And yet we don't go into the spares business because we can't work out how to make a profit out of it.
Either you are a primary stockist (buying direct from the manufacturers on best terms) in which case you have to commit to carrying the entire range of spares for their 15 year back catalogue. IIRC, the stock commitment for Vaillant ALONE was over £100,000.
Or you are a secondary stockist, buying from primart stockists. In which case margins are thin and there is always someone on the internet cheaper than you.
And just like your customers underestimate your overheads, you guys under-estimate a stockists overheads.
Joking aside, if I thought we could break-even in spares, we would be doing it (because of the added footfall it brings).
But we cant. Not even at those prices.