Wholesale Ready Made picture frame sources ... Any suggestions?

Hello,

When I exhibit my photography at shows, I receive a significant number of buyers of my small 5x7 prints that I frame in an innexpensive and rather nice for the $2.99 price IKEA Ribba Frame. I have also purchased their 8x10 frames ($4.99) with success. My wholesale supplier just cannot compete with smaller linear foot purchases (joins, I would have to cut the glass and the mat ... too much trouble and more costly for small items). As a side note, everyone should try these innexpensive options. They are quite popular and I have found them to be a profitable item that does not hinder sales of biffer artwork/frames ... When someone wants a bigger frame, they are willing to pay for it. I have found that these small options actually GAIN customers who would have otherwise left with no purchase. Plus it brings in 25% of my profits that I feel i would have otherwise not gained.

Anyway, back to my question. I am looking for a wholesale Ready Frame distributor where I could find classic flat black gallery-type small frames. I Googled several ways and looked at many pages to no avail (the wholesalers I found were actually quite expensive). I even tried looking for "Dollar Store" type distributors but found none that have the frame style I am looking for. Well, if you know of ANY cheap cheap source of good ready made frames then please respond.

Thank you.

Hi Larry,

You said, "But I can tell you how to source glass and pre cut mats inexpensively. And how to get high quality prints for probably less than you're currently paying."

So, sure, please feel free to share this information in a reply. I am sure i and future readers would find it helpful.

I would be interested in seeing what options I have to my current standard (For example, my RIBBA Ikea 8x10 wood composite frame @ $2.99 which comes complete with glass, mat and back). I know my cost is already minimal, but, even if i shave a $1 that's like an extra $500 to $1000 a year I could earn.

Look forward to the info.

Larry Berman said:

In the 1980's I sold a lot of 5x7 photographs matted 8x10. I found a frame I liked at a discount store, contacted the manufacturer and purchased the shells (frames without glass, mat, or backing) from them wholesale. I ordered glass by the pallet and had mats die cut. I had the mat board outer size pre cut and owned my own dies that fit a press from a company that manufactured pre cut mat board so they could cut the mats for me..

Adding up the costs gave me a product I could sell at a vary large profit. The frames I used were a simple aluminum in silver and gold and the company that manufactured them specialized in aluminum shower doors.

The problem you're going to run into is everything is now manufactured in China and imported. I'm guessing there will be no more empty frames because they can import them with mat, glass and picture cheaper than the shells can be manufactured for in this country. But I can tell you how to source glass and pre cut mats inexpensively. And how to get high quality prints for probably less than you're currently paying.

Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

Replies

Larry Berman March 16, 2010 at 12:59am

8x10 glass is 40 cents a sheet by the case.
8x10 mats with 4.5x6.5 opening with backing are $1.00 die cut
5x7 prints on Fuji Crystal Archive paper 75 cents

What are paying?

Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Hugo Cruz March 16, 2010 at 12:00am

Thanks Mark! I will definitely look into these.

For those reading this, I am also currently gathering information from manufacturers in China via www.Alibaba.com ... I have known about Alibaba for years but I am just now getting to use it. So far, the research of innexpensive (yet NOT poor quality) sounds promissing. I will be getting samples soon of frames for small prints from 5x7 to 8x12. There may also be an option to have them print OR I could send them my prints and have them do all the work (thus, sending me ready-to-sell framed art like you see at department stores) ... This option sounds great to me because time is money. We all know how limited our time is as artists.

Well, I will post again with my experiences. I welcome any other ideas and or references/resources.

Thanks.

Mark Rogers said:
As Larry mentioned, the really inexpensive frames will be imported. Although my company makes frames in the US we do sell mats made from excess material near cost here: clearance mat board. Glass you want to buy from a local frame distributor such as Aetna or Larson Juhl by the box precut to the size you need.
Cheers, Mark
Frame Destination, Inc
Hugo Cruz March 15, 2010 at 11:54pm

Hi Larry,

You said, "But I can tell you how to source glass and pre cut mats inexpensively. And how to get high quality prints for probably less than you're currently paying."

