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

[Gavin John Hyde]

90% of my work is house bashing. Depending on quantity I will usually grab it from screwfix as the app is as others said 2nd to none for its simplicity and speed. Also screwfix often turn out cheapest anyway.
I use CEF for certain cables as they always have it in stock, especially larger csa of H07 which other suppliers around Bath dont stock as standard, I dont want to buy a 100m roll when I only need 15M.
Otherwise CEF are a joke on pricing, its a case of what they can get away with. They do have odd items that are useful such as switchgear and enclosures.
Kew Electrical seem quite good around here. but not really used myself.
I use Denmans quite a bit for planned larger jobs as they will often give discount on the list price, likewise, when doing a EV charger install, they will price match any price elsewhere for Rolec chargers and have it within 48 hours. The Denmans website is a bit clunky but is going to be upgraded soon. Do have a good catalogue though. I can give them a ring on phone and they will have it ready for me to pick up within couple of minutes or send it out with the van if urgent.
If there is a small item I need quickly or cheap hand tool/ bit i dont expect to last then Toolstation can be quite useful.
Within 1 minute drive I got Denmans, CEF, Kew Electrical, Edmundsons, Toolstation. other direction I got screwfix, rexel. I find if I keep an eye on pricing then taking a recent partial rewire of a kitchen and extension, I saved just under £100 on materials by getting it from 2 suppliers rather than just one. These being Denmans and Screwfix.

 

[Adam W]

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.

We were told that they became a sponsor as a result of the aforementioned poll.
They seemed to think if they were sponsoring the forum they could censor what was said on it, ie disparaging them for being rubbish; apparently they overcharge for the good of the industry!?

 

[happysteve]

Local independent (Lenton Electrical), occasionally Screwfix/Toolstation for the odd thing like 2m lengths of mini trunking and PVC conduit (3m won't fit in my van!). They (the wholesalers) are not bottom book, but the convenience of local pick-up (or delivery), knowledge, felxibility and ability to get most things you want makes up for it. TLC-direct (no branches round here, so internet and deliver) for stuff I can't get elsewhere (e.g. the Quinetic switches) but getting stuff delivered really winds me up. I took a day off work once to wait for a parcel, only to find out that they could not find my address, despite it being a numbered house over 100 years old in a residential street. Another time, I was going to be working at a house for 2 straight days so set up delivery there, phone pinged at 7am to say your parcel will be delivered between 7-8am, no chance I could get there in time (and client was away). Much prefer to pick up local as the majority of my work is small jobs that I can't get stuff delivered to.

 

[Nigel]

Rexel for me but it is really a branch decision.

Price to me is less important than competence and availability of stock.

 

[Octopus]

Thing is if you have to go to 1 supplier and they can supply everything you need, how much time would you waste going to a 2nd supplier to save money?

I’m referring to smaller jobs ...

 

[Nigel]

Thing is if you have to go to 1 supplier and they can supply everything you need, how much time would you waste going to a 2nd supplier to save money?

I’m referring to smaller jobs ...

Exactly. Spending four hours on a round trip to another supplier to save £50 makes no sense.

 

[1Justin]

Pricing is so important for me. I have accounts with mainstream ones like the Senate/Rexel/Wilts combo and with Edmundson. My gripe with those is it's not possible to get sensible prices to cost a job without a load of pain, so I try to avoid them.
Whenever I gripe to Rexel etc about pricing, - perhaps at an exhibition, they (rightly) say that I need to drop them a line with a list of parts and I'll get a quote in return. This is true, and if I do that I will normally get a good deal. But it's PAINFUL. - My life is too short to list out stuff, email it in, wait, then place an order. I am usually needing to be doing this at 10PM anyway, so that doesn't work when mailing shirty-office types who pack up at 4:30.
If I go into the Rexel branch with my shopping trolley and tour the aisles, I either need to question and haggle for each individual item as it's laboriously checked in, complete with "Ooh's" and pursed lips, or I don't bother and then just walk out smarting.
This must all work well for the big businesses, but that's not me.
Rexel also have a newly fangled trade on-line counter which I can access through my trade account, but it's no better, the search engine is appalling, and the shopping trolley prices are deeply unrealistic.
I do on-line with TLC who are very good and can get close to the better web prices and their website works well. I also use many of the public "discount" mail order sellers when I have the time to wait.
I also use Electricfix, but that can work out a bit costly except for headline "sweeties" such as consumer units and sockets, and their range is limited. - Toolstation even have turned over a new leaf, much of the previous rubbish quality of years ago has gone, and prices have improved. QVS are still much of a muchness on all those counts, friendly in the branches but quality can be iffy and stocks often poor.

