Eccentric Engineering UK shop gone

[Salty SpudsParticipant @saltyspuds]

Hi all, I've just been on Eccentric Engineering's website to buy another Diamond tool holder & it seems that the UK webshop has disappeared. Everything is shipped from Oz at considerable expense, £22 shipping for a tool holder!!

Am I missing something or has the UK webshop actually closed?

Does anyone have a RH Diamond Tool holder for sale? 8MM tool height, Myford size.

[Salty SpudsParticipant @saltyspuds]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

They still have the link to the UK source but it's giving a 404 error so may simply be a website problem. have you used their Australian contact us or e-mail to see what they say?

EDIT, FB page says they no longer have the UK outlet.

Edited By JasonB on 02/11/2022 15:14:14

[Salty SpudsParticipant @saltyspuds]

Posted by JasonB on 02/11/2022 15:10:20:

They still have the link to the UK source but it's giving a 404 error so may simply be a website problem. have you used their Australian contact us or e-mail to see what they say?

EDIT, FB page says they no longer have the UK outlet.

Edited By JasonB on 02/11/2022 15:14:14

I've tried contacting them (Gary?) via the website & their Facebook page, no response

[Paul RhodesParticipant @paulrhodes20292]

I think it was his sister who ran the UK end. Perhaps returned to Aus?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Their Facebook Message says :

"unfortunately my sister in Lancaster had to step down as my distributor over there due to increased work and family commitments. All orders are shipped from Australia now"

[Simon Johnson 2Participant @simonjohnson2]

The postage isn't too much of a problem, its the import duty and VAT on the total price, then the Royal Mail cut for the privilege of collecting it on the behalf of the HMRC

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Any small company working across the world is fairly fragile. I hope they can find one of the bigger tool-suppliers to act as their UK agent.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

They may well be better off just supplying direct.

The loss of a few sales for those not wanting to pay postage etc would likely be less than the usual sort of trade discounts a UK supplier would expect to get on all sales.

UK Supplier would have to include any import duty within their sale price anyway and VAT on the lot.

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

As the tool is so simple to make I would imagine their UK sales will drop to zero when people see how expensive it will be to import them.

regards

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Salty, I've sent you a PM.

[Eccentric EngineerParticipant @eccentricengineer]

Hi all

Saw this thread after a customer mentioned it and just thought I'd drop in and explain why the UK distributor page had disappeared from the website.

After speaking to my sister a few months ago (she has been distributing my products in the UK and Europe for the past 15 years) she decided to step down as she was only really doing it to help me out towards the end.

Originally she was a stay at home mum and this was an additional bit of income for her, but since going back to work full time and having a growing family she doesn't have the time anymore. The local village post office closing down didn't help either as she now had to drive to the next village to post orders.

I'm afraid I'm not looking at getting a new distributor as I'm getting close to 60 and trying to slow down my workload now. The business is a one man band and I'm still working a minimum six days a week plus emailing customers in the evenings, so that slowdown part of the plan isn't working too well at the moment

One thing I would like to point out is that the UK price for all my products had to be higher than the Australian one anyway (including int shipping) as I had to air freight tools to the UK, pay VAT and import duty on them and then pay my sister a margin. All that had to be built in to the UK price upfront to make it worthwhile.
UK customs fees seem ridiculously expensive but there's not much I can do about that, maybe the two countries will work out a free trade agreement between them one of these days.

Sorry if I missed your enquiry Salty, I try to answer all enquiries but I've been swamped with emails and Turnado orders since the start of October when a YouTuber did a video about the product.

Cheers

Gary

P.S I was the one that moved Paul. Born in Blighty and did my time as a fitter at York Carriage Works (RIP )
I came here in 1989.

[Roger BestParticipant @rogerbest89007]

Ta Gary

The message to hurry up and order if we ever want one is noted.

The reasons for excess import costs are a little political for gentile debate but it has hit several aspects of steam-related hobbies. I can't get the stuff I like from Germany in an affordable manner.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

That pesky Blondihacks

[Eccentric EngineerParticipant @eccentricengineer]

LOL, I don't intend stopping anytime soon Roger (probably keep going till I drop) but I certainly don't want to increase my workload any more than it is already. It would be nice to get some time to work on a couple of my own projects one of these days, the current project list far exceeds my expected lifespan

Yes things went a bit crazy there when Blondiehacks put out that video Roderick, I got what would normally be about 6 months worth of Turnado sales in four days. A great "problem" to have but it was a bit daunting. I'm still nowhere near caught up on backorders.

[egaParticipant @ega]

Gary:

Thanks for explaining.

Perhaps you will be able to "hand on the torch" to someone else, as happened with you.

Best wishes to you and your sister from a UK customer.

[Salty SpudsParticipant @saltyspuds]

Posted by Eccentric Engineer on 08/11/2022 09:48:25:

Hi all

Saw this thread after a customer mentioned it and just thought I'd drop in and explain why the UK distributor page had disappeared from the website.

After speaking to my sister a few months ago (she has been distributing my products in the UK and Europe for the past 15 years) she decided to step down as she was only really doing it to help me out towards the end.

Originally she was a stay at home mum and this was an additional bit of income for her, but since going back to work full time and having a growing family she doesn't have the time anymore. The local village post office closing down didn't help either as she now had to drive to the next village to post orders.

I'm afraid I'm not looking at getting a new distributor as I'm getting close to 60 and trying to slow down my workload now. The business is a one man band and I'm still working a minimum six days a week plus emailing customers in the evenings, so that slowdown part of the plan isn't working too well at the moment

One thing I would like to point out is that the UK price for all my products had to be higher than the Australian one anyway (including int shipping) as I had to air freight tools to the UK, pay VAT and import duty on them and then pay my sister a margin. All that had to be built in to the UK price upfront to make it worthwhile.
UK customs fees seem ridiculously expensive but there's not much I can do about that, maybe the two countries will work out a free trade agreement between them one of these days.

Sorry if I missed your enquiry Salty, I try to answer all enquiries but I've been swamped with emails and Turnado orders since the start of October when a YouTuber did a video about the product.

Cheers

Gary

P.S I was the one that moved Paul. Born in Blighty and did my time as a fitter at York Carriage Works (RIP )
I came here in 1989.

Thanks for the update, shame about the UK shop, but understandable. Your sister hasn't got any old stock kicking around by any chance?

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