[Closed] Dealing with joe public.

Cheaper than B+Q?

Because a lot of counters that have that sign will still deal with the public anyway.

loads cheaper than b n q.

genuine Q.. whats the difference? do trade have different money??

How would you like it if there was a no tradesmen sign on the public library.

I've never understood why there is this...trade only thing....obviously the prices are without Vat....is that it or is there more to it?

do trade have different money??

...obviously the prices are without Vat....

the real pain is the public buying products that they do not know how to fit/use.
and then bringing them back saying they are faulty, when clearly they are not.

beacause then you end up sending loads of gear back to the suppliers, who when they have tested it, send it back to you wit no fault found.

you then have to sell it at a reduced price because of damaged packaging/used goods.

I don't think you can blame a bloke for doing his research and going a little off piste to get the best prices for the jobs he needs to do. Saves paying daft B&Queue prices. And who wants to employ a tradesman to do a job you can do yourself? I'll save my money for the stuff I can't/not allowed to do, ta.

I used to love the public, give them the chat, let them get the trade discount and smile at how the margin went up. It's a win/win/win situation.

We aren't daft (well not all of us) we know this happens. But so long as you are still cheaper than the aforementioned, then like you say, everyone's a winner.

[b]got sign's on the doors saying no public[/b].
and yet they insist!
why?

the real pain is the public buying products that they do not know how to fit/use.
and [b]then bringing them back saying they are faulty, when clearly they are not.[/b]

We aren't daft

don.....cheers for the sarcasm.....only said that as it was the only part i knew as being fact..hence the question 😐

I genuinely wanted to know btw

I think you'll find that the trademen pay VAT too petal. I hadn't realised you were so fragile, sorry. 🙁

I think that from a trade counter's point of view, the general public can end up wasting a load of time for spending a few quid. Also, if I saw that there was a member of the GP in wasting the time of my flooring supplies place, and then paying what I pay, I'd be wondering what the point of my shopping there was.

I do always advise friends that if they [i]know[/i] what they want, and aren't going to ask any stupid questions, then put some scruffy clothes on and go to a trade counter. Most of them happily accept card payments now and as long as you sound like you know what you want, they'll take your money.

Can understand the OP's point on this one - it's up to you who can buy your stuff.

Some years ago I was enquiring about pipe fittings in a local plumbers merchants & a couple of plumbers were earwigging, s****ing etc, likewise the **** on the counter who was clearly "one of the lads".
Suffice to say my £10's worth of business went somewhere else that day, likewise my £1500 order for new boiler, rads etc.

They went bust a year or so later. I think its a dance studio or something now.

Suffice to say my £10's worth of business went somewhere else that day, likewise my £1500 order for new boiler, rads etc.

They went bust a year or so later. I think its a dance studio or something now.

Wow. That's awesome.

lol how to go bust 101. if they have money take it!!!!!

Don

not fragile at all bud...just not into being a nob to anybody on here thats all. I speak/treat people with the respect that I appreciate when being spoken to.

anyway back on topic... I was interested as to why there are trade only places and whether the savings to be had were worthwhile...one of them being that the traders didnt pay vat when purchasing the stock.

just not into being a nob to anybody on here thats all.

I think it has more to do with different areas having different zoneing (development)permissions ie Costco,Screwfix and Novatec either have you as a member or require name and address.
Also consumer law dosnt always apply if you buy buisness to buisness and lets be honest who would you rather deal with ? a numpty asking lots of daft questions and spending buttons or a guy who knows what he wants and is spending real money regulary.

That said I have good service from several trade counters

one of them being that the traders didnt pay vat when purchasing the stock

That's not how it works. A VAT registered trader will pay VAT on the stock he buys. He will also charge VAT on the work he does for a client. He will 'claim back' the VAT on his stock, but pay the dear old government the VAT he has charged his client. Net result, he pays the difference in the two VAT levels to the government.

don simon - Member
just not into being a nob to anybody on here thats all.

Are you calling me a nob? You ask a question, I give you the answer, I notice you don't actually believe me, and you call me a nob then expect respect. That's made my day.

What i'm saying is....there was no need for the sarcasm....I didnt know so I asked....You actually answered someone else's post was after I'd asked the question. 🙄

Dudie

oh right, didnt know that.

Also didnt know about the consumer laws not applying

cheers

What sarcasm, I couldn't actually believe that you'd asked the question seriously.
Are you sitting at home rolling your eyes? That would be so cool if you are.

.You actually answered someone else's post was after I'd asked the question.

How would you like it if there was a no tradesmen sign on the public library.

