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?

 

[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.

 

[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.