I wanted to get a price for Bamboo flooring from Howdens. I do not have an account but would by on someoneelse's account. They would not give me a price at all as they "do not give prices to anyone off the street". They are treating their prices as state secrets.
Are Howdens always that difficult?
- Thread starter Rad1o
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Howdens are a strict trade only outlet.
They assume that anybody off the street is a retail customer sent by a trade person to select a product that the trade will supply.
They assume that anybody off the street is a retail customer sent by a trade person to select a product that the trade will supply.
Funny you say that. I had EXACTLY the same argument with a guy on the phone at Howdens at a London branch this time last Sat. Told him I needed 40 internal high quality doors. He said I can come and look but wouldnt give me a price, and I would not be able to use my wife's limited account because it was not a building trade related company. Told them to **** off and I'd take my £20k budget elsewhere. Their loss.
I've had various receptions......needed some large softwood garage doors, paid cash, no problem at all.
Wanted a kitchen for someone, wouldn't even discuss the price. Guy there was a right smart ass.
Wanted another kitchen for someone else, and they opened an account for me there and then.
(Three different branches, north east.)
John
Wanted a kitchen for someone, wouldn't even discuss the price. Guy there was a right smart ass.
Wanted another kitchen for someone else, and they opened an account for me there and then.
(Three different branches, north east.)
John
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Was told to go to Howdens by insurance claims assessor to choose new laminate flooring after a water leak. They wouldn't entertain us until we gave them the assessors phone number. After a whispered conversation with him the salesman agreed to show us what they had but still wouldn't give us any prices. After choosing, the wife and I left feeling like second-class citizens. Never again will I be going back there.
R
rules&rulers
I've used these people for bamboo panels (for a desk) and was happy with them:
http://www.mosobambooflooring.co.uk
http://www.mosobambooflooring.co.uk
I have been on the bamboo sites and into the shop.
I just mentioned to a friend that we wanted to put bamboo flooring in and he said that it was cheaper at Howden and told me a price which he thought he could remember. He is a GP - so no trade that Howden would normally be interested in at all - and he has bought material for their surgery for cash. And cash is fine with me but they do not need to behave like a secret society.
I just mentioned to a friend that we wanted to put bamboo flooring in and he said that it was cheaper at Howden and told me a price which he thought he could remember. He is a GP - so no trade that Howden would normally be interested in at all - and he has bought material for their surgery for cash. And cash is fine with me but they do not need to behave like a secret society.
What is the purpose of supplying only to the building trade? What's in it for them?
Economies of scale and not having to train staff to talk nicely-nicely to punters that don't know what they need.
I have a feeling that there may be, or used to be, a planning difference between retail and wholesale. So wholesale (trade only) outlets could be situated in places where retail outlets were not allowed - and presumably where costs were lower. Googling suggests the difference is between "A1" and "B8" planning categories.
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