Can they read? 🙂

Well iuse Howdens trade only, and they have a public price list , and a trade price list and more discounts if they like you and you spend a lot, the public price will be say 200 quid, the trade price may be 60%off that price plus vat, so you tell the customer its that much, public price, but i can give you a discount of 20% and they jump at it sometimes, or you can offer more of a discount to get the work.

Where as B and Q, a lot of the timber and other stuff is cheaper if youre old and have a 10%off card for being over 60.

Then there is screwfix, which has dedicated trade only counters for gas and electric and plunmbers,you need trade membership to get those prices.

consumer laws do apply just different ones, buy a 40 grand tractor it comes with a 5 year warranty. dont know about taps though

I'm not sure where the 'consumer' bit of consumer law would go. That is a mechanic will buy and fit the brake pads, but not consume/use them. So different laws have to apply.

The whole trade and public price is a rip off if you look at car parts there is a huge mark up so you are paying the garage for te labour and are being ripped off over car parts too. Its different if you are buying in bulk or a big spender but if you are small builder you are no different to a guy refurbishing a house.

The law reguarding consumer law is a bit unclear you go from being a consumer to a buisness to buisness transaction as contracts come into play and the pricing structure is different. The owner of a car hire company explained to me that he purchased all his cars as a consumer so that he got the warrenty.

Mikeypies - Member
The law reguarding consumer law is a bit unclear you go from being a consumer to a buisness to buisness transaction as contracts come into play and the pricing structure is different. [b]The owner of a car hire company explained to me that he purchased all his cars as a consumer so that he got the warrenty. [/b]

Posted 8 minutes ago # Report-Post

Hire comapnuies do this to sell on their cars,, as the general public are more likely to buy a car with one owner , than a hire car with one owner and many bad drivers.

A hire car manager told me that.........

The whole trade and public price is a rip off if you look at car parts there is a huge mark up so you are paying the garage for te labour and are being ripped off over car parts too. Its different if you are buying in bulk or a big spender but if you are small builder you are no different to a guy refurbishing a house.

The better questions is why is it fair to charge different prices for the stuff you stock to different people.
Think it is just a rip off tbh to deter DIY

Buying power Junky and the ability to make profits. I don't think 'fair' comes into business either.

Working on the supply side of the bike industry... I hope some of you remember this thread when you phone me, wasting my time asking stupid questions about the new product you've bought and how to fit it, or if you can do your warranty direct rather than through the shop... and I tell you to go and speak to the LBS where you bought it 😆

Hire comapnuies do this to sell on their cars,, as the general public are more likely to buy a car with one owner , than a hire car with one owner and many bad drivers.

A hire car manager told me that.........

no he does it for the warenty . He sells the cars once finished on the hire fleet at the front of his yard.

I'm not too sure of the point you're trying to make but even the small builder is probably doing let's say 10X the number of house refurbs than the guy you mentioned and even then he won't get as much of a discount as a national housebuilder who will deal direct with either the head office or factory.
Regarding the rip off prices of car parts, I assume you've seen the loss making sales that go on, haven't you?
Why on earth should the guy who spends 100GBP on parts every year get the same discount as the smallest garage who will put 500-1.000GBP each and every week through the accounts? If the back street guy is spending that much, it doesn't take a genius to work out how much more a main dealer is spending.

You are missing the point totally
discounts for bulk are one thing and is normal. |What is wrong is charging the customer an inflated price ,the so called retail which nobody pays. You can walk into a car factors and get them at the so called trade price the garage is having a laugh.

I was quoted silly money for a flue liner at a trade desk till I said that I could get it for 1/4 the price so he did me a trade deal as at the end of the day cash is king

,the so called retail which nobody pays. You can walk into a car factors and get them at the so called trade price the garage is having a laugh.

Mikeypies - Member

Hire comapnuies do this to sell on their cars,, as the general public are more likely to buy a car with one owner , than a hire car with one owner and many bad drivers.

A hire car manager told me that.........

no he does it for the warenty . He sells the cars once finished on the hire fleet at the front of his yard.

A well known driving school co,mapny used or still does register individuals cars in the drivers name, as opposed to the school car, its a well known ploy, to get more cash for them, and nothing to do with warranty, if it was the car producers would stop it.

Anyone ever tried to buy bike stuff trade from madison or any of the other independant cycle wholesalers, they just say no, or ask to visit your bricks and mortar premesis.

