Request For Entries : Postcard Competition : ILFORD Photo / APUG

David A. Goldfarb · Jun 7, 2006

Calumet is in several European countries, and their website has German, Dutch, UK, and US sites.

If Ilford had an e-commerce site, you would still be ordering from the UK. It would be no different from ordering from Calumet UK or calling your favorite UK dealer, paying by credit card, and having them ship you what you want.

Before J&C I used to order East European materials from Germany. When there was enough of a US market for these products, a US importer stepped in to take advantage of the opportunity to do business. Efke, Foma, and Forte weren't setting up distributorships in the US.

I don't see it as a matter of Ilford "blacklisting" any particular country. If the retailers in that country don't order from Ilford, Ilford can't force them to do so. I'm sure they'd be delighted to have a vigorous Spanish market for B&W materials. If you want a Spanish retailer to carry these things locally, then a better strategy would be to join with other traditional photographers in Spain to convice a local dealer to stock Ilford.

Simon R Galley · Jun 7, 2006

This is getting silly,

Whilst I sympathise with anyone who cannot source our products, I must make one thing absolutely clear, talk of blacklisting countries is bizarre, I want to sell our products everywhere in the World and ILFORD Photo HARMAN export over 90.00% of the goods they manufacture in the UK. Also as a statement of fact our Spanish distributor by ILFORD Photo sales per head of population adjusted by GDP ( thats marketing incidentally ) is one of our top 5 in the World and totally committed to Monochrome. I am really sorry we could not sort this out for you.

Simon..

antielectrons · Jun 7, 2006

David,

Yes, but it would be in Spanish so Spanish people could actually understand and use it supposedly.

Also, bear in mind that Ilford Postcard paper was until recently EOL'd so I am not sure how there is going to be a big demand for it here sufficient for the distributor to think it is worth his while importing the stuff if most people think it is no longer made? Surely there should be some small shipment at least just to reintroduce the product to market?

As things stand the distributor has been told by Ilford that they will not ship here. Blacklisted.

Mick Fagan · Jun 7, 2006

Antielectrons, I bought the postcard stock from an overseas supplier ½ way around the world in Europe, I had to change currency via my credit card. I had the product 8 days after ordering it, pretty good I think.

You can purchase the same product from a dealer, using the same currency as you normally use (Euro), on the same continent that you live in. You could also go for a train trip into France, Germany, Switzerland to a big photo store and purchase over the counter.

I think you should just find some photo shop in continental Europe that stocks the photographic products you wish to purchase, then make a holiday out of the trip. Sounds like a great idea to me, especially when one thinks of the sights and sounds you'll get to see.

Mick.

antielectrons · Jun 7, 2006

Simon R Galley said:
This is getting silly,

Whilst I sympathise with anyone who cannot source our products, I must make one thing absolutely clear, talk of blacklisting countries is bizarre, I want to sell our products everywhere in the World and ILFORD Photo HARMAN export over 90.00% of the goods they manufacture in the UK. Also as a statement of fact our Spanish distributor by ILFORD Photo sales per head of population adjusted by GDP ( thats marketing incidentally ) is one of our top 5 in the World and totally committed to Monochrome. I am really sorry we could not sort this out for you.

Simon..

Simon,

If a top 5 distributor is not willing to import some of your product line then what chance the rest of the world? Or do you have to be a top 2 distributor for that. What is silly is that you have decided to effectively blacklist a product line for an entire country. I realise you are just a marketing person and probably have little say over such matters, but please do not insult my intelligence. Their is something seriously wrong with your supply chain.

antielectrons · Jun 7, 2006

Mick,

Yes, I feel that would be the only option I have.

Thanks,
Antonio

Mick Fagan said:
Antielectrons, I bought the postcard stock from an overseas supplier ½ way around the world in Europe, I had to change currency via my credit card. I had the product 8 days after ordering it, pretty good I think.

