Best Chandlers?

[NorthwichTrader]

We've got to buy a lot of equipment, so was just wondering who are the best Chandlers out there for stock and prices?

Obviously, Midland get a lot of exposure in the magazines...any other thoughts?

Deals, bargains, for loyal, big-spending customers? Does this happen?

[lockedout]

Just a quickie - Keep your eye on some of the online chandlers - particularly Mailspeed Marine - they aren't always the cheapest, but regularly have discount events - they have just had a 24 hour, 5% off everything sale.

 

Otherwise, it's online research to find the best deal, but don't forget the dreaded 'Postage and Packing' which can sometimes double the price!!

[dor]

Watch out for a MC "Mad Friday" when they have 20% off everything.

[nbfiresprite]

http://pufferparts.co.uk in Keighley West Yorkshire

[Mike Tee]

Don't know if they still do it, but Midland Chand. used to offer an account if you were fitting out, and I believe discounts were offered on large spends - worth a phone call.

[Dave_P]

Midland Swin Chandlers ought have 20% off all the time. Then their prices would be a bit closer to the competition. I've had some good buys from Limekiln near Wolverhampton and also by trawling ebay for some great online bargains. Warning though - ebay is good for getting branded goods cheaply (pumps etc) but unbranded things such as coolie hats, hoses etc are often very poor quality.

[ditchcrawler]

Also look at ASAP Supplies http://www.asap-supplies.com

[alan_fincher]

Midland Swin Chandlers ought have 20% off all the time. Then their prices would be a bit closer to the competition.

Doing a straight comparison of only chandleries, I'm not sure I would agree that Midland are consistently any worse than the majority of the others.

 

In fact often they are a bit cheaper. Which they should be of course, effectively being both the wholesaler and the retailer, cutting out a middle man, so with much better margins, one assumes.

 

Personally I find the likes of Limekiln hard work, as they tend not to offer choice, but want you to buy the model stove, cooker or whatever that they actually have. Perhaps I'm influenced by once driving a long way to them because they told me they had good stocks of a load of things they actually did not when I got there.

 

Far better stocked, and with much better customer service are Uxbridge Boat Centre, although generally no cheaper than elsewhere unless you negotiate discounts. They will however usually do a useful discount for a large spend, (although I recently found they couldn't compete on battery prices with other chandleries).

[system 4-50]

Mudland is my favourite. I don't like shops that look like attics.

[NorthwichTrader]

Brilliant! Many thanks, as always, really appreciated!

[Grace and Favour]

We've got to buy a lot of equipment, so was just wondering who are the best Chandlers out there for stock and prices?

Obviously, Midland get a lot of exposure in the magazines...any other thoughts?

Deals, bargains, for loyal, big-spending customers? Does this happen?

Research the prices for all of the components as and when you need them (at least the interweb makes it easy for you)

 

And Midland Chandlers next 20% discount day (likely to be in October I think) is useful.

However, if you can source the items you need from traders other than chandlers - you'll save money

I buy more from Ebay than I've ever bought in Chandlers

[MtB]

Doing a straight comparison of only chandleries, I'm not sure I would agree that Midland are consistently any worse than the majority of the others.

 

In fact often they are a bit cheaper. Which they should be of course, effectively being both the wholesaler and the retailer, cutting out a middle man, so with much better margins, one assumes.

 

Personally I find the likes of Limekiln hard work, as they tend not to offer choice, but want you to buy the model stove, cooker or whatever that they actually have. Perhaps I'm influenced by once driving a long way to them because they told me they had good stocks of a load of things they actually did not when I got there.

 

Far better stocked, and with much better customer service are Uxbridge Boat Centre, although generally no cheaper than elsewhere unless you negotiate discounts. They will however usually do a useful discount for a large spend, (although I recently found they couldn't compete on battery prices with other chandleries).

 

I find the same as Alan. MC get a bad press but I'm not sure why. They seem no more expensive than any other retailer in my experience, and having the stock and choice for you to go and look at in the flesh is the function of a retailer, and the reason they need to add a profit margin to their offerings.

 

I suspect MC run on a gross profit margin of about 40% (net of VAT) which gives competitors (on ebay or real shops) a fair bit of scope to undercut them, but in the long term any retailer discounting EVERYTHING they sell ends up not being able to pay their overheads, rent, staff costs etc. I don't begrudge paying MC their prices as to look over the stock in the shop is actually very helpful to me and I'd miss it badly if they were not there, and broadly speaking they are a well run, professional organisation in my opinion.

 

My experience of Limekiln is again as Alan says, grumpy miserable DILLIGAF standard of service coupled with extremely limited stock lines. Sometimes cheap if they happen to have what you want, but if you arrive there at ten to five on a Saturday afternoon and they see you mooring up, don't be surprised to see the shutters being drawn down on you so the staff can still leave the premises bang on 5pm. They really annoyed me doing this to me once. Can you tell?!

[KJT]

I use Midland Chandlers quite a lot and if you are planning to spend a fair amount then they have a discount scheme which gives you 15% off purchases of £1000 or more and a discount card which gives you a further 15% of anything (no minimum spend) for the next 6 months.

 

In my experience they seem no more expensive than other walk-in chandlers.