Thursday 27 October 2016

Keep it real, keep it Local

Stuff-Uk have been established for more than 15 years now. We are proud to be a socially responsible business.
When you buy from a small business, you’re not helping a tax avoiding large corporation get even more bloated. You’re not helping accountants, shareholders and bankers get a nice fat dividend. You’re not helping a CEO get his 6 figure bonus while his staff are on zero hours contracts and working themselves into the ground for minimum wage.
You’re helping Mums and Dads put food on the table. You’re helping a little girl get dance lessons or a little boy get his football boots. You’re helping the local authority keep the streets lit and safe. You’re helping our economy on so many levels.
Think about this next time you can see something a quid cheaper at a huge multinational retailer. Keep it real, keep it local.

If you agree with us, please share and spread the word. Come and see us soon!

Friday 29 January 2016

Courier Fuel Surcharges - The Hidden Cost of Selling Online

The world is currently awash with a glut of cheap oil. The price for a barrel of Brent Crude has dropped sharply in the last 18 months, it has even lost 20% of its value since Christmas. This has translated into much cheaper fuel prices at the pumps for us here in the UK, not cheap enough obviously, but most of the cost of a litre of fuel is now made up of fuel duty and VAT. On a 99p litre of fuel at the supermarket, the actual cost of the fuel is only about 25p.

We are constantly working hard to keep our costs as low as possible, so we can pass on savings to our customers. The one cost we cannot control effectively is the shipping costs to deliver orders. We do our best, we work with a broad range of the main players in the industry, all of whom impose a surcharge on every single parcel we ship. Currently, this is in the region of between 3% (Royal Mail) to 5% (UPS). Some couriers charge even more, but we don’t use them.

If costs increase for most companies you are faced with two choices. You can raise your prices, risking upsetting customers and losing business to cheaper competitors. Alternatively, you can sacrifice profits to keep prices stable and retain your market share. The courier companies have found a 3rd option: fuel surcharges.

When oil prices started to rise so quickly in the early 2000’s, many courier companies implemented fuel surcharges into their pricing. If fuel prices are at a recent historic low, why do the parcel couriers, still impose a fuel surcharge on every single parcel they deliver? We believe originally, fuel surcharges were a clear, mathematically determined system for courier companies to claw back their expenses when there is an unexpectedly high fuel price. Now after a prolonged period of falling fuel prices to (recent) historic lows it is more a way of raising extra profit while duping customers into thinking they are not paying more than they were last year.

Courier companies do huge volumes of business. Their fleet of vehicles are moving 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of whether they are carrying 10, 20 or 1000 packages. Imagine sending 3 separate parcels to 3 different companies in an industrial park in the same town, the customer is stung with the fuel surcharge on each package. No extra fuel has been used by the courier.

Naturally, the couriers would claim that they buy their diesel many months in advance. This is why we don’t see the surcharges going up and down like the prices we see at the fuel pumps.

Essentially, these guys are imposing these surcharges instead of raising their prices. Are they hoping their customers are too thick to notice? How many other industries have a 40% reduction in their main cost and still impose a surcharge on their customers?


Who ultimately pays for this sneaky profiteering? You, me and the other 40 million people in the UK who shop online, that’s who.

Tuesday 10 November 2015

Spot the difference

When is a bargain not a bargain?


I recently had the misfortune of using an online retailer called Nigel O'Hara. It seems that their business model is based on getting as much money as possible by advertising products that they do not have at unbelievably low prices. The unwitting customer pays their money in the hope of getting a bargain. So for the next 3-4 weeks they are sitting on your money. They do not issue refunds but instead request that you issue a charge back through your card issuer. A process in itself rather time consuming.

After reading some of the online reviews it beggars belief that people actually use this website.

There are some happy customers but over 35% of them seem to think the website s a scam. The positive reviews are such a contrast and all a bit similar that the sceptic in me would perhaps think they may not be entirely genuine.