You can purchase the same product from a dealer, using the same currency as you normally use (Euro), on the same continent that you live in. You could also go for a train trip into France, Germany, Switzerland to a big photo store and purchase over the counter.

I think you should just find some photo shop in continental Europe that stocks the photographic products you wish to purchase, then make a holiday out of the trip. Sounds like a great idea to me, especially when one thinks of the sights and sounds you'll get to see.

Mick.

Nige · Jun 7, 2006

Mick, what it cost? (including freight) It used to be about $38 a box.

Simon R Galley · Jun 7, 2006

Dear Antielectrons,

Actually I am not just a marketing person, although nothing wrong with that...I am one of the six directors and owners of ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology : I look at APUG and contribute to APUG because I want to know what our customers want, need and think and I try to give them them what they want, or at least explain why sometimes its not possible... because any company that loses touch with its customers will fail, and that ai'nt goin to happen to my business...and 95.00% of the time I think we do give our customers what they want...and if we do'nt, like now...you know I know, and I know that you know...

Simon Galley ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited.

tommy5c · Jun 7, 2006

If it will stop the argument I'll Buy some postcard paper and send it to you, and you could just pay me. This thing is just going in circles.

antielectrons · Jun 8, 2006

Interesting. There seems to be a lot of anti - Kodak rhetoric on this site, for one reason or another. Yet, when someone questions Ilford over the supply of one box of postcard paper the response is immediately defensive.

Ilford, you have lost touch with this customer and I suspect many like me here in Spain who perhaps do not visit this site and who's command of English would not be sufficient for them to express themselves.

We may not have a very strong football team but we are a big country with a big market for your products. Please reintroduce Ilford Postcard paper to our market and give us a chance to purchase it from you - we are not an addition to the USA and we do not like the suggestion that we should have to do our shopping there.

Please will you let your fellow directors know that product distribution is an issue for many here on Apug.

antielectrons · Jun 8, 2006

Simon R Galley said:
Dear Antielectrons,

Actually I am not just a marketing person, although nothing wrong with that...I am one of the six directors and owners of ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology : I look at APUG and contribute to APUG because I want to know what our customers want, need and think and I try to give them them what they want, or at least explain why sometimes its not possible... because any company that loses touch with its customers will fail, and that ai'nt goin to happen to my business...and 95.00% of the time I think we do give our customers what they want...and if we do'nt, like now...you know I know, and I know that you know...

Simon Galley ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited.

OK, I am all ears. Please explain why it is not possible to supply llford Postcard paper to Spain?

Also, what other Ilford products are not available here and why.

I would love to know.

FrankB · Jun 8, 2006

Antonio,

This thread was originally set up for discussion relating to the Ilford/APUG Postcard Competition. Please would you consider starting a new thread for discussions relating to whether Ilford could/should set up an online store, if you wish to pursue this further.

I'm not challenging or disputing your right to make your point on a public thread within APUG or making any comment positive or negative on the point you're making. I'm just politely suggesting that, given that the competition can be entered using other Ilford paper, this discussion might be more appropriate in another thread.

All the best,

Frank

John McCallum · Jun 8, 2006

antielectrons said:
Simon,

If a top 5 distributor is not willing to import some of your product line then what chance the rest of the world? Or do you have to be a top 2 distributor for that. What is silly is that you have decided to effectively blacklist a product line for an entire country...

Uh!? I don't understand your statement(s) "antieletrons".

I purchased a considerable amount of Ilford materials from a store in Spain less than six months ago. My purchase included bucket loads of sheet film (from off the shelf!) - something we can't get in New Zealand. And there were Ilford darkroom materials on the shelf that we would trade a farm for down here.

The store was on La Rambla in Barcelona.

ARPI foto.
La Rambla, 38-40
08002 Barcelona
Telf 93 318 11 11

Do you know it?

It is one of the largest and best stocked photo shops I have ever seen.

Quite right Frank, and ... er ... carry on.

