I agree with many of the points mentioned here.
After more than 30 years in the manufacturing industry working with both vendors and customers, I have learned there is a fine line between price and value. The real value often comes from experience, judgment, and protecting the customer’s long term interests.
Sometimes that means not recommending the cheapest option because you know it will not last. Other times it means not overselling the most expensive solution when it is unnecessary for the application. Customers may not always see those decisions immediately, but over time that is what builds trust.
That expertise, accountability, and guidance have value attached to them, and that is part of what customers are paying for. Marking up parts is industry standard and necessary for a business to operate sustainably, especially when you are also standing behind the work, managing risk, coordinating vendors, handling warranty concerns, and supporting the customer after the sale.
At the end of the day, customers remember honesty, consistency, and whether you truly looked after their best interests.
