RE: Talking Point

I was disgusted to see that manufacturers are being accused of creating a discounting war. 

I have worked for showrooms and manufacturers for many years and it's clear that a lot of retailers are scared to use the word 'no' or get to the end of the sale and automatically give 20 to 30% off the final price. 

How did this happen? Do they think that if they don't give a discount people will never buy KBB products again? 

Have you ever tried to get a discount on a brand new iPod or a Rolex? You can't, but they still sell lots of them.I agree that competing with internet prices is not easy, but we must accept that it's not going to go away and we have to look at other ways of dealing with it. 

Good service, for instance, costs nothing. While I agree with comments about certain manufacturers putting the product everywhere, I also understand that it's not easy for them when they go through distributors because the people who work for them are on a basic wage plus a big commission.

I have sold many bathrooms in my time and the maximum discount I have ever given is 15% to a retail customer. I am no one special, I just believe in myself and the service I provide.

When I first started in this business I was told to look after your builders, architects, interior designers, and developers to ensure repeat business. But over the past 10 years we have given the retail customer the same discounts and they're only going to do their bathroom once every 10 years.

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