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by Roger Cook » 18 Apr 2005 16:10
Sifting through the topics and messages sent to me, some people want to rant over issues relating to distributors in the U.K. Some seem to be better than others, some charge daft delivery charges and some are just uncompetitive with high street stores or are just plain arrogant, inflexible and unreliable ...
I welcome more input before drawing conclusions but with SKS / DUFFELS / CITY SAFE / ALDRIGDE / DEVON LOCKS etc etc competing, why should small businesses such as locksmiths be given the run around
and overcharged for products ...
all views welcome .... and if they are all saints, lets say so ... better still, instead of being negative, lets sing the praises of those that understand what customer service is about and the needs of a self employed locksmith ...
(needless to say, any blatant rip offs should be highlighted )
more later ...
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Roger Cook
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by quicklocks » 18 Apr 2005 16:15
ok im going to say i think devon locks are fairly priced duffnels are ok if you order loads but if you order just a few bits they are not that competative i cannot comment on the rest but i can better deals on locks localy than from duffels but thats just me others may be getting better deals 
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quicklocks
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by EvoRed » 18 Apr 2005 16:31
CitySafe - phone them, don't bother emailing them as they just don't reply, which I personally find rude.
Duffell's - have only used them once but no complaints.
Aldridge - the supplier I use by far the most and no real complaints. I've had very good service from them.
SKS - used them a few times and nearly every time they have charged for something out of stock or replaced something I wanted with something I didn't (i.e. patio door lock in place of safe lock!). Then to get what you wanted in the first place you either have to pay for it again and they will reimburse you the charge of the extra item when they get it back (at your own postage cost), or you have to send the extra item back (at your own postage cost) and wait for them to receive it before they'll despatch the item you wanted in the first place. There seems no leeway or discretion at all. Don't know if all the wholesalers work this way but I find it both inconvenient and unacceptable. Maybe I've just been unlucky...
Nigel Rose - again, only used them once but good service.
Price wise, I've found them all pretty much of a muchness really.
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EvoRed
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by pinky » 18 Apr 2005 16:39
i find that all of the listed suppliers are good for certain items, all have their good and bad.
ie , i like aldridges for the assec range of locks, i like city safe for alot of lock stock, they all are on par for the price of general picks, but a few like duffels stock exclusive picks like the cb range.
all have plus and minus for me.
you forgot to mention keyprint and davenport burgess, whom i feel deserve a mention on machines ( key ) as i was quoted almost £2000 less for the same machines from keyprint as i was from sks, thats a big saving.
bad experiences ive not had many , and for me all have their virtues and downsides.
post your bad experiences but praise your good ones too.
in our bid to clean up industry, i think that the suppliers could do their bit by making picks harder to buy, reference checking in more detail, only selling to those trained by a group of agreed trainers, i dont think for a minute they should sell picks to guys trained by tricity for instance, if locksmiths , suppliers and associations got together and said enough is enough, set the rules for the purchase of picks, then we are in a position to shut the cowboys out.
ideas and experiences guys
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pinky
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by quicklocks » 18 Apr 2005 16:49
rb lock tools have the best idea when it comes to selling their pick they want referances and check them mla number or wholesalers ect (i cannot remember them off hand ) 
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quicklocks
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by sandwell247 » 18 Apr 2005 16:52
why cant you go straight to the manufacturer ? my place is less than a mile away from were they make all of these, bit strange to buy from manchester or london when product is made in willenhall
lockaroundtheclock
Trust the PRO'S who don't CON ....!
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sandwell247
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by toomush2drink » 18 Apr 2005 18:16
Sks have the best catalogue for getting an instant price but its limited in range of stock compared with others.Had no problems with my orders and quite quick delivery, good minimum order level if you dont need much (£50)
Aldridge i use a lot too but wish i could just get a catalogue instead of a cd rom. Quick delivery but the trade counter can get a bit manic. Overall they do a lot of stuff and minimum order level isnt bad.
Duffells ive never ordered from as its near me but popped in a few times and got my bits over the counter no problem. They have a good catalogue but no prices, only on a floppy disk and its not that easy to navigate. If they sorted their price lists i would probably use them more but when i tell the reps it falls on deaf ears.
city safe are quite efficient but as mentioned before dont bother emailing as they dont reply -- a very poor business practice
Lockstock wholesale have some good odd cheap bits and normally quite good service. Catalogue is ok'ish
My main suppliers are aldridge and sks but quite often i see what im after in the duffels catalogue but find the price easier to find in the aldridge catalogue, so they get the sale. If your reading this duffels bear in mind customers want prices there and then normally but we dont all carry a laptop so we cant see your prices. Aldridge get some catalogues sorted so i dont have to carry stacks and stacks of leaflets on each range. I like the aldridge assec catalogue as it clear , a marketing ploy perhaps to get us to buy more of it ?
