Before you buy From Axminster - do your research!

[Alex Jones]

Save yourself money and your sanity!

I have been after a Fuji Mini Mite3 HVLP spray system for some time now.
The only suppliers in the UK of the MM3 are Axminster Power Tools Ltd.
That fact alone, alarm bells start ringing!

I contacted Fuji (the manufactures of the MM3), in Canada and asked what price they could do me a Mini Mite3 for!
(I have always been the type of person to ask for a better price rather than to accept the price being shown.) Anyway...

To cut a long story short...Fuji are shipping over a MM3 with a GT-X2 pressure gravity fed spraygun for less than Axminster's special offer price.
...and yes that price includes the shipping!
A little over £200 !!!
That's just short of a £100 saving!!!

It nice to know that those companies still exist! A company that values its customers over its profits. Profits are a by-product made from good customer relations!

So it's cheaper to buy a brand new Mini Mite spray HVLP spray system from the manufactures over in Canada complete with shipping costs, than it is to buy from the only UK dealer, even with their 'special offer' !

I realise that I run the risk of being barred from this site by criticising Axminster Tool Centre ...the sites sponsors, but knowledge is power...and power to the people!

It is worth remembering what happens when 'word of mouth' meets the Internet!

"An oversupply economy, overabundance of information, customers increasingly cynical of advertising & marketing, and eCommerce has hit the mainstream.

It's no wonder why customers are turning to each other. Customer-to-customer conversations are authentic, credible and reliable. Just what we need as customers to get excited about a product and make wise purchase decisions".

I recently won a 'breach of contract' court case against Axminster Tools Centre Ltd.

So my advice, do your research, talk to other customers etc
Contact the manfactures direct!

So when it comes down to Axminster Tool Centre...It's good to see that the Christmas spirit is still alive in Devon. Albeit the one made famous by Charles Dickens!

 

[Smudger]

Hmm. Interesting first post.

As someone else is running in a thread on here, Axminster offer extremely good service including after sales. That requires staff and investment which means higher costs than a simple importer.
They also offer effective guarantees, which is again costly given the number of imported machines which are faulty.

It is always going to cost more to import as a business and offer after sales service, online sales and advice than to simply import a one-off item. So I think your criticism is unfair, especially as it seems to be just an excuse to slag off a company which many of us use and have no issues with.

Sorry not to be more welcoming, as you are new to the forum, but you set yourself up for that with a first post like this.

 

[Maia28]

Hi Alex and welcome. I've experienced very poor service from Axminster, but we seem to be in the minority here. I won't buy from them any more and I'm not sure this person will either:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... highlight=

You would have to be barking mad to pay a 50% premium for their customer service in my opinion, but they do seem to offer some good deals in some cases. Nonetheless, there have been many posts on here about the money to be saved by importing directly and I'm sure that your info will be useful to others. It's also good to balance the good with the bad you also seem to have had problems with them in the past.
Andy

 

[harryc]

I think the point being highlighted is that you should not rely on one supplier giving you the the most competitive price, nothing to do with what the over heads Axminster have to take into account.
Which incidentally brings to mind the price hikes introduced by Axminster due to the global increase in raw products like steel etc. Well since the slump in global metal prices have they reduced their prices :?: (Not the miniscule 150 reduction)

Harry

 

[paulm]

I'm no expert by any means, but based un importing the odd Lie Neilsen hand plane and such like, I think you may get a shock when the goods hit Customs.

Unless you are lucky, it happens sometimes but is a gamble, you will likely have to pay vat and probably import duty as well, together with processing fees. Don't know how much the duty and fees might be but the vat obviously would be around £30.

You may still make a saving but it might be less than you think.

Hope you don't have any missing parts or damaged or non-working goods delivered though, because in that event what are you going to do without having bought it through a local business with replacement stock, spares, service and support staff?

