Suppliers & Prices

[Brad93]

Is it me or does everyone just seem to be out there to rip you off these days if you're not being super vigilant.

I stopped using my welding supplier last year after i realised the rep was basically earning a fortune out of me. I ring them up, tell them what i need, they used to always look after me. Few days later it would arrive via van.

I just so happened to have a look at my bill one day thinking that's high - £400 odd quid.

Quick look online, the price, bearing in mind we have a 30 day credit account. Was about 10-15% higher than the goods could be bought online!!

So i stopped using them. Fast forward, we get a new rep who says yep old rep has lost 30% of our customers, ripping people off etc.
Promises to make good.

So i've ordered a few bits, and today i need some cubitron discs. So i ping of a request for a quote.

Guess what, coming back at more than online prices again! only slightly but the idea is support your local distributor, if you're gonna charge more than online, and take half a week to deliver, i may as well shop online. Not like they ever have what you need at the counter anymore!

Just seems you have to play all the firms off against each other nowadays.

 

[mike os]

If online is card payment I dont object (well not too much) to a small increase for credit, especially in the current credit climate. But it needs to be proportionate and price matched if over a couple of hundred notes.

 

[Robotstar5]

I once sent an email to our regular supplier for a quote to supply a large amount of safety relays, it came back at over £20k so my boss sourced them direct from the manufacturer in Sweden via a mate over there to save a couple of grand.
A few weeks later I got a call from our regular suppliers asking when I wanted the order as they had got it in and it was sitting on the shelf, they weren't too happy when I told them I'd sourced the kit elsewhere but couldn't deny my email had clearly stated "quote" on it.

 

[gaz1]

if sourcing through a rep they should state they are adding there commision onto the bill that you get

or make it clear that commision has been added to your bill

though in my eyes when you source through there rep your supposed to get a better price than going on line its something id be asking the company about

 

[George A2Y]

Is it me or does everyone just seem to be out there to rip you off these days if you're not being super vigilant.

I stopped using my welding supplier last year after i realised the rep was basically earning a fortune out of me. I ring them up, tell them what i need, they used to always look after me. Few days later it would arrive via van.

I just so happened to have a look at my bill one day thinking that's high - £400 odd quid.

Quick look online, the price, bearing in mind we have a 30 day credit account. Was about 10-15% higher than the goods could be bought online!!

So i stopped using them. Fast forward, we get a new rep who says yep old rep has lost 30% of our customers, ripping people off etc.
Promises to make good.

So i've ordered a few bits, and today i need some cubitron discs. So i ping of a request for a quote.

Guess what, coming back at more than online prices again! only slightly but the idea is support your local distributor, if you're gonna charge more than online, and take half a week to deliver, i may as well shop online. Not like they ever have what you need at the counter anymore!

Just seems you have to play all the firms off against each other nowadays.

Loyalty tax, every #astard seems to be at it, all deals & offers targeted at 'new customers ' no longer any interest in loyal customers, yet they appear surprised when we walk!

 

[premmington]

Is it me or does everyone just seem to be out there to rip you off these days if you're not being super vigilant.

I stopped using my welding supplier last year after i realised the rep was basically earning a fortune out of me. I ring them up, tell them what i need, they used to always look after me. Few days later it would arrive via van.

I just so happened to have a look at my bill one day thinking that's high - £400 odd quid.

Quick look online, the price, bearing in mind we have a 30 day credit account. Was about 10-15% higher than the goods could be bought online!!

So i stopped using them. Fast forward, we get a new rep who says yep old rep has lost 30% of our customers, ripping people off etc.
Promises to make good.

So i've ordered a few bits, and today i need some cubitron discs. So i ping of a request for a quote.

Guess what, coming back at more than online prices again! only slightly but the idea is support your local distributor, if you're gonna charge more than online, and take half a week to deliver, i may as well shop online. Not like they ever have what you need at the counter anymore!

Just seems you have to play all the firms off against each other nowadays.

I been using "Rapid online" - next day delivery - prices OK - full range of stuff.

