Trade discount at B&Q?

[Lobster]

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

[Paul Mc Cann]

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

[Lobster]

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

[NotMe]

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...

[Mogweed]

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.

[Andrew McKay]

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 -

[Lobster]

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

David

[mike ring]

Lobster wrote in news:nKC1e.19276$ [e-mail]:

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

mike

[Andy Hall]

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....

[mrcheerful]

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

[Andrew McKay]

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 -

[Cuprager]

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]

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

David

[Paul Mc Cann]

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.

[Alan]

handshake

'warehouse'

worthwhile!)

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.

[Mike]

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.

[Rick]

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

[Bob Eager]

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

[Rick]

"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.

[Bob Eager]

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