Which wholesaler is your preferred option and why? Is it just price?

[Marti]

Evening Gents and Gentle Persons,

As the title asks, Which wholesaler is your preferred option and why? Is it really just a price decision? I'm Essex based, using CEF and Screwfix. The CEF staff, at least at the Romford branch, are second to none! Unfortunately the corp' website is impenetrable, slow, hard to price anything. Screwfix is well...We all have our views on the Kingfisher Group but the website is perfect and the Android app even better. Their other half is the badly managed orange joke we'll ignore (get down Kingfisher legal hounds).

Just signed up to the forum sponsor, Electrical2go so no experience yet but the website look snappy. Personally I value more than price and I like the convenience of a one-stop-shop so we'll see. Where do you folk part with your money and why?

 

[Octopus]

Screwfix .... yuk ..... only good if you know what you want
CEF .... yuk ....... talk about inconsistent pricing
TLC .... good ..... for stuff you know yourself, but great web based tools
Senate / Rexel / Wilts / Newlec .... great knowledge but being ruined by the carp Newlec are forcing on the stores
Local independent ........ ok but antique billing methods and no internet capability

 

[Loki]

Edmundson electrical
TLC Direct

Good service & prices dont fluctuate like CEF do

 

[Marti]

Good point on the local independents. Tried two. One was based on the corner sweet shop and the other never missed an opportunity to sting you for a few quid more. Both off my radar now.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Electric Centre, Kews, phase electrical in that order for me. Electric centre will drop off at any time of the day which is really handy. Kews you are stuffed unless you catch the van before it’s goes out all day. Phase good for alarm gear.
I haven’t used my CEF account for about a year now so it’s probably been put on hold....I don’t intend on using it any time soon either.

 

[Toneyz]

I went into Electric Center the other day they told me that if you had an account at an Edmundson's you could go into an Electric Center and have materials from there onto your Edmundson account (who price it).

 

[JK-Electrical]

I make almost all of my material purchases online using several different suppliers. I prefer to shop online as I can quickly compare prices. Only occasionally do I visit Screwfix and Toolstation.

My main online supplier is Discount Electrical. I also use Trade Sparky quite a lot along with Direct Trade Supplies and Superlec. I buy all my meter tail kits and glands from Remora Electrical. I like the convenience of having all my orders delivered direct.

 

[Jay89]

Eyre and Eliston for me, local staff are very helpful. I find CEF unreliable with orders. Screwfix for the odd bits and any Saturday/Sunday jobs.

Would order online for price but have nowhere to get deliveries dropped off

 

[Pete999]

Eyre and Eliston for me, local staff are very helpful. I find CEF unreliable with orders. Screwfix for the odd bits and any Saturday/Sunday jobs.

Would order online for price but have nowhere to get deliveries dropped off

What about your House?

 

[The Ghost]

I think it is very much about the price. Edmundsons; £85 for Kosnic em. module, Denmans £35 for same. But between those two are my most purchases just have to watch those bills like a hawk. CEF if I am desperate and also they do stuff others don't do so it is a bit mix and match. Denmans are really domestic electrician stock where Edmundsons are more commercial. Asked for a 600 mm x 600 mm pattress at Denmans, blank looks had not a clue what I was asking for Edmundsons "how many ?" got them in stock. So it is a matter of what kind of work and materials I need. Screwfix again if I am desparate i.e. Sunday and need a doo dah.

 

[swl83]

I needed 4 boxes of cat 5e yesterday morning for a job, only place nearby was CEF they tried to charge me £192.40 +VAT for 1 box!!!!!!
So travelled to Screwfix got it for £76.50. Was 15 miles away!
Been using local suppliers near me lately call SRM great service and if ever stuck the will do emergency delivery. The manager even open the branch up at 8pm so I could get an RCBO.

 

[Toneyz]

I think it is very much about the price. Edmundsons; £85 for Kosnic em. module, Denmans £35 for same. But between those two are my most purchases just have to watch those bills like a hawk. CEF if I am desperate and also they do stuff others don't do so it is a bit mix and match. Denmans are really domestic electrician stock where Edmundsons are more commercial. Asked for a 600 mm x 600 mm pattress at Denmans, blank looks had not a clue what I was asking for Edmundsons "how many ?" got them in stock. So it is a matter of what kind of work and materials I need. Screwfix again if I am desparate i.e. Sunday and need a doo dah.

Same here Vort,agree with you regarding Edmundsons and Denmans as we don't buy a lot of materials we mostly pay the prices in their book. Sometimes use Screwfix if it is a known brand or we know the product and small non-electrical products.

 

[Toneyz]

What about your House?

My finger is hovering over the dumb key for that reply Pete.

 

[westward10]

Electric Centre for me, the Northampton branch is excellent and have an arrangement where you can pick up orders out of hours.

 

[westward10]

You use the Northampton branch Ant?

 

[Strima]

I tend to use the main culprits for things like consumer units, lighting etc.

I like my local wholesaler as they have dirt cheap prices for cable and containment and will cut any cable to length if he stocks it.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

There was a poll done by Dan a few years ago on which was the most used electrical wholesaler but I cant find it now with the new search bar thing. Can anyone find it?

I think screwfix came out on top.

I use screwfix alot because they are local, cheapish and generally have it in stock. I also use Wilts (Rexel) lots for the same reasons, they will also bring an item out to the site for me (same day), even if its just a pot of filler!

 

[Toneyz]

You use the Northampton branch Ant?

We have accounts at Edmunsons and Denmans but the electrical contractor we do sub-contract labour to use all the wholesalers in Northampton but we get deliveries on site from them good old James the delivery driver very helpful in taking delivery into where you are working even if its light fittings up to the forth floor.

 

[Michael Sands]

Hate CEF they take a half an hour clicking at their keyboard before they give you a price and then I laugh and go and get it elsewhere half the price
The most annoying thing is you spent that much time waiting for a price for an item you are too angry to ask for anything else as it would take all morning to get a big order and they do try and shaft you all the time

 

[Toneyz]

Hate CEF they take a half an hour clicking at their keyboard before they give you a price and then I laugh and go and get it elsewhere half the price
The most annoying thing is you spent that much time waiting for a price for an item you are too angry to ask for anything else as it would take all morning to get a big order and they do try and shaft you all the time

You're, not the first to say that about CEF when forum members from different parts of the country are posting this over several posts forums there has got to be something in it I think that's why they stopped being a sponsor.