Nige · Jun 8, 2006

antielectrons said:
OK, I am all ears. Please explain why it is not possible to supply llford Postcard paper to Spain?

Also, what other Ilford products are not available here and why.

I would love to know.

Antonio,

From what I read out of this thread, Simon cannot force product onto a distributor. The distributor must order it. The distributor will only order it if they think they can sell it. Talk to your local distributor... commit to buy some.

It sounds like you have a far better supply than many other places.

regards, Nige

Matthew Gorringe · Jun 8, 2006

Dear Simon,
could you please clarify the maximum image size that is acceptable.

I see you've written 10cmx15cm as the size of the paper. Isn't it 5"x7" or ~ 12.5 x 17.5cm?. It that case you could make the image at least 10x15cm.

Thanks, Matt.

Simon R Galley · Jun 8, 2006

Dear Matt,

The postcard paper is actually m, therefore when judging I think its fairer to look at all the images at that size....if its a bit smaller, or bigger thats OK

Simon.

antielectrons · Jun 8, 2006

Hi John,

I am not familiar with the store you have mentioned, but given that certain Ilford products are not being sold in Spain I do not see how they would have any.

Antonio

John McCallum said:
Uh!? I don't understand your statement(s) "antieletrons".

I purchased a considerable amount of Ilford materials from a store in Spain less than six months ago. My purchase included bucket loads of sheet film (from off the shelf!) - something we can't get in New Zealand. And there were Ilford darkroom materials on the shelf that we would trade a farm for down here.

The store was on La Rambla in Barcelona.

ARPI foto.
La Rambla, 38-40
08002 Barcelona
Telf 93 318 11 11

Do you know it?

It is one of the largest and best stocked photo shops I have ever seen.

Quite right Frank, and ... er ... carry on.

Daniel_OB · Jun 27, 2006

Paper size and image size can be very different things, and usually is.
It is stated as by original poster "approximately 10 cm x 15 cm". Is it paper or image size? There are always some blank borders around image.
If it is paper size what is max blank border.
Just to avoid confusions.

Nige · Jun 28, 2006

I assume paper size since postacrds are basically that size and the Ilford postcard paper is that size. You can print without borders

Matthew Gorringe · Aug 6, 2006

Entry Sent

I sent mine on Friday. 7 images so fingers crossed. I had a lot of fun making these.

There wasn't any postcard paper in the shop here in Korea so I bought 1 pack of 8x10 Galerie grade 2 and one of grade 3. Using a guillotine in the darkroom required discipline and concentration but I still have all my fingers.

I had so much fun making these little prints because I was able to do a lot of experimentation without going through wads of cash. I think I'm going to make small prints as tests from now on. I was amazed how much happier I was with one image in particular after the fourth session printing it.

Thanks for the opportunity, Matt.

Rolleiflexible · Aug 25, 2006

Strict deadline?

I was finally able to locate a box of your Ilford postcard stock yesterday. GREAT STUFF, SIMON!!!

I just told my girlfriend (who shames me as a photographer) about this competition and she wants to enter it. She's going to print tomorrow (Friday) and put them in the post Saturday, here in New York. If they arrive in the UK a day or two late, will her entries still be considered?

Best,

Sanders McNew
www.mcnew.net/portraits

BWKate · Aug 31, 2006

Yahoo! Sent 7 by Fed Ex to Ilford from sunny B.C. after printing until 1:30 a.m.!
I've been working full time so time in the darkroom has been too scarce for my liking.

Good Luck Everybody!!

Aggie · Aug 31, 2006

The next issue of Emulsion will have the postcard competition winners in it. Glad I can help Simon out to further the cause of postacrd stock!

Gustavo_Castilla · Aug 21, 2007

I came In late what is the status on this ?

Bob F. · Aug 21, 2007

Gustavo_Castilla said:
I came In late what is the status on this ?

The winners were announced in another thread: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Cheers, Bob.

Request For Entries : Postcard Competition : ILFORD Photo / APUG

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