Anyway, good luck to you, personally I am very happy to give Axi' my business on a regular basis and feel very lucky to have them around with the wide range of products they stock, many of which are difficult to find elsewhere.

I usually price compare where possible with Rutlands, D&M, CHT, Workshop Heaven etc on anything more expensive anyway but rarely find better deals available.

Cheers, Paul

 

[Mr Ed]

If you think about it, a company with a massive portfolio of products like Axminster is bound to be more expensive on a few things, just due to the logistics of monitoring what others are selling for. That in my view need not make them a bad company. If you have any common sense you shop around - I use Axminster quite a bit but if someone else is cheaper on the item I am buying I'll go elsewhere.

I'd agree with Smudger that its an interesting first post and the fact that you have been involved in legal proceedings with Axminster could forgiveably leave us with the view that you have an axe to grind and see the forum as a way of progressing this. I have no doubt that your future ongoing involvement in other discussions will put paid to any suggestions of this.

I think the import option, when taking account of the value of the pound, shipping costs, and the fact that import duty and VAT are added has not worked out beneficial on the few items I looked at recently.

Welcome to the forum and I look forward to discussing a wide variety of topics with you in the coming year.

Cheers, Ed

 

[wizer]

Sounds like sour grapes to me. If you'd received bad service I might be sympathetic. But what you've gained in importing you've lost in local before and after sales service and guarantees. If you ever have to send it back for a warranty issue, you'd loose and discounts from the purchase. Also as Chisel says. Hold on to your hat when the customs notice drops on the door mat! I bought 3 spokeshaves 2 dvds and some hickory bark from Brian boggs and ended up saving about £10 of the UK price and that was when the dollar was good.

In my experience importing single items ain't worth it unless that item isn't available in the UK.

Not all companies get it right every time, but you'll find a hoard of happy Axminster Customers here and it's not because they advertise here.

 

[CHJ]

I am fortunate to have an import route from USA that does all the import duty,vat nonsense for me, air mail for small items container for big stuff.
There is no way that anything coming this route can avoid the said duties, and their collection fee is nominal it the invoicing, I always ask for a quote 'delivered to my door' or 'collected from warehouse'

Funnily enough it is the small mail packet sized spares etc. that see the biggest saving over UK supplier mark-up, larger items are often within a margin that possible problems with after sales service deem them as no advantage over UK stockist.

 

[Alex Jones]

Many thanks for all the replies.
I wanted to make my first post a memorable one.

I'm only talking about the Fuji Mini Mite HVLP spray system and no other product that Axminster sells!

I too had been a happy customer of Axminster until the MM3 fiasco!

...and my axe has already been ground as I won the court case!!!

Incidentally, the reason why the court case happened in the first place was due to the appalling after sales service that I received after I had bought a MM3 fron them that was supplied with a wrong spraygun. If Axminster had actually listened to what I was telling them then we would have avoided the County Court hearing and the subsequent 'breach of contract' ruling. Anyway that's all done and dusted...

...I'm simply passing on my experience that I have had with Axminster and Fuji and the saving which can be made.

Before buying the MM3 I had spoken to Fuji and they have assured me that the system is fully insured for loss and damage! So no worries there.

I am not going in to detail but we have also 'sorted' the import price on the item to reduce the VAT payable. The clearance fee is £8.00 though.

In my line of work I import a lot from the USA and China! So I was already aware of these duty charges before ordering!

I have bought this item from exactly the same people that Axminster buy from - Fuji, (the manufactures) who are based in Canada!
I have exactly the same guarantee from Fuji that Axminster offer.
Axminster do not offer anything 'extra' on top of Fuji guarantee.

The wholesale 'buying power' price per unit is always going to be cheaper than compared to an individual buying the same one-off item!
(The supermarket 'vs' local grocer conflict.)
That means that Axminster are buying the MM3 from Fuji at an even cheaper price than what I have paid.

Online selling cuts overheads , not increases them!
Advice should always be free!
It costs nothing to be polite!

