Need some advice on a business issue.. Please.

Hello,
As most of you know I started an official business a few months ago. I was just ordering irems and posting them on the classifieds before that. No my problem is a small one but I want to know how everyone would handle it.. I am receiveing emails from a well known business that are talking badly about me and my business because my prices are lower than theirs. They keep saying tha I will not be in business long as my prices are to low and so on. I feel my prices are fair and keep them at the same or just about hte same prices at everyone on this forum out of respect. Now I respect this company for the time they have been in business and the information they provide on their site. But now I have received 2 emails stating how bad of a business I have and need to worry about my reputation..bla bla bla.. Anyone who has delt with me knows thats I do everything I possibly can to make tohe customer happy even if it is a loss to me.. One thing that bothers me is that they ask me to keep it out of the BOI, for reasons that I figure is they dont want potential customers to think of them as money hungry.. Any input you fellow business people can give me on how to handle this will be hreatly appricate as I value your opinon.. Thank you and God Bless,
-Matt

Are you in this to make money or cowtow to the established guys in this business?

Anyone playing dirty ball like they are SHOULD be brought here and exposed.

Pissants that stoop so low as to threaten you like that just make me mad.

Post the emails they sent you. I'd like to see them.

Im confused. Your saying that "Big Company" is sending YOU E-mails talking bad about you? I guess I don't see how that affects your business and I don't see what good it does them either. Could you elaborate?

If they are complaining to you about your low prices and saying you won't be around long, that would be good for them! I wouldn't even respond if I were you. Let the free market determine your prices. just don't sell too low. Not for the sake of your competition, you want to stear as much business your way as possible but leave as little money on the table as possible.

No it does not effect my business at all. I am just saying how would you hanel the situation. I replied to the first one and just received the second this evening. I am just worried the the "big boys" will make me look like a crook or somethting like that...

Hey Matt, how you doing bud?

I think you already know the answer to this one. Only you can make you look like a crook. No one else can. If you run an honest business, give good customer service and offer quality products at a fair price your business will stand on its own merits. A competitors attempt to make you look bad will fall on deaf ears. I mean Subway bashes McDonalds but people don't stop eating at Mickey D's do they? Ford and GM, Pepsi and Coke.... your competitors can talk trash all they want, but if you continue to do the right thing and offer people what they want at a fair price with your outstanding customer service it is not going to matter what they say.

Don't even worry about these guys. All they are trying to do is intimidate you. Ignore them and just keep doing what you have done that has gotten you to this point. Which is running a business with some integrity and class and by putting the customer first. You continue to do business like you do Matt and you will have no worries.

I do wish you would fill us in on who is trying to strong arm you so I would know who not to do business with in the future.

Anyway Matt, remember that you have already established yourself as an honest business man and they can do nothing to change that. Only you can.

Take care.

Doing good my man, bout yourself? I agree 100% and appricate the awsome comments... At this point I will take a second mortage out on my house to stay in business.hahahah..
-MG

If you can sell your products at a lower price than they can and still make what you consider an acceptable profit, then that's their problem and not yours. It's the nature of the free market. They can either compete with you or you can take their business.

I've been selling roaches online for a few years now. Occasionally someone comes along and starts selling at very low prices. I've never emailed them or hassled them about undercutting me. If they're happy with making a buck fifty to drive to the post office then more power to them. I didn't drop my prices to dirt to compete with them. A few people got good deals on roaches, cleaned them out, and they weren't selling roaches long. I'm still here though.

I would pay no attention to them at all. If they continue to harass you, I would definately let the community know what they're doing if you don't want to do that at this time. It's pretty pathetic to resort to intimidation or whatever you want to call it just to hang on to a market share you apparently don't deserve in the first place.

Thanks for the advice guys I really appricate it. I have decided I will just ignore it and see if it goes away..Thanks again,
-Matt

I'd tell them:

Thank you for your concern. I will take this into consideration. In the mean time I will continue to take customers from you. Any further e-mails from you and I will be posting them on the BOI. All but the second statement are true.

LOL that would work too..hahahahahaha