So, sure, please feel free to share this information in a reply. I am sure i and future readers would find it helpful.

I would be interested in seeing what options I have to my current standard (For example, my RIBBA Ikea 8x10 wood composite frame @ $2.99 which comes complete with glass, mat and back). I know my cost is already minimal, but, even if i shave a $1 that's like an extra $500 to $1000 a year I could earn.

Look forward to the info.

Larry Berman said:
In the 1980's I sold a lot of 5x7 photographs matted 8x10. I found a frame I liked at a discount store, contacted the manufacturer and purchased the shells (frames without glass, mat, or backing) from them wholesale. I ordered glass by the pallet and had mats die cut. I had the mat board outer size pre cut and owned my own dies that fit a press from a company that manufactured pre cut mat board so they could cut the mats for me..

Adding up the costs gave me a product I could sell at a vary large profit. The frames I used were a simple aluminum in silver and gold and the company that manufactured them specialized in aluminum shower doors.

The problem you're going to run into is everything is now manufactured in China and imported. I'm guessing there will be no more empty frames because they can import them with mat, glass and picture cheaper than the shells can be manufactured for in this country. But I can tell you how to source glass and pre cut mats inexpensively. And how to get high quality prints for probably less than you're currently paying.

Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Hugo Cruz March 15, 2010 at 11:48pm

Thanks Connie. Although King of Frame seems to have some very nice, ornate, frames, what they sell is not what I would be looking for. They are quite on the expensive side. I already buy my frames and framing supply from a framing supply wholesaler in Florida (free shipping) and their prices are excellent on large format frames. I also buy glass, mats and boards by the box and cut them myself to size. Thus, large frames are not the issue.

As described in my first post, I am looking for innexpensive alternatives for my small frames (I gave the IKEA frames which I currently use as an example). Currently, I can make 5x7 prints framed on an IKEA Ribba frame at a cost of about $3.85 ... Not bad, but I am always looking for options.

More of my reply as i answer each reply.

But thank you. perhaps someone else reading this in the future will find the King of Frames useful.

Connie Mettler said:
Check out Kingofframe.com. They were an advertiser on this site last year - the owner, Randy Higbee, was trying to expand out to the rest of the country from California. He didn't get any customers from his ad, so it would be great if you would at least contact him and tell him I sent you :) I think he has some great prices.
Mark Rogers March 15, 2010 at 8:00am

As Larry mentioned, the really inexpensive frames will be imported. Although my company makes frames in the US we do sell mats made from excess material near cost here: clearance mat board. Glass you want to buy from a local frame distributor such as Aetna or Larson Juhl by the box precut to the size you need.
Cheers, Mark
Frame Destination, Inc
Larry Berman March 13, 2010 at 9:39pm

In the 1980's I sold a lot of 5x7 photographs matted 8x10. I found a frame I liked at a discount store, contacted the manufacturer and purchased the shells (frames without glass, mat, or backing) from them wholesale. I ordered glass by the pallet and had mats die cut. I had the mat board outer size pre cut and owned my own dies that fit a press from a company that manufactured pre cut mat board so they could cut the mats for me..

Adding up the costs gave me a product I could sell at a vary large profit. The frames I used were a simple aluminum in silver and gold and the company that manufactured them specialized in aluminum shower doors.

The problem you're going to run into is everything is now manufactured in China and imported. I'm guessing there will be no more empty frames because they can import them with mat, glass and picture cheaper than the shells can be manufactured for in this country. But I can tell you how to source glass and pre cut mats inexpensively. And how to get high quality prints for probably less than you're currently paying.

Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Connie Mettler March 12, 2010 at 6:24pm

Check out Kingofframe.com. They were an advertiser on this site last year - the owner, Randy Higbee, was trying to expand out to the rest of the country from California. He didn't get any customers from his ad, so it would be great if you would at least contact him and tell him I sent you :) I think he has some great prices.

This reply was deleted.