Haggling and the cheapest way to buy?

[Mike2007]

Ok there's a recession on!

You may have known the guys personally at the plumbers merchants for years and find your mate knocks the price down to rock bottom for you?
But I have had "trade accounts" and still find everything quite expensive shopping locally, so end up shopping at Screwfix etc!
Except for the boilers and cylinders/tanks (bulky stuff)

What's the best way for you to negotiate a "good price"?

 

[buck51]

Find it cheaper somewhere else ie, on internet then ask them if they can do it any cheaper, or they are not getting the sale

 

[simond]

The best way to negotiate the best discounts is by buying large quantities.

If you are a sole maintainer/installer you are never going to carry the same clout as someone fitting 60 boilers a week.

Some of the large council/social housing contractors are buying boilers £180 cheaper than you, and their copper/fittings are a fraction of the price.

Screwfix (Plumbfix) are going to be a good bet if you are small beer.

 

[Whitespirit66]

For the usual plumbing fittings (pipe, solder fittings, rads etc, etc) I couldn't be arrsed to haggle at the local plumbers merchants, only to find that the price I got in the end was the same as Screwfix. I just get it all at Screwfix, plus its delivered to my door free!

I only really use merchants for specialised stuff.

 

[Goldspoon]

I recently put an order together using Screwfix's online trolley but then did not complete and instead phoned it through to Plumbfix. The saving was approx. 23% from one to the other.