Enco and inexpensive brass

[JRouche]

Ok.. How can they do it. Back a couple weeks ago when they had the free shipping and 20% off combined I decided to stock up on materials.

I always look for raw materials when they have these sales, specifically stuff that ALWAYS runs in the flyer. One year they actually had Starrett oil hardening steel in the flyer. And there was another 20% and free shipping deal. And it was the legit stuff, starrett likes to mark their steel up.

So I bought a couple hundred pounds of various shapes to stock up. Didnt have to break the order up due to weight, no single item was more than the 90 or so pounds that is the limit for a single item. They still ended up shipping just under 400 lbs for free and at a deep discount for the Starrett steel. That was prolly two years ago.

This year I was looking at buying some brass. I didnt have any on hand and have never worked with it. But I thought it would be a good time to buy some brass and think about some projects.

Not knowing what sizes would be good I bought a lil of each.

Its round bar 360 brass. Prolly supplied to them from the same main supplier that supplies the other middleman suppliers.

What I dont get is how do they sell it and ship it for the cost.

An example. Some of the pieces I bought are 2" bars six feet long. After the discount it was 254 bucks for each bar (I had to buy four bars for that price) shipped !!. The same bar from online metals is 435 not including shipping, 611 from speedy metals, 506 from McMastercarr and my local metal supplier (Industrial metal supply in Los Angeles) was even higher then them all.

Each bar weighs 70lbs. They were shipped in there own tubes. Nice heavy wall tubes, great for storing them in by the way.

UPS shipping for most folks is close to a buck a pound when you are in the furthest zones. I bought a lil over 400 pounds of brass including the other sizes.

So realistically bought four sticks of the 2" brass rod for 183 bucks (minus shipping) each VS the 435, 506 and 611 each from the other suppliers if you take into account they ALL charge shipping, so their numbers are ALSO minus shipping.

What gives!!! I understand they dont have the 20% and free shipping combined but prolly once a year. But when they do I make sure to stock up.

Oh, and the sibling, MSC wants 496 for the same bar, before shipping. JR

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?P...LMPA&PMCTLG=01

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant...117&top_cat=79

https://www.speedymetals.com/Shoppin...360-brass.aspx

Yeah, you cant make an easy link to MC.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#red-metals/=fful8k

http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/NNSRIT...-SearchResults

[snowman]

Well, they do it at a loss, and people like you piss off their accountants.

Most purchasers will buy a few more expensive items that have a high rate of return with some lower rate of return items.

lol

[john hobdeclipe]

The prices from Speedy and from OnLine are insane! I just priced their 2-1/2" brass round bar and it runs around $8.50 per pound. Last week I bought some locally (Dallas, TX.) at $4.30/pound.

[Your Old Dog]

I'm begging you. If you kick before me please have your family notify me of your estate sale and I'll do the same

[wierdscience]

Enco never makes a dime,not even on machinery that's how.

Metals prices fluctuate by the week,sometimes by the day.Don't assume a supplier you have used in the past will have the best price in the future-always shop around.

Different suppliers will sometimes have better prices on some cross sections than others.For example Speedy metals for awhile had 1x2" cold rolled 1018 for the same price as 1x1,I bought plenty

[JoeLee]

Big places like Enco, which is owned by MSC buy raw materials by the truck load direct from the mill, they get some really good prices. It may sound like an un believable price to you as compared to other sources.
I doubt they sell anything at a loss.

JL................

[baldysm]

Enco sells everything at a loss? The motivation to do that would be..... what?

Sure, I can see there being a loss leader, but on everything? Sorry, hogwash in my opinion.

Understand that Online and Speedy both have no minimum and no cut charges. So if you want a 1/8" diameter steel rod that is $1, they'll ship it to you.

They will have a higher price than companies that have a minimum or a cut charge, or companies that only sell to businesses.