Guest blank Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 wonder if everyone would put there competitors cheapest key prices - do we charge enough? timpsons price one thing but i wondered what about other competitors? one of mine charges £1-50 for cylinder £2-50 for mortice they also do deals for 2 or more i think there tooo cheap!! but what about your competitors can you beat these prices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auto Key Wizard Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Wouldn't want to, Don't need to Just let um get on with it....Busy Fools Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Yeah, wot e' said Only a fool does twice as much work for half the money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolcobbler Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 i have 4 shops within a mile of me doing yales 1.50,mortice 2.50 sometimes i makes you think whether to reduce prices,but as long as were cutting a steady amount of keys i wont change. i do 3 keys for the price of 2 which is normally quite succesful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobblers Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 i can't agree with that, we set our prices to our market, not to what we'd always really like to charge. because we're generally cheaper in the key section we find that that we have a hell of a lot of repeat customers who also bring their shoes in for repair, have their engraving done and return to buy our sundries. doesn't sound very foolish to me...... i've worked in shops that do charge more and i can say from experience that the majority of custom doesn't return. i'd also rather be that little bit busier for it than be stood around half of the day waiting for the next joe that i can relieve of his arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GARYUnwin Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 THERE IS A market stall on glossop market where cylinder keys start at 25p and mortice £1.00 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Burn it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 I appreciate what you say, but I would make the following statement. Timpsons effectively set the HIGH ST price for keys, why be more than 10% cheaper ? They have the position and the rent and rates to go with it, therefore can justify it. However, if you're in a secondary position, market stall or side street for example, the public would expect a difference in price, but nopt much. If everyone followed the market stall £1 a key idea then the trade would be devoid of profit very quickly. No one wins in a price war. I used to have a shop in a small Surrey town, both competitors were within 5 minute walk and both were half my price on keys. I still took more than both !! Never undervalue your service, if your good and know your stuff, people will pay. If the public want the best, they know they have to pay. Let them be the judge. I have seen too many businesses abandon price increases based on the fact that 2 out of 5 of their customers have complained Stick with it and it will pay Just my opinion of course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobblers Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 i agree! our cylinder keys start at £2 (who charges a quid? ) and go up from there depending on the lock manufacturer and net cost of blanks for us. we never let the thought of losing the odd (moaning git) customer prevent us from doing necessary price increases, we learned that lesson the hard way!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auto Key Wizard Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 I completely agree with Keith's post I've been self-employed over 15 years & my key machine set-up was just two units then, a Silca Record Plus & a Jakey MKII, which have long gone Within my small town there were seven other key cutting outlets, and all were cheaper than me, but I offered a full service, if a non-stocked key was required it would be order for next day delivery & supplied at a premium price, I never missed the opportunity to make a sale Today I boast a bench full of Silca machinery Record 2000 Delta SA 2 x Delta FO & Multicopy carriage Lancer plus Bravo Maxima Matrix S RW 2 + TEXCODE Also an AD100 Vehicle programmer by Advanced Diagnostics Oh, & still got a Jakey Colt & that little Model 103 Tubular cutting M/C My starting price for a key today is £3.25 & I don't do a second key deal, although I do offer quantity discount. I turnover in excess of £50K per annum in keys alone And guess how many of the other seven places are still trading............. Non Tel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Have to agree Terry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest blank Posted March 26, 2006 Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 hi again, this story i put on, has created quite a lot of different attitudes - great that your all saying charge top price for keys, but if that is so and assuming your right why dont you charge timpsons price? in my town they are the most expensive and apart from one price war have never reduced there price, my turnover is very steady - i am happy what i charge - have 3 staff, V.A.T. registered, and am not looking to charge more as i am in a secondry position. i have more key machines than any one i know ( even timpsons local to me, ) my turnover has increased with every machine i have bought - thing is you can charge as much as you like, but your customers will either always be loyal to you or talk about you like they always talk about timpsons,, before that remember how they talked about minit! there long gone, who is to follow them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 Why do you want us to charge "Timpsons" prices? Everyone probably could charge more for ALL their services but are happy making what they make without the hard sell. P R E S S U R E to sell thats the score a Ts, (been there) Rent and rates aint cheap for this company and the staff will cost an absolute fortune. So it figures with our/your overheads we dont need to charge those prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auto Key Wizard Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 ..........but what about our high craftsmanship & the top quality of componants at our dissposal? Tel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh-Candoit (ENG) Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 After reading those comments I wonder why, when you are all boasting how better you are than the opposition, that you dont charge more than them? If they can get the price and you are saying that your service is better then why not charge for that service. Or are you just content to stand in the shadows of those bold enough to take the initiative on price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 It always baffles me why every one expects us to pitch just under MrT's or our competitors prices anyway. I charge £4.00 for 1a's and don't do the second one half price! I don't know for sure what prices the local multiple charges specifically for certain items, but do I care! my prices are based on what I think personally is reasonable for the service I have just done, not what the next guys charging. we all go in and out of supermarkets all competing with price promises etc. but do YOU know the difference in price of a packet of weetabix from Tescos or Asdas, and do you worry about the extra you pay for them from the corner shop when you run out? Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 4 quid for a yale?*?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auto Key Wizard Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 4 quid for a yale?*?! ....is that + Vat or including Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh-Candoit (ENG) Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 WOW at last I see someone prepared to stand on their own 2 feet and push their own Cart out, well done Lee I applaud you. You are not running businesses that enable customers to get a product as cheap as you can give it away for, so that they can go on extended hols each year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Heres a challenge, you have just read this post............... the NEXT customer that comes in for a cylinder key charge them £4 and let the forum know there reaction. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Like bend me over and stick a hot iron up my jacksy thats a challenge.(if you dare) To turn round and charge my valued customers £4 for a key which would mean a 30% increase on normal selling price would be daylight robbery! I dont care what they say or dont say to me in the shop its what they say when they leave my premises that concerns me. Im a fair man! Take cover......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Just had one of those valued customers in my shop for 6 union cylinder keys, A corperate customer who's used me for years, always moans about going else where when I am on holiday (so knows my competitors charges) yet returns time after time for my 'expensive' keys but likes a chat and a skive from work, and easy FREE parking...... and thats what hes paying for. Few customers, actually know how much a key is going to cost. they need one and thats that. if the entire trade charged a tenner a key that would become the national expected price! Ironically whilst writing this a lad came in and asked how much for 2 of these, £8 i said Ill have 3 was his reply! And no word of a lye the next customer had a key cut yesterday, but had the wrong one cut! so returned to have the right one done. didn't seam to bother either of these customers. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Your right Lee but thats because thats what you charge and have been charging. Add another 30% onto the keys for the next customer and tell me what they say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 I have a little program in my task bar called eprompter which tells me when I get new mail, & I smiled as soon as I heard it. I knew it would be hibsjo!!!!!!!! This place is great for little arguments We already seam to have established my prices appear to high! Why would I want to load them up anymore? However my view is you lot are to cheap! its that old horses for courses thing again..... £4.00 x 30% = £5.20 watch this space....... Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Not at all Lee. Compared to my prices it appears high cest la vie. Tell us how you get on at 5.20 a key Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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