Why?

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hardworkingstiff

Senior Member
Location
Wilmington, NC
I purchased a 100-amp 2-pole Square D breaker this afternoon from a supply house I deal with. I looked at the ticket, $73. I told the counterman I just purchased one of these a couple of days ago for $63. He changed today's price to $63.

On the way home, I stopped by Home Depot to see what they sold them for, $51.08.

Why to I have to pay more than a 23% higher price at the supply house (Hagemeyer) than I do at HD?

WHY WHY WHY?

It's frustrating that my customer can buy materials cheaper than I can at the "Electrical Supply House".
 
cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
As much as I hate going in to the blue or orange store, I could always buy the material cheaper to do a service change at them than at the wholesale house.

And they can charge less, because of volume, where your wholesale house may be buying a 100 breakers, the box stores are buying 100,000 breakers.
 
ultramegabob

ultramegabob

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
Home depot probly sells enough of everything they buy from Square D that they get better pricing on certain items than your supply house.
 
2

220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
I have been getting screwed at the supply house counter since the 70's.

At The Home Depot , I can walk in, see the price, decide if I want it, take it to the front and pay for it. I can use the self checkout and not use anyones time but my own.

It's unproductive to tell some clown at the supply house counter everything you want and have him go get the stuff not knowing what it will cost. Asking in advance for a price is always an ordeal. At The Home Depot you simply look at the shelf.

We have a lot of stuff delivered from the supply houses but when I have to go get it, I'd much rather go to The Depot.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
ultramegabob said:
Home depot probly sells enough of everything they buy from Square D that they get better pricing on certain items than your supply house.
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Sometimes, they even carry stuff the supply houses don't. For example, Lowes carries (or did) a SqD 200 main breaker in an R3 enclosure. The supply house can't even find the catalog number.

The last time I bought one, it was $127. The same enclosure and breaker separate (not sold together) add up to around $185. No contest for me; I'm getting it where the getting is the best.
 
al hildenbrand

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
hardworkingstiff said:
I think that's going to have to be the plan.
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Lou, I've felt the same frustration with finding the low price for materials. I used to think, in the '80s, that my "wholesaler" was the only way to go, but when HD entered my area that all changed.

What I have found, is that I can't trust either place, across the board, which cheeses me off even more. I have to comparison price the slightly non commodity items. . .
 
resistance

resistance

Senior Member
Location
WA
hardworkingstiff said:
I think that's going to have to be the plan.
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Shopping there has it's up's and downs.

You need to talk to your supply house. If they aren't willing to drop your price, then move on. The only excuse they may give you is: You aren't buying as much as Tom and Jane's electric, so we can't give you the best price. If this is the case, then move on. I found that developing a relationship with the same supplier will help your pockets! I use Platt 95% of the time. I go to HD for some items, and I use other suppliers when necessary. Yet, sticking with Platt has rewarded me big on some jobs. I've even shopped HD, and told my supplier to beat the price, and they did. Yet, it's a known fact that they can't match some prices with HD-or any big box store-that buys in larger quantities. I tell you this. When the gas prices where up, everyone was in HD shopping for wire, because the electrical suppliers couldn't compete. It depends on what you are buying.
 
TOOL_5150

TOOL_5150

Senior Member
Location
bay area, ca
I get product from HD and lowes all the time. The only time I go to the warehouse is when I need something special, like a meter socket, or 12/4 MC... etc. In todays economy, I got to keep my prices low, so I can keep the customers' prices low so I actually get jobs.

~Matt
 
A

active1

Senior Member
Location
Las Vegas
No one asked why the Square D QO costs about 50% more than the other common plug in breakers.

One issue with circuit breakers is tthe deal the supply house has with the manufacture. The story I keep hearing is one manufacture says if the supplier sells only their brand they get a better price. Other times I hear a supplier does not cary a popular brand because the manufacture stipulates they can only sell their brand. So on my end I have to go out of my way or to a retail store to get one type of breaker. Or I learn fast that a supplier will sell a brand of breakers but at a much higher price. Perhaps because the supplier is not buying direct from the manufacture.

I herd Square D and Cuttler Hammer both play this game. I don't know about the others. One thing I liked about Siemens is the circuit breakers are available in more places for me and the prices are inline or cheaper then the others.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
active1 said:
No one asked why the Square D QO costs about 50% more than the other common plug in breakers.
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Okay, I'll bite; Why does the Square D QO cost about 50% more than other breakers?

norcal said:
Perhaps the question should be "Why should one shop at HD?" They do compete w/ contractors...
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Well, as far as I know, I've never lost a job to a big-box store. Plus, once I secure a job, who am I helping (or hurting) by buying each item for as little as I can?

I'd rather buy, say, a QO 200a main breaker in a 3R enclosure for $127 from a 'competitor' than the same two items seprately from a 'non-competitor' for %60 more.

hardworkingstiff said:
Go in the box stores and buy PVC for a great price, but start on the appurtenances and ........BAM........ 2-3 times more than the supply house.
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Nobody says you have to buy everything for a job from one place. I've bought conduit from one place and wire from another because it cost less, even with shopping.

Besides, when I have to improvise or just make a complicated assembly, there's nothing better than looking, touching, and putting together stuff with my own hands.
 
Mule

Mule

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
hardworkingstiff said:
I purchased a 100-amp 2-pole Square D breaker this afternoon from a supply house I deal with. I looked at the ticket, $73. I told the counterman I just purchased one of these a couple of days ago for $63. He changed today's price to $63.

On the way home, I stopped by Home Depot to see what they sold them for, $51.08.

Why to I have to pay more than a 23% higher price at the supply house (Hagemeyer) than I do at HD?

WHY WHY WHY?

It's frustrating that my customer can buy materials cheaper than I can at the "Electrical Supply House".
Click to expand...

To add to your frustration, I went to CED the other day and asked for a QO220(GFI), and they were out, so I went to another local supply house that has been having a struggle with customer service and thus losing customers to CED.

So I asked for the breaker and they had it..good deal I said!...they printed off my ticket and it was like $47 and some change??....I asked the new counter man, Is this right? Then he said that's the price they told me to give you. So out the door I went with the breaker.

Went back to CED later on in the day, and asked my regular salesman "WHY?"... He told me that this supply house does this often and has been reported to SQD with no apparent consequences. He went further on to say that the breaker is likely reported as a sale to a local industrial manufacturing customer that actualy has this low price structure.

So this burns my back side alot, but in the long run, I stick with SQD instead of C/H for what I think is a better value for my customer....

YEP MULE IS STILL ALIVE !!!
 
bradleyelectric

bradleyelectric

Senior Member
Location
forest hill, md
hardworkingstiff said:
I purchased a 100-amp 2-pole Square D breaker this afternoon from a supply house I deal with. I looked at the ticket, $73. I told the counterman I just purchased one of these a couple of days ago for $63. He changed today's price to $63.

On the way home, I stopped by Home Depot to see what they sold them for, $51.08.

Why to I have to pay more than a 23% higher price at the supply house (Hagemeyer) than I do at HD?

WHY WHY WHY?

It's frustrating that my customer can buy materials cheaper than I can at the "Electrical Supply House".
Click to expand...

Because you don't eat their donuts, bring them crab cakes, and tell them jokes and anidotes.
 
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