ᐅ Do you buy from a local building supply store or order online?
Created on: 13 May 2017 14:18
M
Mizit
We are generally not the type of people who need or want to watch every penny, and we understand the difference between cheap and affordable. I also see several advantages in buying something locally, where I can potentially go back to the store, make a complaint if needed, and have a contact person standing right in front of me—compared to ordering something from websites and possibly regretting it later because I tried to save a little and ended up receiving low-quality goods.
However, the budget is of course not unlimited, and where it makes sense, we want or need to save money. And this seems possible at first glance for all the products you want to install or lay.
Especially with doors, the price difference between what I have seen in local specialized stores and doors sold online seems huge. These websites even look reputable and have many reviews. It makes you wonder if it is justified to pay four times as much for a door at the local timber merchant when the product description indicates that the products should essentially be the same…
The same applies to flooring. Prices online for similar wear layers and wood types appear to be completely different from local prices, which seem significantly higher in some cases.
Now we are already considering whether we should order doors online or possibly also three new important windows online and then find someone through MyHammer to install them…
What are your experiences with online versus local shopping?
However, the budget is of course not unlimited, and where it makes sense, we want or need to save money. And this seems possible at first glance for all the products you want to install or lay.
Especially with doors, the price difference between what I have seen in local specialized stores and doors sold online seems huge. These websites even look reputable and have many reviews. It makes you wonder if it is justified to pay four times as much for a door at the local timber merchant when the product description indicates that the products should essentially be the same…
The same applies to flooring. Prices online for similar wear layers and wood types appear to be completely different from local prices, which seem significantly higher in some cases.
Now we are already considering whether we should order doors online or possibly also three new important windows online and then find someone through MyHammer to install them…
What are your experiences with online versus local shopping?
C
Changeling20 Jul 2018 13:56I am facing the exact same question right now, so I’m jumping on this topic.
We received the craftsman’s quote for the interior doors through a fixed-price contract and were quite surprised when we compared the door prices online. There, I can get exactly the same doors including delivery for half the price (!).
Then we compared our sanitary fixtures, and the same pattern is emerging—sometimes the craftsman even charges three times the internet price. That’s quite a hefty margin! I understand the “evil internet,” “hurting the local economy,” “craftsmen need to make a living,” ... but so do I. The money—in total we’re talking about several thousand euros—would come in handy, especially since (as always) other parts of the project have already become more expensive than planned.
Does it make sense in terms of warranty, etc., to still buy everything through the craftsman, or has anyone dared to order everything online and just have it installed? How does the warranty work then? Even if the installation costs are expensive, say twice as high (I’m happy to pass on some money to the craftsman, as @EA-Tec suggested), I would still save a considerable amount!
@Koempy: How exactly did you handle this back then, and are you still satisfied? Would you do it the same way today?
We received the craftsman’s quote for the interior doors through a fixed-price contract and were quite surprised when we compared the door prices online. There, I can get exactly the same doors including delivery for half the price (!).
Then we compared our sanitary fixtures, and the same pattern is emerging—sometimes the craftsman even charges three times the internet price. That’s quite a hefty margin! I understand the “evil internet,” “hurting the local economy,” “craftsmen need to make a living,” ... but so do I. The money—in total we’re talking about several thousand euros—would come in handy, especially since (as always) other parts of the project have already become more expensive than planned.
Does it make sense in terms of warranty, etc., to still buy everything through the craftsman, or has anyone dared to order everything online and just have it installed? How does the warranty work then? Even if the installation costs are expensive, say twice as high (I’m happy to pass on some money to the craftsman, as @EA-Tec suggested), I would still save a considerable amount!
@Koempy: How exactly did you handle this back then, and are you still satisfied? Would you do it the same way today?
This is indeed a very challenging topic, as the comments here clearly show.
Basically, we prefer to buy as locally as possible. We already took this into account when choosing the builder. All companies are local, which has the additional advantage that if there is any issue, I can reach someone personally instead of having to spend weeks making calls across northern Germany.
In the more rural areas here, there are a few small shops where you can get many things. These are good businesses that we also like to support. Before ordering something online, I always check on the way whether I can get it there, and it’s not just about a few euros.
However, there are two types of shops that tend to take advantage of customers. One type acts as if they need every euro and pay their employees minimum wage — but the owner and their family live in a large estate, drive multiple luxury cars, and spend most of their time somewhere in the Caribbean. In this case, the higher price simply feels unfair.
The other type are the small shops that have to sell their goods at pharmacy prices. Their order volumes are so low that they cannot negotiate good prices, and rent, staff, and other expenses also cost money. Even if people don’t want to hear it, these shops are no longer up to date and will gradually disappear.
At the end of the day, we try to support the small specialized businesses that provide service and set prices high enough to make a living, but not so high that they completely overcharge customers.
Just as there will always be things we buy locally, there are also purchases we will continue to make online. When well-known major retailers offer special deals that save several hundred euros, I have to consider my budget.
Basically, we prefer to buy as locally as possible. We already took this into account when choosing the builder. All companies are local, which has the additional advantage that if there is any issue, I can reach someone personally instead of having to spend weeks making calls across northern Germany.
In the more rural areas here, there are a few small shops where you can get many things. These are good businesses that we also like to support. Before ordering something online, I always check on the way whether I can get it there, and it’s not just about a few euros.
However, there are two types of shops that tend to take advantage of customers. One type acts as if they need every euro and pay their employees minimum wage — but the owner and their family live in a large estate, drive multiple luxury cars, and spend most of their time somewhere in the Caribbean. In this case, the higher price simply feels unfair.
The other type are the small shops that have to sell their goods at pharmacy prices. Their order volumes are so low that they cannot negotiate good prices, and rent, staff, and other expenses also cost money. Even if people don’t want to hear it, these shops are no longer up to date and will gradually disappear.
At the end of the day, we try to support the small specialized businesses that provide service and set prices high enough to make a living, but not so high that they completely overcharge customers.
Just as there will always be things we buy locally, there are also purchases we will continue to make online. When well-known major retailers offer special deals that save several hundred euros, I have to consider my budget.
I was more referring to consumables or small items that we handle ourselves.
For materials used by contractors, we have found that they often purchase better than we can as private individuals. If they are reputable companies ordering large quantities regularly, they usually have suppliers with appropriate terms for that.
For materials used by contractors, we have found that they often purchase better than we can as private individuals. If they are reputable companies ordering large quantities regularly, they usually have suppliers with appropriate terms for that.
C
Changeling22 Jul 2018 15:45Nordlys schrieb:
Buying online and having craftsmen install on an hourly wage doesn't work. No one does that. They want the whole job or they walk away. These days, they can enforce that. I can’t imagine that no one does it. Just on MyHammer alone, there are plenty of requests like this, so surely someone takes those jobs.
Regarding the warranty, I’ve looked into it; apparently, the craftsman is not liable for the materials – in fact, the material supplier must even pay the craftsman for removal and reinstallation if the products are defective. So unless the craftsman is paid just minimum wage, I don’t understand why they would resist this (unless their schedule is so full that they have multiple jobs at once, earning twice as much). Especially since they’re already at the customer’s site anyway.
C
Changeling22 Jul 2018 15:46Lobster schrieb:
From our experience, craftsmen often purchase materials better than we can as private individuals. If they are good companies, regularly ordering large quantities, they usually have suppliers offering them favorable terms. That's true, the wholesaler told us the same. But if the craftsman adds a 200% markup, it unfortunately doesn't benefit me as a private person.
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