LWS comes through FTW

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I had posted a thread a few days back after canceling my order with BR Welding Supply because of a lack of customer service.  Shopped around with Indiana Oxygen and Cyberweld (all requested I place the orders online, even though I was talking to them over the phone). So I decided to stop off at my local welding suppler (WestAir in Imperial Beach), just to see if they could get me near internet pricing.    Boy did they ever! The nice older gent behind the counter let me have the Millermatic 211 for $1,008.67!!! He beat all the net prices I could find. Not only that he gave me a package deal with a 100 cu/ft cylinder with MIG mix for $175.    Yeah I had to pay tax, but I also got the machine the same day I paid for it and I put my money into a local shop thats helped me out in the past. Oh and by the way this is by far the nicest arcing MIG Ive ever owned. No more department store 110v machines for me. Just though Id post up that deals can still be had locally. Attached Images
Reply:Good ole blue machines.
Reply:Originally Posted by SR20steveGood ole blue machines.
Reply:Could you please be a little more specific about the WestAir location, I know they are in National City and San Diego ( 2 stores) but where is the Imperial Beach store?I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:I'm a firm believer in Inet shopping.  Usually it's cheaper, but not always, and I've learned to check locally before going online.
Reply:Nice to hear they were able to take care of you that way. It's sad that so many retail stores have put customer service dead last. It's nice to hear about those that will go the extra mile to take care of a customer, work with them on pricing and things like this. I hear too many retailers gripe about loosing business to the internet, yet they do nothing at all to encourage customers to shop with them locally..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:What does FTW mean???AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:Originally Posted by Donald BranscomWhat does FTW mean???
Reply:Everyone owes it to themselves to shop around before making an equipment purchase. If your LWS can offer you a price that is fairly close, I believe they should be your first choice. If they happen to also be a repair depot, then it becomes a no brainer. If you have actually bought your equipent from him, and set up an account, it has been my experience that you will get better pricing than Joe down the street when you come in for consumables, gases, etc. If you can get a huge discount on-line, and can wait a few weeks for delivery, then the your LWS shouldn't hold it against you.
Reply:Nice 211, I'm jealous. Customer service has been lacking around the shop at work. We have 2 that call on the us, Pacific Welding Supply and Airgas. If the gal for Pacific stopped by weekly (instead of bi or tri weekly), we would probably buy everything from her because the guy from Airgas wants a purchase order without providing prices among other annoyances. Every time we have to tell him to get the price first. Very annoying.Millermatic 200Hobart Handler 120Victor O/A & Ramco BandsawLincoln 225 ACSnapOn AD HoodMiller XMT304/22AHypertherm Powermax 1650 G3Lincoln Idealarc DC600 w/Extreme 12 VSMiller Digital Elite "Joker"
Reply:Originally Posted by Pro-FabEveryone owes it to themselves to shop around before making an equipment purchase. If your LWS can offer you a price that is fairly close, I believe they should be your first choice. If they happen to also be a repair depot, then it becomes a no brainer. If you have actually bought your equipent from him, and set up an account, it has been my experience that you will get better pricing than Joe down the street when you come in for consumables, gases, etc. If you can get a huge discount on-line, and can wait a few weeks for delivery, then the your LWS shouldn't hold it against you.
Reply:Originally Posted by llamafurFor The Win
Reply:Nice deal!None of my LWS could come within several hundred dollars of online prices for a Dynasty. The largest, who I expected the lowest price from, due to their national buying power and the fact that my company spends a few thousand $ a month with them, was $800 more. And that was after much hemming and hawing about how he was doing me this huge favor. He even tried to "prove" his good intentions by showing me his cost (phony) and offering to take almost no profit above it. Then warning me that online merchants like cyberweld might just take my money and run, and that I wouldn't get a warranty from Miller, etc.I'm beginning to find the opposite true. Reputable online merchants are quick to make things right, while the brick and mortar guys are so desperate that they're lying through their teeth.
Reply:My LWS came in over $800 below the MSRP for my 250 GXT on lincoln's website. That's including tax!Ranger 250 GXTSmith Gas Axe
Reply:Originally Posted by nadogailcould you please be a little more specific about the westair location, i know they are in national city and san diego ( 2 stores) but where is the imperial beach store?
Reply:WestAir's web page does not list a store in Imperial Beach.  There are stores in neighboring cities; San DIego (two stores) and National City.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:What I'd like to know is how come the online guys are getting such going wholesale pricing that the LWS can come closer to matching? Yes, they aren't pay rent on a retail location, but most LWS aren't located in expensive "retail" locations either. The online guys must have to warehouse the stuff somewhere. Or it's being drop shipped from somewhere else which wold equal another middle man mark-up. If the LWS was $100 more than online, I'd go with them, no problem. But to be $800+ over and giving nothing but BS reasons is exactly why my "evil" side says phuk'm, let them die. I can't take advantage of most super online deals because they are in the US. By the time it's shipped, taxed, fee'd and duty'd to death, it's cheaper to buy local. Which is good, I like to keep my money home when I can. Even with our Dollar being better than the US Dollar, still doesn't make it worth it. But it would be nice to be able to order stuff I can't get up here. So much for "free" trade. Phuk'd again by politicians.OK, sorry for the rant...............back to reg sch'd programing 200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:I think many online stotres simply dropship directly from the manufacture.  Ie nit seen evidence that they ever even had there paws on the machine.
Reply:The LWS that Cory151 wrote about as being in Imperial Beach is actually located in Chula Vista, CA 91911, at 1590 W. Frontage Road.  The older gent behind the counter is Allen Stalley.  I met him today and was able to purchase 5 lbs. of 1/8" 7014 electrode for about $3 a pound.  I am glad I met Allen and I will continue using his store in the future.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:Originally Posted by Donald BranscomWhat does FTW mean???