Pricing from your LWS vs. Online

admin

I'm sure it's been asked or commented about before, but I'm going to see if I am either looking at the wrong online suppliers, or I have the cheapest LWS for consumables.LWS Price:4043 Fill wire 3/32" 1lb $3.37 Harris BrandER70S-6 fill wire 1/16" 1lb $3.72 Lincoln BrandER70S-6 fill wire 3/32" 1 lb $3.72 Lincoln BrandSilicone Bronze fill wire 3/32" 1lb $9.55 Harris BrandWhat I'm seeing online is just about double that or close to double. Haven't priced stainless yet, but I know for a fact it's not much more than the mild steel stuff. And on top of all that, they offer discounts (not sure how much) on 10lb boxes of fill rod.Is this a fluke that these prices are what they are, or are online retailers really more expensive than running down the street?
Reply:Your LWS has awesome prices. My LWS:$10 a lb. for 3/32 4043. 1/16 is a little bit more expensive. go figure.Seems like you could have a lucrative side job selling consumables.
Reply:That's where I was thinking when posting this lolSent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk
Reply:Here's an idea.  If your LWS can get 4943 at those ridiculous prices, you're in business.
Reply:i have found consumables are cheaper online but If u have to pay shipping then its not. lolHH140---------------------------https://www.facebook.com/brandon.pike.9
Reply:I'm not sure. None of my local places put prices on their stuff until I get to the counter.
Reply:Originally Posted by zankI'm not sure. None of my local places put prices on their stuff until I get to the counter.
Reply:Yea, on all the mig and stick stuff, my lws was on par with online. But they only wanted ~5 bucks for a 1 lb tube, and discount on bulk buys, their tig stuff is cheap. But they dont have much on the shelf.
Reply:Originally Posted by zankI'm not sure. None of my local places put prices on their stuff until I get to the counter.
Reply:My LWS man around here in Maine charges more and is worth every cent - shipping, speed, advice, all around service.  And I have much more interest in keeping him afloat (the proprietor of an employee owned in-state business) than whoever it is that's at the other end online.  Doesn't hurt that he's the right kind of guy, and there are always customers dropping in just to bs about welding.
Reply:I've got two LWS stores in my town and they are practically across the street from each other.  One sells 1/8" ER70S-2 for $4.60/lb and the other sells it for $9.50/lb.  Go figure.  Probably hard to figure out which one I shop at
Reply:my local welding supply prices are... okay. but now they are charging a 11$ hazmat fee on a 10 pack of 2% thoriated tungsten, or any other thing of that sort (rod, wire, flux, gas). they've lost my business to online.......effin California.'14 HTP invertig 221Thermal Arc 201ts'15 HTP 2400'13 Hypertherm Powermax 30Esab 875Esab 251Clark Metal Servicespecializing in stainless steel exhaust systems
Reply:I'm going to start charging my customers a hazmat fee on their bikes. Seems like a great side revenue stream. It feels so good to be done with Airgas. Maine Oxy has been awesome so far. And they didn't charge me a hazmat fee on a cylinder lease the way Airgas tried to!Mike ZanconatoZanconato Custom Cycles @mzank on Instagram
Reply:I dropped Praxair over the $9.50 hazmat, and $33.50 hydrotest charges on oxygen cylinders.I've not really compared local vs. online suppliers as the LWS I use has already compared them against a couple of large ebay sellers on their most popular items. It's worth my patronage to keep them around for the advice when needed, free incoming freight charges when they don't have what I need on the shelf, and just plain ole comradeship at times. You just don't get much of that with online sales.Last edited by Slob; 10-01-2014 at 08:24 AM.SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:Originally Posted by zankI'm not sure. None of my local places put prices on their stuff until I get to the counter.
Reply:Hey. That's mr blow to you. Mike ZanconatoZanconato Custom Cycles @mzank on Instagram
Reply:LWS make up prices as they go, what you pay for a product depends entirely on what relationship you have with them. If you are in charge of ordering supplies for a large fab shop, you are going to get some killer deals on your stuff.  If you are a contractor working in a new area, and you need a few things on a whim, you are generally screwed.  They Online welding supply (OWS) will meet you in the middle of that somewhere.Constant Current Weldor.