Chandlery Prices

bumblefish

bumblefish

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Hello, I placed an order with an online chandlery, received all the goods I ordered promptly and before buying I checked the prices on a number of websites, they were all broadly similar so I have no complaints. However, in the delivery box was what appears to be a shipping order from the distributors for a number of the items that I had ordered. This list included the prices charged to the online chandlery.
What should I do with this price list and the retail price list?
 
Neeves said:
Of course they are, otherwise they would not be there.

But some profit margins might look questionable. Some might look low (and the chandler look worthy of support).

Jonathan
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There is no such thing as questionable market prices IMHO.

They can charge whatever the want. If you are fool enough to pay it then they have made the right decision.
 
I'd reply back to the Chandlery thanking them for their prompt service, pointing out that they included the wholesale price they pay by mistake and assuring them that you have no intention of sharing the information. I suspect that they'll be very grateful and that you will get pretty good service from them in future.
 
Either Bin it as it really is non of your business and I assume a genuine mistake. Unless its the invoice from the supplier and then you should send it back to the chandlery as they will need it for their records.
 
grumpy_o_g said:
I'd reply back to the Chandlery thanking them for their prompt service, pointing out that they included the wholesale price they pay by mistake and assuring them that you have no intention of sharing the information. I suspect that they'll be very grateful and that you will get pretty good service from them in future.
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How would he get pretty good service in the future, they would have already forgotten about him, never mind when he next orders stuff in a years time
 
bumblefish said:
Hello, I placed an order with an online chandlery, received all the goods I ordered promptly and before buying I checked the prices on a number of websites, they were all broadly similar so I have no complaints. However, in the delivery box was what appears to be a shipping order from the distributors for a number of the items that I had ordered. This list included the prices charged to the online chandlery.
What should I do with this price list and the retail price list?
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Return it, advising them of their error. Then see if you can get as good a price from the distributors next time; I think not. Every business is there to make a profit. What you are seeing is gross margin and is not related in any way to the profitability of the company.
 
grumpy_o_g said:
I'd reply back to the Chandlery thanking them for their prompt service, pointing out that they included the wholesale price they pay by mistake and assuring them that you have no intention of sharing the information. I suspect that they'll be very grateful and that you will get pretty good service from them in future.
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Good suggestion. The honourable way of trying to benefit from what looks like somone's admin mistake.
 
First: Are the supplier prices shown inc vat or ex vat? They should be ex vat with vat at the bottom if its a supplier invoice. If you you only take the item price, 20% of the difference might be vat! Second: Retail makes high margin on some items, much less on others. The strongest brands, who can control their markets better, often leave retailers with lower margins. Third. The aforesaid is true of all retail margins, not just chandleries.

Here is a surprising example. I was exhibiting a (woodworking type) product a week or so ago at the Las Vegas Hardware show as I want to establish it in the US. The booth / stand next door to me was a pleasant Chinese husband and wife trading company showing and distributing torches - simple cheap ones through to the latest tech torches and head torches that we all see advertised under various brands. Showing interest in the LED high power head torches, I learned that it retailed in the UK at £40 inc vat!! - his price is $5. Thats £3 (ex works China of course - add 10% to get it here plus maybe 3% duty (a guess). He supplies well know names that we see all the time on this gear. I asked if I could by just a couple of hundred? Sure he said, $5.50!!! Thats a very big profit margin to share between the importer / brand and the retailer.

Sometimes we need to remember that the correct price for a product is what the market will pay!!!
 
zikzik said:
Sometimes we need to remember that the correct price for a product is what the market will pay!!!
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Agree there the problem is that some times the men in the middle get to greedy...

Take the present fuel price issues, price fixing or what ever. Its that just not what the market will pay?

If fuel companies decide to double there margins so what we all pay more, they make more money. That's not a problem?

No need to watch for monopolies? we just pay what we will pay or do without?

Recently I was looking for about 1000k's worth of kit for the boat. I knew exactly what I wanted and had grouped it all together, looking for discount from one of the 3 local chandlers.

My point was:
1) Its a large order,
2) If they where not stock items I would wait,
3) I want to support local chandlers but not at all costs.

1) Made no reductions, gave us his list price (Which was not tooo high) take it or leave it. Fair Enough.
2) Well its not a stock item so I cannot give you discount, anyway I am not going to be the mug that sells it to you at the lowest price. Not in my interest, you might not come back, would you ask for discount in Tesco's?
3) Gave me a price that was just less than No1 but beaten by about 20%-30% online.

I spend money in these chanderaries most weeks a few pound here and there. They make there cut, I can live with that but when it came to reasonable size order sorry they where greedy. I now order increasingly on line, they did nothing for customer loyalty.
 
Monopolies in every area are dangerous. They always lift prices and their margins. Gas. Oil. Electricity and fuel.

Brands that people respect or love also lift prices. Same effect. Even loved or respected retailers!

Shopping around as you have done is all we can do as individuals.
 
In the 1990's I had a job for a few months as an assistant in a chandlery.

I left because the 'manager ' was obnoxious,

I did learn it's very difficult for a traditional chandlers to make a living, the profit margin was lucky to make an average 10%.

- When I worked on QA at a place making digital hearing aids the margin for the dispensers was over 1000 %...

It came home to me one day - about the manager and the trade - when I happened to hear the manager say on the phone regarding a rival, ' So it's curtains for him ( with his illness ) is it ! Great ! We'll go ahead with the new project there then !

I'm happy to say they are no longer trading.

I thought I'd love it being with boaty stuff but it was horrible, they do say ' never mix hobby with profession ' and now I know why.

Places like Force 4 and Piplers of Poole - both of whose people have given me excellent service - ( no connection ) and the ' net are the future, but I will miss those chandlerys smelling of tar with a really experienced chap behind the counter - not in my pro experience but I've met a few as a customer - happy to chat.

Pascall Atkeys chandlery at Cowes used to have a lovely Labrador who mainly lived on the pavement outside ( when he died the sailing magazines published an obituary ) and a parrot living inside - I'm sure they wouldn't be in the business plan nowadays, but it was a joyful experience to visit.
 
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Lets not forget added value...

I would guess that the retail markup would be between 25 and 100 per cent depending on the item. If I know exactly what I want through my own research or direct recommendation then I tend to buy online (if I can wait).

But if I am not sure, or want some advice, I go to my local chandlers, my good friend Frank at Nautilus in Gouvia. I wonder if all responders consider the added value from chandlers. One of my friends once suggested I had paid a 'mug's price' for some stainless bolts.

I replied that:

I went in and described them in a fairly lubberly way - about that long, they fit this spanner. Frank says, "right you are, these are what you need". I'd have to have walked the mile home with a ruler to have been sure.
If they were wrong, I could have taken them back, packet opened or not. Same true online?
While I was there, I told frank what I was doing. He knows my capabilities. If he thought I'd cock it up, he would gently suggest I get x or y to take a look after.

Worth a euro on a packet of bolts, no?

It's also the case that my euro is cross subsidising the online retailers who rely on physical retailers to provide a showroom for them.

I am pretty price conscious about lots of things, and I am happy to shop around online. Just wanted to point out that the service from your local chandler is not the same and there are good reasons why I am happy to pay a bit more.
 
Just purchased an Omnia Oven, just over £30.
This was from a Caravan/Leisure retailers, who also used to sell Ribs and chandlery.
Found it on the net and during my search I could get one for £43, so a reasonable profit margin or I could buy one for a massive.£81.
Both higher prices were from chandlers.
 
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