Small time vs big time

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
edicehouse

edicehouse

Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2011
Messages
3,517
Location
Suffolk, VA
I was talking to my wife about my purchasing on pens, and differences. She does not seem to grasp the point of buying off the internet for some items and buying from woodcraft store.

So I came up with this for me to get 10 individual Acrylic Acetate blanks not duplicates:

website "A" is $39.85
website "B" is $36.00
website "C" is $38.00
Woodcraft instore is $39.90 plus tax.

The shipping I included in there is the standard shipping not rush or anything.

So I showed her there was not a whole lot of difference in small quantities of things (shipping charges do add up rather quickly). Get a 5 pack of pen kits where you save 2 bucks a piece but pay 6-8 bucks shipping.....

Am I off the deep end on this?
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Seems about right to me. Plus you get instant gratification!

Sure would like to be able to walk into a woodcraft store and take a look at stuff. The nearest one to me is 250 miles away. And that's the nearest store that specializes in woodworking.
 
You do overlook one factor: Travel time and cost.

If I start my Durango, drive 25 miles to and from the Milwaukee WoodCraft (50 total), I have shot at least an hour and a half of time and 3.5 gallons of gas (currently $12.00+).

Since you add the delivery cost to the online source, you should certainly add the pick up cost to WoodCraft.

But, yes I like getting my stuff right away, too!!
 
Last edited:
Ed, I agree with you. I order off the internet most of the time if I have a big order. In store there is the sales tax to that has to be considered. On a big order, tax could exceed the standard shipping rate. I am 50 miles from the Woodcraft store. If I am in the city and need something then I'll go by there and pick it up. But for the most part, it is the internet for me.
 
I love to support my "local" woodcraft stores. Both the one thats about 30 miles from my house (which in turn supports my local woodworking club) and the one in Milwaukee that hosts our WI IAP meetings.

There is something to be said to be able to just browse colors and pick up a dozen blanks if you are doing that and "just browsing". However, to make the trip for a specific couple of colors is likely a mess in the making. It never fails that they don't have exactly what I want.

So I don't think it just comes down to price or volume. There is a ton of factors to be included... Selection, stock quantities, price, etc all factor into the ordering process. Also the mark-up does come into play. "Simple" acrylic blanks are pretty low cost items overall so trying to save a significant percentage on a <$50 order including shipping is tough.

Then again... I LIKE your arguement: "Honey, I would only save a dollar or two by ordering online - a trip to Woodcraft is the best answer"!!! Of course, I can't go into that store without spending too much money :)
 
ed4copies said:
You do overlook one factor: Travel time and cost.

If I start my Durango, drive 25 miles to and from the Milwaukee WoodCraft (50 total), I have shot at least an hour and a half of time and 3.5 gallons of gas (currently $12.00+).

Since you add the delivery cost to the online source, you should certainly add the pick up cost to WoodCraft.

But, yes I like getting my stuff right away, too!!
Click to expand...


You forgot to mention the "extras" one always picks up when in the store. I can go to Woodcraft for one item, and leave with a sack full of "extras". Online I can better control my impulse buying, in the store I sometimes forget about the differences of "need" and "want".

When I order Online, I make my order one day, study it to make sure I am getting everything I need and enough to keep from ordering the next day for something I forgot. I also like to keep stock so there are no emergency orders that hit me for more shipping charges for 1 or 2 items.

My Woodcraft is 3 hours away, once a year is enough for my "fix".
 
I like to support my local Woodcraft store too. However, their policy in regards to volume purchasing makes it difficult to compete with some of the mail order houses. The mail order allows you to mix and match kits or blanks in order to obtain quantity discounts, whereas Woodcraft only discounts volume purchases of individual kits. Hard to justify if you want some in chrome, gold, etc. Still, the people at Woodcraft are enthusiastic about pen turning, and I always learn something by going there.
 
I readily support my local Woodcraft. However, there are a lot of pen styles they don't have that pen customers want. Therefore, I have to order online to get the styles I need. And there are specialty items that IAP member vendors have that are not available locally. It is worth the drive most times.
On the other side, our local Woodcraft provides meeting space for the Alamo woodturning club and the pen club. On top of that they give us a 10% discount on purchases on meeting nites. It is an easy decision to purchase as much from them as possible.
They also do a lot to promote our clubs which has resulted in many new members. We also support WC by doing turning demos on their special sale days. Promotes turning, Woodcraft, and our clubs.
They have my support.
gordon
 
While I do get some things at Woodcraft, and did at Rockler when I lived in Ohio, I get ALL of my pen stuff from online, or IAP member/suppliers that are local (like Curtis) when I can. Nothing against the stores, really. I've just never been in that big a hurry for a pen kit I guess.
 