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toomush2drink
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by EvoRed » 19 Apr 2005 1:58
I have Aldridge catalogues Toomush (in paper form), and have had them about a year. Still not the easiest to study as you have separate books for locking products, access control products, and a separate buyers guide with price list.
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EvoRed
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by Rockford » 19 Apr 2005 4:51
I use SKS for small orders, and have found the service to be OK.
Aldridges I mainly use for ASEC cylinders and mortice locks - excellent VFM. I find the catalogues very comprehensive, and useful to show customers. Also a good idea having the price book seperate.
Duffels I use for UPVC mechanisms, and haven't found anyone to match them in this area, unless you go to a specialist and pay specialist prices. Having said that, I've just used a guy in Wiltshire to obtain a mechanism that is discontinued, who may prove to be an excellent contact - more later. Duffels are also good for the more unusual locks.
I've used Keyprint a couple of times, and have found them very reliable.
CitySafe - I've had no joy in ontaining a catalogue from them. Phone them, they make promises, no delivery. C**P.
Nigel Rose - I have the catalogue, and have submitted my application for an account months ago, but not heard anything.
Devonlocks - no problems, just a bit overpriced.
I nearly always fax through orders now to remove the possibility of error whilst placing phone orders.
One thing that does bug me is delivery arrangements. As I'm mobile, and no-one else is usually in the house during the day, deliveries often get taken back because there's no-one to accept and sign for them. I've even put notices in the window asking for deliveries to be signed for by neighbours - but they still often get taken back (some do leave them). If you ask for an order to be delivered to an alternate address - they want to charge you for the extra admin work ! If you change the delivery address they have on file, all invoices and correspondance goes to that address ! I've thought about having one of those big parcel bins installed outside the house, but there's still the problem of someone signing for it !. What does everyone else do ?.
Does anyone have any recommendations on where to buy safes at trade prices - outside of the usual wholesalers ?
Rockford.....
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Rockford
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by cred » 19 Apr 2005 8:31
hi,
i very rarely sign for my orders, i have a porch on the front of my house so when i put the order in i ask for special instructions to be printed on the drivers sheet to leave in porch if no one in always works, you could build a porch m8 then no problems
ray 
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cred
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by EvoRed » 19 Apr 2005 11:03
Forgot to say, I find the Technical Guide in the back of the Aldridge Access Control Directory very helpful and simple to understand for linking different types of access control systems together...
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EvoRed
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by toomush2drink » 19 Apr 2005 11:23
I had any problems with my deliveries being left with a neighbour, just word it as "if nobody in deliver to number xxx" This way your saying its your address but if your not in then deliver it here. Most of the van drivers know the arrangement now and are quite ok with it.
Lockstock do safes at the lower end of the market like sentry etc
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toomush2drink
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by Unlock-IT » 19 Apr 2005 13:00
I regularly use Davenport Burgess (in the West Mids) for my lockpicking equipment. Always find them A1, very polite opperators on the phone and always willing to help, the order delivered next day without fail, via carrier. As for the cost of shipping I couldn't tell you, as all the orders I have placed have been free carriage, I am not sure but this could be due to the value of the order. I have used Duffell's once at the moment for some equipment, fast delivery (and free due to value of the order) but I understand if the order is under a certain value there is a standard charge, which can work out quite expensive if you are only ordering something small, or only one item. I usually get all my locks etc locally as there are several outlets here and prices are very competetive and I get a good discount with all of them, and as you know if you need a lock now, you need it now not tomorrow, so waiting for delivery is not always viable. I wouldn't hesitate to order from Duffells for locks I want for a planned job, a bulk order or anything out of the ordinary. I found their staff very polite and helpful on the phone.
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Unlock-IT
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by acl » 19 Apr 2005 13:44
I think youll have good and bad experiences with all the suppliers but i probably use Aldridge most due to them carrying more than some suppliers, although some of the girls dont have a great product knowledge and if i ever get anything from Manchester i can guarantee theyll be something missing (if it comes at all)
Euro Hardware Wallsall i do like a lot fantastic delivery(nearly always before 7am) freindly staff and probably the cheapest i use.They dont have quite the range some of the others do but are adding to it all the time.
Duffells can be a bit pricey but Jeff and a couple of the other guys really know their stuff and they also have a few weird and wonderful things that others dont.
Nigel Rose i dont use that much but has some good stuff and is a nice guy.
SKS would sell locksmiths tools to any plumber ,electrican or dustman.I know a couple of guys who used to buy all their keyblanks for the council keycutting they did from SKS. Untill that is SKS sold the keymachines and blanks to the council in question .Now they dont need as many!!
DG Supplyline have a big range of upvc and ali stuff but very expensive.
Andy
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acl
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by AUTOLOX » 19 Apr 2005 15:26
north west key services (liverpool) are great for key blanks and stock all the asp catalogue
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AUTOLOX
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