Is there anyone left who can do good business?

[FrogMan]

Most would be a bit to young and not experienced enough to talk on this topic, but i felt the need to vent a little

I run my own food business with my dad one of the most successful roadhouses in South Africa.

Yet it seems people today are out to screw everyone(Mainly my suppliers) like to day my meat guy told me his pushing up my meat prices by 7 rand a kg which is about equivalent to 7$ a pound, and told me if I don't like I can **** of of course i was told this with a out a weeks notice.

Now i spend roughly a 100 000 rand on meat a month with them which is the equivalent of about spending a 100 000$ dollars a month, but because he feels that he is a big shot he can name his price. Well he just lost me as a customer.

This seems to happen on a weekly basis.

Anyone have similiar experiences?

[Blue]

yeah i go to the store to buy magazines and they sell me a demo to double the price

editame thing with diablo2, i try to trade stuff for an item, but they jack up the prices sky high

[Seekndestroyer]

Well like you said I'm a little to young to have the same kind of experience.. but these days people are greedy and think that they can control you and set the rules their way... and all I got to say to those people is "Go to hell" the can eff around like that and when they lose their buisness its their damn fault..

[FrogMan]

Yea well greed is a factor and with that comes arrogance. But i look at these people and wonder how the hell you make money

[Osirus]

There is plenty of meat suppliers out there. And trust me when he realizes the money he is losing he will be calling you back. In the world today it's all about money. Money ruins friend ships and bussiness. Its really pathetic now. In the rv bussiness travel supremes go for 500k and the parts are very expensive. For example one recliner chair for them is 1.5k leather wow? And our venders are constantly raising and lowering there prices. Not much you can do there. But there is more meat suppliers. And you might be able to find cheapers ones that can ship over sea's

[hellsing293]

shifting economy=raise/drop of prices. thats inflation for you. its just that things have more of a tendacny to go up more than down. that means your prices go up after paying more for products. then in change, your employees get paid more because everything rises so paychecks must. then more money from higher wages=more money to spend so prices go up. it's all inflation. try to find cheap meat while you can but eventually it will cost you more which in turn will make you raise you prices and trigger the following.

[Blue]

yeah, alot of people owe me money.
my half-brother for baby-sitting for him owes me $30
my younger step brother owes me $10+ ( i only counting the 10 dollars) for letting him borrow my money.

And stores that overprice their games. I found doa4 for 60 dollars at one store but 40 dollars at another

[FraterPerdurabo]

Frogman, just remember that there are always more people out there, trying to sell their products and looking for customers (may be different in Africa), so if I were you, I'd find a new vendor. Just to make a point (and to save money).

[FrogMan]

Yea but finding the right is not the problem is finding someone who can give me the quantity i need.

[Blue]

how much do you need?
You can also buy from multiple people remember.
ask them to sign a contract too so they can change their prices

[Syntax_Errors]

I own my own clothing line and promotions company and last year's bulk buys were minimum of 12 T-shirts, or 12 Rash Guards, etc. They were at $100-$125 per order of 12. Now recently they are minimizing sales to 24 at $225-$275. What the hell I mean that is twice the inventory + increased $25 per order of 24. So now I have to spend more then twice as much for surplus inventories. I got a small shop and limited storage space so where do they all go now.

Additional Comment:

how much do you need?
You can also buy from multiple people remember.
ask them to sign a contract too so they can change their prices

That is so true. Too bad mine was left kind of open, even though the contract explaination is worded in a very arguable way. I may have to listen to your wisdom...lol

[Phallock]

I have been on both sides of your predicament. As a supplier I have had to look to see what the 'real cost' of a customer was on several occasions and then had to cut some customers or raise the prices to them to account for all the hidden costs. I don't know the situation where you are but I am assuming you are out of the way or not on a delivery route that is convenient to your supplier or that your supplier is in a much superior position than his competition. Either way he made a business decision that necessitate raising his prices to you. Unfortuately he wasn't very considerate (or ethical) by not giving you some advance notice and explanation for the change; that will come back on him hopefully. I know it sucks, but find and other supplier, or two preferrably, develop a decent relationship and some trust and do the best you can. I know how much costs are going up in the US and I assume in most places world wide, so I can understand your suppliers need to increase his costs but I cannot understand why he didn't take the time to give you some notice and explain the reasons for the increase.

OT.
I know it is off-topic (OT) but where in South Africa are you? I have always wanted to spend some time there and am curious.

[A.D.]

I don't suppose there is a way to enter in a legally binding contract with your suppliers? Or is it a seller's market where your beef suppliers have several buyers trying to get their stock?

Where I work there are distributers (Parts Unlimited, Tucker Rocky, Western Power Sports etc) that compete against eachother for our buisness. They all distribute pretty much the same products, but we jump between the 3 depending on what we can get cheaper from where.

I'd say always have a #2 guy lined out to buy off of.

I'd also imagine you aren't the only resturaunt that they've pulled that crap on. I forget the legal term for it but here in the states it's illegal for buisnesses to come together and bully distributers into selling low, though I'm unsure if this works in South Africa. I'd see if any other buisnesses have run into this problem, and see if you cant find an honest, faithful distributer...

[Blue]

I own my own clothing line and promotions company and last year's bulk buys were minimum of 12 T-shirts, or 12 Rash Guards, etc. They were at $100-$125 per order of 12. Now recently they are minimizing sales to 24 at $225-$275. What the hell I mean that is twice the inventory + increased $25 per order of 24. So now I have to spend more then twice as much for surplus inventories. I got a small shop and limited storage space so where do they all go now.

Additional Comment:




That is so true. Too bad mine was left kind of open, even though the contract explaination is worded in a very arguable way. I may have to listen to your wisdom...lol

this has to be the nicest thing anybody has said to me, in your predicament, i say (if you can) just order half as much times as you use too. like, instead of every two weaks, do it every month. And so on.

[Leok73]

I would say the problem being is that the supplier is not reputable and he is trying to gouge you to make up for some business mistake that he made. Look around , if someone doesnt have the same quantity do a split order twice a week. I cant remember how many times I have ordered stuff and the whole order is not there. Just keep on top of it and you will get through/ Good Luck Man. Great Rogue/Gambit sig. Any chance on doing a Mr. Sinister one for me ?

[Z3R0]

When you get into business situations like that, just act as if it doesn't put a dent in your plans. What do you think he would have done if you told him that you could just start getting supplied by his biggest competitor for half the price? You should have acted as if his supplying you meant little. "If he does supply my store that's fine, if not, I'll just get someone else and at much cheaper rates." If you show people like him such indifferance, they will buckle under the pressure of lossing a client. In reality, he did much the same to you. He made it seem as if he didn't care and thus showed you indifferance. He knew that you would either give in or not. He of course was hoping that you gave into his price range. It probably hurt his business to loss a steady client but sometimes people take chances like that. The same could be said for someone in your line of work. For example: If you told him that he could either lower his rates or find himself another client, he might have lowered his rates or he might have shown you the same indefferance you just showed him. It is all a big game.