 

[Marti]

Facinating answers. Despite retail being a tough call it seems there is still a market for quality service and understanding that the retailers have to have a margin of profit but not stupidity. As for CEF getting huffy cos the children won't play nicely! Don't they know negative feed back is a tool to improve what you do. My Mrs phones every customer to find out what we, actually ME, could have done better.

I'll re-read this thread and approach some of the names mentioned. Thank you everyone.

 

[Toneyz]

Facinating answers. Despite retail being a tough call it seems there is still a market for quality service and understanding that the retailers have to have a margin of profit but not stupidity. As for CEF getting huffy cos the children won't play nicely! Don't they know negative feed back is a tool to improve what you do. My Mrs phones every customer to find out what we, actually ME, could have done better.

I'll re-read this thread and approach some of the names mentioned. Thank you everyone.

Being that WF or whatever they are rebranding themselves have got their main distribution centre at Romford you should not have any problems with the stock availability.

 

[rolyberkin]

I use Screwfix a lot but of late have used forum sponsors electrical2go for lighting who are very competitive for Enlite. Toolstation have upped their game and are undercutting Screwfix on a lot of stuff so it is worth checking their prices.

 

[Marti]

Screwfix - the sparky's fast food. Not good for you but quick and convenient. Crippling prices for Enlite so I'll follow your lead 'cos I like their quality. Thanks guys. A really useful thread of answers.

 

[Marti]

The final word. Popped into Rexel (called summit else last week) and generally impressed. They want to do business and the IT systems appear to be getting an overall. Again, thanks for sharing - I'd never heard of them before but looks promising.

 

[Octopus]

The final word. Popped into Rexel (called summit else last week) and generally impressed. They want to do business and the IT systems appear to be getting an overall. Again, thanks for sharing - I'd never heard of them before but looks promising.

When you set up your account be sure to ask for the prompt payment discount on your monthly bill .....

 

[EbolaSideRoom]

I have found that, in spite of efforts to the contrary, round my way it really does depend on the branch ( with the exception of Electrifix/Poofix, who are nothing if not consistent). I use my local branch of Edmundson Electrical (Hereford) for 95% of my kit and they’re amazing. The prices mightn’t be cheapest, but there’s room for manoeuvre usually, and the service and product knowledge are unbeatable. Other branches I’ve found to be not so good....
Don’t even get me started on Electric Centre. They badgered me for ages to get some business from me; I relented in the spring and ordered a case of JCC LED down lights. Which never appeared. When the invoice landed on my door mat I called them and asked “why have you invoiced me for goods I haven’t received?” “They’re on their way. With you today”. No lights arrived. I wasn’t in a hurry for them so I went to Edmundson when I needed them.
A week later the statement turned up. No credit for undelivered lights. So I called them. “Driver left them outside your porch”.
I don’t have a porch.
I went down the road to a neighbouring cottage that is only used occasionally, at weekends, to find rather a soggy box of down lights...
Never again.

 

[Toneyz]

I think it has a lot to do with branch personnel (ex CEF). We get a phone call from the driver before delivery from the two wholesalers we use and from the wholesaler's contractor we work for.

 

[stevey1983]

We mostly use CEF I find all wholesalers you need to keep in check regarding price. With cef I can call them up and get them to pop me kit out anytime during the day and will open up if emergency outside normal hours for us (but we do spend alot each month with them)

 

[bailes1992]

I work for a large contracting firm so we have approved suppliers. All the major wholesalers are on the list.

Company procedures is you go out for a price on everything to 3 suppliers minimum and go with the best price.

CEF never come close on price so usually end up ordering from Rexel and Edmunsons. However, the last 12 month's Rexel around South Wales has gone absolutely awful. They take days to return quotes, orders turn up with stuff missing or turn up late or turn up not at all! So I get Edmunsons to price match. The Bridgend brand of Edmunsons rarely ever let's me down and if they do they always have a genuine reason. Customer service is first class!

For containment, bracketry and fixings it's often cheaper to use companies like R&M fixings and Kernow fixings as opposed to Electrical wholesalers.

The next job I have that I'm running by myself I think I'll try and get one electrical supplier to price match everything including Unistrut, basket, trunking etc. Hopefully using one supplier on one job will make life much easier.

 

[Nigel]

When you set up your account be sure to ask for the prompt payment discount on your monthly bill .....

Worthless. They will just take it off your discount.

 

[Octopus]

Worthless. They will just take it off your discount.

Not worthless if you don’t pay in time to claim it ....

 

[Nigel]

Not worthless if you don’t pay in time to claim it ....

Like I said they will just account for it in your discount. Instead of a 20% discount on an item they will just give you a 19% discount.

The wholesaler has their margins to stay in business and they will meet them. They can dress it up as an early payment discount but will just add it elsewhere and the customer thinks they have won and will keep returning even though in reality they have not.

It is very clever marketing.

I suppose our equivalent would be doing an EICR cheap and loading up the remedials to make the discount back.