Product markup

[billdeserthills]

Globallockytoo reading your last post reminds me of the last time my old house was broken into. I had a Medeco Maxxum double deadbolt lock installed on the front door along with an Arrow leverset. The thief used a screwdriver and either a hammer or a rock to keep on pounding the area around the heavy-duty Medeco latch, until the lock was broken out of the door. Since the thief didn't take anything that I could discover missing, I concluded he was a young teenager. He even left a bottle of codeine sulphate in a medicine cabinet that he had opened. Still this guy ruined my door and cost me a Medeco latch and a new leverset. The point is if given enough time and a rock, most thieves can get into most places and I don't have to believe that if only I had spent less money on a Bilock that thief might not have gotten in, because I think we both know that many of the same ways around a medeco keyhole also will apply to any other highly expensive, highly engineered locks out there.

Most of the break-ins I have seen took place in the secluded area at the rear of the home, the more professional break-ins I have seen the thief entered through a utility room at the side or rear of the house. Some homes have a hot water heater room, or an air conditioner handler room. Once this door is breached all a crook needs is a razor blade to cut through the drywall and crawl into the home. Many folks don't understand the need to keep the deadbolt on these doors locked at all times.

[globallockytoo]

Globallockytoo reading your last post reminds me of the last time my old house was broken into. I had a Medeco Maxxum double deadbolt lock installed on the front door along with an Arrow leverset. The thief used a screwdriver and either a hammer or a rock to keep on pounding the area around the heavy-duty Medeco latch, until the lock was broken out of the door. Since the thief didn't take anything that I could discover missing, I concluded he was a young teenager. He even left a bottle of codeine sulphate in a medicine cabinet that he had opened. Still this guy ruined my door and cost me a Medeco latch and a new leverset. The point is if given enough time and a rock, most thieves can get into most places and I don't have to believe that if only I had spent less money on a Bilock that thief might not have gotten in, because I think we both know that many of the same ways around a medeco keyhole also will apply to any other highly expensive, highly engineered locks out there.

Most of the break-ins I have seen took place in the secluded area at the rear of the home, the more professional break-ins I have seen the thief entered through a utility room at the side or rear of the house. Some homes have a hot water heater room, or an air conditioner handler room. Once this door is breached all a crook needs is a razor blade to cut through the drywall and crawl into the home. Many folks don't understand the need to keep the deadbolt on these doors locked at all times.

I quite agree Bill. However the lock is usually the last thing that gets defeated. The door/frame will likely give way before the locks will. having a better quality lock on the door will not only look good but also deter would be pickers/bumpers and provides better key control.

Securing the door and frame is easy for a knowledgeable professional. There multitudes of products available that will virtually block almost any entry technique. Door frame strengtheners, hinge bolts, window film, lockset wrap-arounds, reinforced steel security doors etc. there are many options, only limited by your budget.

Bill, I have seen homes broken into where the thief took shingles off the roof and jumped in through the ceiling. There is no 100% method to guarantee against destructive entry. But it is our job as locksmith professionals to offer customers the best available products and services according to their budget. Dont cheap out though! I always come back to that expression, "Paying peanuts, gets you monkeys!"

[billdeserthills]

if you choose to use the same cheap garbage that Homo Depot uses, what do you think that says about you in the eyes of the market? they are devaluing you and worse you are devaluing yourself and the entire trade.

Often the Grade 3 product from wholesalers, like LSDA, Cal-Royal, USlock, PDQ and some others i forget right now, is often far superior quality to the brand name products of the same class. Often they will come with longer warranties/guarantees. Grade 2 LSDA comes with a 10 year mechanical warranty. I think Cal-Royal does too.

There are always three prices to quote the customer. The cheap way, the middle price way, and the expensive way. Everyone knows that the expensive way is always the right way, but often the middle price way will suffice the customer.

If you choose to push the cheap way.....remember this one pearl of wisdom, "Paying Peanuts, Gets You Monkeys!"

BTW....It is your ultimate goal to increase your reputation by providing better quality products and services. Leave the cheap stuff to the handymen and fakers. Do the right thing and strive to always move forward with quality and service. Your business will naturally increase, your reputation will become known for representing quality product and services and you will make more money, probably by working less.

It's up to you.......but dont you value yourself higher?

One of my pet peeves is with how US Lock puts right on their box 5 Year Mechanical Warranty
Then when the customer installs the lock incorrectly, and the deadlatch gets broken off, after going all the way into the latch hole (which it was Not designed to do) the customer brings the lock back and expects a brand new one. I am expected to just hand a new lock over the counter which I don't like. That's why I quit re-stocking the US Lock line of cheap. crappy locks.

[deralian]

Someone was saying that buying at HD is for idiots because we can get products cheaper from the distributors. Unfortunately this is not always correct, when HD does package deals the prices can actually be below cost. (yes I know that sometimes the parts inside an HD lock can be lower quality than the parts inside the same lock if we buy it from a supplier)

I like cledry's comment about don't try to compete with HD's price. You can't, it would basically be like giving your product away or even taking a lot.