Supply house confidentiality on prices

[Keith Roberts]

>The constuction trades sell parts to the individual licenses at less of a 
>price than the general contractors and to the generals, less than the 
>public. The reason being the public buys one or two items a year, maybe, 
>and we buy thousands of dollars worth of materials a year. We are the 
>people that keep these guys in business. We deserve prices that are less 
>than the rest of the world. Buying in volume has always gotten a lower 
>price. Mark up is to cover the costs and time associated with the whole 
>thing. Whether you bill it as labor or a % of the price of the the parts 
>is up to you. Resale adds another dimension to the accounting practices 
>and sales tax has to be charged in my state. If the supply house is not 
>going to give us a discount for volume sales then I say let the owners 
>order all the parts needed and we charge for the labor to tell them what 
>they need. The headache of bookkeeping, returned items and individual 
>shipping should show the supply house the need for strict policies in this 
>matter.

Keith R

><<" It seems that the suppliers should establish a retail price list for
>those
>who have not established a commercial account with them. ">> JP
>
><<"But it takes a
>
>bit out of it when these items are evidently available to the public at
>
>wholesale prices.">> David Love
>
>Jon, David, et al;
>
>  While I tend to agree with these sentiments.....I need to keep in mind my
>own proclivity for shopping for the best prices when I am buying something.
>Do we not all do this if there is the opportunity to do so ? ....... i.e.,
>multiple sources for the same item.  Do we buy stuff from Sam's
>Club/B.J.'s/Walmart, etc. that we could buy from a specialty shop? After all
>the specialty shop was started and is run for the customers convenience at
>finding that special item that is sometimes hard to find?........ and isn't
>that owner entitled to their profit for their efforts on our behalf??  And
>how many of us shop 'on line' to find the best deal? ..ever use e.bay or the
>like?
>
>  A wholesaler who shops 'out the door' is not as valuable as one who does 
> not
>and it matters not the trade/business involved. Of course when it affects
>'us' negatively.... directly in the pocketbook...we tend to take a narrower
>view of such things.....huh?
>
>  I don't think that Schaff makes a habit of giving out prices/selling
>merchandise to the general public....at least in my experience with
>them...the same can not be said for 'some' other tuning trade suppliers.
>
>  While it may be irritating when something like this happens, i.e., customer
>finding cheaper source, it is easier to handle if we have a policy for
>handling this type of thingee............... perhaps that policy might be
>'hands off' any such deal....perhaps it might be accomodate the customer at
>no charge......perhaps it might be removing the customer from the client
>list......perhaps it may be to explain that you are in business and earn the
>profit you need so that you will be in business the 'next' time that customer
>needs your services..........or even perhaps 'no policy' will be 'your'
>policy'..........
>Whatever the case   ..... remember a free market works both ways and you
>can't exclude 'your' portion of it from the common features found in
>same........ though often I would like to!! :-)
>Jim Bryant (FL)
>_______________________________________________
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