Today's fresh story is on the merchant supply side again: The Merchant's Choice, a buying group set up for independent plumbers' merchants and bathroom showrooms, is publicising a rebate-based, no-subscription membership model it says has proved itself since launching in 2025. Everything else in today's pull continues stories already covered this week.
---
Today's key stories
New buying group pitches transparency to independent plumbers' merchants The Merchant's Choice has gone public with its no-subscription, rebate-based membership pitch for independent plumbers' merchants and bathroom showrooms, framing it as more transparent than typical buying-group terms. Full piece below. Source: Professional Builders Merchant
Still developing: EchoPay's merchant payments toolkit EchoPay's card-surcharging and pay-by-bank toolkit for builders', electrical, plumbing and timber merchants remains the week's key payments story, with no pricing or adoption list yet confirmed. Covered in full on 16 July. Source: Professional Builders Merchant
Still relevant: Freefoam's branch-stock commitment to LBS Freefoam's pledge to keep roofline product lines stocked "in every branch" of LBS Builders Merchants is unchanged from earlier this week. Full breakdown in our 16 July piece. Source: Professional Builders Merchant
Still developing: Triton Tools' new UK distributor TradeSafe Products Ltd.'s appointment as exclusive UK distributor for Triton Tools remains the ongoing woodworking supply story, with no confirmed stockist list yet. Covered in full on 13 July. Source: Professional Builder
Still relevant: Availo-Trade's cancelled-job platform The trial offer on Availo-Trade's job-matching platform for tradespeople is still live. Full breakdown in our 14 July piece. Source: Professional Builder
Recurring: Makita's garden tool restock and Milwaukee's fastening catalogue No change from earlier this week on Makita's 18V LXT/40V XGT garden range restock or Milwaukee's UK impact driver, impact wrench and battery/charger kit listings. Still watching for a genuine range update rather than a repeat catalogue signal. Source: ITS Hub / Milwaukee Tool UK
---
Watchlist
- The Merchant's Choice membership numbers: no member count or named merchant partners published yet; worth a follow-up if the group announces adopters.
- EchoPay rollout: watching for pricing detail, timeline, and which merchant groups adopt the surcharging/pay-by-bank toolkit first.
- Freefoam / LBS scope: no detail yet on which specific product ranges the "every branch" stock commitment covers.
- Triton Tools stockist list: still no confirmed list of UK retailers carrying stock under the new TradeSafe distribution arrangement.
---