RS quote request for higher price break; am I wasting my time?

[rich]

So, RS list an enclosure for approx £1.75, but it only has column pricing of 1-4 and 5+. I need roughly 100 so would have liked more price breaks on the web.

I may have grown accustomed to most components having many price breaks that I now expect it for all items. Is this misguided - are there larger economic factors which means 5+ is going to be as good as it gets on sub £2 enclosure until we're talking 500+ 1000+ etc.?

I requested a quote via the web tool, but it's still pending over a week later. I can't say I blame them, it's a tiny, sub-£200, order to them. Interested what people's thought are and also curious in the economics that play-out on the distributer side.

[Richard Crowley]

RS aren't the only game in town. 
Wasn't there a song about "Shop Around"?
If you are talking a sufficient quantity, you could go direct to the manufacturer.

[Fsck]

digikey and newark have more finely distributed price breaks so it totally depends on the distributer.

[DenzilPenberthy]

Phone them then you can speak to someone right away instead of waiting for them to get back to you at their leisure.

Or if you want a decent quantity, approach the manufacturer directly. (Unless the things you want are RS own brand)

[krivx]

Phone them then you can speak to someone right away instead of waiting for them to get back to you at their leisure.

Or if you want a decent quantity, approach the manufacturer directly. (Unless the things you want are RS own brand)

I have emailed them several times, usually get a response that day. They will often do 5-10% discounts.

[bookaboo]

Yes RS have changed their tune in the last couple of years, previously they would virtually never give discounts, or at least not at our volumes.
These days if you are spending £300+ it's well worth asking them. They will also do discounts for called stock, so you order a years worth at a decent price and just have it deliverd and invoiced as you need it.

[rich]

Only after 100 qty for now so realistically its going to be via a distributer.

There are a couple of other distributer carrying it, so will have a good phone around session in the morning. It was just easier to hit the 'request quote' link on RS website last week and get on with other tasks.

Good to learn of the called stock approach too, that could work out really well as I don't have the space or the cashflow for larger volumes yet.