I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few q's
for anyone in the know...

How difficult is it to get trade prices there; are there hoops to jump
through?

Once you've been given 'trade' once, do they give you a card to flash on
subsequent occasions so you don't have to do the freemason's handshake
routine every time?

Most importantly - if you do get a trade card (if there is one!) are you
you then allowed to use that at ordinary small B&Q's?

I'm asking because my most convenient (but not my preferred) d-i-y
outlet is B&Q, but it's a 'small' one, and the nearest B&Q 'warehouse'
is prohibitively far away (but I'd make the trip if it was worthwhile!)

Thanks
David

In article , davidlobsterpot601
@hotmail.com says...
I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few q's
for anyone in the know...

How difficult is it to get trade prices there; are there hoops to jump
through?

Once you've been given 'trade' once, do they give you a card to flash on
subsequent occasions so you don't have to do the freemason's handshake
routine every time?

Most importantly - if you do get a trade card (if there is one!) are you
you then allowed to use that at ordinary small B&Q's?

I'm asking because my most convenient (but not my preferred) d-i-y
outlet is B&Q, but it's a 'small' one, and the nearest B&Q 'warehouse'
is prohibitively far away (but I'd make the trip if it was worthwhile!)

Thanks
David





Please forgive me, but would it not be easier to ask B&Q ?
--
Paul Mc Cann

Paul Mc Cann wrote:
In article , davidlobsterpot601
@hotmail.com says...

I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few q's
for anyone in the know...

Please forgive me, but would it not be easier to ask B&Q ?

If I had copies of statements from a business bank account, letterheaded
notepaper, trade references, and all that sort of stuff then yes it
would, but I don't. Hence I'd like to know what B&Q's criteria are for
giving trade discount before raising my head above the parapet.

David

"Lobster" wrote in message
...
Paul Mc Cann wrote:
In article , davidlobsterpot601
@hotmail.com says...

I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few q's
for anyone in the know...

Please forgive me, but would it not be easier to ask B&Q ?

If I had copies of statements from a business bank account, letterheaded
notepaper, trade references, and all that sort of stuff then yes it
would, but I don't. Hence I'd like to know what B&Q's criteria are for
giving trade discount before raising my head above the parapet.

David

I was approached by them a couple of times to open an account, but declined.
My impression was that all you get is 50-60 day to pay your bill, but prices
are exactly the same as retail.

I'll be happy to be proven wrong...

"Lobster" wrote in message
...
Paul Mc Cann wrote:
In article , davidlobsterpot601
@hotmail.com says...

I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few q's
for anyone in the know...

Please forgive me, but would it not be easier to ask B&Q ?

If I had copies of statements from a business bank account, letterheaded
notepaper, trade references, and all that sort of stuff then yes it would,
but I don't. Hence I'd like to know what B&Q's criteria are for giving
trade discount before raising my head above the parapet.

David

Well, I've got a B&Q trade card but never got any trade discount from them
(unless it just wasn't available on the stuff I've bought). Personally, all
the card means to me is that I can get stuff, put it on the account and pay
later.

Mogweed.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 16:16:13 GMT, Lobster
wrote:

I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few q's
for anyone in the know...

I have a trade card with B&Q. The only thing it offers me is free
delivery if the total order cost is £50 or more. Great for kitchen
worktops etc.

I'm not aware of them offering trade discounts, but of course they
might for big players.

Andrew

Please note that the email address used for posting
usenet messages is configured such that my antispam
filter will automatically update itself so that the
senders email address is flagged as spam. If you do
need to contact me please visit my web site and
submit an enquiry - http://www.kazmax.co.uk

Mogweed wrote:

Well, I've got a B&Q trade card but never got any trade discount from them
(unless it just wasn't available on the stuff I've bought). Personally, all
the card means to me is that I can get stuff, put it on the account and pay
later.

Trade discount at B&Q has certainly been mentioned in this ng; maybe it
has nothing to do with the trade card??

David

Lobster wrote in
:


Trade discount at B&Q has certainly been mentioned in this ng; maybe
it has nothing to do with the trade card??

Just wait till you retire and get 10% on Wednesdays - but not at warehouses

mike

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 17:16:23 GMT, Lobster
wrote:

Paul Mc Cann wrote:
In article , davidlobsterpot601
@hotmail.com says...

I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few q's
for anyone in the know...

Please forgive me, but would it not be easier to ask B&Q ?

