Where do large companies purchase their IT supplies from?

[JaFool1]

This may seem like an odd question...

Where do large (50+ office staff) companies purchase their IT supplies (cables, power supplies, chargers etc) from?

We have a product that we sell on the usual platforms (Amazon, eBay) that occasionally attracts large orders from businesses. We now want to actively advertise it to companies of this type.

[Richard-390a0]

Probably 2 - 3k people on site here & all of the I.T kit is rented.

[Funk]

What's the product?

I work for an IT VAR with customers ranging from 200-5,000 seat networks and whilst our primary focus is infrastructure such as storage, networking etc most of my customers will also buy the 'day-to-day odds and sods' from us too such as cabling, chargers etc.

I always tell my customers when I'm not the cheapest but more often than not they value the convenience/service/speed and ease of ordering more (mainly because we're already on their supplier list and they have credit terms with us) so a few quid extra here or there isn't much of an issue to them.

You might do well to pitch to VARs rather than trying to win end-users directly?

[lythaby]

Softcat
Insight
Highgate IT
Bytes
Lindy
CPC/Farnell

There are some smaller/different providers that are more specialist than others for other things, such as a specific WiFi brand for instance.
Generally it is trust, convenience and relationship, although if you have a co. credit card you can sometimes try a new supplier without making a terms account.

[Mr Overheads]

https://www.westcoast.co.uk/

Are a wholesaler

[C0ffin D0dger]

All our computers come from Dell but they're on 3 year leases. We then have to order any extra bits we want like docks, bags, monitors, Skype headsets etc. Think all that stuff is bought outright but I've no idea where the stuff that isn't Dell comes from.

Fortune 100 company with ~131,000 employees worldwide.

[Countdown]

Lancashire County Council used to buy from these guys I think.

https://www.stonegroup.co.uk/

IIRC all the equipment was on a 3 year lease/refresh cycle.

[AllyBassman]

Softcat

[CoolHands]

Doesn’t lord Sugars company provide loads of this stuff?

[C0ffin D0dger]

CoolHands said:

Doesn’t lord Sugars company provide loads of this stuff?

Amstrad?

[CorradoTDI]

C0ffin D0dger said:

CoolHands said:

Doesn’t lord Sugars company provide loads of this stuff?

Amstrad?

Viglen, mainly to the education sector.

[anonymous-user]

It depends what they want.

We rarely stuck to one supplier - why would we, so much of IT is commoditised these days.

Last refresh of desktops was from stonegroup, but networking kit came from network specialist, and consumables came from whoever provided best price.
It's a buyer's market,I you want to compete you have to do exactly that, compete on price and service

[JaFool1]

Funk said:

What's the product?

I work for an IT VAR with customers ranging from 200-5,000 seat networks and whilst our primary focus is infrastructure such as storage, networking etc most of my customers will also buy the 'day-to-day odds and sods' from us too such as cabling, chargers etc.

I always tell my customers when I'm not the cheapest but more often than not they value the convenience/service/speed and ease of ordering more (mainly because we're already on their supplier list and they have credit terms with us) so a few quid extra here or there isn't much of an issue to them.

You might do well to pitch to VARs rather than trying to win end-users directly?

It's a charging accessory for Apple & Lenovo laptops. Thanks for the info, we will look into this avenue

[JaFool1]

lythaby said:

Insight
Highgate IT
Lindy
CPC/Farnell

There are some smaller/different providers that are more specialist than others for other things, such as a specific WiFi brand for instance.
Generally it is trust, convenience and relationship, although if you have a co. credit card you can sometimes try a new supplier without making a terms account.

Thanks, these are the kind of outfits we are looking for, especially Insight

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

JaFool1 said:

lythaby said:

Insight
Highgate IT
Lindy
CPC/Farnell

There are some smaller/different providers that are more specialist than others for other things, such as a specific WiFi brand for instance.
Generally it is trust, convenience and relationship, although if you have a co. credit card you can sometimes try a new supplier without making a terms account.

