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Dust sheets (please read)

View the thread, titled "Dust sheets (please read)" which is posted in UK Plumbers Forums on UK Plumbers Forums.

Morning all

i know a few of us like the British gas style dust sheets, you know the heavy duty waterproof ones. I have made contact with a rep for the company that makes them and so far he has been ace.

After er a recent thread it was suggested that perhaps an alliance/plumbers collective was formed similar to how the merchants operate in regards to buying.

these sheets unfortunately aren't the cheapest but as a former BG minion I can vouch for there quality and durability I still haven't had a sheet last as long as there's did.....

so my question is, is anyone else interested in these sheets and hopefully we can get something done on the price. I have asked about different colours as it can co inside with your brand, personally my choice is black or grey.

i know a few people are keen on raising there image and looking that little bit smarter then the rest. And my opinion is that this is one way to look that bit smarter and perhaps gain more referrals.

And before you all jump over this saying it's just dust sheets what's the point... Too much money for a throw away item etc

think from a customers point of view, heavy dust dust sheets in a colour that matches your company image sprawled out across the customers house showing you care about their property and how your interpreted as a tradesmen in someone's home. Also a few pictures of said sheets layer out in the work area posted on your website.

They can print you logo but minimum order for that would be 400 dust sheets and well.... That's just impractical, so I will take mine to the local printers and get my logo printed on for £3 an item

if your interested please let it be known quick so I can raise the concept with the rep

cheers all
They are the dogs under carriage as far as dust sheets go i will vouch for them 🙂
 
I think given the numbers they are taking the **** a bit. They must only sell to B.G at those numbers?

I reckon you could get them made in China in any colour you want, shipped and a free new born baby with every sheet at that price.

Ermi, I'd be interested to hear what your offering is? Surely the material isn't that expensive?
 
These dust sheets sound awesome but those prices are pretty steep even for a premium product. What material is it we probably could get them made in china for cheaper if we knew what spec to ask for.
 
These dust sheets sound awesome but those prices are pretty steep even for a premium product. What material is it we probably could get them made in china for cheaper if we knew what spec to ask for.

I'm certain you're right.

You are paying two mark ups here - Florprotec and ours.

Bearing in mind how the deal came to us, I'm happy to go open book on this.

For example, the 3m x 3m sheet selling for £25 as a single would cost me £16 if I bought 400 of them. (Based on the price that I have been quoted so far).

I'm working on the basis that we would make up a package of several sheets to justify the carriage charge, at a bundle discount of around 10%. That would mean we mostly sold that unit at around £22.50, or at 28.89% margin on return.

Thats a reasonable, but far from juicy margin - bearing in mind the speculative nature of the deal. Its on the low side of what I would expect to make on tools and consumables.

I'm guessing that Florprotec will have a fairly decent margin as well - probably better than mine. And on the british gas deal, they would probably have got some extra support from the factory.
 
I'm certain you're right.

You are paying two mark ups here - Florprotec and ours.

Bearing in mind how the deal came to us, I'm happy to go open book on this.

For example, the 3m x 3m sheet selling for £25 as a single would cost me £16 if I bought 400 of them. (Based on the price that I have been quoted so far).

I'm working on the basis that we would make up a package of several sheets to justify the carriage charge, at a bundle discount of around 10%. That would mean we mostly sold that unit at around £22.50, or at 28.89% margin on return.

Thats a reasonable, but far from juicy margin - bearing in mind the speculative nature of the deal. Its on the low side of what I would expect to make on tools and consumables.

I'm guessing that Florprotec will have a fairly decent margin as well - probably better than mine. And on the british gas deal, they would probably have got some extra support from the factory.

I have no issue with paying a mark up but as the point was to get the price down is there no way we can deal with the factory or get sent a sample which we can send to china to be ripped off. As it happens I think your package price is reasonable but if you could deal direct it would give williams a bigger cut.
 
Not sure if that inc vat or excluding it but off the top of my head thats just about £2500 -£2600 in it pre costs to you.

that isnt very good for 400 units of which you're likely going to have half sit around for a while!!!
having to have someone store it and sort it, dispatch it to us, do the paperwork.

not even mentioning your personal time!
 
I have no issue with paying a mark up but as the point was to get the price down is there no way we can deal with the factory or get sent a sample which we can send to china to be ripped off. As it happens I think your package price is reasonable but if you could deal direct it would give williams a bigger cut.

