Swindleries

[pragmatist]

It's that time of year when you need some equipment right NOW and therefore have to visit your local swindlery. HWMBO was working v hard on cleaning our teak decks when the broom handle broke ! So we went ashore and purchased a new deck brush (well they didn't have replacement handles in stock of course). Admittedly it is a good brush with softened bristles - pricey at nearly £10 we thought - till we got it to the till and discovered that the handle was extra at over £6 ! For a bit of wood !!!!

So we coughed up and went back to the decks. We started cleaning them with the very expensive teak cleaner bought from the same swindlery a couple of years ago. Meanwhile I was cleaning the GRP coachroof with ordinary household cleaning liquid purchased in the supermarket for £1 a bottle. So we thought we'd compare the efficacy of the special teak cleaner vs the household cleaner. Guess what ? You couldn't tell the difference !

Curiously enough the swindlery has a new sign up behind the till muttering about poor service being a cheap option - maybe we aren't the only ones to be horrified. Not only do marinas get away with blue murder in the UK but chandlers too.

 

[backstay]

I have said it before many times, the general public in the UK are their own worst enemies. £10 for the brush head and £6 for the shaft? I would have left it at the till and made do with the broken one until I could get a new shaft from my local hardware shop. (last one I bought was 85p).

If the public did not pay the prices asked the prices would soon come down but there ate always enough selfish gits with money to burn who will pay any price and hence keep prices up.

I believe the New Zealanders refused (en masse) to pay for TV licences resulting in the abolishment of TV licences in New Zealand. (People power)

Can you lot get together in the UK and do something similar? No chance so you get ripped off.

One solution appears to be to stop whining about it and do something about it such as boycott the offending chandlers and either buy elsewhere or go for mail order.

 

[DepSol]

I would certainly agree. Now I would agree even more if people actually bought boating stuff during the winter aswell.

Going through the winter months in the marine trade can be a lonely time but the overheads are no different.

So want to get the prices down ....dont say I will wait until the summer to buy one of those.

Dom

 

[cameronke]

Surely then you could have "saved" £10 by buying only the handle then?

Cameron

 

[Clive_Rigden]

Jeyes Fluid and a birch besom - works a treat ! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Clive_Rigden]

Incidentally, that's a "hussy" for our North British kin.

 

[backstay]

[ QUOTE ]
I would certainly agree. Now I would agree even more if people actually bought boating stuff during the winter aswell.

Going through the winter months in the marine trade can be a lonely time but the overheads are no different.

So want to get the prices down ....dont say I will wait until the summer to buy one of those.

Dom

[/ QUOTE ]Actually, I tend to spread my purchases out throughout the year as it is easier on my limited funds and I get "good buys" during the slack times and I tend to use one supplier (old school chum) only who is prepared to negotiate on prices. Most chandlers are not prepared to negotiate and it is a take it or leave it basis in which case I leave it.

I was very interested a couple of months ago when I was taking to my old school chum about profit margins etc and was shocked to learn he runs on up to 400% markup on many items, he even showed me some of his purchase invoices to prove it!

He did explain though he could have some items in stock for years so has to make up for capital tied up in stock. The reverse situation is if he does not stock a vast variety of items poeple will go elsewhere to get the "widget" they need and in the process will in all likelyhood buy standard fast moving items at the same time hence he looses out twice.

Mind you prices on this side of the pond are not as bad as those in the U.K. based on internet prices and the whining that has gone on on these forums over the years.

 

[trouville]

Yes and its the same everywhere but ive found a couple of sites that are really good! This one becouse its a very nice site to visit and dosent seem to costly?

http://www.mainmarine.co.uk/

The other becouse they do answer email with a readable reply as well as the one that can only be opend by Companies with paid MS softwear! Umm but as they sell to industary?? perhaps? their prices and sevice are first class i just wish they went in the UK only!!

http://www.jgtech.com/index.htm

With these what more can we ask for?? Well actually i need an inverter still? perhaps tommorow ill buy one fron a French "tools truck" 200w for50Euros!! when the maker sells better 300w ones for 39.90 euros:

http://www.fraron.de/ but charges the same for postage to France!! and adds vat on the postage!!!

so tomorrow i may buy a 200 w "Hoyoma"? from "bourgo Outillage!! and for 50Euros?? hope it works?

And for anti fouling i would shop hear: http://www.piplers.co.uk/ as they have such a great home page (as well as antifouling!! all you that live in the UK are lucky (apart from Tony Blair wouldent and wont vote for him personaly)

 

[ShipsWoofy]

How much do you think it costs the chandler for marina front property, I bet the figure is horrifying, especially as for 5 months through winter his business is going to be nearly dead.

You could have walked into town and bought a handle in a supermarket but wanted the convenience of shopping at the end of the pontoon.

The two unfortunately are not exclusive....

 

[BrendanS]

If anyone had been reading the comment here a few years back, they would realise that local chandlers don't make huge incomes. Many were mourning the close down of their local. Unless you go large or make a chain, there's little profit in it, despite what people say about mark ups. What they don't realise is that you have to mark up to make a profit, and if you don't make enough profit you close down. Simple business equation.

 

[andy_wilson]

I suspect that the ones getting away with blue murder are the ones that lock up early at the weekend and drive Porches.

Mine seems to be around all hours and drives a beat up Landrover.

I run a small business, in a specialist sector, where many of my potentially fast selling lines are also available from high volume outlets like supermarkets or Argos.

Result?

I often buy my fast selling lines at supermarkets or Argos!

My customers no longer benefit from the breadth and depth of stock I once sold.

They pay more for the stuff that they can only get from me.

They pay more for the stuff they cannot be bothered to go elswhere for (and no doubt mutter 'rip-off merchant' under their breath).

They no longer benefit from expensive (to me) free (to them) advice and help.

I take little satisfaction from telling potential customers to return to their choosen supplier for assistance (which they will not of course get).

I sense a parallel situation occuring with chandlers, such is the power of the free market economy.

I choose to support mine wherever possible.

 

[billcowan]

Yep. where you spend your money is the the only type of vote you get nowadays.

Vote how you like at the election, you will still get Blair or Blair

But if you shop local instead of supermarket - then things could change.

So - support your swindlery. for all the reasons above.