Discussion
A Ferrari parts supplier has quoted me £180.00 for a wooden crate to transport a windscreen I'm hoping to order from them. It's listed as an 'internal use only' item which would indicate it's their property and may even get re-used.
In 26 years of being in business supplying and fitting windscreens I've never seen this. When I explained that I will collect the windscreen I was told it was to transport it from Italy (it's not a stock item).
I used to get this with TVR parts, but rather than pay the £50.00 delivery they wanted, it was better to collect on my travels and at least this way if there was any issue with the glass, I could flag it at source where others would be available (usually). 180-quid for a Ferrari parts dealer to transport an item into their own stock to make it available to me seems unnecessary.
Is this a way of fluffing up the margin? We see these kind of additions when purchasing tickets online with booking fees, venue fees and service fees? We do all the work! Even with food delivery apps, there's now a service fee there too which is added to the delivery fee and bag fee (never mind we're paying more for the convenience to start with). They might as well have a fee fee. For the same reason, I do not agree with service fees in restaurants and usually ask for them to be removed from the bill.
It is almost expected for part of an order to be itemised as carriage, but 180 quid for a 'crate' shouldn't be for me to pay. I can't pass that on to my customer (they added this to the proforma by the way) and it's not for me to absorb within the scope of the estimate I provided.
If your internal costs are such that you have to charge for them, include it in the price. By charging me for what the windscreen is transported in should be within the scope of their business offer.
In 26 years of being in business supplying and fitting windscreens I've never seen this. When I explained that I will collect the windscreen I was told it was to transport it from Italy (it's not a stock item).
I used to get this with TVR parts, but rather than pay the £50.00 delivery they wanted, it was better to collect on my travels and at least this way if there was any issue with the glass, I could flag it at source where others would be available (usually). 180-quid for a Ferrari parts dealer to transport an item into their own stock to make it available to me seems unnecessary.
Is this a way of fluffing up the margin? We see these kind of additions when purchasing tickets online with booking fees, venue fees and service fees? We do all the work! Even with food delivery apps, there's now a service fee there too which is added to the delivery fee and bag fee (never mind we're paying more for the convenience to start with). They might as well have a fee fee. For the same reason, I do not agree with service fees in restaurants and usually ask for them to be removed from the bill.
It is almost expected for part of an order to be itemised as carriage, but 180 quid for a 'crate' shouldn't be for me to pay. I can't pass that on to my customer (they added this to the proforma by the way) and it's not for me to absorb within the scope of the estimate I provided.
If your internal costs are such that you have to charge for them, include it in the price. By charging me for what the windscreen is transported in should be within the scope of their business offer.
Should have been presented up front, I suppose though that you could maybe have five screens in the crate and indeed, your UK man may well be doing that and your are paying for the other four!
A mate has a kitchen business and always gets his spares and odds and sods added to a bulk kitchen delivery as the German packaging and shipping on a single item is extortionate, so he fills a whole truck every 10 days and now that it’s a regular driver, gets nice German beers in too!
A mate has a kitchen business and always gets his spares and odds and sods added to a bulk kitchen delivery as the German packaging and shipping on a single item is extortionate, so he fills a whole truck every 10 days and now that it’s a regular driver, gets nice German beers in too!
PoorCarCollector said:
Sounds like its time to consider retirement, if you're in a financial position to do so.
You're sweating the small stuff, this never leads to happiness.
Amusing comment. You're sweating the small stuff, this never leads to happiness.
You call it sweating over small stuff, I call it becoming less and less tolerant of lazy people or those trying it on.
Glassman said:
The point is, I asked for an estimate, they provided one. This formed the basis of my estimate going forward. When it progressed to an order, I was presented with another estimate with a payment link. There was this other fee which stood out like a testicle sack on a snake.
An estimate is by definition not a quote, it can change. If your supplier can get away with asking 6% extra, can you not do the same with your estimate? 'just passing it on at cost guv' etc.My other thought is that if the supplier wants the crate back then you shouldn't pay for it anyway!
Glassman said:
PoorCarCollector said:
Sounds like its time to consider retirement, if you're in a financial position to do so.
You're sweating the small stuff, this never leads to happiness.
Amusing comment. You're sweating the small stuff, this never leads to happiness.
You call it sweating over small stuff, I call it becoming less and less tolerant of lazy people or those trying it on.
My comment wasn't aimed at amusement, it was simply offering a different perspective on your situation, having also seen your similar previous posts.
No point being angry or upset if you can avoid it
Simpo Two said:
An estimate is by definition not a quote, it can change. If your supplier can get away with asking 6% extra, can you not do the same with your estimate? 'just passing it on at cost guv' etc.
My other thought is that if the supplier wants the crate back then you shouldn't pay for it anyway!
Good point, but there's a difference in that if I give you an estimate to replace a windscreen and find that there is an issue with say, rust the estimated cost can change as such remedial work would not have been included initially. My other thought is that if the supplier wants the crate back then you shouldn't pay for it anyway!
In the trade, asking for a price and availability for a windscreen and conjunction parts is usually given in estimate form. It isn't subject to change as the 'estimate' will have an expiry date. So, if an estimate is given for a windscreen, mouldings, clips and trims, that's exactly what you should expect to pay. What's happened here is that the seller has 'quoted' what the price of parts would be, given an estimate on lead time and I've formulated my own estimate for supplying and fitting. When it was all agreed by the insurance company, I went back to the supplier to confirm the order. At this point I was told payment upfront would be needed. I was presented with a parts list and a payment link. That's where I saw the extra crate charge.
Glassman said:
Good point, but there's a difference in that if I give you an estimate to replace a windscreen and find that there is an issue with say, rust the estimated cost can change as such remedial work would not have been included initially.
Exactly, it was an estimate not a quote.Glassman said:
In the trade, asking for a price and availability for a windscreen and conjunction parts is usually given in estimate form. It isn't subject to change as the 'estimate' will have an expiry date. So, if an estimate is given for a windscreen, mouldings, clips and trims, that's exactly what you should expect to pay. What's happened here is that the seller has 'quoted' what the price of parts would be, given an estimate on lead time and I've formulated my own estimate for supplying and fitting. When it was all agreed by the insurance company, I went back to the supplier to confirm the order. At this point I was told payment upfront would be needed. I was presented with a parts list and a payment link. That's where I saw the extra crate charge.
The issue seems to be confusion between when a price is fixed and when it isn't. I don't think an estimate with an expiry date makes it a quote, it just means they reserve the right to revise the estimate after that date. They gave you an estimate but mentally you turned it into a quote. However you can still save it because you gave your customer an estimate not a quote. Therefore you can change it as mentioned before.If they flatly object then you have another way not to lose £180, namely to point out to your supplier with due firmness that the crate charge was not included in their quote and so they'll have to waive it. They may of course say 'Tough, it was an estimate'.
See https://invoice.2go.com/learn/estimates/quote-vs-e...
Gassing Station | Business | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff