Generally, you could choose to buy and sell industrial equipment primarily in one of two ways. Namely, you could opt to place your order through a distributor. This is essentially a middleman who gets the products you need from the manufacturer, then resells them to you, the end user. The mainstream option you have is to cut out this go-between and directly buy what you need straight from the supplier. A lot more people today are opting for the latter alternative in recent times. So what are the advantages of buying directly from the manufacturer through online shopping? Well, let’s find out.
- More affordable wholesale prices
At the end of the day, it’s a numbers game for most businesses, regardless of size. It’s your end goal to minimize your company’s procurement expenditure, and consequently widen its bottom line.
So why is it cheaper this way? To get the answer to that it’s important to approach this from the distributor’s angle. The distributor or retailer is also running a business. He needs to grind out a sizeable revenue to keep his doors open. In order to do that, he needs to buy low from the manufacturer and sell high to the end user.
This extra margin allows the distributor to sell industrial machines online and make his profits, but it means additional expenses for you the customer.
On the flip side, when you go directly to the manufacturer, you get your product at the manufacturer’s initial price offering, which is typically significantly lower than the distributor’s.
In the long, this cost-effectiveness may also mean:
- Reduction in operational expenditure
- Room for product quality improvement
- Better financial security for adverse economic events and much more.
- Assured authenticity of products
Counterfeit products are quite rampant today, especially in the manufacturing niche. Well-known brands are proving a particularly appealing target for the unscrupulous, who are looking to make quick money off unsuspecting victims.
While we’re not saying all distributors outright sell counterfeit industrial equipment, the chances of you acquiring fake products are much higher if you deal with certain distributors. More so those with a vague reputation who can collaborate with black market players to get you non-genuine replicas of the real deal.
That said, why should you avoid counterfeit manufacturer products? Well, it boils down to:
- Lower quality of fake machinery
- Increased operational downtime
- Heighten maintenance expenses
You don’t have to worry about any of that if you shop online to buy directly from the manufacturer. This way, you’re assured that the product comes straight from the manufacturer and is therefore authentic.
For instance, if you’re keen on getting industrial machines for sale in the UAE, working with a website such as IndustBay that directly obtains your purchase from the manufacturer is very ideal.
- Customers enjoy a direct line of communication
When you shop online and buy directly from the manufacturer, the length of the line of communication also shortens, which is inherently a good thing. If you went through a distributor, your first point of contact with the manufacturer will always be through this middleman.
Following up on products in transit, for instance, or issues with the product would involve first channeling feedback to the distributor who then works this information up the line to the manufacturer. Factor in delays brought about by this inconvenient means of connectivity, and you may experience more hassles and delays.
Conversely, working directly with the manufacturer means a direct line of communication, the benefits of which include:
- Minimized interpretation or conveyance errors
- Faster turnaround time for customer concerns since there are fewer processes to go through
- Better and more convenient transport and follow-up
It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking to buy hand tools online or even huge equipment like a CNC milling machine, it’s always best to opt for online shopping that directly connects you to the supplier.
- Better deals on warranties
Equipment warrant periods conventionally vary depending on a few unique factors that vary from product to product. As a general rule of thumb though, it’s commonplace for manufacturers to offer warranties that span anywhere between:
- 1 month
- 3 months
- 6 months
- 1 year
- 3 years or even longer
It all depends on the exact equipment in question. Nonetheless, you’re more likely to get better deals on warranty from the manufacturer than when you buy indirectly. For instance, a typical CNC milling machine may come with a 1-year warranty when you shop online and buy directly from the manufacturer.
The same piece of equipment may have a warranty that lasts half as long if you buy from a distributor. However, it is worth noting that some distributors can match factory warranties as well.
- Wider breadth of stock
Retailers typically acquire a limited range of hand tool and accessories, among other equipment they’d like to sell from manufacturers. That’s typically due to limited storage capabilities and lower financial might compared to the manufacturer.
Consequently, this means that you may not get as many options on industrial machinery from a retailer as you would if you skipped the middleman and went directly to the manufacturer. While the former selects a handful of products from the wholesaler’s collection, a manufacturer often has a larger stock range for their client base. The upsides to this are:
- Ability to match your exact preferences
- Supplier price discounts across select categories
- Faster delivery time since there are fewer restocking delays
In addition, manufacturers tend to be experts and thus are better placed to also provide specialized advice on the most ideal choices of equipment if the customer is overwhelmed by the abundance of options.
Buy and sell industrial equipment at IndustBay
Purchasing directly from the manufacturer via online shopping is beneficial in many ways. For the most part, you can get a better purchase price offer, while you have a larger stock range at your disposal. What’s more, you can save yourself a lot of leg work thanks to more direct lines of communication and it may be possible to secure more coverage in terms of equipment insurance. If you’d like to buy or sell construction equipment in UAE online directly from the manufacturer, shop at IndustBay today.
