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Grainger-how do you buy if not a business?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 5window, Aug 3, 2011.

  1. silent rick
    Joined: Nov 7, 2002
    Posts: 5,207

    silent rick
    Member

    alot of you guys don't understand the wholesale business. let's say a regular grainger customer who spends over $100,000 a year with them is at the counter spending another $1500 for stuff to finish a service call. in walks a guy off the street and wants to purchase stuff to repair something at home. if grainger were to sell to the average joe, their $100,000 customer might take offense. it's like taking money that he could be making or some other professional. when that customer sees that happen, he might decide to take his business elsewhere.
    sometimes it pays to stay loyal to your customer base even if you have to turn away the small business
     
  2. fordor41
    Joined: Jul 2, 2008
    Posts: 1,011

    fordor41
    Member

    they ask you if you're a business probably because a lot of businesses don't pay tax up front. They pay guarterly,etc. private individuals pay tax upon purchase.
     
  3. goose-em
    Joined: Aug 23, 2008
    Posts: 349

    goose-em
    Member
    from Louisiana

    You do not have to be a business to buy from Grainger, you just have to set up an account. You can set up a credit card or cash account as an individual. If you must enter a business name make one up.

    Also, Grainger is higher in price than MSC or McMaster. I only buy from them when someone else doesn't have the part.

    Also, MSC is always overnight shipping on anything in stock that doesn't come on truck freight, at no extra charge I might add.
     
  4. bulletproof1
    Joined: Feb 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,079

    bulletproof1
    Member
    from tulsa okla

    last time i was at grainger they treated me like crap..it was my first(and only time ) in the store..i didnt know what to ,so i asked about a part,,they said if i dont have to part #, a business name ,a tax # they couldnt help me......"next" is what he said...
     
  5. Let me throw this at all of you:
    Remember not so many years ago when the economy was booming, and you went into almost any store, or place of buisness. The counter personnel where total Butt Heads. You thought to yourself, how the hell did this Jack Ass ever get hired. Well my brother Hammers, they have all been given there walking papers over the last few years. I'm concerned about the condition of the country's economy today, but not for those counter Ass Wipes from day's gone by.
     
  6. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member


    No... I do understand.

    And I have bought from them in the past.

    But it always has been an unpleasant experience.

    The last time I was in their store there was almost a 1:1 ratio of customers to counter personel.
    But the personel seemed to be in a competition to see which one of them could waste the most time.

    When it was finally my turn, I got the pizza faced kid who gave me a attitude.

    It occurred to me that maybe their customers shouldnt be the ones that needed to prove that they were worthy of a transaction.

    And I havent been back since...
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2011
  7. Kustom Komet
    Joined: Jun 26, 2007
    Posts: 640

    Kustom Komet
    Member

    This was my exact experience at a Phoenix Grainger a couple of years ago. I couldn't believe how much time they were taking for regular transactions, and I thought to myself, "Gee, is this what the professional contractors have to deal with every time they need something?" I left with my Roloc abrasive discs, and promptly found another source for them.

    -KK
     
  8. Ob1
    Joined: Jan 21, 2010
    Posts: 411

    Ob1
    Member

    Lately I have been amazed at the number of businesses that want to interfere with me spending my money.

    All I can say is pray you never have to deal with Certegy... a bigger group of butt-munches I have never seen. You can win if you invest enough time.
     
  9. 39 Ford
    Joined: Jan 22, 2006
    Posts: 1,558

    39 Ford
    Member

    I called McMaster Car last week and ordered something had it in 3 days no min. order etc. No hassle.
     
  10. rjaustin421
    Joined: May 1, 2009
    Posts: 337

    rjaustin421
    Member

    Grainger always limited their customers to those in trades and usually their customers knew what they needed by searching the WWG cataloger before the order was placed. They always served and probably still serve those who need an item ASAP, that was the business model and I accepted that when I no longer ran my machine shop I no longer bought there.

    Once the odd ball gear motor on my cylinder honing machine died and a replacement was needed yesterday. There was one at a California Grainger and we picked it up the next day at the local branch.
    Yes it was a pricey unit and the freight was real heavy but when you make your living with the tools of whatever trade you are in there are times when downtime cannot occur.

    Perhaps they can be frustrating to a hobbyist but they fill an important supply niche for small businesses of all types.
     
  11. corncobcoupe
    Joined: May 26, 2001
    Posts: 7,257

    corncobcoupe
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    www.mscdirect.com

    MSC Industrial Supply

    You can set up your own account number.
    Call or just sign up on the Web.

    Check / Ask for daily promotions.

    More cutting tools than any other company out there.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  12. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,517

    5window
    Member

    Wow. I started this thread 6 years ago. I have ordered a lot of stuff from Grainger since then. I just log in and use my Farm Bureau membership. I get a nice discount and free shipping. That and the 10% discount I get on Nationwide Insurance for my cars more than covers the $70/ year FB membership.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  13. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    There's one a block from me. It sits just off the freeway by itself. I call it, "The Monument to Assholes". The attitude of the smucks inside made me walk out. Peace of mind was the drive to someone else.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  14. Blue Moon Garage
    Joined: Mar 1, 2009
    Posts: 406

    Blue Moon Garage
    Member

    So what do you private individuals do?

    I just walk in the door and buy what I need. I'm not a business, it never even came up!
     
  15. You tell 'em your "last name"-racing. [Jones Bros Racing] Works for me. If you want to get jiggy, put an "Inc" on the end of the name.
    gbrlogo.jpg
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  16. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,143

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    I used to get misc items there when they had a local warehouse but they closed it a few years ago, recently I needed a big piano hinge (non local stock), looked up WWG online catalog, called their 1-800 number with the part nmber and a week later drove into Portland and got it, easy peasy, no shipping charge to their warehouse.
     
  17. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

    Have you ever heard of 5window auto restoration?

    Gary
     
  18. Post # 20 nailed it. McMaster-Carr. The other day I ordered some hardware at 6:00 pm, it was literally at my door the next morning.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  19. woodbutcher
    Joined: Apr 25, 2012
    Posts: 3,310

    woodbutcher
    Member

    :D Had been looking for some well nuts/jack nuts for a while.Local Fastenol did`nt have them in the size that I needed them either.Local Ace Hardware just remodeled their hardware dept and the new supplier included jack nuts in the inventory.I`m now a happy camper.Tried MacMaster-Carr.They only sold in lots of 10 or a dozen at a cost of IIRC of $2.00 each,so I passed on them.Ace had then for $1.15 each,and I could buy any number that I wanted.
    Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
    Leo
     
  20. dan c
    Joined: Jan 30, 2012
    Posts: 2,520

    dan c
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    don't know if this still works, but in st. louis we used to get a tax number and use it at the local chevy dealer to get parts at a discount. just pay sales tax when you buy.
     
  21. czuch
    Joined: Sep 23, 2008
    Posts: 2,688

    czuch
    Member
    from vail az

    I needed a hard hat. I went into Grainger here in Tucson and bought a very patriotic one.
    (Metalshapes is correct about the attitude, BTW.)
    I put a Chief's hat device on it and various Naval emblems.
    Then I went to Ft. Hood to get a licence to drive the Hemtt truck.
    All the Army guys though tit was a hoot.
    They'll sell to anybody.
     
  22. Our Grainger acts like a normal retailer. Walk in, give them the money, and they give you the part. Done deal. And the McMaster Carr catalog is just fun reading. It is long distance mail order for me so don't buy much from them if I can get it locally but their catalog is fun.

    We have a Budget Bolt in town so I can walk in and get just about any of those hard to get fasteners and other widgets I would normally have to mail order.
     

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