Boy some customers don't tell you.

[KE4AVB]

As far as the cheapskates I do weed them out here too. Just can't afford to waste my time with them beside most are buying from eBay anyways and wanting me to install the parts for free. That doesn't pay my bills nor put food on the table.

When it come to markups it is a lot easier now for me to load the distributor provided price files with mods whenever needed. Most have reasonable shipping that their prices account for. I do however have one distributor that have higher shipping cost; unless, I order $200+ so I have to add a 10% GPM to their list prices in the price files to help the shipping. Loading price files makes it a lot easier to to reprice 150,000+ part numbers along with adding all the supersedes. Currently I have 761,000 + SKU (part numbers) load on to my computer via the price files. The only drawback is that it takes me a few days to convert the file to format my system will import correctly.

I am beginning to get a handle on that one distributor so they are going to hate my just over $200 orders. Just received a $200.25 order where they had to write-off $45 in shipping charges. So I ended up something I didn't need right a way but well worth it so I didn't have to pay the $45. That was the best 0.50 I have spent in a while.

[38racing]

The shipping threshold is bit of a game. My friend needed a kawaski coil . It was $77 with shipping cost of $18. But by adding a couple parts that I needed took it over $100 and the $18 disappeared so my parts are almost free lol. Friend could have driven to Ottawa for part pickup but that would cost him almost $18.

[KE4AVB]

Yes it is a game and playing it take some planning. The distributor with the high rates basically absorbed the distributor I been using using for 10 yrs last fall. With the old distributor setup I had 10.50 max shipping with disappearing shipping as the amount of the order went up and when I got to $150 it became free. The new distributor (not new at all, they have been around just as long) is one that I didn't use. They are now charging full UPS rates all the way to the $200 free level even though they get a volume discount.

They are sticking it to the small shops that just don't have the volume to place a $200 everytime they need a part to recover some the free shipping to the big shops. With the way this vendor now charging shipping I don't even know what my final bill is until after I receive the parts so I don't even know what to charge the customer until then.

What this policy has done is to cause me to use other vendors to fill my needs. Currently instead of ordering their XTH blades I am just ordering OEM blades. That also goes for a lot of the other items too as when the shipping is add to the total the OEM parts are just as cost effective. That just means that I have purchased $2000 less from this distributor so far this year.

It is the same with the JD parts as the local dealer is higher than me ordering from an out of state dealer. The local dealer once gave me a discount but they cray-fished on that sneakily and now they charge me full price.

Anyway I finally got that pain in the neck customer out of the shop. Installed the throttle cable, gave no warranty as I couldn't even start the equipment due to a dead battery although I did put on a new battery cable lug end. Someone tried install a 12-10 gauge solder-less terminal on a 8 gauge cable. It just fell off as I remove the battery for the recharge attempt. It wasn't even properly crimped and just held on with tape.

[man00]

Most of the time I tell my repairman fix/replace what ever it needs...When I don't have the time myself. As of today he has never tried to get to me on anything.

[KE4AVB]

Most honest mechanics and shops won't try to burn you but there is always those apples out there that would. Usually word of mouth is the best recommendation a shop or mechanic can get.

It also how we weed out the bad shops. I know personally I put out several so-called mechanics out of business locally just by doing good work.

[hanz63]

That is a good way to live your life. Be the best you can be. Do the best you can for your customer. A co worker said something 25 years ago that stuck with me. He said " A guy can go get screwed anywhere." Out of context, an eyebrow gets raised. But it was really in a discussion about maintenance packages at the time. And really it is true. I don't live my life or run my business on cheapness. You become a customer, we're very thorough on what to expect charges and otherwise. That's what keeps them coming back. I'm one of those guys that wants to be paid for the work I do, my time I spend on parts research. I'm a pro and should be paid for what I know. Yet, I broke it- I fix it. I won't sell you what you don't need. I will gladly give an opinion, but not a free evaluation. I don't know, I'll tell you and seek an answer if you wish. Sometimes I let the customer decide if I don't know them well enough to make repair choices as things progress. IE I write many repair orders that state "this due next", or "discussed this issue with customer" if something is in question for the next season and it isn't wanted done by them. Or their pay is low and expenses are high. Yet, I'd never give the option of doing one head gasket on a twin. So much of the time I'm handed the keys to the kingdom in trust and it is given back to them in trust. That is what you gain by looking out for the customers you have and those that were referred to you. Moral of the story, don't let the little people get you down.

I see some real talent on this board. It is good to see a tech work something out that really, isn't by any means cost effective- but the answer found made you a better tech. Thanks for sharing. I guess with these days of civil unrest and fear of shaking another's hand- or getting breathed on, it's good to see some normalcy.

[38racing]

The shipping threshold is bit of a game. My friend needed a kawaski coil . It was $77 with shipping cost of $18. But by adding a couple parts that I needed took it over $100 and the $18 disappeared so my parts are almost free lol. Friend could have driven to Ottawa for part pickup but that would cost him almost $18.

10 business days and no shipment of the part. I emailed 3 days ago and got no response. So much for buying local. Should have p[aid more and maybe it would be here from Michigan

[KE4AVB]

The shipping threshold is bit of a game. My friend needed a kawaski coil . It was $77 with shipping cost of $18. But by adding a couple parts that I needed took it over $100 and the $18 disappeared so my parts are almost free lol. Friend could have driven to Ottawa for part pickup but that would cost him almost $18.

10 business days and no shipment of the part. I emailed 3 days ago and got no response. So much for buying local. Should have p[aid more and maybe it would be here from Michigan

Now that sucks.

Sounds like you're not going to be using that supplier again anytime soon.

I thinking some the suppliers are just using the Covid-19 as a excuse to be slow. I don't mind as much when the supplier keeps me in the loop.

I had an eBay vendor that was dragging his feet too. After the schedule delivery time passed I sent in a request for cancellation. He sent me a tracking number two hours later and didn't even bother to carry the package to the shipper until nearly a week later. By that time I had ordered and received the part from my normal distributor as had an order for them. Package finally showed nearly two late and I refused it. I demand a refund for the order. He didn't even respond to eBay themselves so I got a full refund.

[38racing]

The shipping threshold is bit of a game. My friend needed a kawaski coil . It was $77 with shipping cost of $18. But by adding a couple parts that I needed took it over $100 and the $18 disappeared so my parts are almost free lol. Friend could have driven to Ottawa for part pickup but that would cost him almost $18.

10 business days and no shipment of the part. I emailed 3 days ago and got no response. So much for buying local. Should have p[aid more and maybe it would be here from Michigan

I got through by phone and coil was in so since I was already in the city I was able to pick it up. Friend was glad to get it installed. Funny story. I took my other spark tester. One that looks like plug but has the wide gap to jump. I plug it in the lead and ground it with a jumper. No spark!. Then my friend points out that I have plugged it into the lead of the old coil which was still sitting loose on the engine. What a relief when i3got spark on both sides when properly setup. So he got the coil plus 2 plugs and a fuel filter for 10 bucks less than his best quote on the coul. Just took 2 weeks longer.

[PtMowerMech]

I guess I'm getting more cynical. Rarely does a customer bring in equipment and leave with it, without paying me something.
I get money to take in equipment up front. If the repairs can't be made, it's because something is either unrepairable or too high for the customer to justify. Either way, I get something.