The Lab Manager’s Practical Guide to Penny Pinching
Jack Miles, MS
Intro Biology Labs Technician – The University of New Mexico
Castetter Hall, Room 068
miles@unm.edu, (505) 277 3723
Intro
I was recently asked to share some tips regarding creative ordering and resource management strategies, and
quickly realized that a brief email reply was simply insufficient. This pamphlet is my 1st attempt to summarize some
of my tricks. Feel free to ask me about specifics.
General Ordering Tips
The internet and our trusty Purchasing Card are my two greatest allies in the daily struggle to get the most out of a
limited budget.
A major key to saving is to anticipate your needs several weeks in advance. Allow extra time for: researching the
market, asking questions / waiting for responses, processing, and actual shipping. If you have submitted a large
order with multiple items, shipping could be delayed if something is on backorder. Some companies only ship on
certain days. Be sure that this does not conflict with your schedule…if your items arrive late Friday afternoon, can
your package sit over the weekend if you miss the delivery?
I never order anything online before checking www.retailmenot.com, which maintains an updated list of coupon
codes. I have saved hundreds using obscure online codes for: Wardsci.com, Carolina.com, Amazon.com, and so on.
Example: Ward’s Natural Science usually sends out a 12% coupon towards your next order: “WTY2”. As far
as I can tell, this coupon never expires!
Biological Supply Companies
Companies such as Carolina Biological, Ward’s, and Connecticut Valley basically offer excellent customer service,
convenience and reliable shipping at a relatively high price. I only use these sources if the desired item: cannot be
found anywhere else, must arrive posthaste, is on “sale” or I have a coupon, or if I can save by combining shipping
costs. There is almost always a cheaper alternative, if you have the time, energy and creativity to find it.
Example: 50 large, live crayfish from Carolina.com costs $130, plus $40-50 for overnight shipping, whereas
the “10 lb Trial Size Party Pack” (150~200 live crayfish) from lacrawfish.com costs $65 total (includes
overnight shipping). The catch: Louisiana crayfish are only available between March and September…use
caution when ordering seasonal items!
CRLS
Located on the first floor of Clark Hall (Chemistry building), this shop is extremely convenient (nearby, with delivery
and walk-in options), has a superb staff, is not overly expensive, and stocks a minimal quantity of basic items. DO
NOT rely on CRLS for last-minute items, even such essentials as latex gloves and ethanol alcohol can be scarce at
the most inopportune moments. Pricing is typically retail or slightly lower, and they can special order items. If you
are looking for bulk quantities, it is usually cheaper to order directly through a supplier like VWR.
UNM Bookstore
Faculty and staff receive discounts for most items, so be sure to mention your job title before buying anything.
They will require a partially-completed, official Bookstore Requisition Form: ask Accounting about this!
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VWR
“NEVER order anything from VWR from the online catalog” - VWR Sales Representative
ALWAYS ask for a price quote from Denise Weichbrodt:
Voice mail:
(800) 873 8977, x2490
Cell:
(505) 314 3182
Email:
denise_weichbrodt@vwr.com
Benefits: Free or discounted shipping, excellent customer service, and extremely good prices. Order size does not
seem to matter, although it can be easier to lump many smaller orders into a single quote request.
VWR carries a dizzying selection of items from a variety of companies. If you are looking for the least expensive
option, always order the VWR brand to receive the lowest discounted price.
Examples: One case of 1000 powder-free VWR latex gloves, online price: $103.89; quoted for: $55.06.
One case of 100 x 15mm plastic, VWR petri dishes, online price: $156.37; quoted for: $46.06.
Online Stores
Always compare 5-6 sites before committing to the cheapest, closest, highest quality and most helpful vendor.
When in doubt, Google™-search the vendor and include such keywords as: “review”, “opinion”, “satisfaction”, etc.
to learn about other buyers’ experiences.
Very often, other buyers will recommend good vendors in forum posts. Make sure that the poster is unaffiliated
with their vendor recommendation, as this is simply self-promotion and undermines their credibility.
