buy Ilford products now.

 

[antielectrons]

Nothing could be further from the truth...

Sean, so in what way would you say that Ilfords policy regarding the supply of their products benefits customers? How can blacklisting an entire country be beneficial to the customer?

 

[antielectrons]

If you're purchasing online, there are already retailers who can ship anywhere. I'm not sure it would be a viable business proposition for Ilford to set up a retail e-commerce operation to compete with well-established retail outlets. What advantage would it be for the consumer to be able to order from Ilford, rather than, say Calumet?

Calumet are in the USA. I would like to be able to order from Spain without having to pay extortionate import, currency conversion and shipping costs. I have sold and marketed many products in my life and telling a customer to go purchase from another continent is no way to sell anything.

 

[antielectrons]

If you're purchasing online, there are already retailers who can ship anywhere. I'm not sure it would be a viable business proposition for Ilford to set up a retail e-commerce operation to compete with well-established retail outlets. What advantage would it be for the consumer to be able to order from Ilford, rather than, say Calumet?

Oh really. Perhaps you could point me to some in Spain?

So you think it is a viable business proposition to blacklist an entire country?

Ilford would not be competing with anyone here as you can't get a lot of their products as things stand, even if you write to the UK and ask for them. If purchasing from other continents was such a good idea then I am sure we would all be buying all our household goods and groceries that way.

 

[abeku]

Sean, so in what way would you say that Ilfords policy regarding the supply of their products benefits customers? How can blacklisting an entire country be beneficial to the customer?

I also had problem to get the postcard here in Sweden. Most stores said "Sorry, it's not made anymore!", but thanks to Simon (and Ilford) I got a direct contact with the Swedish distributor who could help me out getting the proper product.
I'm usually not so fond of competitions but this one has my support. Expect a bunch of postcards, Simon!

 

[antielectrons]

Mick,

Sure. And I bet shipping half way round the world is really cheap too. Simon is very good at the PR but not so hot on the marketing side as far as I am concerned. But hey, having lots of chums on Apug is more important than actually selling products to customers, right?


Antonio

Antielectrons, I live a lot further away from photographic centres of the world than you do.

I have had the importer/distributor of Ilford products in Australia catagorically state that they will not import postcard paper into my country.

Well, I hopped onto the internet and purchased 6 boxes from Germany. I could have purchased just one but I thought I'll be using a fair bit of this product so I just bought what I required.

I also have no luck in getting Ilford warmtone developer, Australians apparently don't wish to use it the importer/distributor says, so it will not be brought in. This is more problematic for me, but I think I have found a way to get it via sea freight from America.

If I go back just 15 years, I can tell you that the state of supply in Australia for general photographic products from any manufacturer, was terrible. These days If it's not available locally, or more likely, they are charging like wounded bulls (something you should know about) I just hop on the net and cruise, until I find what I'm after.

As a matter of interest my wife uses quite a lot of ink jet paper on her six colour printer. Purchasing quality paper for this machine is not easy. One can get run of the mill stuff, but quality product in electrical computer type stores, doesn't happen, the local camera shops are even worse.

With this in mind we cruised the web, found what we required, purchased 1,000 sheets from a German supplier.

Mick.

Ps:- I read some time ago on this forum, a posting by Simon stating that direct e-commerce was not a viable proposition, you must have missed it!

 

[antielectrons]

I also had problem to get the postcard here in Sweden. Most stores said "Sorry, it's not made anymore!", but thanks to Simon (and Ilford) I got a direct contact with the Swedish distributor who could help me out getting the proper product.
I'm usually not so fond of competitions but this one has my support. Expect a bunch of postcards, Simon!

Lucy you. We are blaclisted here in Spain. Australia and Greece too I believe. I am sure there are lots more.