FAQ's

What happens when i get in touch with beacon?

A member of our sales team will give you a call and find out more about your purchasing and what improvements you would like to make. From there, you may wish to book an appointment where a beacon account manager would look at your purchasing in more detail and carry out a benchmarking report, making recommendations about money saving opportunities. If we’re able to find significant savings and both you and our account manager are happy that beacon membership is right for you, we will recommend that you join. You’re under no obligation to join at any point and this benchmarking service is entirely free of charge.

How much money can I save?

The money our members’ save varies dependant on their individual circumstances. Here are some examples of the of savings which we can make. But in general, you’ll find it much more beneficial to speak to one of our account management team, so that they can identify the individual savings which can be made for you – everyone’s situation is different!

What if I feel my pricing is already good?

Having a review with a beacon account manager will allow you to check that your pricing is as good as it can be. We are able to benchmark your pricing against the market. If this shows that your pricing is already strong, we will not advise you to join beacon. But why not be sure? It's a free service.

Do beacon control which suppliers I use?

No. We have a wide range of suppliers – over 150, across many categories. Many of your suppliers will be nominated with beacon already and often we’re able to secure improved pricing with your existing suppliers. You’re under no obligation to use any beacon supplier, and can trade with as many beacon or non beacon suppliers as you wish. Of course, the more you trade with, the more you’re likely to save. And you also receive additional benefits by trading through our central billing service (which is a service included in your membership), such as our loyalty scheme power points.

Do I pay a joining fee?

There may be a joining fee dependant on the size and requirements of your business. An average beacon member pays £495 a year – your beacon account manager will discuss this with you further and any fees will be clear before you decide to join. Our guarantee to you is that the savings you make will be at least triple that of any membership fee.

Why do I pay a joining fee with beacon, but not with some other buying groups?

Be careful about buying groups which tell you that they don't charge a fee. Often you will find that you're charged in another way, and these charges may not be clear. Our approach to membership fees is open and honest - we tell you what they are, you pay them annually, and you don’t pay a penny more.

There are some buying groups who genuinely don't charge a fee, but these companies do not provide management of your purchasing; they are more like a dating agency, simply putting you in touch with suppliers. beacon’s approach is much more tailored and holistic than this. It may be that the beacon approach is not suitable for you, and if that's the case we hope that our free benchmarking service has provided you with some peace of mind and we'll ask if we can keep in touch incase anything changes in the future.

Do I keep all of the money I save?

In a word, Yes.The only payment you make to beacon is the annual membership fee.There are no additional payments to make to your suppliers over and above the products you order, so the money you save is yours to keep.

How do beacon make their money?

The annual fees which we collect from members go towards paying the salaries of our account managers, but these don’t cover all of beacon’s costs. We have arrangements set up with our nominated suppliers and if we reach the agreed volume targets, our suppliers pay us a commission.

Am I tied into a contract with beacon?

Membership to beacon is on an annual basis, and you will be charged your membership fee at the beginning of each annual term. To leave beacon, we require 6 months written notice.  This can be served at any time, so if you notify us of your wish to terminate your membership more than 6 months before the end of your term, you will receive a rebate for the remainder.

What is beacon central billing and how does it work?

beacon provides you with a central billing service as part of your membership and this means that you will receive one monthly statement for all of the purchases you make through beacon suppliers. Our members find that this significantly reduces the time they spend on administrating invoices.  This service is free of charge and is likely to reduce your bank charges by preventing the need to set up individual direct debits with each supplier. If you decide to join, a member of the central billing team will call you to explain how your invoicing and payments will work. They will be your central billing point of contact throughout your membership, and will be on hand to help you resolve any disputes which may crop up with suppliers. Our buying team will be notified if you require beacons help to resolve any supplier disputes.

What are power points?

This is beacon’s loyalty scheme. All beacon customers are automatically invited to join and power points are awarded when you purchase from suppliers though beacon central billing. Most of our suppliers will pay you power points, in varying percentage amounts linked to the amount of money you spend with them.The points are then turned into cash and can be paid into your bank account or used to pay an invoice if you prefer.

How long does it take to get set up?

It takes around 2 weeks to open most accounts – although some are quicker and some can be slower, dependant on the supplier and the complexity of the products they are supplying you with. In your first year we give you 54 weeks membership to take account of this 2 week opening time.

Will my deliveries change?

If the supplier is the same, the delivery arrangements will be the same. If you select a new supplier based on our recommendations, we can help you to arrange suitable delivery arrangements.

How do I order and pay for my goods?

You will order your goods and receive delivery notes and VAT invoices directly from the supplier. Payment will be made through beacon central billing. 

What happens if I’m concerned about pricing or service through beacon suppliers in the future?

If you’re concerned about either the pricing or service which you are receiving from beacon suppliers, please raise this with your beacon account manager, who will liaise with the supplier on your behalf to resolve any problems. With a collective purchasing spend of over £120 million we do have leverage with suppliers which can benefit you in both price and service.