If the website operates out of New Mexico, you will be charged sales tax unless you mention your tax-exempt
status. I always mention this, regardless of the vendor’s location, to avoid any hassle.
Always confirm with the vendor which shipping service they will use, since the UNM Biology Dept has at least 3
different shipping addresses:
UPS Shipping Address:
University of New Mexico
219 Yale Blvd NE
Biology Department
Albuquerque, NM 87131
FedEx, DHL:
University of New Mexico
Castetter Hall Rm 133
Biology Department
Albuquerque, NM 87131
USPS & Billing:
University of New Mexico
MSC03-2020, Biology
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
Ebay.com
Ebay® can be a great source: it is a competitive market, knowledgeable dealers can be very helpful, and the
feedback system allows you to discriminate between sellers based on their reliability and volume.
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Example: 50 Units of 100-150 living lemna from Carolina.com: (50 x $6.25) + $30 shipping = $342.50.Two
cups of lemna from “Helen’s Perennial Water Gardens” (Ebay® Seller): $5.95 + $8.00 shipping = 13.95.
Most of us do not have the luxury of time, which is advantageous when bidding on auctions. I never waste worktime and energy on auctions, preferring to “Buy It Now” and shop each seller’s “store”.
How much has your item sold for on Ebay®, in the recent past? Under Search Options, click “Show Only Completed
Listings” to determine the range of your item’s recent value.
Sellers often list their items in the strangest categories, so always “search” by relevant (and less-than-relevant)
keywords rather than scrolling through endless possible categories. Don’t forget to click “Search title and
description”: this will dramatically increase your search results.
Avoid sellers who:
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Have a very low number of transactions (<20).
Have less than 98% positive feedback.
Have hostile return-policies (no-returns, stocking fees, return shipping fees, etc).
Require you to pay with a check, money order, etc.
Read buyer feedback comments. You can often see patterns in the seller’s services (prompt shipping, good
communication, etc) and get an overall sense for customer satisfaction.
Read payment instructions very carefully. Many sellers require you to have a Paypal account, which is easily set up
online if you have a Purchasing Card.
Always examine shipping charges very closely. Sellers are “taxed” by Ebay®, based on the final selling price of an
item. Many sellers compensate by offering, for instance, a $30 item for $2…while charging $28 for the shipping!
If you plan to purchase multiple items from the same seller, always inquire about getting a reduced, combined
shipping rate…even if the seller does not offer this option in their item descriptions. If the seller offers combined
shipping rates for multiple items, always send the seller a reminder query. When the seller emails you the invoice,
always inspect shipping charges to confirm that you received the discount: I do not think that the Ebay® seller
interface can automatically discount transactions, so if the seller forgets to modify the invoice you will be charged
the sum of each individual item’s shipping rates!
Sellers usually have a location description on their item page. Given a choice between two comparable sellers, go
with the closer seller for faster and cheaper shipping. If a seller is located here in New Mexico, always mention
your tax-exempt status, or choose an out-of-state seller if you want to avoid a potential paperwork nightmare.
Ebay® is constantly updating its rules and changing its rates, which impacts sellers more than it does buyers.
Nevertheless, if an appreciable amount of time has passed since your last transaction I would double-check the
buying conditions.
Amazon.com®
This website is also a “storefront” for a multitude of sellers of highly variable reliability, so apply the same cautious
tactics as you would in an Ebay® auction. Read the descriptions carefully, sometimes sellers will accidentally
categorize “used” items under “new” product descriptions.
Local Companies
Unless I have a huge shopping list filled with hard-to-get or bulky items, I typically avoid dealing with local
businesses. The time and energy required for a “shopping field trip” usually exceed the benefits, and I do not like
leaving my office unattended on busy days. No shipping charges and face-to-face customer service are the main
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benefits of using local vendors. The vendor also charges sales tax, so remember to mention your tax exempt status
before check-out. Usually, you will need to page a manager to complete the transaction.
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