Well get ready for major price increases

[StarTech]

Basically the voters ask for it, they will get everything they asked for and then some. Common sense just went out the door. Things are about to get a lot worst then they ever imagine. They couldn't stand it that we finally got price increases under control.

I definitely will be passing all the new tariffs (taxes) along with my usual markups. Otherwords every 10% increase in cost that I pay, I will be billing the customer 15.38% (35% GPM). Also will be increasing my labor rate to offset the other increase operating costs. Most of us businesses just can't absorb the additional costs. No point of being nice to the customers now. They wanted to pay out the butt, now they can.

I also work on selling off my in house inventory towards the goal of closing my business.

 

[Craftsman Garage]

I take it you like $4 gas lol. We all don't know what exactly the prices will be like in January. I just can't wait for "Liberation Day".

 

[StarTech]

Gas around here $2.60 to $2.80 a gallon last week. I actual got mine for $2.20 per gallon a week ago.

Personally I got a very bad feeling as to what is to come. I have seen what lies in past has done. And history is about to repeat itself.

Already both of my major distributors are so screwed up by software updates that I having to call the sale persons just to get orders placed. Then I having to call customer service just to get payments applied. Things were promised to be better but are worst instead. Their software problems is destroying my business.

RBI has just updated and I lost access to the price files, PartSmart, and ACH payment system. And that just what I have checked so far. Gardner; I can't place online orders, price files are out of date, when I send check payments they don't get applied. I have to call to get them applied. And the salesman is on vacation my orders don't get placed until he is back.

Both of these distributors offer credit card payments but they charge an additional 3% currently for doing that.

 

[Craftsman Garage]

Well you said you are closing shop so not sure what you're worrying about.

 

[StarTech]

Its just me feeling like I am abandoning my customers. I may safe until of the '25 is over then retire. But that is a major change as I have been helping other since '79 and it is hard to just quit cold turkey.

Although it is getting harder and harder to deal with idiot vendors. It shouldn't be this hard to just to order parts and pay for them. I used come in place an order and then pay it within 30 min and then back to repairing things. Now it takes up to half a day to get this done.