Mail Order Suppliers (not Engweld)

[aesmith]

Hi,

I know Weldequipe are forum sponsors, but they're on holiday at the moment and I would like to order an auto helmet. What other suppliers do you guys use? In case it's significant, I'm in Aberdeenshire. I've already had an order knocked back by "Engweld" who claim that I'm not even on the mainland. Obviously I need to avoid any other supplier with the same narrow minded view.

Thanks, Tony S

 

[PTvor]

How about Highland Industrial Supplies?

http://www.hisltd.co.uk/Depots.html

They may even have a branch within driving distance, and at least they will have it quite clear in their heads that you are on the mainland.

 

[aesmith]

Yes, they have a branch in Elgin although they don't seem to hold a lot of stock there especially for DIY grade stuff. We're in Elgin occasionally so they might be a fall-back possibility.

 

[rtbcomp]

http://www.weldability-sif.com/pages/home.asp

 

[matt1978]

Try Steveweld in Aberdeen. Have stock of most things so could maybe even deliver to you. If you call them ask for Gary Annal, he's the main sales guy there.

 

[cecotto479]

Premier Welding in Glasgow will deliver. Highly recommended.

 

[brightspark]

Try Steveweld in Aberdeen. Have stock of most things so could maybe even deliver to you. If you call them ask for Gary Annal, he's the main sales guy there.

poor bloke i bet he got some stick at school

 

[matt1978]

Or Gary McInnes

 

[atomant48]

We're in Elgin occasionally.

Hopefully very occasionally! ;-}

HIS have a branch in Inverness too. Have you tried Welders Warehouse? Their auto helmet used to be a test winner (and when mine packed up they sent a replacement at minimal cost which impressed me), but i think it was overtaken recently in a test i saw.

 

[aesmith]

Thanks everyone. I note the absence of recommendations for other national mail order sources, do you guys not deal with anyone except Weldequipe? Shame they're on holiday just now or I'd have done the same.

Ironically we were in Inverness last weekend, and could have called into HIS if I'd realised the Inverness branch would still be open on Saturday afternoon. As it was we drove right past on the way to the harbour. I've not looked at Welder's Warehouse or Steve Weld in Aberdeen yet, but will do so. I was kind of set on an ESAB helmet as I've tried one. I think I might be sorted by mail order now but having had one order knocked back after being accepted and paid for, I won't count my chickens yet.

With hindsight maybe I should have dug my heels in and insisted on Engweld fulfilling the order, after all their web site says that delivery charges are for UK Mainland with no mention of exclusion for Highlands and Islands so they don't have a leg to stand on even if you stretched geography and counted us as Highland. On the other hand if they're the sort of supplier that wants to charge an extra £20 for a parcel that can be sent anywhere in the UK for less than a fiver, maybe I'm better going elsewhere in any case.

Tony S

 

[rtbcomp]

I recommended Weldabilty in post #4, they operate nationwide.

 

[PTvor]

There are loads of places people have dealt with mail order. diy-welding, r-tech, rapid welding, dozens of places.

I said HIS because I'm tempted to mail order a load of arc rods from them. Their prices seem pretty good for a lot of things. There was even a chance there'd be a branch so near that you could drop in and not bother with mail order, although they operate mail order as well.

All mail order places seem to have special postage rates for places like the Channel Islands, IoM and Northern Ireland, that is, not on the mainland, which seems reasonable. Others include parts of Scotland, highlands and islands. It probably depends on the delivery service they use.

Weldequip charges special rates for some things to be sent to Northern Scotland.

http://www.weldequip.com/shipping.htm

Although for welding helmets, they apply the standard rate.

 

[PTvor]

With hindsight maybe I should have dug my heels in and insisted on Engweld fulfilling the order, after all their web site says that delivery charges are for UK Mainland with no mention of exclusion for Highlands and Islands so they don't have a leg to stand on even if you stretched geography and counted us as Highland. On the other hand if they're the sort of supplier that wants to charge an extra £20 for a parcel that can be sent anywhere in the UK for less than a fiver, maybe I'm better going elsewhere in any case.

Tony S

The delivery charges are detailed on their website.

http://www.engweld.co.uk/Delivery.php

Click the graphic which says (confusingly) Carriage paid on orders of £60.00 inc VAT UK mainland only.

They then go on to exclude the highlands and give a list of excluded postcodes.

Weldequip's delivery charges page is a model of clarity.

 

[the snooper]

poor bloke i bet he got some stick at school

painful

 

[brightspark]

painful

how droll

 

[aesmith]

The delivery charges are detailed on their website.

Not really because there's no reason for anyone to click on that graphic, given that the definition (UK Mainland) is unambiguous and unqualified. The screens shown during the ordering process don't suggest any ambiguity either. Finally if you do click that link my postcode isn't covered by their range of exclusions. I think the supplier themselves are confused as they first claimed I wasn't mainland, then fell back on "our carrier classes you as ...", although he also said they come across this issue regularly.

 

[aesmith]

I recommended Weldabilty in post #4, they operate nationwide.

You did, thanks. I was trying to suss them out as they look more like an importer/distributer than a retailer. They only sell their own brand stuff, and there was something about registering and being transferred to my nearest outlet.

 

[PTvor]

Not really because there's no reason for anyone to click on that graphic, given that the definition (UK Mainland) is unambiguous and unqualified. The screens shown during the ordering process don't suggest any ambiguity either. Finally if you do click that link my postcode isn't covered by their range of exclusions. I think the supplier themselves are confused as they first claimed I wasn't mainland, then fell back on "our carrier classes you as ...", although he also said they come across this issue regularly.

Well you've tried to buy from them using their website in a reasonable way and discovered there's a sting in the tail. Furthermore, it's a problem they know they have and come across regularly, but they haven't sorted it out, which is as much as saying that they know their website is misleading and causes annoyance and disappointment for many customers but they don't care. This isn't a recipe for customer satisfaction and they are not using the website to communicate effectively. They certainly aren't on the ball as to maintaining the list of postcodes classing as 'highland and island'.

I very much doubt you could force them to go along with the sale on the basis of what it says on their website. Their isn't enough money involved and their T&C probably lets them out anyway.

However, a lot of these e-commerce websites are a bit vague about delivery charges, and sometimes they don't say what they are at all until you check out.

 

[aesmith]

I very much doubt you could force them to go along with the sale on the basis of what it says on their website. Their isn't enough money involved and their T&C probably lets them out anyway.

Agreed, and it would be pointless as I clearly wouldn't be dealing with them again now I know their terms.

As of now I've never had to pay extra for any mail order delivery, and intend to keep it that way, but a couple of times I've had to shop around. For example the place I was going to order my compressor from ("Free UK delivery on orders over £100") wanted to charge extra, but it was no problem to find the same machine from someone else on normal terms.