Re: What is Lockmasters?

mrlockman:

Unfortunately in the real world a distributor has to distribute and sell product to stay in business... Your logic is VERY FAULTY, as for a distributor to sell EXCLUSIVELY to the 'industry' while also making a profit and covering overhead expenses it would have to charge quite a bit more on 'industry' sales to do that and stay in business... The mark-up on sales to end-users and others purchasers is much higher than the mark-up made on sales to the 'industry'... If distributors and supply houses only sold to the 'industry' there would only be a few around still in business... The fewer sources for materials and supplies the less opportunity there is for comparsion shopping even within the 'industry'... That makes a difference, as if you can make a few dollars more on a lock by finding it cheaper somewhere that can help any business STAY IN BUSINESS... As simply increasing the cost to the 'customer' can and will have an adverse effect on business in the long run, and by shopping around a savvy business person can usually find some variances in product prices a dollar or two per unit can add up if it is a big project and you are looking at ordering hundreds of units...

Your idea of NOT buying from any distributor that sells directly to the 'end-user' is crap to begin with, as all of the OEMs sell direct to end-users and therefore by following your logic you would then not be able to buy from anyone who sells product to 'non-locksmiths'...

So how does your logic work, is it ok for the original manufacturers to sell direct to end-users but NOT ok for a distributor to do the same thing ???

Please explain your 'rules' on this type of thing as they do not as stated in your previous post here take into consideration many of the possible situations that might occur... Things in business are not as clear-cut as you make out them to be here... The whole FRIEND/FOE determination is more often than not more complicated and shaded in gray...

Evan the Maintenance Man

Again I disagree with you. If you asked almost any locksmith what they think of their supplier competing with them by selling to the public I would bet they would not want to support this supplier and buy elsewhere. There is no gray area here. Suppliers should not be selling to a locksmiths customer. Its wrong and in the long run will only hurt their own business and the locksmiths business.

I'm sure you are right.

This is not only an argument in locksmithing - but in many other areas. For example - should a supplier of car repair parts to mechanics be willing to sell to car owners? I'm sure if you asked mechanics to vote, they would vote no. But if you asked car owners to vote, you would get a different result. The auto parts suppliers I buy from sell to both markets. They differentiate by giving mechanics extra service (deliver, accounts, ...) and/or extra discounts. But they will still sell to me. I don't see anything wrong with this.

Its capitalism...with the internet and mail order, end users can and will buy direct if they want to, and suppliers can make more money from selling to them. If it makes you happier to buy from a different supplier, that's fine, but don't have any illusions that your customers' ability to buy direct will be changed.

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wholesalers sale to select groups and that fact has not changed. we deal with about 5 different wholesale suppliers regularly. Hans Johnsen Company, Fairway Supply, USLock, Curtis, Acme Wholesale there are more that we deal with just sometimes. far as I can tell, none of the above sale to the general public.

my2

I also do not - if I know it - buy from wholesalers that sell direct. Why should I when theres a choice? Why would anyone want to support someone who won't support them? The wholesalers you mention do I believe go out of their way NOT to take away our customers.

Depends on the supplier. Depends on what they're selling, to whom, at what markup (many do sell retail but at essentially the same prices we charge, plus shipping and without on-site support) and whether they are actively seeking those sales or just willing to make a sale to folks who make an effort to seek them out.

In my judgement, Lockmasters is too useful a resource to ignore just because they might also do some retail business.

There are very few parts of life where no grey areas exist. If this one's black and white for _you_, more power to you; you are always free to vote with your wallet and select another supplier. Just don't be surprised when some others, while respecting your position, disagree with it.

I never said to ignore Lockmasters and what makes them valuable? Valuable how and to whom? Again, why would any locksmith buy and support a supplier if they compete for the same customer? I know of several suppliers that routinely bid on jobs that should go to their customers. This is common in the lock industry but ir really shouldn't be this way. I don't think this happens in many other industries. There are many good suppliers out there that go out of their way not to sell to end users so why would an intelligent business man purposely support a supplier that in the long run may even put the locksmith out of business. Just plain stupid.

You're worrying about something you have no control over. Your not buying from them is not going to put them out of business, if anything it may even make them expand their retail end. If the price and customer service are better than the competition buy from them. If not don't.

And if you want to consider not selling retail as part of your definiton of good customer service, more power to ya. I understand and even partly agree with the principle, but I don't apply it as a go/no-go test; it's one element among many.