Still Got One Job to Finish

Everyday I look forward to the day I used to be in a contractor.

Today I called around my vendors for some video cable for a job. Pretty sure its going to be my very last one. They all seemed high to me, and most didn't have exactly what I wanted. For the heck of it I tried Amazon and found exactly what I wanted listed under Amazon prime (free 2 day shipping) for a $39/1000 less than the CHEAPEST distributor, and more than a $100 cheaper than the first one I called. None of the distributors offered me free shipping on the order.

Its going to get tougher and tougher for even the big distributors to compete with Amazon. Its even tougher for dealers when their customers can buy nearly everything they sell for less than the dealers distributors.

Thank goodness I atleast still get a decent labor rate. (Actually I bid jobs with a flat total and don't worry about if I don't get them anymore.)

Reply to
Bob La Londe
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Bob I personally know of a number of security co's that bid parts at purchase price (either from the customer or from own stock..) then add labor at a fixed job rate. The pricing and warranty is clearly spelled out in the terms of the contract..

It seems to work for them.. Less of a headache when replacing defective parts..

RTS

Reply to
Rocky T. Squirrel

Sounds good, but generally you are required by law to warranty "the job" for a minimum of one year as a contractor in Arizona.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Reply to
Jim Davis
****

Just because its from your regular distributor who sources it off shore doesn't mean its quality cable.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Come-on Bob,

Amazon doesn't give a shit if you ever buy from them again. My distributor had better give me as good as I can get or they know the consequences. It c ertainly wouldn't pay for them to knowingly provide sub standard anything a nd if it did occur they have no choice but to change sources or lose more b usiness from their dealers. It's not that they can't be duped into a bad so urce but once finding out they have no choice but to remedy it.

If you buy bad wire from a distributor and you go back and show them and ot hers do the same ..... they're going to change their source. Doesn't help y ou now but if you see that they don't change in the future it was either a mistake on your end because nobody else complained or they will soon not be selling any more of that product and will sell something else.

Same thing will happen with Amazon but much slower because they'll keep sel ling it to new people all the time and just won't know (or care if) they ha ve a problem. But eventually after they have accumulated enough bad reviews of the product will stop selling it. But you're gonna have a hard time get ting re-reimbursed from them for a roll of wire that you already have insta lled.

Reply to
Jim Davis

Come-On Jim,

Given all the crap distrbutors have sold over the years I'll scope the wire when it comes in and take my chances. I haven't been doing this for a few weeks you know.

Come-on Bob,

Amazon doesn't give a shit if you ever buy from them again. My distributor had better give me as good as I can get or they know the consequences. It certainly wouldn't pay for them to knowingly provide sub standard anything and if it did occur they have no choice but to change sources or lose more business from their dealers. It's not that they can't be duped into a bad source but once finding out they have no choice but to remedy it.

If you buy bad wire from a distributor and you go back and show them and others do the same ..... they're going to change their source. Doesn't help you now but if you see that they don't change in the future it was either a mistake on your end because nobody else complained or they will soon not be selling any more of that product and will sell something else.

Same thing will happen with Amazon but much slower because they'll keep selling it to new people all the time and just won't know (or care if) they have a problem. But eventually after they have accumulated enough bad reviews of the product will stop selling it. But you're gonna have a hard time getting re-reimbursed from them for a roll of wire that you already have installed.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Check monoprice for cabes etc very good pricing

Reply to
NickMark

Thanks, I forgot all about them. Bought a bunch of customer speced patch cables from them years ago. No isseues. I just checked their siamese CCTV and its was close to the price of Amazon. Only about $10 more. If any of my regular distributors had been in that price range I'd have bought from them.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Well, there was an issue with one of the spools of Amazon cable. The spool screws all backed out vibrating around in the truck on the reel rack. Of course that happened after we ran almost all of the cable off of the spool. The wire tested fine, and the video looks good.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

The customer keeps adding stuff to the job. Cameras, convenience monitors, misc repairs, etc. Can't really complain as he pays, but I really am trying to get out of the business.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Yep ...... it the oooolll vibrating screw problem...... yessss!

I had that problem a few times in my life but the end results were always positive.

Reply to
Jim Davis

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