finding good suppliers

[timtheenchanter]

any one know of a good way to find suppliers? google brings up all sorts of chaff.
Im trying to find a good wholesalers in leeds (preferably close to the LS19 area)
yes, I know there is a CEF nearby, but Id like somthing a bit less CEFfy, if you kow what I mean, yes they have nearly anyhing you need, but not always at a competative price.

I can get stuff though tlc and similar, but for the bits I need short notice, its not so convenient.

Thanks

 

[Chri5]

You need to have a heart to heart with a local.

Going in for add on's when you've used a national for the bulk orders does you no favours. Walking in with a list of current costs you pay and a suggestion that you'd like a price match or better, a discounted trade account can work.

There's a thing called call off, where you consider the metres of cable, sockets and etc. etc used per year. You then tell Mr Local that you buy 20 km of 2.5 te per year and 1500 mk items.
This then means the retailer can get a true value of the stock / material requirement you have and charge prices that are best value for the volume shift.

 

[YorksSparks]

Tim, I'm only up the road from you (used to live in LS19, now LS20). Yes, we've a CEF here in Guiseley or down in Shipley but I rarely use them. Over on Gelderd Rd there's Newey & Eyre and Edmundsons. Tend to use Newey's most, it's further to go BUT you can order online and have delivered to site or office etc. The more you use 1 supplier then the more you can beat them up for better pricing! There are several other, smaller "wholesalers" around Leeds (Albion, Nicholls, Falcon, WF) but stock and product range are generally more limited than the bigger groups.

 

[RF Lighting]

I'm not far from LS20, and end up buying most of my stuff from city at Guiseley as there is nothing else near by. I also use edmundsons and WF in Keighley.

ECS on Meanwood Road just to the north of the city centre is a good independant and good on price, but a bit of a trek if you're not working in the city.

There is a new independant just opened up in Otley behind the new nettos by the rugby ground, but I haven't used them so can not recommend them.

 

[Click-Sure]

Neweys very consistently save me money< but i generally play them off agains edmundsons (where i deal with the rep, as opposed to the branch) who really look after me, and are much better than anyone else on MK, anyone who uses CEF for MK gear seriously needs their head looking at!

 

[1john]

the key is to play off the various wholesalers and never accept their first price, they seem to all fabricate their prices at first but once you start getting regular bwith them they will become much fairer. In the end they were all independantly sending me price lists with their 'best' prices. Long gone now as the quantity of work isn't about and Im always trying to compete against hobbles and 5 day sparkys

 

[YorksSparks]

It's also worth knowing which have the same parent as well, for example Neweys, WF, Senate, Denmans and Parkers are all owned by Rexel.

 

[timtheenchanter]

Thanks, Ill give those guys a shot. I would prefer to but most of my stuff locally (I do with anything) so some good tips there.

not quite started working for myself yet, but I am working on it...

 

[securespark]

I have been using WF since 1995.

The more regularly I went, the lower the prices got.

They have a decent range, and anything not available they can usually order overnight from Dagenham.

They also will deliver to home or site if you're stuck usually FOC.

Tip: When asking for a price at a wholesaler, DO NOT ask:

"What discount is available on that?"

Because the answer may well be,

"We can't discount that." or "Not much I'm afraid, maybe 5%".


DO ASK:

"How much discount is available on that?"

This makes the assumption that you are expecting a discount.

Followed up by:

"Is that your best price?"

Don't be embarrassed!

Make it clear that if the wholesaler provides you with a good service coupled with decent prices, you will return.


I used to MO from ABM in Croydon. Half-decent cheap kit. Also used to visit when I went down there, but that's no use unless you are going there anyway!!

The good thing about ABM was I could go in and ask for 20 x "X" product.

If I could get the stuff elsewhere cheaper, he would lower his price even more.