c arpet underlay

[NickStone]

cloud 9 fitted in the new extension some months ago and it does feel nice when you walk on it but the sheds are trying to sell me Duralay for £9.99 a square meter.

I'd never heard of Cloud9 until I found it under the carpet of a flat I've just bought. Now, I'd never want to use anything else - in my own home, that is. Worth it at any price - within reason.

 

[DIYerHELP]

At the end of the day “diyisfree” has done his market research via the Internet, local suppliers and this forum. He’s found a product that suits his needs at the right price. We all want the bottom price when buying goods. Good for him.

I’ve used Cloud 9 Cumulus in our house sourced via the Internet – tremendous saving over my local suppliers and next day delivery. I see it as the suppliers have one chance to get the price right over wise I’ll go elsewhere – I haven’t got time for haggling.

 

[Softus]

We all want the bottom price when buying goods.

No. We don't all want the bottom price. That's my very point. I want the suppliers that I favour to get my business, therefore I give them the opportunity to erode their margin to get that business.

This isn't a noble act - I do it only because I want the suppliers to help me when I need help, and I need their businesses to survive and for them not to struggle.

I see it as the suppliers have one chance to get the price right over wise I’ll go elsewhere – I haven’t got time for haggling.

You've got time to use the Internet but not make a phone call? What b*llocks.

 

[DIYerHELP]

Softus perhaps you’re bias as “you need their businesses to survive”?

Everyone knows underlay is a total rip off at independent and plc retailers – this is why underlay is marketed with so many different names so the customer can’t easily compare an underlay from one retailer to another. Most retailers offer discounts when you purchase carpet as well. But I have found these so called discounts aren’t discounted that much anyway.

I also expect you get a huge discount in the first place that isn’t offered to the general public because you use them more frequently - nothing wrong with that – good business sense.

“You've got time to use the Internet but not make a phone call?” No, I haven’t always got time during working hours to phone various suppliers, but do I have time in the evenings to research prices, products etc when the suppliers are closed.

There is nothing wrong with a person trying to get a trade price by whatever means possible. This is why we source products from the Internet for the best price because of their low overheads.

 

[Softus]

Softus perhaps you’re bias as “you need their businesses to survive”?

On a pedantic point, I wouldn't call that bias. I clearly stated my opinion at the beginning, including this statement:

You gets what you pays for. And if you pay over the Internet, then you rob local businesses - a bit like cr*pping on your own doorstep.

___________________

You've got time to use the Internet but not make a phone call?

No, I haven’t always got time during working hours to phone various suppliers

I didn't say, or mean, "various" - I said a call. When I need something from my usual suppliers I don't phone them all, but the one who's most likely to know what I'm talking about and be able to help.

There is nothing wrong with a person trying to get a trade price by whatever means possible. This is why we source products from the Internet for the best price because of their low overheads.

I don't know why you think there's "nothing" wrong - it's a blinkered way of thinking at best. I'm not suggesting you use a supplier of my choice, but one of your own - all I'm saying, and all I have been saying, is that if everyone acted like you in not giving a local supplier even the opportunity to reduce his retail price, then there would be only Internet-based businesses.

BTW - the concept of "trade" prices is largely a myth. Any supplier will give a discount to anyone whom they think will bring more business, trade or otherwise. If you're so fickle as to use each supplier only once, then you're paying more when you don't need to.

 

[mattysupra]

softus, dont worry about it mate. They wont agree with you or understand where your coming from

 

[diyisfree]

I know i said i had finished on this matter but i think its time to put this to bed.

Ok i got the carpet from storeys, when the guy came to fit it he said "your really better off going to the local shop for carpet because the carpet you have just got, probably cost half of what you paid for it" (ok they need their markup)

What i think he was trying to say was i could have probably got a slightly better quality carpet for the same price, although i did try the "little local shop" who fitted my new extension out.

I gave him the maker and product code and he was only about £0.50p cheaper per sq meter. He did quote me on cloud 9 but still wanted £6.99 per sq meter for the 9mm stuff not the 11. But the biggest thing i didn't understand was that Storeys said i needed 45 sq meters, another of the big boys said 45.5 but the local shop said 58sq meters.

I asked if he was sure or if he meant sq yards but he said "No, you deffinatly need 58 Sq meters"

Anyway, I still recommend that "little local shop" to my customers for cushion floor and Karndean flooring in the Kitchens and Bathrooms i fit. His fitters are spot on and don't try to hide bodges. If they cock up they put it right, but even so, i still cant justify spending money i don't have to.

Its a little like buying a new car from a main dealer and its retail price is £15,000 You pop down the road to one of these car supermarkets and see the exact same car, same colour, same spec for £12,000 What do you do ? do you support the main agent who has been trading for 50 years and its still a family business, they all live in big posh houses and go on several holidays per year? Or do you save £3,000 of your hard earned cash and go on a fantastic family holiday yourself?

Anyway Softus,

You buy the first round, and we'll carry on this discussion in the pub where all great philosophers spend many an happy hour arguing with each other about crap.

Edit: Where did the word rubbish come from I didnt say that Im sure i said CRAP.

Edit2: Its done it again

 

[Softus]

I know i said i had finished on this matter but i think its time to put this to bed.

Well it just took a short nap and then got up again.