Axminster are the only UK seller of the Mini Mite3 system...so there is no UK shop around option! No competition means that they can in effect charge what they like!

In my opinion that is wrong!

 

[wizer]

Good, well now you've had your rant. Welcome to the forum. Why don't you tell us about yourself and what you do.

 

[Martin Brown]

Save yourself money and your sanity!


I realise that I run the risk of being barred from this site by criticising Axminster Tool Centre ...the sites sponsors, but knowledge is power...and power to the people!

As a part of the Axminster team, and a regular part of UKW, I can assure everyone that the above comment is not correct.

Please tell me on what basis you make this comment.

Martin

 

[Alex Jones]

Thanks wizer,

I run a business which designs and makes film industry equipment.
We 'borrow' ideas and then make and sell at a fraction of the cost!

Track and dolly to camera stabilisers, to camera cranes and all in between!

You could buy a camera crane jib-arm for around £6,000. Come to us and buy the same for £700!
Does the same job...what you see on the screen is the same...but you save £5k!

We are not preoccupied with amassing huge profits! As you have probably guessed by now we are the low budget film makers champion!

Our work ethic is based around the Freddy Laker way of doing things!

Instead of selling one massive profit item per month, let's sell lots of small/medium sized profit items per month!
The more products out there being used with our name on, the more interest is generated and the more we sell!

We win and the consumer wins!
The way it should be!

 

[wizer]

Well your certainly the business man.

What about woodworking?

 

[Ironballs]

Alex, it does seem like a post that sets out to offend and it may well have done. Most people are keen to be alerted to a good deal, but there are ways of saying so

Damian

 

[Alex Jones]

I made that comment '...the sites sponsors' after seeing a banner add with Axminster Tool Centre in the top right hand corner of the site!

"...and now a word from our sponsors"!
An Americanism used to refer to adverts during TV programmes!

Are you telling me that it is free to put a banner advert on this site?

 

[Martin Brown]

Sorry I should have been more clear.

Are you suggesting we would influence posts here?

If so please may I have the evidence? I suggest you PM me.

Martin

 

[jasonB]

I am not going in to detail but we have also 'sorted' the import price on the item to reduce the VAT payable

Just hope thats all above board as you are legally responsible for the information on the Customs declaration made by the sender and for any charges due.

If you were to falsely value an item then you could have to pay penalties or face prosecution!!

Still lets hope yopu win that one as well

Jason

 

[kmhphoto]

I am not going in to detail but we have also 'sorted' the import price on the item to reduce the VAT payable. The clearance fee is £8.00 though.

My wife - who is a customs officer - found that statement quite amusing. Shipments are often labelled as "gifts", or have extremely low values listed on the shipping labels and due to the huge number of parcels many get through. But people who broadcast their intention of evading the tax payable are more likely to get caught.

 

[Chippyjoe]

Hi Alex,not disputing what you have said,but my experience of trying to buy a Fuji F4 pro "direct" was that by the time I had paid the shipping costs,import taxes and the dreaded vodka and tonic I was going to save about £30.00.
In my opinion it did not warrant the saving as against the back up and after sales of buying it in good old blighty!
Also with the pound now in freefall I guess the saving wouldnt be a lot at all.
Anyway good luck to you,and welcome to the forum.

Mark.

 

[MIGNAL]

Well I must say I'm surprised that the so called import price has been 'sorted'. Very strange behaviour from a company who is willing to alter the declaration. I'm not certain, but I doubt that it's even legal.
I once was asked to 'alter' the declared export price by a customer in the States. The real value of the item was some $1,000 and he requested that I declare a value of $50. I pointed out to him that his declared value would hardly tally with the insured value of the package, not to mention that Customs probably had the authority to shut me down. I had no intention of playing ball.
Quite why a company would offer to do this beats me. It should also have the alarm bells ringing. If this is true, Fuji Canada could be in big trouble.