If I had copies of statements from a business bank account, letterheaded
notepaper, trade references, and all that sort of stuff then yes it
would, but I don't. Hence I'd like to know what B&Q's criteria are for
giving trade discount before raising my head above the parapet.

David


I haven't bothered with B&Q, but in general it is pretty easy to get
some level of trade discount at most building material and electrical
wholesalers.

Some wholesale organisations still insist on bank details, VAT numbers
etc., but in this sector, it seems to have gone away.
This is probably because a significant proportion of customers are
sole traders who are not VAT registered and they don't want to make it
too hard for them to do business.

Quite a number seemed to have gone to a model of working on the amount
of business you do with them in general or on specific product lines
to determine discount on them. For example, some while ago, I bought
a load of MK wiring accessories at WF Electrical. I was able to
negotiate a pretty substantial discount on the purchase, and now
everything MK that I buy there attracts the same discount, and there
is generally pretty good discount on other stuff as well.

I've found that other places look at business volume on a quarterly
basis or other similar arrangements.

I don't think that I've been asked for headed paper etc. for a very
long time....





--

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Lobster" wrote in message
...
I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few q's for
anyone in the know...

How difficult is it to get trade prices there; are there hoops to jump
through?

Once you've been given 'trade' once, do they give you a card to flash on
subsequent occasions so you don't have to do the freemason's handshake
routine every time?

Most importantly - if you do get a trade card (if there is one!) are you
you then allowed to use that at ordinary small B&Q's?

I'm asking because my most convenient (but not my preferred) d-i-y outlet
is B&Q, but it's a 'small' one, and the nearest B&Q 'warehouse' is
prohibitively far away (but I'd make the trip if it was worthwhile!)

Thanks
David

yes you get a time credit card to buy with, long time to pay, no discount,
free delivery on 50 quid up, you can go through the trade exit in and out,
no queue.
must be used every 6 months or gets cancelled. You need a business bank
account, I used a mbna business credit card statement, plus a utility bill.

mrcheerful

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 19:57:34 GMT, "mrcheerful
.." wrote:

yes you get a time credit card to buy with, long time to pay, no discount,
free delivery on 50 quid up, you can go through the trade exit in and out,
no queue.
must be used every 6 months or gets cancelled. You need a business bank
account, I used a mbna business credit card statement, plus a utility bill.

I just remembered.....

You get an instant £1500 credit limit as well. After 3 months if you
have been a good boy then you can ask to have the limit raised.

It's actually quite convenient because you buy something in March
(say) and you don't have to pay until mid-May. And it works thru the
regular tills too - if you just want a box of screws to take with you
then it's a cheaper/easier way than using extended credit on credit
cards.

Andrew

Please note that the email address used for posting
usenet messages is configured such that my antispam
filter will automatically update itself so that the
senders email address is flagged as spam. If you do
need to contact me please visit my web site and
submit an enquiry - http://www.kazmax.co.uk

snip
You get an instant £1500 credit limit as well. After 3 months if you
have been a good boy then you can ask to have the limit raised.

It's actually quite convenient because you buy something in March
(say) and you don't have to pay until mid-May. And it works thru the
regular tills too - if you just want a box of screws to take with you
then it's a cheaper/easier way than using extended credit on credit
cards.

You had better make sure that you have been a good boy and had that
credit limit raised a little if you want to buy boxes of screws at B&Q !!

Lobster wrote:
Mogweed wrote:

Well, I've got a B&Q trade card but never got any trade discount from
them (unless it just wasn't available on the stuff I've bought).
Personally, all the card means to me is that I can get stuff, put it
on the account and pay later.

Trade discount at B&Q has certainly been mentioned in this ng; maybe it
has nothing to do with the trade card??

After all the replies confirming categorically that B&Q don't offer any
trade discount, I've been trawling: it was "Rick"
) who mentioned having managed this before. Are
you there, Rick?!!

David

In article , davidlobsterpot601
@hotmail.com says...
Paul Mc Cann wrote:
In article , davidlobsterpot601
@hotmail.com says...

I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few q's
for anyone in the know...

Please forgive me, but would it not be easier to ask B&Q ?

If I had copies of statements from a business bank account, letterheaded
notepaper, trade references, and all that sort of stuff then yes it
would, but I don't. Hence I'd like to know what B&Q's criteria are for
giving trade discount before raising my head above the parapet.

