Check total prices when comparing

**CharlesW** · 04-13-2007, 02:13 PM

All of us like to think we are smart buyers and do our research before making a purchase.
It is important to look at the total picture for comparison, though.
Recently, I did some price checking on a couple of products and the results surprised me a little.

One product was available for $17.77 compared to $24.99 at a competitors. The place with the cheaper price charges just a little over $10 for shipping so the total delivered price was $28.
The vendor priced at $24.99 offers DC members a 10% discount and ships the product for $5.99. Total delivered price was $28.48. The big savings was all of 48 cents.

Another product was available from the manufacturer for $32.85 with only $4.95 shipping. Total delivered price was $37.80.
Same product at another vendor was $29.99 less a 10% DC discount with $8.99 shipping. Total price of $35.98. Cheaper from the vendor than from the manufacturer even with almost twice the shipping charge.
To top it all off, both products are available from the vendor and if they were purchased and shipped together, the total would have been $61.47. The price from two different sources was $65.80.
You could have checked different places to order, placed two different orders just to spend an additional $4.33.

What it looks like to me is buying products is just about like using products.
Not my saying, but someone has a quote that is close to "Find products you like and use them".
My saying, "Find vendors you like and buy from them".

Charles

**audiboy** · 04-13-2007, 05:24 PM

This is something I like to do as well. I use it for everything that I purchase online for though. It`s a lot easier to just go right to the better price right away, but like Charles said, there might be a lot of hidden charges. It`s just all part of being a smart shopper.

**Rich189** · 04-13-2007, 10:30 PM

for me personally i dont shop around all that much... id rather pay a few extra bucks to a vendor that i know will take care of me such as dc ag and pb rather then try another vendor who may not have great customer service... not to mention maybe if you order enough youll get some freebies on top of it

**Pander5** · 04-14-2007, 08:52 AM

Thanks Charles - an excellent reminder and if I add up all the potential savings over the course of a year`s business there is a substantial amount of money left for me!

**CharlesW** · 04-14-2007, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by Pander5

if I add up all the potential savings over the course of a year`s business there is a substantial amount of money left for me!

A former employer of mine was a real stickler for paying invoices that carried an early pay discount to be paid to take advantage of that discount. !% was very common and some suppliers offered 2% for paying in 5 or 10 days. He always jokingly referred to that money as his "Playtime Fund".
Take a look at all the successful grocers that only net about 2%. Their volume makes that 2% a very big number at the end of the year.

Charles

**Poorboy** · 04-14-2007, 08:15 PM

This thread reminds me of a local furniture store advertisement that their furniture and bedding is much cheaper than their competition and not to be fooled by the stores that offer free delivery but charge higher prices. When I compared the warranties, the delivery costs and all the fine print, there were virtually no differences in overall cost to my door.
The only thing I did find out was that some which had higher initial costs with the free delivery had a better selection than the ones that offered cheaper prices.
Go figure