How do i deal with this one?

[plymgary]

Hi,

I am after some advice please. I am applying for an account with a wholesaler and they've written to me to ask:

'Can you advise if your delivery address is residential, business rated/insured etc. Upon receipt of your written response, we can process your application.'

Now, if I tell them it's a residential address i'm concerned they might refuse my application. If I was to tell them part of my property is registered for business rates and dedicated to the business is there any way they could (or would bother!) to check this out?

Thanks,

Gary :)

[deniser]

Apparently to be successful you have to lie and cheat a bit. If you read the biographies of successful entrepreneurs there are quite a few stories about this.

The problem you will have is that, sooner or later, they will send a salesman round - they pop into our shop uninvited all the time.

And then you will be found out, if not before. If by then you are turning over millions, they will turn a blind eye. But if not, then they may pull the plug just when you are trying to establish your business which could be the end of it - depending obviously on what you sell and how many suppliers you have.

I don't recommend it therefore!

[Ashley_Price]

Why not do the obvious, ask why they require this information?

[plotter]

In my opinion on this one, lie that little bit to get the account, once the account is open, even if a saleman does call, especially nowadays if you keep your account in order and spend money with them i dont think they would worry too much about it.

[Ashley_Price]

But why lie until you know why they need to know this?

[UKHypnotherapy]

I think one of the reasons maybe, as I have heard of this once before is, they maybe asking as it may depend on the times that they can deliver to your address as well as the size of the transport they may use. In a residential area, you can only have business deliveries between certain times unless you have a license that allows you to operate out of these areas. For example, a printer in a residential area can only operate between certain times, unless they apply for a 24 hour license. So it may be down to this, but I would ask them the reason they are asking to help you decide on which answer you give

[plotter]

some companies, will not deliver to a home address, for reasons unknown, whether they have been ripped off before or whatever, for instance, when i first started a well known paper supplier wouldnt deliver to my address and i had it delivered to a friends business and then picked it up. again not sure why but thats how some firms work. also some delivery companies use 40 ton plus lorrys that cant alway get to or turn around in residential areas.

[Robert Wheeler]

I think the best approach is to just tell them what you think they want to know. Unless the form explicitly states that you need to be honest about what you write on there, you should not run into trouble. After all, it is only about them getting information about you so they can make a commercial decision whether to accept your orders. If you volume of order is bigger than negligible then you should be ok.

[plymgary]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've decided to inform the company that, although a residential area, the property will be used both as residential and for trade and that I have applied to the local council to be charged business rates.

Hopefully that works out okay :-)

[plotter]

i wouldnt think in fact i know they are not interested in your business rates, so dont mention it.

[Pap_sak]

Apparently to be successful you have to lie and cheat a bit. If you read the biographies of successful entrepreneurs there are quite a few stories about this.

The problem you will have is that, sooner or later, they will send a salesman round - they pop into our shop uninvited all the time.

And then you will be found out, if not before. If by then you are turning over millions, they will turn a blind eye. But if not, then they may pull the plug just when you are trying to establish your business which could be the end of it - depending obviously on what you sell and how many suppliers you have.

I don't recommend it therefore!

Is this a make or break supplier?

When I started, no one would touch me with a barge pole...2 years later...and they still reluctant! lol

Actually no, although they not flocking to my door, there is a lot more intrest and because of my payment system (everyone gets paid withing 3 days of invoice) and can start to pick and choose who gets my accounts. I do have one of germanys finest, starts with an a the other n is not intrested, but stuff them.

I would be peed of if a gave there stock to a website without a shop though, and would fight it to the bitter end. Find smaller companies that are happy to deal with you and will appreciate your business, the big boys are hard to deal with in the start up phase.