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So sometime in the next few weeks I will be replacing my main panel. I'd settled on a particular brand so I could reuse my existing breakers. I can't get it at the big box store, at least in the size I wanted. So I called the only electrical supply chain in the area that seems to stock these and was told that unless I had an account he couldn't give pricing over the phone. So I asked if I could get an account. He said not unless I was an electrician. So I asked a few more questions, none of which he wanted to answer. After learning that it won't pass inspection unless the breakers are listed for my new panel (UL thing), even if they fit, and being unable to verify that my existing breakers are listed, I decided to switch to a different brand panel that I can get at the BORGs. I called a different supply house to get some 90A breakers that the BORGs don't stock. He was as helpful as the other guy wasn't. Among other things I can open an account with them should I choose to.
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David
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment. -
I feel your pain. I also feel theirs. A wholesale house is often bound by contract to their suppliers not to sell retail (at the risk of losing their distributorship). Others feel it's a betrayal of the trust placed in them by their primary customers not to undercut them. Those who "stick to their guns" come off looking like bad guys, but it's more about how they present their position. They should have tried to help you out, like maybe by referring you to an electrician who could have taken care of it for you for a small markup (or by referring you to the people that you eventually found). -
That's a very common response by wholesalers. It pretty much isolates their trade to repeat clients (licensed electricians and electrical contractors). It also keeps the hassle down of dealing with the homeowner. Some have a walk up counter (retail).
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I used to be a wholesaler and you're right, I didn't want your business(not you in particular but Joe Public in general). 9 times out of 10 you don't know what you are doing and when you screw it up you want me to fix it at my expense. I can't resell the product you screwed up and then expect me to take back and give you full credit to boot. Bottom line is, for product that requires a skilled tradesman to install properly I, the wholesaler, don't want anything to do with Joe Public._________________________
"Have a Great Day, unless you've made other plans"Comment
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My problem isn't the places that specifically deal with the tradesmen and not the homeowner. I have issues with the places that cut amazing deals to the contractors but refuse to give anything to the homeowner/handymen unless you play suck-up all day long and get in as one of the "cool kids". I'm not talking about an electrical supply house. I'm talking about the local hardware/lumber warehouses. I understand that you've got to give the contractors a reason to shop there and that discounts are a good way to do it. But do you really have to be so blatent about screwing the little guy and do you really have to be such a d--k when doing so?
A good hardware store will do that all on the backend so the homeowner never knows that other people are paying 20% less for virtually everything. Quoting one price to the guy ahead of me and another to me for the same thing is a sure way to make sure I'll never return. Contractor was working on my house and went to the local indie store to ask for a price on something, price was $120. I called literally 30 seconds later to pay for the item so he could pick it up, told the guy that my contractor had just been in there a minute ago and said this was the price, guy says "oh, I don't know if that's right" and price was $155. Annoying. Figure out a better way or shut the door to the homeowner like the supply houses do. You either want my business or you don't.Comment
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I hate plumbing. We have a plumbing supply about 5 or 6 miles from my home. They will sell to the public, but their main business is with those in business themselves. If I have a problem, and need help, that's where I'll go with my questions. They have what I need (or they'll get it), they tell me what I need and why I need it, and answer any questions I have. I have no problem paying more for a part than the local plumber. It's well worth it for the kind of help they offer a dummy like me.
EdDo you know about kickback? Ray has a good writeup here... https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles...mare-explained
For a kickback demonstration video http://www.metacafe.com/watch/910584...demonstration/Comment
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Well the first supply place I called I asked for a few specific items that I couldn't get at the BORGs. One was the panel and the larger breakers. Another was splices. My words were "I need some Polaris splices to splice #2 aluminum. " His response was 'no we don't have those'. At that point I decided I was just wasting his time. I refuse to believe he didd't have them or an equivalent. When I decided to go with a different panel I can get at the BORG, I called another place that is 2 doors down from the first guy. I asked for the Polaris. His response was 'yeah but we call them NMBI'. I also asked for 90A breakers. He said he didn't have them but could get them by tomorrow. He also helpfully suggested (which I knew already) that the anti-oxidant goop was a good idea. I mentioned I'd called the other place first, and he said 'yeah you aren't the first one to mention that. Most of our homeowner customers come here once and stop going to HD or Lowes.' It must make them some money or they wouldn't keep doing it. Besides which, if I am shopping there in the first place, chances are I know something about what I am working on. Oh yeah, and those breakers, he didn't have them but said he would get them from another store. Then he called back an hour later to ask if getting them by Thursday was ok instead of tomorrow.Last edited by crokett; 09-08-2009, 07:42 PM.David
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.Comment
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You'll find that almost all electrical and plumbing wholesale supply shops only sell to the trades.
Also keep in mind that the guys that work in those places are like autoparts guys, they are not tradesmen, they are guys who know how to pull stuff off of shelves. They often don't know squat.Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas EdisonComment
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David,
You have to con them into doing business with you.
I have accounts at a few wholesale places but I talked my way in. I had one place balk and I replied "I have 3k in business I plan to do today and another 2-3k in another month or two. Do you want my business or should I go down the road?" Money talked..
The other places whined and I reminded them I do business with them at work. They gave in...
I dropped 2k of business on a local lumber yard the one day and the owner instantly switched my account to commercial and I got 10% until they went out of business.Comment
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That's a real nice story and I'm glad it worked out well for you. On the other hand, I wonder how many of his regular customers, who do business with his company on a daily basis, couldn't get through to him because he was on the phone tracking down a few parts for your little order? A wholesaler, for the most part, deals in volume business and small retail sized orders are money losers not money makers. He actually did a disservice to his regular contractor accounts, his real bread and butter, by not being available to them while he spent time on your order._________________________
"Have a Great Day, unless you've made other plans"Comment
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I dunno. I was there yesterday picking up the parts and the fax machine never seemed to quit. I asked the guy at the counter about it. He said yeah, most of our orders are faxed in. They have 3 machines. According to him they don't get that many calls during the day. Plus there is more than one person there who can take a phone call. One guy did while the first guy was helping me.David
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.Comment
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