I only go to Woodcraft when I need something in a hurry. Most of my buying is on line. I can buy kits for 50% the price in my local woodcraft on line. Not to mention I have the opportunity to plan my buy over a couple days and save myself the trip to the store. There is also something fun about haveing a box waiting at my door, it is like a christmas present!
 
If i only need 1 blank or 1 pen kit, I will go to woodcraft.(i live an hour and a half away. but if i am over there any way for a pen club meeting) But if i want to get a bunch of different types and kits that arent berea. (which is mainly what i use). i will just go online and pay the 6 bucks to ship it.
 
WoodCraft Seattle... If you mention that you belong to a wood turning club.. (ie. International Association of Woodturners) They give you 10% off your total bill... (tax excluded) and... Seattle also has the wood club..... if you buy $100 worth of wood....they give you $10 off any piece of wood you buy in the future.... I LOVE MY Seattle WoodCraft!
 
I look at it if it is generally a couple bucks difference (on total order) I will go to wood craft and get it. Now if it is is a few bucks and getting a dozen, it's a no brainer.

I do like the wandering around there seeing what the needs vs wants are.
 
Ed, will the Va beach WC discount if you mention IAP?? they dont even do a military discount... Thats what I heard anyway... I might be wrong....
 
Remember that WoodCraft stores are now all independently owned. So, one store's policy can differ from the next.

Many of the owners find it advantageous to offer "specials" to the turning clubs. Then there are others who say the clubs can't turn on the lathes, because they are not insured.

We are very fortunate in Milwaukee to have a GREAT owner!!!
 
Sounds like a Woodcraft franchise should be in your future, you're just the one to do it, too. Think of all the guys in your area who'd love and envy you!

SMJ1957 said:
Seems about right to me. Plus you get instant gratification!

Sure would like to be able to walk into a woodcraft store and take a look at stuff. The nearest one to me is 250 miles away. And that's the nearest store that specializes in woodworking.
Click to expand...
 
Ed4copies said:
Remember that WoodCraft stores are now all independently owned. So, one store's policy can differ from the next.
Click to expand...
I can vouch for that the local WC store has email deals and coupons all the time. In addition to the National sales and deals. Currently $20.00 per $100.00 sale. or $10.00 per $50.00 sale. Most of the people will take the discount off more than once if different days or trips.:biggrin:

What I find sort of funny when I get an email from wood craft, I can count on one from Rockler with in an hour or two.:rolleyes:
problem Rockler hardly ever gets any money as the always seem to be more than WC and the fact that they are a pack a lunch round trip from the house and its one of them you can't get there from here deals! It's a 40 to 70 mile round trip depending on which google route you take:wink:
:clown:
 
Nikitas said:
Ed, will the Va beach WC discount if you mention IAP?? they dont even do a military discount... Thats what I heard anyway... I might be wrong....
Click to expand...

I have not seen that, but they did say if you see something on sale on their site mention it. They do discounts on multiple blanks (IE 10 acrylic) and they don't have to be the same ones. Meaning you don't have to get 10 superhero acrylic blanks, it can be 3 lava, 2 superhero...ect
 
Glenn McCullough said:
Sounds like a Woodcraft franchise should be in your future, you're just the one to do it, too. Think of all the guys in your area who'd love and envy you!

SMJ1957 said:
Seems about right to me. Plus you get instant gratification!

Sure would like to be able to walk into a woodcraft store and take a look at stuff. The nearest one to me is 250 miles away. And that's the nearest store that specializes in woodworking.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...


Get to be a good friend with your banker!!! About ten years ago, Woodcraft franchises required about $500,000 to "buy in".
 
I'm in the same boat as Ed. I don't have a store close that I can buy hardware from so the gas/time comes into play. So unless I need it immediately I'm going to wait.
 
We head over to our woodcraft (@20 miles) about once a month or so. We'll rummage through the "by the pound" woods, spindle stock, bowl stock, etc... just to see what jumps out at us. Pick up a few kits if they are on sale, a few acrylics if something jumps out at us, and generally just like to window shop for something new.

We also give a lot of money to Mann Tool that hosts our area meetings once a month. The prices are a bit high, but they knock it down a bit for us as part of the club and I'm happy to support them since they support us. They have a good selection of reseller PSI, Rockler, etc... pen and turning goodies.

Bigger orders typically get sourced online or I have specific things I'll buy from IAP vendors regardless if I can get them local or not.
 
We don't have a wood craft anywhere near me. And since I am so POed at the local stores right now most purchasing if it is done is online or I wait until we go somewhere else and buy there.
 
I do not a local guy that I get a lot of blanks from, *Note to self I need to see what he has now*

I do wish I sold enough to justify a couple hundred dollar orders each month. But I still enjoy the hobby. Figure Xmas is coming up and have a stock for coworkers to purchase.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom