What is the scheme?
The Club runs by bringing members of the local community together to order their oil. The suppliers offer a discount because they only need to send one vehicle to an area.
The supplier saves on manpower and vehicle usage, and we have less traffic through our villages.
If I register, do I have to order straightaway?
No, but once you register you will get fortnightly reminders to order, to which you can either respond or choose to ignore.
How does the scheme work?
Twice a month I will contact you for an order. The minimum order is 500 litres. If you wish to order, your order will be aggregated with everyone else who wishes to order for either the middle or end of the month.
Twice a month I put together all the orders and contact several suppliers for price and delivery quotations. I will select the best choice from the price and delivery options available on that day. The supplier will deliver; and you will receive an individual invoice from the supplier. If we use a supplier who is new to you, they may request payment before delivery. The Club is not involved in the payment process between you and the supplier only the negotiation of the price. However, it is essential that you pay the supplier immediately on receipt of invoice.
What does the scheme cost?
Membership is FREE and as a member you are under no obligation to purchase any oil. The scheme is funded by a 1.5p rebate part of which goes to Oil Buying Club for their software and part of which goes to Somerset Oil Buying Club to fund the administration and further expansion of the club. The price negotiated is the price you pay and thats it.
When I register do I really need to disclose my telephone numbers?
Yes. No one will see them apart from the administrator of the scheme and the supplying oil company, who need them for their administration people and the tanker drivers in the event of a problem.
Should I run my tank down before ordering or top up regularly?
Particularly in the six winter months, keep your tank topped up with regular deliveries. You will be surprised how quickly half a tank disappears when temperatures drop. There is no benefit in ordering larger quantities since a 500 litre drop is the same price per litre as the price we negotiate for tens of thousands of litres. Don’t forget that it is up to three weeks between order being placed by you and being delivered by the supplier. Its well worthwhile to select the top up option when ordering.
Who will be supplying the Oil
This is a decision I take. I will seek a combination of best price and service on the chosen oil buying date. Whilst price is the dominant factor, sometimes the lowest price is associated with poor service.
Can I choose the delivery date?
No. The discount is achieved because the supplier is able to consolidate delivery. But if you are running short, don’t hesitate to email me as I may be able to help.
How do I pay for my oil?
The supplier will contact you to establish how you are going to pay, if you are not already an account holder with them. By doing that your order will be confirmed. You will receive an email on the order buying date notifying you of the supplier and their number.
If, however, you are already a customer of the supplier, there is a good chance that they will deliver without prior payment, in which case you will receive an invoice and be expected to pay promptly.
I’m running low. When can I expect my oil?
The only way we get good prices is by allowing full tankers to deliver to very local areas.
If you are running low and cannot wait for a delivery by the middle or end of the month, order as little as you can from your current supplier and than use Somerset Oil Buying club next time. Make sure you register as soon as possible and then you will get the regular reminders. Marking your order as Urgent instead of Standard, will ensure that you will be among the first to have a delivery.
What is Kerosene?
Kerosene is the alternative name for 28 second heating oil. 28 seconds is the measurement of the oils viscosity and the length of time a given volume of Kerosene passes through a precise aperture. In days gone by there was also a 35 second fuel oil but this is seldom used.
Do I have to be in when the Oil is delivered?
Not if:-
a) The delivery driver can gain easy access to the tank to fill it and you are prepared to accept their delivery note as proof of what they delivered.
b) You have already paid for the fuel or are a regular customer of the supplier.
If you have provided (say) a neighbour with keys to enable access, please provide that information in the “Message to Driver” box in the online order form.
When will I know the price?
Not until the order is placed. I will call several suppliers.
As soon as the price is agreed, you will be notified by email to confirm the order.
What happens if I order more than my tank will take
It helps the suppliers if you are reasonably accurate when you order, however the suppliers never deliver more than the tank will take and your invoice will only be for that amount delivered. Its worth remembering that you no longer have to order a large quantity to get a slightly better price. The system allows you to order smaller quantities on a regular basis so you hold on to your cash rather than having it tied up in the tank.
The web pages look odd on my PC
It is probably a browser compatibility issue.
If the program you use to connect with the internet is Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, or Internet Explorer version 10.0 or above, then there should be no issues in using the new online system as everything will display correctly.
If you currently use an earlier version of Internet Explorer 10 I suggest that you either upgrade to the latest version install Google Chrome as a web browser.
Google Chrome is fast, reliable and feature rich.
How to Install Google Chrome
Please click on this link: http://www.google.co.uk/chrome/
…and follow the onscreen instructions. It is quick and simple to do.