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.nigelohara.com?unactivated=true

Makes us wonder here at Stuff-uk.net what we have to do. Yes we have upset customers, but less than 1% make negative reviews about us. We respect our genuine competitors but cannot condone such borderline activity.

https://www.ekomi.co.uk/review-stuff-uk.net.html

I am sure we would not be able to remain in business if we didn't answer the phone in a handful of rings and reply promptly to customer emails.

One wonders how the people at Nigel O'hara can sleep at night?

Wednesday 12 November 2014

Stuff-uk.net is now recognised as Google Certified Shop

Stuff-uk.net is now recognised as Google Certified Shop 

Stuff-uk.net which offers IT and Office Supplies, was recently selected to join the Google Certified Shops program. To help shoppers identify online merchants that offer a great shopping experience, the Google Certified Shops badge is awarded to e­commerce sites that demonstrate a track record of on­time shipping and excellent customer service. When visiting the Stuff-uk.net website, shoppers will see a Google Certified Shops badge and can click on it for more information.  

As an added benefit, when a shopper makes a purchase at a Google Certified Shops, they have the option to select free purchase protection from Google. Then in the unlikely event of an issue with their purchase, they can request Google’s help, and Google will work with Stuff-uk.net and the customer to address the issue. As part of this, Google offers up to $1,000 lifetime purchase protection for eligible purchases. 

Google Certified Shops is entirely free, both for shoppers and for online stores. The program helps online stores like Stuff-uk.net attract new customers, increase sales and differentiate themselves by showing off their excellent service via the badge on their websites.  

Thursday 3 July 2014

New Products 03/07/2014


Samsung GH98-23341B Rear Case GH98-23341B
Buy from stock GH98-23341B by Samsung - GH98-23341B Rear Case.
Corsair Hydro Series H60/H80/H100 Universal Bracket kit CW-8960002
Excerpt: Many manufacturers sell complete liquid cooling sets as a superior alternative for high-end CPU air coolers. They're typically more expensive, ...
IBM x3650 M4 Plus 8x 2.5" HS HDD Assembly Kit with Expander 69Y5319
Buy from stock 69Y5319 by IBM - x3650 M4 Plus 8x 2.5" HS HDD Assembly Kit with Expander.
Acer Acer N35 PDA Stylus Pack CCN3502003
Buy from stock CCN3502003 by Acer - Acer N35 PDA Stylus Pack.
Samsung Battery Li-Ion 1500mh EB425161LU GH43-03701A
Buy from stock GH43-03701A by Samsung - Battery Li-Ion 1500mh EB425161LU.
HP Virtual Connect Flex-10/10D Module for c-Class BladeSystem 638526-B21
Buy from stock 638526-B21 by HP - Virtual Connect Flex-10/10D Module for c-Class BladeSystem.
FTP - Stuff-uk.net.
Motorola FX4700 2-Port Gen2 Global RFID Reader Fast Ethernet USB 802.3af 4 x TNC 64MB Flash 64MB DRAM DHCP HTTPS FTPS SSH HTTP, ...
Samsung Galaxy NX Compact Camera Megapixels 20.3 CMOS, 23.5 x 15.7 mm, HSPA+/LTE ...
Samsung Galaxy NX Compact Camera Megapixels 20.3 CMOS, 23.5 x 15.7 mm, HSPA+/LTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 4.77" ScLCD (1280 x 720), Quad 1.6 ...
(5.5 inch) Smartphone Quad Core 2.46GHz 2GB 16GB WiFi 3G LTE 4G Camera Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Buy from stock LGD855.A6GBTN by LG - G3 D855 (5.5 inch) Smartphone Quad Core 2.46GHz 2GB 16GB WiFi 3G LTE 4G Camera Android 4.4.2 ...
Intel Standard Thermal Solution HTS1155LP BXHTS1155LP
Buy from stock BXHTS1155LP by Intel - Standard Thermal Solution HTS1155LP.
Sennheiser SC 630 USB CTRL, 50 - 18000 Hz, 2.9 m Headset Black/Silver 504554
Buy from stock 504554 by Sennheiser - SC 630 USB CTRL, 50 - 18000 Hz, 2.9 m Headset Black/Silver.
(4GB) Memory Module PC3-12800 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM
Use HP server memory options to improve the performance of your ProLiant servers and data centres. Infrastructure matters. It's the foundation for all ...
with two ServeRAID M5015 adapters
Buy from stock 69Y5034 by IBM - Hot-swap SAS SATA 8 Pack HDD Enablement Kit (with two ServeRAID M5015 adapters)
IBM 450GB 15k FC 4Gb/s Enhanced Disk Drive Module R2 00Y5016
Buy from stock 00Y5016 by IBM - 450GB 15k FC 4Gb/s Enhanced Disk Drive Module R2.
HP MSA 900GB 6G SAS 10K SFF(2.5in) Enterprise Self Encrypted 3yr Wty Hard Drive G0M43A
Buy from stock G0M43A by HP - MSA 900GB 6G SAS 10K SFF(2.5in) Enterprise Self Encrypted 3yr Wty Hard Drive.
HP DL360e Gen8 Redundant Fan Kit 661530-B21
Buy from stock 661530-B21 by HP - DL360e Gen8 Redundant Fan Kit.
HP Keyboard black (includes keyboard cable) French 636376-051
Order 636376-051 by HP - Keyboard black (includes keyboard cable) French.
TrendNet TPE-115GI TPE-115GI PoE+ Gigabit Injector, IEEE 802.3at/802.3af, 10/100/1000Mbps ...
Buy from stock TPE-115GI by TrendNet - TPE-115GI PoE+ Gigabit Injector, IEEE 802.3at/802.3af, 10/100/1000Mbps, 100m.
HP TippingPoint S1050F Next Generation Firewall Appliance JC882A
Buy from stock JC882A by HP - TippingPoint S1050F Next Generation Firewall Appliance.