Both local welding suppliers unless you buying rolls and rolls of A18 wire - just seem to take too long getting stuff and it is too dear.

Last straw with one of the local suppliers was six 20mtr lengths of 35mm welding - when the bill came - I just sent them back for credit.

Ones off rapid were half the price with DIN plugs and stingers and earth clamps - enough was enough!

 

[addjunkie]

Loyalty tax, every #astard seems to be at it, all deals & offers targeted at 'new customers ' no longer any interest in loyal customers, yet they appear surprised when we walk!

Nail on head with loyalty tax….pays to keep them aware your shopping around

 

[Kram]

What did you expect? Your buying from a reputable, local shop, you have to pay a premium. That premium entitles you to return to physical shop with any complaints, and tracability of the parts.

However when I bought my tree kit from local shop, they messed about with my reciepts and that is important for the 6 month pre-loler test excemption. If I'd have bought it online, then I'd have a proper dated email invoices for it all, to be accessed at any time. When I get a tuit, I'll make a note of all the details and sort all my paperwork

 

[Onoff]

I'm likely just about to place an order with China for some stuff.

Let down with false promises from a couple of English companies. Kept me hanging on for weeks/months then let me down.

Then dealing with a English/German company and they want £10-15K for 100 specials, their minimum run. Don't get me wrong the quality is second to none.

The Chinese will do me 50, allegedly same material etc...all for circa $500.00. It's even £5K from the German crowd for their nearest off the shelf items.

So far the Chinese customer service, response time and attentiveness have knocked the English & German firms into a cocked hat.

 

[zzr1200]

Guess what, coming back at more than online prices again! only slightly but the idea is support your local distributor, if you're gonna charge more than online, and take half a week to deliver, i may as well shop online. Not like they ever have what you need at the counter anymore!

So where do you think your local supplier orders their stock from???

 

[Brad93]

So where do you think your local supplier orders their stock from???

Direct from the manufacturer with their purchasing power, bearing in mind i know they get a discount of 60%+ off list.

 

[Munkul]

I expect local bricks and mortar shops to be 10 to 15% more than online, they have much higher overheads and probably sell around the same volume. Just got to use them when you can, or when you need them... Ie convenience, or for easy customer service.
One of our LWS is 30% more than online, now that's greedy! And I've told them enough times.

 

[striker]

I'm not loyal to UK or local companies just for the sake of it. I'm a keen cyclist, I use power meters in all my bikes to measure power output (wattage).
I bought local originally when I started using them. Made by an English company. Worst power meter I've used, however they did replace it twice. The second time I sold it straight away as I'd lost confidence. I started using another type, from same local shop but Spanish manufacturer. Worked fine for four years with no issues. It then gave up, contacted shop, sorry out of warranty. Which I knew. Contacted Spanish manufacturer to see if it could be repaired, sorry out of warranty,. I know but can you fix it, no. Oh well there's £700 down the pan.
So, took a chance on a Chinese one. £300 delivered direct from the manufacturer. 2yr warranty. 3 years in it stopped working after being under water in flash floods in Mallorca. Contacted the manufacturer direct, sorry out of warranty but we'll fix it for 50 us dollars. From leaving my house to China, repaired and back to me again in less than 3 weeks, oh and with a fresh 2 year warranty... I will be loyal to this company, next power meter will come from there as they fail on my other bikes!

 

[Onoff]

I'm seriously thinking of trying a batch of flap discs from Temu.

20 years back I bought my little lad a 12V electric go-kart for a couple of hundred I think. It stopped working. I wrote to the Chinese company. A HUGE box turned up at home. They had sent me the complete front end of the go-kart. I fitted that, still didn't work. Then I realised the 3 or 4 AA batteries under the steering wheel didn't just make the brum, brum noise but controlled the 12V motor side...whoops...

Just looking at a real quote for work. £110ea bought here vs $8-10ea from China who are quoting the same spec and vastly better delivery. Plus as aforementioned their service has been impeccable. Tbh they are a little over attentive a bit like when you sign up on Temu.