Markup or Margin ?

We've welcomed the new year in with a new article Markup or Margin ?.

This article is especially written for merchants (and anyone in the selling business) who not only need excellent customer service skills and product knowledge, but also need to be able to handle the tricky business of working with nett costs, gross profits and supplier discounts.

Giving customers the best possible discounts, whilst still maintaining acceptable margins can task everyone who doesn't have a PHD in applied mathematics. This article will take you through these issues, explaining the concepts, and giving you simple ways to calculate prices.

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2006-01-07 10:58:36.
Categories: website, independents, nationals

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New Articles

We now have several new articles. These are a series of articles by the Federation of Master Builders.

They are mainly on subjects related to maintainance and improvement of domestic properties. They will be of interest to anyone who is looking to extend their home or garden.

You can read them at :

• The Article Index Page

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2005-12-15 12:53:55.
Categories: articles, website

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Over 2000 Domains

We've been pleased with the reaction to the launch of our Building Search service. It's still a beta service, so we're working on improving it and ironing out the bugs, but we've had some nice feedback.

Today we crossed the Two Thousand domain mark. That means that Building Search is returning results from more than two thousand domains relevant to the UK building trade.

Our next focus is on improving our local coverage. We'd like more web results for local landscapers, business merchants, builders, and so on.

If you know of a website that doesn't seem to be included in our database, then let us know; use our Website Submission Form.

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2005-11-09 13:17:58.
Categories: website

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Better Late Than Never

Well, we were a little early going live with the website. Since last month we've had two excellent articles online :

• Being Independent

  The strengths of independent builders merchants. Reasons to be one, or use one. Read this and you will start to feel sorry for the national merchants.

• Problem to Profit

  How difficult times can be an opportunity to win your customers over. Anyone who has ever experienced the stress of orders gone wrong - when it is not your fault - needs to read this.

However, the links leading to the Building Search have been leading to dead links [1].

That is until yesterday, when we finally managed to get our Beta Service off the ground.

If you're searching for manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors of building products - then Building Search is the place to look.

[1]	The dreaded error 404 for the techno-savvy.

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2005-11-02 22:04:02.
Categories: website, nationals, independents, news, articles

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Start of a Good Thing

Well, the summer is over. The grey clouds are once again sweeping over the British building trade - both literally and metaphorically.

Perhaps not the time to launch a new venture? We at Buildingtrade.org.uk think differently. Like the winter months, the current slowdown is only temporary.

The UK construction industry is only gradually waking up to the internet revolution - but we're willing to bet that when you need information, it's the first place you look.

We're going to be here with you through the winter - but also here in the spring, and whatever new trials that may bring.

This is the Buildingtrade.org.uk blog. Here we'll be posting news, opinions, and any short snippets we think you might find interesting.

If you have any news or feedback that you want us to hear, please use the contact page and let us know.

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2005-10-10 15:08:54.
Categories: news, website, independents, nationals, opinion, articles, regulations, materials

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