On Wed, 28 May 1997 08:48:07 EDT, Aaron Morris wrote:
 
>Regarding the suggestion that some company should extend a discount to
>members of BEE-L, I will offer a distributor's view (and for the record,
>I ain't one!).  Discounts are given to VOLUME.  Look at any price list
>and you will see that you pay most for single units, less for units
>greater than 10, but the real savings don't kick in until you buy in
>lots of 100 or more, some companies for some equipment don't offer
>discounts until you buy in lots of 1000 (look at queen rearing stuff).
>
>Even though there are many members of BEE-L, a company that might corner
>the market on subscribers would for the most part still be dealing with
>small orders to many buyers rather than a large volume to a single
>destination.  The overhead of counting, packing and shipping would still
>be on the company with no real benefit for extending a group discount to
>a large group of mostly small potatoes beekeepers (apologies in advance
>to the big guys).
>
>Now, if some member of BEE-L would care to buy volume and offer the
>equipment in small lots to subscribers at volume prices, feel free.
>But guess what?  You'd be doing a distributor's job gratis!  Volume
>discounts for subscribers is a nice idea, but I doubt you'll find a
>distributor willing to take on the headache when one distributor or
>another is going to get your business anyway.  Discounts for small
>orders is a nice idea, but walk a mile in distributors' shoes and it
>becomes easy to see why there will be few if any takers.
>
>Volume discounts for small orders ARE achievable if you can pool
>resources and find someone willing to do the distributors' chores for
>no compensation.  This would be a good project for clubs and
>associations.  But realistically, don't expect distributors to offer
>discounts merely because you subscribe to an electronic forum.  That
>would be like expecting A.I. Root to discount their equipment merely
>because you subscribe to "Gleanings".  Nice idea, but it ain't a gonna
>happen!
>
>Aaron Morris - thinking I deserve a discount for defending distributors'
>               rights! ;)
>
 What works for us down here in South Louisiana, there are 6 or 7 commerical
beekeepers within 50 mile of each other. We get to getter and make on large
order so as to get enough stuff from one supplier as to get a truck load
as the freight is a major cost to us. Then it is shipped to one beekeeper central
to us and we all unload the truck and cart back our goods home.
Charles Harper
Harper's Honey farm
1000 + Colonies