I love to support small businesses, and over the last few weeks I've had some contrasting experiences.
I contacted an engineering supplier in the karting world. Explained what I was building and basically asking them to check the list of parts that I
wanted to buy was sensible before I placed the order. Total value of shopping list was probably £500+ all in.
Got nothing back. For two weeks. emails calls voicemails. Nothing. I give up. Spoke to a guy who has dealt with them and he said "yeh other
people have had that experience"
Tried another one. Exactly the same.
Am I doing something wrong? Did I offend them? Is £500 not enough for them to open an email? Genuine question: maybe it is.
I know running a small business is full on - but this kind of stuff must hold them back. It was the same with some kit car firms back in the day. it
ended up being a part time job getting stuff out of them at times.
In contrast I contacted a guv via facebook marketplace to buy some of those plastic stabilisation grids for shed bases. Total order was £60. Placed
the order, confirmed that day. Delivered at his own cost following monday. Even threw in some weed membrane. Then when I realised I hadnt ordered
enough he posted some out to my house within 3 days. Throughout the guy was friendly and super professional.
Maybe you're asking questions they don't want to be liable for putting together. In a previous life we wouldn't confirm items worked
together without being paid for a bit of time to check, not because we couldn't, but because we're not taking that liability without
covering the risk/design fee. Depending on the items, it can take an hour to check something over. Maybe they're run off their feet. Maybe
it's just not in their business model to provide advice. Maybe they're just arses. They're not going to tell you if they don't
want to be held to the advice, they'll just hope you go away, especially if a junior worker is answering and doesn't want to drop the owner
in it.
On the contrary, I bought a 30 quid item from a one man band in europe. I asked him a question and he wrote a custom firmware version for me for free
lol
[Edited on 18/2/2026 by coyoteboy]
quote:
Originally posted by swanny
I love to support small businesses, and over the last few weeks I've had some contrasting experiences.
I contacted an engineering supplier in the karting world. Explained what I was building and basically asking them to check the list of parts that I wanted to buy was sensible before I placed the order. Total value of shopping list was probably £500+ all in.
Got nothing back. For two weeks. emails calls voicemails. Nothing. I give up. Spoke to a guy who has dealt with them and he said "yeh other people have had that experience"
Tried another one. Exactly the same.
Am I doing something wrong? Did I offend them? Is £500 not enough for them to open an email? Genuine question: maybe it is.
I know running a small business is full on - but this kind of stuff must hold them back. It was the same with some kit car firms back in the day. it ended up being a part time job getting stuff out of them at times.
In contrast I contacted a guv via facebook marketplace to buy some of those plastic stabilisation grids for shed bases. Total order was £60. Placed the order, confirmed that day. Delivered at his own cost following monday. Even threw in some weed membrane. Then when I realised I hadnt ordered enough he posted some out to my house within 3 days. Throughout the guy was friendly and super professional.