Thanks, these are the kind of outfits we are looking for, especially Insight

I wouldn't bother with Insight, they're a hellish company, I used to work there. ComputaCenter, SCC (Specialist Computer Centre) Millgate and CCS Media are all great companies who I would suggest looking at.

Edit, I'd actually not read your OP thoroughly.

Further to the above posts these are the main IT disties in the UK

Micro Peripherals
ETC
Westcoast inc XMA for consumables
Frontline
Ingram Micros
Computer 2000
Northamber
Enta Technologies

Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 29th March 15:07

[Countdown]

A lot of Govt. Departments have to use suppliers on the CCS Framework

https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/pill...

[LordHaveMurci]

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

I wouldn't bother with Insight, they're a hellish company, I used to work there. ComputaCenter, SCC (Specialist Computer Centre) Millgate and CCS Media are all great companies who I would suggest looking at.

Edit, I'd actually not read your OP thoroughly.

Further to the above posts these are the main IT disties in the UK

Micro Peripherals
ETC
Westcoast inc XMA for consumables
Frontline
Ingram Micros
Computer 2000
Northamber
Enta Technologies

Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 29th March 15:07

Bit out of date that list!

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

LordHaveMurci said:

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

I wouldn't bother with Insight, they're a hellish company, I used to work there. ComputaCenter, SCC (Specialist Computer Centre) Millgate and CCS Media are all great companies who I would suggest looking at.

Edit, I'd actually not read your OP thoroughly.

Further to the above posts these are the main IT disties in the UK

Micro Peripherals
ETC
Westcoast inc XMA for consumables
Frontline
Ingram Micros
Computer 2000
Northamber
Enta Technologies

Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Friday 29th March 15:07

Bit out of date that list!

I'm a few years out of the game, have things moved on a bit then?!

[Funk]

Countdown said:

A lot of Govt. Departments have to use suppliers on the CCS Framework

https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/pill...

We're applying for a spot on there in our own right this year (currently we contract onto it for major bids).

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

LordHaveMurci said:

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

I wouldn't bother with Insight, they're a hellish company, I used to work there. ComputaCenter, SCC (Specialist Computer Centre) Millgate and CCS Media are all great companies who I would suggest looking at.

Edit, I'd actually not read your OP thoroughly.

Further to the above posts these are the main IT disties in the UK

Micro Peripherals
ETC
Westcoast inc XMA for consumables
Frontline
Ingram Micros
Computer 2000
Northamber
Enta Technologies

Bit out of date that list!

I'm a few years out of the game, have things moved on a bit then?!

Yep - Micro-P is now Exertis, C2K is TechData (along with Maverick, Azlan, SDG, Datech etc), XMA merged into Westcoast about 10 years ago I think. I've not come across Frontline at all.

Edited by Funk on Friday 29th March 22:18

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Funk said:

Countdown said:

A lot of Govt. Departments have to use suppliers on the CCS Framework

https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/pill...

We're applying for a spot on there in our own right this year (currently we contract onto it for major bids).

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

LordHaveMurci said:

Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:

I wouldn't bother with Insight, they're a hellish company, I used to work there. ComputaCenter, SCC (Specialist Computer Centre) Millgate and CCS Media are all great companies who I would suggest looking at.

Edit, I'd actually not read your OP thoroughly.

Further to the above posts these are the main IT disties in the UK

Micro Peripherals
ETC
Westcoast inc XMA for consumables
Frontline
Ingram Micros
Computer 2000
Northamber
Enta Technologies

Bit out of date that list!

I'm a few years out of the game, have things moved on a bit then?!

Yep - Micro-P is now Exertis, C2K is TechData (along with Maverick, Azlan, SDG, Datech etc), XMA merged into Westcoast about 10 years ago I think. I've not come across Frontline at all.

Edited by Funk on Friday 29th March 22:18

Ah OK. XMA I'm aware of, as they were sold to WC not too long after I left, I was their Canon Product Manager.