Friday 27 June 2014

Recent Customer Reviews of Stuff-uk.net

Here are some recent customer reviews from our partner Ekomi

You can see more here

Customer reviews - From Customers for Customers

All customer reviews are from customers who have completed a transaction with Stuff-uk.net

  • Customer review
     
    / 5
     
    Would recommend to others. yes
     
    on 2014-06-25 at 16:37
  • Customer review
     
    / 5
     
    Great bargains, great selection
     
    on 2014-06-25 at 11:27
  • Customer review
     
    / 5
     
    Great price and next delivery. Couldn't ask for better.
     
    on 2014-06-25 at 10:59
  • Customer review
     
    / 5
     
    Having ordered by phone and recently online I feel qualified to comment on both methods. Absolutely perfect. In fact I would say Stuff UK has one of the best online ordering systems I have come across. The staff are professional and helpful. I have no hesitation in recommending their services 100% I have been in this business since the seventies and have come across countless supply companies. Stuff UK rank at the too. Well done!!!
     
    on 2014-06-25 at 08:12
  • Customer review
     
    / 5
     
    There is nothing to fault in this transaction. I chose Styff-uk.net because I wanted a guaranteed genuine HP part and not a fake part. It was clear that this supplier could provide just that and at a very competitive price..
     
    on 2014-06-24 at 14:14
  • Customer review
     
    / 5
     
    Great Price on my Slingbox.
    Wanted rapid delivery and opted for collection from their premises. Although delivery to their premises was delayed I was kept up to date on delivery at each step.
     
    on 2014-06-23 at 13:26
  • Customer review
     
    / 5
     
    Nothing to criticise. :D
     
    on 2014-06-22 at 18:34
  • Customer review
     
    / 5
     
    Very satisfied with order. Shipping costs slightly expensive.
     
    on 2014-06-22 at 14:59
  • Customer review
     
    / 5
     
    I had no problems. Delivery on time (2 days) and the item exactly what I ordered. Really pleased as item was cheaper than Argos.
     
