Industrial Drain Openers: Buying Online vs. from a Chemical Manufacturer

The internet has become a familiar place for purchasing what you need, and this extends to your facility’s need for drain openers. That’s why you’re here. You want to find the most effective, economical, and easy-to-buy drain opener you can. But will you get the best options online or from a chemical manufacturer?

State Chemical has been in business since 1911, and one of our product lines is drain openers, including Clear Out, Drain Rocket, and Scram. We understand which drain openers are best for which situations, and while we are a chemical manufacturer that sells directly to businesses, we know that buying online is a better option for certain circumstances.

We want to give you an honest look at the merits and drawbacks of buying your drain openers online vs. directly from the manufacturer so you can make the best purchase for your facility. To accomplish this, we’ve taken the time to compare the pros and cons of the internet and manufacturers. After reading, you’ll know which is the best fit for your situation.

Chemical Manufacturers Offer Quality-Assured Products

When you buy directly from a chemical manufacturer, you benefit from quality-assured products. Chemical manufacturers have their own internal quality control or quality assurance in place to ensure that products are the same between batches.

This isn't necessarily the case when you buy a drain opener online. Usually, a website acts as the distributor from the manufacturer to you, the consumer. Because you’re not directly in contact with the manufacturer, you may not be getting the full range of product information or a quality guarantee. You don’t always know exactly what you’re buying online, but when buying directly from a manufacturer, you’re guaranteed more consistent results.

Another important note is that industrial strength drain openers generally cannot be bought online. Whatever is on the internet is also available to household consumers, so for safety reasons, not everything can be sold online. If you buy a drain opener off the internet, it’s usually safe for household use, meaning it’s less concentrated. Meanwhile, when you buy directly from the manufacturer, you will normally receive a more concentrated product with higher effectiveness.

If product quality is something you’re concerned about, we suggest that you look into buying directly from a chemical manufacturer.

It’s Easy to Order Drain Openers Online

More than anything, you’re probably thinking that it’s easier to order products online. You never have to pick up the phone, you don’t have to deal with the back-and-forth—you simply find what you need and enter your information.

This can be a benefit in cases where you know you need a drain opener as quickly as possible. Maybe you don’t have the time to talk with a salesperson, or maybe you don’t need an industrial-strength product for frequent use. If this sounds like you, ordering online can be the more efficient option.

When Buying Directly from a Chemical Manufacturer, There are No Markups

While it’s true that higher quality drain openers will come at higher prices, you get fair prices when you buy directly from a manufacturer because there is no middleman. Distributors mark up prices to account for the work they’ve done as a middle party, but if the manufacturer also acts as the distributor, you’ll be getting industrial-strength products for reasonable prices.

Commercial drain openers are costly, but if you want high-quality chemicals at a fair price, buying directly from the manufacturer is your best bet.

Buying Online Means More Product Variety

However, something important to note is that the internet undeniably offers a larger variety of products. With the entire web at your disposal, it’s a safe bet that you’ll find what you’re looking for online, even if it takes a bit of combing.

If you’re looking for the solution to a less severe clog, you don’t necessarily need a harsh product, so an online drain opener could very well be the solution to your problem. But if you’re dealing with a severe clog or looking for a heavy-duty drain opener like acid, buying from a manufacturer is for you.

Chemical Manufacturers Offer Customer Service and Direction

A manufacturer is also the right option for you if you value service and training. When you buy online, you get the product itself, but with a manufacturer, you also get customer service. If you have a product question or concern, you can call the manufacturer for specific directions, advice, and even training on proper usage. Meanwhile, the site you bought your drain opener from won’t necessarily have the same answers.

Drain Openers Purchased Online are Less Expensive

When you look up “drain openers” online, you’ll likely find cheaper price ranges than you would if you got a quote from a manufacturer. For example, a 32 oz. bottle of Drano Max Gel is $5.79 as of this writing. Meanwhile, the same size drain opener from a chemical manufacturer might fall between $20-70.

To be fair, you pay more for higher effectiveness, but if your clogs are mild and infrequent, it just makes more sense to buy online.

Chemical Manufacturers Offer the Ability to Buy in Bulk

An important benefit of manufacturers is that they offer you the ability to buy in bulk, which is helpful for restaurants and institutional facilities, whereas you’re less likely to find this option online.

If your facility experiences frequent clogs and drain issues, this can be useful. With bulk purchasing, your facility will be equipped before you ever experience a drain clog, and you’ll save money by buying more product at once.

It’s important to note that this expense probably isn’t worth it if you don’t experience many drain issues right now. If your drain is clogged and you’re surprised or think this is out of the ordinary, it’s probably better to buy only a single drain opener for the time being. You could do this either online or from the manufacturer—the severity of your clog will dictate which option you should choose.

Chemical Manufacturers Automatically Provide Safety Data Sheets

Another important advantage of buying directly from a chemical manufacturer is that they will automatically provide you with a safety data sheet (SDS). Legally, OSHA requires commercial facilities to have an SDS on hand for all hazardous products used on the premises. When you purchase a drain opener from a chemical manufacturer, you will immediately be provided with this information.

Meanwhile, when you buy a drain opener online, you won’t necessarily be given an SDS. It’s usually still possible to find your drain opener’s SDS online, but it will take more time and effort and also comes at the risk of you forgetting and being penalized in audits.

Your Next Steps

It’s hard to know where the best place to buy a drain opener really is. If you value heavy-duty drain openers with service and the ability to buy in bulk, a chemical manufacturer is the right choice for you. Meanwhile, if you’re interested in inexpensive, easy-to-order drain openers for mild clogs, buying online is the best option for you.

Now that you know what’s right for your situation, your next step is to consider the best products to unclog your drain.