Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Supporting local business - a dilemma
I try to buy things locally rather than ordering everything online: I don't mind paying a bit extra for the personal service, but it's sometimes a bit of a struggle. I went to order a particular radiator through a local plumbing supplies shop, whose prices are usually reasonable. They could only get it for £241, and that is with their trade discount. Online I can buy it for half that, £120, with free delivery, although admittedly it will take a week to arrive. That's a very big price difference.
I don't run a retail business, so I don't understand how some companies are able to sell things for so much less than others. In addition, the radiator will first have to be delivered from the manufacturer in Wales to somewhere even further flung (they are in places like Plymouth) and then re-delivered to me. At least I'd still be supporting British business though, not a multinational tax avoider.
On the plus side, Medlocks, the lighting shop on Green Lanes ordered me some new light fittings for less than the online price. In addition, the lady who works in there is very friendly and helpful, and really understands what customer service means.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Charlotte on
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I had the same issues when I was buying a woodburner. I wanted my installer to supply it as they weigh an absolute ton and I wouldn't know what to do with it on a pallet outside my front door. However, he could not supply it at that price. He said the reason it was significantly cheaper on the net is because these companies do a bulk buy deal. In the end he called the sales man and negotiated and he got it for the nearly the same price as the price on the net, but he was going out of his way to do that and probably lost his own profit, but could do that as he was installing.
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It all comes down to quantity the retailer can shift and the type of arrangement that the retailer has with the manufacturer / distributor. e.g. if you're going to shift 30 units of my stock in a year I will supply at price X of you're going to shift 3000 units I'll supply at price Y.
I used to work for one of the suppliers to Medlock, CEF, TLC, Newey & Eyre etc. so I know the trade side rather well. Some products in the electrical industry are sold at a loss, due to the rebate that is earned on the overall years trading figures with a supplier.
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