    on 2014-06-21 at 15:49
  • Customer review
     
    / 5
     
    Speedy efficient service
     
    on 2014-06-21 at 15:35

Monday 3 February 2014

Experienced Office Stationery Sales - Vacancy

Experienced Office Stationery Sales

Job description
Job Title: Office Stationery / IT Sales Executive
Location: Chessington
Salary: £20,000 - £55,000
£20k – £30k basic with £55k OTE
We are looking for an Experienced Office Supplies/IT Sales executive to join an exciting company with ambitions for significant growth. They are offering a fantastic opportunity within the office stationery field with excellent career progression!

Key Features:
  • - Proactive new business development
  • - Managing existing client base. Increase sales and profit.
  • - Following up and maximising sales leads.


We are looking for:
  • - An experienced sales professional, with a wealth of contacts and knowledge of the office supplies industry.
  • - A hard work ethic and a hunger to constantly exceed set targets
  • - A computer literate, excellent communicator with strong, innovative ideas about sales and marketing.

They ultimately want you to head up your own sales team. And you will be provided with all the encouragement and support to help you increase your earning potential.
We have a long established website and an ever growing customer base made up of Bluechip companies, SMEs, Government, NHS, Education and local authorities. Their online shop supplies over 90,000 products ranging from IT equipment like Computers, Tablets and Components, Batteries and Spare Parts to a full range of Office Stationery and supplies such as general stationery, print consumables and furniture.

We are looking to grow significantly and it is a very exciting time to join their business. The rewards are there for the people who have what it takes to help us achieve these goals!

Contact jg@stuff-uk.net with a cover note and your cv - No Agencies

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Stuff-uk.net Current Vacancies



Stuff-uk.net currently has a vacancy for a highly skilled and motivated individual to head up our Stationery division. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years’ experience at management level in the stationery business to business market.

A computer literate, excellent communicator with strong innovative ideas about sales and marketing, based at our offices in Chessington Surrey.

Basic Salary depending on experience £20-30k with an uncapped OTE of £50k plus

No agencies

Please email current CV and covering letter explaining your ambitions to Alan Stanley as@stuff-uk.net

Wednesday 27 November 2013

There's no such thing as free shipping


Consumer surveys will happily tell you that end users much prefer to have online goods delivered for free. In fact the likes of Ebay are currently pressing merchants to offer free shipping as a way to increase sales. Amazon also offer free shipping on certain items, however they obviously get extremely discounted shipping rates due to the size and nature of their business model.
A lot of UK based online retailers now offer free delivery as a marketing tool, the main reason for this is they aim to get higher ranking on online shopping portals, who seem hell bent on listing items by total cost for single items. What the portals and unfortunately a lot of uneducated end users fail to realise is the fact that there is no such thing as free shipping. Like the free lunch, everything comes at a price. The good old Royal Mail and every other delivery company don’t deliver parcels for nothing, so somewhere the cost of the delivery is hidden in the price of the goods. This is all well and good if you are buying one item, the total price is pretty academic. However once you purchase multiple products or more than one of the same product, you are in fact paying the hidden delivery charge for every product that you buy.
Here at www.stuff-uk.net we charge on delivery per order. You can order one, two or a hundred of the same products and you are only charged once for delivery. We believe that having visible carriage is the best and most transparent way to price our goods and overall total purchase price.
For example one of our competitors will sell a particular product for £20.00 inclusive of delivery. Whereas www.stuff-uk.net sell the product for £15.50 plus delivery at £4.50 a total price of £20.00. Deciding which vendor to use is therefore not based on price. What people tend to ignore is when they buy 2 of the same product. Our competitor will deliver two of the same products for £40.00 whereas at stuff-uk.net you will pay £35.50 a clear saving of £4.50. Imagine buying a 100, you would waste £450.00 with our competitor.


There is no such thing as free delivery, here at www.stuff-uk.net  , the more you buy, the more you save.