New line but unhelpful manufacturer

[Ian M]

This week I opened an account with a wholesaler who sells model cars as I keep getting asked by customers if I have any contacts for model cars.

One customer was wanting a particular model car that is to be released by a French company next month & the retail price is £98 each. My customer was looking for 10 of these models & I was jumping up & down with joy as the wholesale price is £64 each. I thought a nice profit there with not much work involved. To my horror my customer has come back to me to cancel the order because the manufacturer has now set up a club where anyone can join & buy the model for just £60 each delivered.

I've yet to approach the wholesaler about what has happend as I think they will not be very happy about this. Still tempted to buy some though & then sit on them for a few months as they are only producing 1750 & then list them on Ebay & watch people fight over them & as the price they are willing to pay goes up & up.

Ian

[mrs maggot]

thats the problem of poachers and gamekeepers, its also a problem with clothing companies that will sell to anyone and any qty, so home makers get for the same price as companies with overheads, hopefully things will change, last year i spent over 8k on t's and some hoodies, as well as other clothing, makes me mad that someone can buy £200 worth at the same prices

[smitch6]

there's similar in each profession unfortunately
i remember when i was doing the building a few (actually many) yrs ago
i changed a set of taps for a lady and bought them from my usual builders merchant
i'm not a rip-off person and don't add loads of profit on things i work on the assumption rip someone off once and you'll never keep a customer
so i didn't charge her the full RRP price

but she complained saying she'd seen the same taps in B&Q for 1/2 the price lol

and she was right

these cheap places buy in huge quantities and discount stuff hugely so small firms like us can't get anywhere near them as ppl know they can go out and get the stuff themselves at the same if not cheaper than what we can

[Ian M]

The thing that has bugged me about this one is the manufacturer needed the wholesalers to begin with but, now he's treading not only on their toes but the retailers too. I'm also peeved off because I have lost out on just over £300 profit. Oh well, back to the drawingboard.

[mrs maggot]

yes, i am sure they have damaged thier own business in the long term Ian, it will be interesting to see what their reply is, they may have altered their pricing structure and there may still be something there for you.

I have one particular wholesaler i use for jewellery they have a strict £250 min order policy. another trader went into them and got some stuff, he headed for the exit, and was told in no uncertain terms that he needed to spend £250 ex vat, he pulled out a wad of cash and stood their, only to be told, looks like you have come to do some serious shopping, shall we give you another hour - made me laugh alot. i called them the following day and thanked them for having the nerve to turn away £100 odd pounds, and they reassured me that just turning away his £100 would assure them of my business and other in the future. so it can work in their favour, i have seen other wholesalers who now have a sign up in the entrance saying minimum spend £50 - hardly a wholesale amount lol

[Ian M]

Laura, this wholesaler has just the same policy I'm pleased to say. I know in the past this wholesaler has not liked it one bit when they find people who have set up an account with them only to sell cheap on Ebay. It's good to know someone such as them are trying to protect the people who stick by the rules.

[mrs maggot]

lets hope the manufactuer gets it in the neck from the wholesalers, and does something about it, as i would imagine the wholesalers have altered the amount they will be buying from them, now they have found the manufacturer selling direct