Speedbump
Active Member
I go to supply houses not for lower prices, but to buy stuff I can't get elsewhere.
By the way, what do you do with all this stuff you buy? You wouldn't be doing unlicensed work would you?
I go to supply houses not for lower prices, but to buy stuff I can't get elsewhere.
By the way, what do you do with all this stuff you buy? You wouldn't be doing unlicensed work would you?
Ronaldg, the government establishes business laws and usually manufacturers and their distributors are not allowed to sell to the end user; the homeowner. Their distributors sell to their dealers and we sell to the end user. The manufacturers don't want to hear from you or the dealer and the distributor doesn't want to hear form you. Most vehicle and clothing, electronics, appliances, etc. etc. manufacturers are set up the same way. So IMO you do not know what you don't know about all this.
HD, Lowe's, Sears etc. do not sell the same quality pumps, tanks, softeners etc. that us distributors' dealers do. And usually the product name or model, the warranty and specs is lower, less and shorter. Example, Ecowater makes all the big box store brand water treatment equipment, yet they make a much better version for the Ecowater dealers. The big box brands have a 90 day to 3 year warranty with 1 year on the control valve; the 3 yrs is for the tanks, all other control valve manufacturers warranty their valves for at least 5 yrs non prorated and 10 yrs on the tanks. The same happens for well pumps and tanks. I used to be a Gould's and Starite pumps dealer, you haven't seen either in a big box store and probably never will. You pay list from a distributor or you buy from a dealer or you buy something with less quality.
As to forums and info, you are debating and denying a lot of accurate info provided by pros that post here. You want things the way you want them and that isn't possible, so you need to shop locally with the help of your yellow pages or accept the advice you get here and buy online or find a local pump supply house in your yellow pages that will sell to homeowners; if they will you usually pay list.
Hi Gary, I'm not aware of the government allowing or disallowing who a distributor can sell to, but you may know more about that than I. I know the manufacturers won't sell to me; they prefer to deal in quantity to established dealers. And distributors naturally would prefer the large trade accounts. But they also service the professionals that buy just once. I'm really not much different from that individual as far the distributor is concerned. I'll pay a premium, but is it really ethical for distributor to drain my wallet for the same amount of effort by the counterperson?
You echo my point exactly regarding Goulds and Starite, I can't get them anywhere except a distributor. If I want Water Ace I'll go to Lowe's but if I want Myers where can I go? Suggesting I buy online is a loophole in itself which bypasses the distributors; **** or most of the online stores are just huge electronic flea markets selling to anyone. Wouldn't the distributors want a piece of that business? More frequently now the answer is yes. Again I'm willing to pay a premium, just treat me fairly.
I truly do respect the knowledge you guys have and could hardly debate or match your real-world experience. The information presented on these forums is invaluable. But that is not the issue being discussed in this thread. The issue is being effectively locked out from buying supplies due to antiquated, ambiguous, and inconsistent policies.
I wish you guys would be more open minded on this. These forums, and the internet as a whole, was made possible by a bunch of non-professional hackers. Much of it is programmed by those without formal credentials. Maybe we should have suppressed their good work as well.
All this being said I'm going to lay low on this topic now. I sense we're debating an issue that isn't going to be resolved by any of us, and I conclude we disagree on this.
This is awkward, but...
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