Choosing the right supplier

[Martin@Aim]

Hi All
New business looking for reliable supplier/s?
I have done a little looking around but most wholesalers seem reluctant to give out price lists. "What do you want the price of?" they ask.
But as a new business scraping around for work i want to maximise my profit margins, but they all seem to operate on the " The more you buy the better the price." system Which of course I understand, but the Chicken or Duck question is also complicated by the internet. (sulk over)
Can anyone suggest the best supplier? or if you are a wholesaler looking for new clients I would love to hear from you. :rolleyes2:

Many thanks for your patients

Martin

 

[Phil]

tbh the wholesalers should at least give you the top end price with incentives for ordering more. then at least you have something to go against. what size company are you?

 

[Octopus]

You need 2 or 3 reliable, local suppliers. Make sure each knows about the other 2 and when you have bigger deals to do get them to do quotes.

It always pay to get loyalty too.

Some wholesalers, like Senate, will give you a 2.5% discount for prompt payment of your account.

Ask some questions.

 

[Sintra]

Opening accounts cost you nothing. So my advice would be to open 3 or 4 accounts and ask them for quotations on items you think you will be using. Then you can see what discounts each is offering and play them off against each other.

 

[Martin@Aim]

Thanks, I am a small new start up. I am using Screwfix and a couple of places on the internet at the moment.

 

[CSP2012]

As said above... Just get quotes for materials for every job from at least 2. You'll soon find your best/best couple. Try not to get too pally as they can tend to have a sulk if u use others... But prices of materials can win you jobs

 

[Octopus]

And remember, you may save £1 on a part but is it worth driving 10 miles and for 30 minutes for?

 

[Martin@Aim]

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Kate]

Mines on friendliness too. My regular wholesaler goes above and beyond when I ask for prices, to the point on some out of the norm items they hunt the Internet for the beat deal to save me doing it...hence they get all my business. Yea I might save a tenner here twenty there elsewhere but they are worth it. If im in a jam and need something asap for a job they have always squeezed my order in and I get it with an hour.

Worth every penny.

 

[ferg]

If you are using screwfix you can get set up for electricfix which will save you a bit here and there.

I got seriously fed up with a couple of suppliers as they were not only inconsistent with pricing but a bit cheeky when it came to stuff I hadn't negotiated a price for yet.

The suppliers I use now are top notch customer service and they give me a good price first time.
It's worth having a shopping basket open for a couple of online suppliers when you are asking for prices as you then have a point of reference.

It's also worth bearing in mind that some suppliers own brand kit is terrible.
Electric center will tell you who the manufacturer of their own brand, acel, is.

In general branches of suppliers tend to act a little differently from each other and from client to client so you may be better making your own mind up rather than taking advice on a specific supplier.

Hope this helps.