Project you are combining 2 issued into one

buying trade or retail and registering cars under a name rather than the company are totally different

I used to work for Brown Brothers, I don't think I'm missing the point at all.

so you used to work for a distributor, you are still mixing up 2 issues

discounts for bulk purchasing are one thing and is normal,

What is wrong is charging the customer an inflated price ,the so called retail which nobody pays.
You can walk into a car factors and get them at the so called trade price the garage is having a laugh

What no-one has brought up is that trade sales are not covered by the usual consumer laws. That can mean there is no warranty at all on things you buy, and generally, means that if you buy excess stock, you get charged 20% or so to take the bits back, something that most consumers would not tolerate if they got 4 pairs of socks from M+S, then decided to take them back.

They are also there to deal quickly with people who know what they want, rather than explaining to Joe Public the parts they require, and what they look like etc.

Basically, Trade Counters are sparse, poor customer relations shops, which is fine, as the people using it know exactly what they require, and dont want to pay for a personal advisor' to tell them which brick/pipe/cable to buy.
Alan.

so you used to work for a distributor, you are still mixing up 2 issues

Basically, Trade Counters are sparse, [b]poor customer relations shops[/b],

Why do you think I'm a prick mr tagger?

I would like to take the opportunituy to apologise to the person that I have insulted in this thread, but having re-read my comments I fail to see anything that could be considered an insult except the use of the words 'nob' and 'prick'. The moderators have informed of the error of my ways and when I can see the error of my ways I will modify my behaviour.
I also apologise for doing whatever I have done to a sufficient level that a cowardly tagger thinks that I deserve the tag 'don's a prick'.

alan has it the nail on the head.
and as from monday anyone who comes in and their opening comment is 'i am after a bit of advice', is gonna get ejected sharpish...... 😈

What no-one has brought up is that trade sales are not covered by the usual consumer laws.

I alluded to the above earlier

oh by the way Im not the tagger just incase figers are being pointed

Oh and I have no beef either , :-)chickens and bees yes but no beef 🙂

oh by the way Im not the tagger just incase figers are being pointed

just in case fingers [i]are[/i] being pointed...im not the tagger either.

As a lurker on this thread I thought I should mention that I'm not the tagger either, just to clear up any confusion there might have been.

A well known driving school co,mapny used or still does register individuals cars in the drivers name, as opposed to the school car,

The public are all bellends. It's bad enough having to interact with them when I don't need to. Having to involve myself with them to earn money would have me reaching for a weapon.

How can anyone who deals with the public not hate the human race?

[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/brilliant-customer-service-from-john-lewis ]These people seem to do it perfectly[/url]

Edit: and in any case, the manufacturer's warranty on cars (as far as I can remember) usually excludes/restricts cars used as driving school cars anyway, reagrdless of who formally owns - or keeps - them. And you would have thought the extra pedals would be a giveaway.

Surely not all trades people know everything about their trade? They weren't born knowing all aspects, and when new products arrive they must surely need to sometimes ask how it works what goes with what ect. I work in a job that requires me to use plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling and mechanical skills and because of customer requirements or requests this leads me to have to ask the relevant trade counters for their assistance in what products are best suited for the application. So far I have not had a problem when asking advice and long may it continue, i'm just trying to do a job. As for trade prices, if you are not the end user of the product then you ought to be able to get a discounted price.

The public are all bellends. It's bad enough having to interact with [b]them[/b] when I don't need to. Having to involve myself with [b]them[/b] to earn money would have me reaching for a weapon.

We are all "the public" most of the time. Are we [b]all[/b] bellends, including your good self?

On topic - my father set himself up a little company when building a house as a post retirement project (he was a dentist) to get access to trade prices. Seemed to work. Also I know someone who set himself up a little company to service his (and our) bike component needs - has/had accounts with maddison and the like so it can be done.

Are we all bellends, including your good self?

Sometimes it is us punters who drive people in trades to try different solutions, and different ideas. Plumbers and electricians we have had in have tried installing various bits of kit for the first time ever at our place. So if I want any electrical stuff I'll always go to a trade outlet after doing some research. I never make a fuss or ask silly questions. If I choose the wrong thing, I don't try and take it back. It's cheaper, and they often deliver very quickly.

I've also found myself in the position of making good screw-ups by various trades. So don't treat all of us like muppets. We will buy off someone else. For anything big, or anything which needs to [i]look[/i] right, I am not going to leave it to someone else to choose/purchase the item.

Where do you stand on tradespeople buying stuff at the weekend to do up their own houses?

seriously.
they are "joe public" then surely?

Money obviously!
If i go to the trade point counter, i can get a drill bit for £2
THE SAME drill bit in the shop is £17!

Where is your trade counter? i would like to avoid it and take my custom elsewhere.