David

If a company with whon I wished to trade demanded all these details
BEFORE setting out their stall I would tell them to get lost.
--
Paul Mc Cann

Lobster wrote:
I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few
q's
for anyone in the know...

How difficult is it to get trade prices there; are there hoops to
jump
through?

Once you've been given 'trade' once, do they give you a card to flash
on
subsequent occasions so you don't have to do the freemason's
handshake
routine every time?

Most importantly - if you do get a trade card (if there is one!) are
you
you then allowed to use that at ordinary small B&Q's?

I'm asking because my most convenient (but not my preferred) d-i-y
outlet is B&Q, but it's a 'small' one, and the nearest B&Q
'warehouse'
is prohibitively far away (but I'd make the trip if it was
worthwhile!)

Thanks
David

Not sure what the situation is now but a couple of years back there
were some products which were cheaper - bulk bags of sand being one but
the discounts were small and bettered elsewhere.
The biggest discount I saw was 22% (I think) off Velux windows which
was 2% better than I could get at the time from my local independent BM
but it was off windows only. Flashings etc were full price but my local
BM would discount these at the same rate as windows if I bought the
windows too and were therefore cheaper overall so got my business.

Basically not worth bothering with IMHO as the other benefits such as
credit, free delivery etc are available at your independent BM who will
give better discounts.

Alan.

"Lobster" wrote in message
...
I understand B&Q do trade discounts, but you have to go to the big
warehouse places or whatever they call them? Is that right? A few q's
for anyone in the know...

There's no actual discount except on the specials usually listed behind the
trade counter. And I think normal customers can get these as well if they
happen to be able to take away a whole pallet of plaster themselves :-)

The key point to the account is free site delivery - but although their
range isn't as restrictive as Wickes has become, it usually makes it well
worth chatting to your local BM about their pricing.

On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 10:45:09 GMT, Lobster
wrote:

Lobster wrote:
Mogweed wrote:

Well, I've got a B&Q trade card but never got any trade discount from
them (unless it just wasn't available on the stuff I've bought).
Personally, all the card means to me is that I can get stuff, put it
on the account and pay later.

Trade discount at B&Q has certainly been mentioned in this ng; maybe it
has nothing to do with the trade card??

After all the replies confirming categorically that B&Q don't offer any
trade discount, I've been trawling: it was "Rick"
) who mentioned having managed this before. Are
you there, Rick?!!

David

Sorry for the delay, been shifting my latest delivery, and the Bobcat
is broken :-(

In my local B&Q (Chester) you goto the trade desk, and pick up the
trade price list. This is lower prices than the shelf prices.

Once you have your order (I buy enough to fill the delivery lorry),
you go back to the trade desk, and order the stuff. You get the shelf
prices, so you wave the trade price list, and magically the prices
come down. If you have a written quote from elsewhwre, wave that, and
the prices come down some more.

There are 2 types of B&Q, red - who don't have trade desks, and orange
who do.

Overall the service I have had is 100%, they deliver at the right day,
in the right place (a field 1/2 a mile from my house).

If you want a whole pile of stuff, and can get an arctic in, then they
are open to even lower prices, talk to the trade desk manager.

The trade account is like a credit card, is not an extra low price.
However you may be able to get grandad to buy with his 10% off on
Wednesday card, but then he is unlikley to need a lorry load of bricks
and sand, every few weeks.

Rick

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:47:24 UTC, Rick wrote:

There are 2 types of B&Q, red - who don't have trade desks, and orange
who do.

Not a good indicator - our local one is an orange 'mini warehouse' and
there is no trade counter!

--
Bob Eager
begin a new life...dump Windows!

On 31 Mar 2005 17:16:59 GMT, "Bob Eager" wrote:

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:47:24 UTC, Rick wrote:

There are 2 types of B&Q, red - who don't have trade desks, and orange
who do.

Not a good indicator - our local one is an orange 'mini warehouse' and
there is no trade counter!

"Mini warehouse", reminds me of the egyption "megga market", which is
abput the size of my bathroom, isn't english wonderfull, give me C or
perl anyday.

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 18:46:35 UTC, Rick wrote:

"Mini warehouse", reminds me of the egyption "megga market", which is
abput the size of my bathroom, isn't english wonderfull, give me C or
perl anyday.

I draw the line at perl - the phrase 'dogs breakfast' comes to mind.

--
Bob Eager
begin a new life...dump Windows!