Wholesalers joburg

[skatingsparks]

Someone please recomend and efficient wholesalers in joburg. I spent 6 hours in wholesalers today geting gear for a job which took 4 to do. Got the cable from Globe, no problem good price but they don't have everything on the shelf so I goto ACDC dynamics(reluctantly) and spend the usual hour and half to order the most simple stuff. An hour and friking half! Go to herliman tyton(spelt wrong but you know who i mean) to get some p clips, good on time but bloody expensive(254 bucks for 100 plastic P clips). Back to ACDC again to pick my stuff up but the customer has called me and also wants a KWh meter fitted so i add that to the order. 1 hour 45 mins later i get to pay for everything and 15 mins after that i get my stuff.
I went in the first wholsalers at 9am and i got to the job at 4pm. I mean all iwant is 25 meters of armoured, a db board, and earth leakage, 5 breakers, a kwh meter and some p clips.
I dunno really, i just can't comprehend how it can take an hour and half EVERY time i got to certain wholesalers. There are loads of people just wandering around behind the counter.
Basically ACDC dynamics, your service sucks. There i said it!
6 hours wasted on chasing stuff is far more expensive than an extra 20 bucks on a light fitting.

Thanks for listening, I'm sure most of you understand.

[AndyD]

I think the secret is to keep stock of your bread and butter items such as clips, conduit and cable etc. I also use ACDC for some items but I order via their website which is pretty jacked up, they usually deliver to my premises the next day if it's a stock item. Even walking into their premises off the street they have a full shop upstairs at the CPT branch. You can just pick the item off the shelf and walk to the check-out with it where they put it on your account or you hand over the lappies. The JHB branch must be different.

The only thing with ACDC is that a few of their items aren't the greatest quality. They often have items which are a recognised brand name and an alternative that is no-name brand at a cheaper price. I tend to avoid their no-name products if at all possible, I'd rather pay the extra for better quality. Overall I can't complain about their service or most of the items they sell.

[Justloadit]

Why not contact the CEO of each company and complain about their service?

In many instances the CEO has no idea what is happening in his branch.

[skatingsparks]

Had there chance. Bought some water proof fittings(IP54). One flooded, emptied it, dried checked it closed it, it worked. It flooded again, took it back faffing for 2 hours, they changed it. Refitted, other one flooded. Emptied, dried it. The one that i changed flooded again. Emptied it again. Siliconed it as i couldn't change it, late at night customer worried about security so just had to get it back on. Flooded again(4th time), customer told me where to insert the light fittings. Took them back to ACDC, wouldn't refund but would give me credit but couldn't do it there and then for some random reason. Paid for 2 IP65 lights just so I could get the lights back on for the customer. Went back the other day to use my credit and ended up spending more than 3 hours there. Over an hour whilst i went back and forth between various staff memebers trying to get my credit note accepted, gave up and went directly to management and got unpleasant. Left whilst they picked my order then went back an hour later and added one KWh to the order 2 hours later I walk out with my stuff.
Poor service. There were people waiting then longer than me.
Rather pay a bit more for better service than waste time on slightly cheaper gear, which compared to voltex and globe isn't cheaper. Only go to ACDC if i need something there and then. Not anymore, going to give Lido a go.

[AndyD]

You have a lot more patience than I do, even if I had a spare three hours in my day I wouldn't spend more than 30 mins at a wholesaler out of principal.

[bergie]

i had the same with acdc in cape town. it seems the bigger the company the slower the wheels turn.if you want to see a part in the store before buying. they have to print a requisition and it goes through a long process before you can see it. i only buy from them when i can order and have it delivered.as andy says some of their stuff is real cr@p. the tc contactors is a chinese copy of tele.the overload and contactor doesnt fit together properly. there exe equipment is also chinese rubbish.direct copy of stahl. every second screw on the contact blocks snapped off.i found it out it doesnt have sabs approval,so i took it back anyway.thats why the price at the time was R700 for a stop/start station compared to R 2000 for the real thing.acdc do have some quality parts ,such as gewiss which they sell cheaper than elsewhere.

[AndyD]

Strange how different people have a different view of the same products. I've used the TC range of contactors, overloads and the TC DOL starters and haven't had any issues with them. I did some homework on them before I used them, they're made in India (not China) and seem to be available worldwide under the same brand name.....which is always a good sign.

ACDC seem to stock a mixed bag or products when it comes to quality but there are a lot of good brands in their catalogue. Their range (variety) is very large which makes them handy as hell though as a one stop.

[skatingsparks]

ACDC seem to stock a mixed bag or products when it comes to quality but there are a lot of good brands in their catalogue. Their range (variety) is very large which makes them handy as hell though as a one stop.

One looooong stop.

[Sparks]

You have a lot more patience than I do, even if I had a spare three hours in my day I wouldn't spend more than 30 mins at a wholesaler out of principal.

You're kidding right????
I don't believe I have ever been in and out of a wholesaler in half an hour, even if I only wanted 1 item.

[AndyD]

You're kidding right????
I don't believe I have ever been in and out of a wholesaler in half an hour, even if I only wanted 1 item.

I'm not kidding, the only way I'd be at a wholesaler for more than 30 mins is if I was drinking their single malt. I don't get it, how can it take half an hour or more to purchase anything other than a fitted suit?

I use 5 or 6 wholesalers on a regular basis, I invariably order on their website or by telephone before mid morning and 95% of our orders are delivered to our premises same day. We're located 45 minutes drive from Cape Town CBD as well. The odd order I collect never takes longer than 10-15 minutes.

[Upstairs]

Try Lido in Randburg. Not bad service and the guys are experienced. When in Pretoria, go see Lucky and his crew at Megawatt W/Salers. You can give WACO a go in Cleveland. When the service is bad, speak to Rakesh, the product manager. I can assure you he'll do something about bad service.

[Upstairs]

I refuse to use cheap imitations, as they never last. Burned my fingers before, regardless of what they say about the quality. Calculate your downtime and in the end it is better to have spend money on a known brand where the sales personnel are usually experienced industry electricians.

[TECHNICIAN 810]

WHERE EXACTLY IN JOBURG ARE YOU, THERE ARE A FEW EFICIANT PLACES IN RANDBURG