Its a little like buying a new car from a main dealer and its retail price is £15,000 You pop down the road to one of these car supermarkets and see the exact same car, same colour, same spec for £12,000 What do you do ? do you support the main agent who has been trading for 50 years and its still a family business, they all live in big posh houses and go on several holidays per year? Or do you save £3,000 of your hard earned cash and go on a fantastic family holiday yourself?

I'm so glad you asked, because it's a perfect analogy, and one that nicely illustrates my point.

The last time I bought a new car, I went to the local dealer, found the car I was interested in, and went away to think about it. Friends then advised me to import it for much less money. I researched the likely price of an imported car, and went back to the dealer with the information. He made a call to head office, and dropped his price to below what I could import it for. Everyone was happy.

When the price is what I think it should be then I don't even quibble. For example, when I have to engage an RGI, or a qualified electrician, or a bricklayer, for part of a project for a customer, I have a set of people I use and trust. I don't even ask them how much it's going to cost, and when they tell me I generally give them more than they ask.

And I do the same thing whenever I think the local price is artificially high - I offer the local business the opportunity to strike a deal. That's exactly what you didn't do, and it's that failing that sends small businesses to the wall every day.

Maybe you just don't care. Or maybe you think it's more important to patronise Internet-based businesses. I don't know, since your only principle seems to be to save yourself the most money in the short term.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

On a pedantic point

Softus, you can teach us all a thing or two about being pedantic!

 

[philipdayton]

I would like to start by saying that this is purely my personal opinion
Anyway, my opinion on the matter is this,.. every year i renew my car insurance, every year i get a letter saying its going to cost, eg. £500. On hearing this i shop around a little to see what other people can offer, if i receive an offer below what my existing insurer can offer I will take up the policy with the new company.
My reason for this is that i don't like being taken for a fool! If a company would like to keep my custom and more importantly, values it, it will not try it on with me.
Everything has a value, a point where cost and margins are acceptable to both parties.
if I was to go back to my insurer with the renewal cost from the new company and they then offered to beat it, that means that they can still make a profit (nobody offers things at a loss) In essence what they did before was to 'try it on' and bank on me not shopping around and try to get more money out of me.
Now, the ethics behind this vary on your perspective, but mine as a customer is, I want the best product at the best price, regardless of whether it's on the internet or a local store. If the local store or in this topic's case, carpet shop wants people to buy its underlay from them so much it shouldn't mark its prices up by 200%.
In this day and age, as wrong as some people may perceive it to be 'Cost Is King' disposable cash is at a minimum and the majority people would prefer a good price to that warm cosy feeling you may get from giving your business to Mr Smith down the road.
As I said at the start this is purely my opinion

 

[Softus]

Anyway, my opinion on the matter is this,.. every year i renew my car insurance, every year i get a letter saying its going to cost, eg. £500. On hearing this i shop around a little to see what other people can offer, if i receive an offer below what my existing insurer can offer I will take up the policy with the new company.

What part of that represents an "opinion"? It reads exactly like an account of what you do when you renew your insurance.

My reason for this is that i don't like being taken for a fool!

You seem to believe that the difference in prices between retailers is caused by an attempt to fool people. This is a rather naive point of view. Different insurance companies have different overheads, and underwriters interpret risk in different ways. You haven't said whether cost is your only criterion, but it's rare that two given policies, and the associated goodies included, are precisely the same, which makes it very hard to compare like with like.

If a company would like to keep my custom and more importantly, values it, it will not try it on with me.

For the last three years I've renewed with the same company, even though it hasn't been the cheapest each time, because I'm delighted with the standard of service they provide. It would be reasonable to argue that I would be foolish to go elsewhere, not foolish to stay.

Everything has a value, a point where cost and margins are acceptable to both parties.
if I was to go back to my insurer with the renewal cost from the new company and they then offered to beat it, that means that they can still make a profit (nobody offers things at a loss) In essence what they did before was to 'try it on' and bank on me not shopping around and try to get more money out of me.

That's just retail business - it's not ripping people off.

I was going to respond to more of your post, but then I read this:

...'Cost Is King' disposable cash is at a minimum...

It's been months since the last time I read such a huge and unsubstantiated heap of tripe.

FFS.

 

[philipdayton]

I can only assume that with so many posts on a forum, and looking through your previous threads, so many being critical to the point of being offensive, that this must be your only social outlet, how unfortunate...
I'm sorry my 'opinions' don't tie in with yours so therefor, are clearly wrong
I hope you continue to enjoy your self obsessed war on anyone else who's views don't quite tally up with yours.

 

[Softus]

I can only assume that with so many posts on a forum, and looking through your previous threads, so many being critical to the point of being offensive, that this must be your only social outlet, how unfortunate..

Thank you for your sympathy.

I'm sorry my 'opinions' don't tie in with yours so therefor, are clearly wrong

Ah, but you aren't sorry at all though, are you.

I hope you continue to enjoy your self obsessed war on anyone else who's views don't quite tally up with yours.

Ah, but you don't actually hope for that, do you.

 

[AdrianB]

We have just had a new carpet in the lounge from the local carpet warehouse. Excellent carpet well happy with it.
Got the underlay, (Tredaire dreamwalk) online for about a third of the carpet place cost. That’s life! The carpet place made the money on the carpet and I saved the money on the underlay by buying online. I can’t justify spending more money than I need to for exactly the same product. When we get the hall carpet done I will do the same again.

 

[Softus]

Your point being...?