Normally, anything ex-China needs to be a container load to make economic sense. I don't know quite how large these things are, but I would guess its about 2000 - 3000 to the container? Just a guess on my part.

I would imagine that this is how Florprotec bring them in. Not sure we could get to those kind of volumes!
 
Not sure if that inc vat or excluding it but off the top of my head thats just about £2500 -£2600 in it pre costs to you.

that isnt very good for 400 units of which you're likely going to have half sit around for a while!!!
having to have someone store it and sort it, dispatch it to us, do the paperwork.

not even mentioning your personal time!

Forgetting my personal time (at this time of night, I ain't on the clock!) the rest of it is simply what we do.

We buy bulk, store it and ship it on.

The killer for us is product that doesn't move. It doesn't matter what the theoretical margin is, if it ain't selling.
 
Get it in williams blue and put them on the trade counters 🙂

I'm still not convinced that people will pay the extra. We sell a stair runner 24ft x 3ft cheapo dust sheet for under £5, and a 12ft x 9ft for £5.95 + VAT. At those prices, they are just consumables.
 
Well i know what im getting tomorrow.... Any other sizes?

No, just those two. If you want a smaller one, rip the 12 x 9 in half!

I was seriously looking last year at using cotton twill dust sheets instead of bubble wrap to protect boilers during shipping.
 
I'm still not convinced that people will pay the extra. We sell a stair runner 24ft x 3ft cheapo dust sheet for under £5, and a 12ft x 9ft for £5.95 + VAT. At those prices, they are just consumables.

See what I was saying earlier, for a fiver, once it's trashed. Through it away. These expensive sheets sound great, but I for one won't be putting a dust sheet through the wash!

Cheers for your time though everyone who got involved.
 
Cotton twill sheets are horrible. This is like driving to work on a unicycle or a transporter!
 
Have to say floor protec have kind of piddled on my bonfire! There was me thinking I'd started a dust sheet revolution. It makes you wonder who they actually sell these sheets too to keep a company afloat?

Just want to say a massive thanks to ray for his time and effort as well as jumping on this for everyone. So once again thanks ray.

i have to say I am disappointed with floor protec on this one we stand as an un tapped market requesting something a little smarter, we hand them an outlet ie Williams and they can't come down in price
 
Have to say floor protec have kind of piddled on my bonfire! There was me thinking I'd started a dust sheet revolution. It makes you wonder who they actually sell these sheets too to keep a company afloat?

Just want to say a massive thanks to ray for his time and effort as well as jumping on this for everyone. So once again thanks ray.

i have to say I am disappointed with floor protec on this one we stand as an un tapped market requesting something a little smarter, we hand them an outlet ie Williams and they can't come down in price

Lets not give up yet people! You can't rush these things, unless you want your pants pulled down.

At the moment, the florprotec rep can taste an order. Maybe a few days of silence from our end will help concentrate his mind.
 
Maybe a quick tally or poll to see what people are willing to pay as a benchmark. It means Ray can potentially price fix if he wants but at the end of the day we aren't going to get them any cheaper anywhere else so what's there to lose.

Can someone start a poll?
 
Just re-read that, can't edit. Don't take that as a criticism Ray, it wasn't intended like that, I was nearly getting that argument out in the air rather than have someone potentially raise it at a later date.

Theres no no point wasting your time with this company, you need to know what people are prepared to pay and maybe put the ball in their court? I'll leave that decision to you.
 
I like your thinking and at 3 weeks into the job he may be keen to land a sale

Gasmanrob.

We are in week 6/7 of the new year ??

Great deals are not Normally signed within the last week of a sales quarter :6:


Relax if you want some !!
 
Don't take that as a criticism Ray,

Honestly, you guys! You must think I am sooooo sensitive.

I have made a living as a plumbers merchant for 28 years. My skin is therefore slightly thicker than a rhino with calluses. 🙂

There is also the chance that Ermi's supplier may also come good. This is not a hi-tech product, so any textile business ought to be able to rustle up something!
 
Great deals are not Normally signed within the last week of a sales quarter :6:

Ah, a man who knows his buying! Rule one - find out how the salesman is remunerated, what his bonus structure and targets are, and whether he is close to, far from or already past target.
 

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