Q & A Table of Contents
They're Painting Me Into A Corner
From: Susan, St. Johnsville, NY
Question: How to deal with pricing at same store when different salesmen use a different price.
I have been buying paint from a local branch of a national paint chainstore for my business for the past 5 years. My question is how do I handle this situation.
Yesterday I needed paint on the spot and called the store for it. I arrived at the store to pick it up approximately 3 hours later. The salesman had it ready and on my truck but he could not figure out what to charge me. After 1 hour I left without the paint. My reason for leaving the paint behind is he had suggested charging me $26.00 a gallon for the same product that I have gotten there for $7.25 a gallon.
I have this problem all the time: different salesman, different price. This is from one week to another. Prices quoted last year at $5.65 a gallon by one manager are $10.00 a gallon this year with a new manager.
Every contractor pays a different price. I have 240 gallons on order and am thinking of not accepting the order as I feel that the are yanking my chain. Help! Please e-mail me. Thank you.
Response: Price increases over time is not too surprising. Thus, while it is troublesome that last year's price of $5.65 has been increased to $10.00 is regrettable, but not necessarily an indication of bad faith. It is far more significant that you get different prices from different saleslpeople -- and that other painting contractors, people from the same general community in the same business are charged differing prices.
There are a number of steps you can take:
Tell the store manager that, as a local contractor who does a lot of business with his/her store, you are troubled by being given different treatment by different salespeople.
Ask for a quantity discount on purchases in excess of a mutually-agreed number of gallons or a defined price.
Let the manager know that you want to be assigned to a single salesperson -- or two at the most.
Check with your fellow painting contractors. If they, too, are up against the same treatment, perhaps a group of you should arrange a friendly, polite meeting with the store manager to assure you are all treated fairly and honestly.
Good luck with getting fairer treatment.
Steve
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