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Ferguson pricing all over the map...

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A2Zcontracting

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Wtf is going on with Fergusons pricing lately? Is it just me or did they change thier pricing system in the last year? I know they have multi-tiered pricing for everyone from joe blow to contractor, to high volume sales plumbing company with everyone getting better pricing the more they buy but lately their prices have been nearly 50%-100% increased for me on what they used to be on certain items.

Granted, everything has gone up across the board but the pricing adjustments don't make sense. For example, I used to get their pro-flow brand stuff (supply lines, wax rings, trim pieces) for like 40% cheaper than HD. Now they are the same price as HD. ABS fittings used to be slightly more expensive than HD even though it's through the same supplier (Charlotte). Now some of them are nearly double what I would pay at HD. Angle stops have gone up about 25% but that's what expected for brass parts with inflation. I still only buy Dahl so I have to get them from a plumbing supply house.

So wtf is the deal here? Cuz it doesn't make sense to me. I've had a cash account with them for years now, ever since I got licensed but even before that I would just ask for "contractor discount" and magically save 15% at the counter. Are they getting greedy these days? Did something change with the company? cuz i noticed this at a mom and pop shop that got bought out by them. Or do I need to just tell them to adjust my pricing or open a credit account or something cuz I can't figure out how their pricing got all over the place recently.

Anyone else notice these anomalies with them or other specialty suppliers lately?

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Discussion starter · #2 ·
Wtf is going on with Fergusons pricing lately? Is it just me or did they change thier pricing system in the last year? I know they have multi-tiered pricing for everyone from joe blow to contractor, to high volume sales plumbing company with everyone getting better pricing the more they buy but lately their prices have been nearly 50%-100% increased for me on what they used to be on certain items.

Granted, everything has gone up across the board but the pricing adjustments don't make sense. For example, I used to get their pro-flow brand stuff (supply lines, wax rings, trim pieces) for like 40% cheaper than HD. Now they are the same price as HD. ABS fittings used to be slightly more expensive than HD even though it's through the same supplier (Charlotte). Now some of them are nearly double what I would pay at HD. Angle stops have gone up about 25% but that's what expected for brass parts with inflation. I still only buy Dahl so I have to get them from a plumbing supply house.

So wtf is the deal here? Cuz it doesn't make sense to me. I've had a cash account with them for years now, ever since I got licensed but even before that I would just ask for "contractor discount" and magically save 15% at the counter. Are they getting greedy these days? Did something change with the company? cuz i noticed this at a mom and pop shop that got bought out by them. Or do I need to just tell them to adjust my pricing or open a credit account or something cuz I can't figure out how their pricing got all over the place recently.

Anyone else notice these anomalies with them or other specialty suppliers lately?

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
 
#4 ·
I’ve noticed their prices are up. I do believe they are like the lumber yards at pricing, more of a supply and demand type of cost vs HD or the likes buy so many million units at x price. I still get some things cheaper at Ferguson then the big boxes. Other items it’s more and the cost of doing business.
Still I’ll take dealing with the supply house due to the service and having what I need most of the time.
 
#5 ·
I think this is exactly the game all supply houses play. I've just got my pricing moved way down and it's less than what the places I've worked for in the past had to pay. They suck you in at cost or close to it, then when you're all in move you up. When you've gone to the same place it's not the same type of account to them your sales now are not going through the bean counters of a big place. You also are at a point where you have repeat customers before you'd be at a chance of going under if you cant drum up work having low prices and low profit for the supply house is an investment for them. If you jump 80% all of a sudden then another supply house will give you a good deal for awhile too but you'll get a rep for that quick if you do it to often.
 
#6 ·
My company spends more than $500k for plumbing supplies annually and we have been having serious problems with every supplier for both prices and service. We find that every supplier is pushing the limit to increase prices beyond being reasonable and I am guessing that the suppliers have to deal with huge increases for their rent, payroll, vehicle fuel, insurance and everything else just like we do.

Believe it or not, I have switched to buying a high percent of my supplies at Home Depot, Lowes and HD Supply. I never liked HD supply because they don't always have a big selection of items, but HD Supply almost always has the lowest prices.

EXAMPLE: Ferguson and most supply houses want about $95 for an Insinkerator Badger 5 1/2 horsepower disposer without the electric cord. Home Depot's price last I checked was $139. HD supply has the disposer with the electric cord for $79.

Drywall is the cheapest at HD supply and what I like best about HD supply is at Home Depot I have to load the drywall onto a cart, wheel it to the cashier and load it a 2nd time onto my trailer. At HD supply, I back my trailer up to the pile of drywall, or Hardibacker, or lumber and push it directly onto my trailer.

Fergusons wants about $32 plus 10% sales tax for a 4 inch ABS comby. Lowes has the same comby for $13 last time I checked. I deal with Fergusons only when I need a bathtub or fixture other supply houses don't have in stock.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Both HD and Lowes will compete price-wise with Ferguson... not always the case the other way around...

Used to be that would be pretty stupid in retail as any money coming over costs adds to the bottom line, but nowadays with "supplier issues" they command more and sell less... so the same money they would have made competing they make much more because of supply shortages while actually selling less product...
 
#9 ·
The Ferguson/ build.com pricing is ALL MESSED UP. I am watching items in my "project" increase in price over the course of the day! In red it states pricing expires 8/5/23- BUT they are increasing today 7/31. They seem to have list prices (secretive), build.com prices and PRO pricing(which is barely discounted). Occasionally the build.com prices are less than the PRO prices. I have been dealing with a rep in the Lakewood NJ store and I don't think she has a clue what the deal is with the pricing! I will never recommend them.
 
#10 ·
It maybe that the cost of raw materials and labor has been rising sharply in recent months, which has led to increased prices across the board. Ferguson is not immune to this, and they may be passing on some of these costs to their customers.
 
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jannick
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