Site Idea - would love your opinion...Cartridge Price Tracker

I had this idea on a previous forum - which whilst it got picked up and quoted in Clay Shooting magazine never came to anything. I'd like to have a facility for people to find the best deals on cartridges - I have a couple of ideas floating round my head, which I'd love your opinion on:1. We can easily run a thread on the forum where people just add their latest deals - including what they bought, price paid, where they bought it from - people can scan, find the best price and use that deal to leverage the best price locally to them (it pays to haggle)2. Developing that idea - I *could* have a price tracker - selecting 6 or 8 of the most popular cartridges, and then getting an price for a 1000 from some of the most popular retailers... that would give us a simple chart to look at and find the best deals? The ShootClay Cartridge Index.A 'popular' forum with a voice, could actually affect the market a little by pushing retailers to be competitive if their prices aren't honest - I suspect there is a little 'unofficial' cartel going - the big sellers look at each others prices and set theirs accordingly. Opening up some of those comparisons might force their hands a little bit.What do people think? Should I bother?Value your thoughts people...

Any information will be good if it helps people pick one that they like and can afford. One thing to bear in mind though is that there is very little profit in cartridges as all importers will tell you. Retailers stock takes up a lot of storage space and hassle and was often used to bring people into the shops to collect in the hope that they would browse and buy other things as well. Everyone has to be able to make a fair profit for them to carry on stocking. Just thoughts from a cup of tea

I suggested this on the other site, so everyone could know where to find the best deals in their area - it didn't take off but I still think it's a good idea, it's only the dealers who can afford to buy in larges quantities can buy at cheaper rates but most of them don't pass this saving onto the shooting community, they complain they don't get much outta shells which they don't anything between £8 - £18 per 1000 but they make even more when they sell smaller numbers i.e. 25,50,100 or even 250, but on the other hand they have at least a 100% profit margin on most everything else on the shop especially clothing,. I'd be happy see this as part of the site.Nige

I think it would be a good idea but to get good pricing you generally need high volume.I tend to buy cartridges 23 times a year with a group of friends and we generally place an order for 20k+ and get them out of the dealers way ASAP, we don't save a huge amount but enough to make it worthwhile.The last lot of Super Steel I bought worked out at £128 a thou vs about £140+ in the shop.It would be able to see who's doing deals though and the price trends Jon.

And thats another idea... maybe we can use the forum to connect with people and do larger deals... That's until I release the ShootClay Elite cartridge that smokes anything at up at 200 meters, with no recoil - at about £120 for a thousand!

I think it's a good idea. Also, I don't mind joining in a "bulk buy" club, although storage is an issue for me.

The idea is sound in principle but the issue is not finding the cheapest supplier, it`s how to get to that supplier and collect them! My regular haunt is Greenfields of Canterbury who are rarely cheap for anything but since I go there every week I end up buying my shells from them at around £10 per thou more than other places. Today I bought a 1000 Fiocchi Top Ones at £160 (Superbs are £190 member rates) , I know the Pro Ones are available for much less elsewhere but how am I gonna get to them?I have said this before, the only way to make savings is to bulk import/buy half a million+ from China.

Import licence? Storeage? Centre hub for people to collect from or despatch by courier to many private addresses and the costs involved?Brand? People are brand aware. For instance I have only ever used French or Italian cartridges once I became aware of how different manufacturers were as opposed to loaders. But like all things to do with shooting, it is just personal choice.We have had it good for so long here in the UK. Prices abroad are more expensive.

That's a very good point Nic.It works for us as we are all fairly local to the dealer and arrange collection dates that we can all do so he doesn't have them hanging around in the limited storage.Personally I will stick with 1 brand in future purely because I can buy them at cost +1%ish and get a mix of whatever I want minimum of a slab and we will be buying over 100K per year.Storage is an issue but manageable.Next year I will be starting home loading .410, 20ga and 28ga as i'll be shooting low volumes but the cost savings are worth it Cheers,Jon.

Even a 'Cartridge Price' thread where we can just say: I paid £43.00 for 250 Clever Mirage from High Harthay on 27/08/11, would be a help. There are several places I can buy cartridges in the local area and any info would help when trying to save a few quid here and there. Especially if you intend shooting at a ground with a good deal.Mark

The points you raise, not to mention the capital involved and the fact you`d be doing business with people you`ve no way of vetting beforehand are why I`ve not done this. It isn`t beyond the realms of reason though.

Quote from DryMount on September 1, 2011, 19:12Even a 'Cartridge Price' thread where we can just say: I paid £43.00 for 250 Clever Mirage from High Harthay on 27/08/11, would be a help. There are several places I can buy cartridges in the local area and any info would help when trying to save a few quid here and there. Especially if you intend shooting at a ground with a good deal.

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This is the model I think works... it's not about driving to find a cheap place - it's about having the knowledge to 'do a deal' locally... if you happen to be in the place, then that works as well...

Jon watch out because you cannot use 'home loads' for competition.

As Hamster and Nicola say, I think you also have to be pragamtic. For example:Fiocchi Top Ones are £159.75 / 1000 from Just Cartridges and £153.50 from ClayshootingRUsBoth charge £30 delivery for 2,000.I can drive to both places for well under that in diesel, but Just Cartridges are nearer so for the sake of £12.50 difference for 2,000, I drove to Just Cartridges and picked them up. (Plus ClayshootingRUs had no stock anyway )

For me - ClayShootingRus is closer... but they are smaller, so more likely to be out of stock.This is kind of where I think a forum could be useful - coordinating people to buy 'cooperatively' - and then using the power of the site/crowd to get the most up to date prices from the bigger suppliers.Has anyone used William Powell Cartridges yet? I met with them at the CLA gamefair, and their prices were 'sort of' competitive... but then they offered my free delivery (as they were always down in my area)... Their current price list is online here.

Quote from Hamster on September 1, 2011, 19:42The points you raise, not to mention the capital involved and the fact you`d be doing business with people you`ve no way of vetting beforehand are why I`ve not done this. It isn`t beyond the realms of reason though.

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I agree, fortunately the group I buy with are all good friends so we don't have the vetting issue The price tracking thread would be good so people can see who's selling what locally and at what price.Nic, you can use homeloads in BSSANSSA comps, you just have to declare it and have them tested at random prior to the shoot then the boxes are security sealed until you are on the range and then open them witnessed by the referee, if decared prior no further challengetesting will be permitted in the event of a protest. Failure to declare will result in you not being able to use them and must then use factory loads.Jon..

Thanks Jon. You learn something every day Sorry I forgot about NASA - I do not know anything about it. I will get my coat

Sorry JonSkeet you misunderstood me, I meant the Chinese suppliers. The kind of sums involved, I`d be bricking it hoping they ship the container ; they`re unlikley to do so without payment.

Bought 2,000 Fiocchi Top Ones from Just Catridges for £320. Cheapest me for taking into account fuel in the total cost