Minimum purchases

[AlanG]

Just tried to order a little item off a well known model website and it costs £3.50. The said model site will not dispatch the order as it is under their £7.98 minimum order limit excluding the £3.80 postage fee!

What sort of way is that to run a company? Now I have used them a lot in the past as they hold loads of items I like but this really starting to take the runny coloured water. Surely their overheads can't be that bad as to go down this route?

Sorry. Rant over

[Ian M]

That well know website. Wouldn't happen to start with an H and end with annants would it.....They have had a minimum on overseas orders for ages, if they are starting with inland as well they are loosing the plot.

Ian M

[AlanG]

You would be correct Ian. And yes that is mainland UK

[John]

I have a £2 minimum order value because I've had orders for much less than that and I loose money with the merchant processing fees, but £8 is a bit too much, maybe they don't need the custom?

[AlanG]

I don't mind a £2 minimum fee John. It was the £7.98 and £3.80 postage fee I was getting at

[Ian M]

LOL I won, I won. do I get a prize!

I actually saw that the other day John and wondered what it was about... I can quite understand you point.

Hangypants have a minimum order of £20 on overseas orders. but not for decals....

Works out well for John I buy through him. And double bonus he is quicker as well as cheaper..

Ian M

[Guest]

I was told by one of their directors that their company was only interested in top model makers

Lets me out then !

Laurie

[tanktrack]

you want to try ordering from Belfast guys some people think that I live in outer Mongolia and the prices go up and that is why johns shop is at the top of my list of sellers, my other moan is when you place an order for something big and maybe heavy the postage is higher obviously but they put the vat on after the p/p so you pay even more .

[John]

I was told by one of their directors that their company was only interested in top model makers Lets me out then !

Laurie

So is a top model maker defined on how much they spend? I think they are just wanting trade orders, but they don't even go out of their way to keep them happy, it takes at least 4 days for me to get a delivery from them when most of my suppliers are next day

[AlanG]

It amazes me how they keep trading if i'm honest. Surely there are better businesses out there like yourself John who actually value customer service and competitive prices

[eddiesolo]

I am pretty sure that I have used this company before, as it sounds familiar. I too ordered something for £4.00 or something, expecting a couple of quid postage on top and when at checkout was told that the amount was not enough and minimum order was £8.00...of course I didn't bother ordering...stuff em.

Si

[stona]

The retailer you are talking about carries a much more substantial stock than most, partly because it is also a wholesale business. They will have their own business reasons for setting the level of the minimum order which none of us are privy to, though this explanation is offered on the web site.

"In 1994 our accountants made us aware of just how much, on average, it costs us to process an order.

We decided there and then that we had to have a minimum order value so we could cover our costs on as many orders, but not all, as is possible. Even with these minimums we still send out 100+ orders a week we do not make or lose money on.

Our minimums vary according to how long various types of goods take to be packed. Minimums on decals are lowest because decals and etched parts are the quickest and easiest to pack. Minimums on overseas kit orders are higher because these take longer time to pack. We will be looking at these minimums all the time and hope to bring them down as this website reduces the time, and therefore cost, it takes to handle an order."

I understand that it can be a little inconvenient, gone are the days when most of us could visit a local model shop to pick up a single tinlet of paint or bottle of glue. On the other hand I can't remember the last time I placed an order anywhere for less than a tenner.

At the end of the day you have a choice either to source whatever it is you want elsewhere (if that is possible) or make up the minimum order value with something else that you just know you are going to need sooner or later

Hannants has been going a long time so they must be doing something right!

And no, I don't work for or have any connection to the store, I don't even shop there very often

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I would guess Steve they keep going on trade orders as there is certainly no customer I like you service that I have found.

Good place to find what is available then order else where. But that is what they are trading on selling to another retailer.

Laurie

[Guest]

Thing is Steve, John can offer the service ... So why can't they?

Also 100 orders a week seems like a very small amount for what I understand to be a largish company, I'll bet John touches that some weeks.

[John]

Also 100 orders a week seems like a very small amount for what I understand to be a largish company, I'll bet John touches that some weeks.

In a month I average over 100 a week, but I think my setup is a little different to them, and that's why I can focus more on the customer, they have a good selection of stock but it sounds to me that accounts have more of a say on how the business run, they are motivated by balance books not the customer.