Laner Electric Supply Co Inc

LONG story short based on several visits to the store and purchases in excess of $ 2000. Check your order carefully before you depart. Some employees are incompetent. Inventory pulled from the warehouse frequently does not match your invoice. When you get home and the discrepancy is noticed, your word will not be trusted. They are not out to rip you off, but you may end up paying for materials you didn’t receive. Customer service skills are seriously lacking. Buyer beware.

The staff is very helpful and knowledgable and were a great help to me in choosing recessed LED lighting components for my kitchen remodel. I know very little about lighting and all I had to go on was my architect’s drawings which showed only light locations. Scott helped me choose trim, wattage, housing size etc. I would heartily recommend this place for lighting newbies in need of advice.

While my initial experience was unfavorable, I did get a response from Laner (the owners). They were very concerned about making the situation right. I feel they did the right things for me as their customer and trust they will do what they need to internally to make sure my experience in not the norm.
I did get my part. My lights now work. I expect the next time I call Laner the process will be improved.

If your looking for quality electrical materials, this is one of four places in the east bay that will have or can get what you’ll need, it’s a real electrical supply store. And when it comes to high end lighting products they know their stuff.

You guys need to learn some customer service skills! Looked around, stood at counter, waited, … Neither of the two guys behind the counter ever even acknowledged I was there! Went here on recommendation of friends. I’ll buy new restaurant equipment somewhere else…

I spent well over $ 2000 at this company to buy lighting. The customer service was polite– but 90% of the staff had no knowledge of the products they were selling.
At one point– one of the staff members opened a book and said «pick a trim” — when I replied «what is the difference between these ten products», he said «I don’t know». At which point I asked «Can you help me find someone who does». Bob, the manager who I had asked for help from earlier but he wasn’t willing to help was called and he was quite helpful in resolving the question.
How can you run a lighting store when you don’t know what you are selling???
I would not recommend this store for the consumer interested in buying lighting. Go somewhere else where they are interested in providing you with the help that you need to make the right decisions and NOT need to come back multiple times to fix their mistakes.

If you want to ask a question, good luck. I found that only «Bob» knew anything. Bob is the grumpy store manager that actually does know stuff, but tends to not want to deal with the meddling customers that wander into his store. The other people that work at the store know NOTHING.
I purchased a couple dozen recessed lights (housings) and a few of them had been obviously installed before, as the mounting parts were bent and pieces were actually missing from the unit. I had to take those back and get new ones. Unfortunately I hadn’t noticed they had sold me the totally wrong house for one of the directional lights I had ordered. That required ANOTHER trip to this infernal store. But that’s not all. They then sold me another housing that was again WRONG and told me I needed another added piece, which ended up being a second housing that I DIDN’T NEED. So trip number FOUR was returning these units to finally get the right one.
However, the fun still hasn’t ended. I still have some defective units installed in my ceiling that will need to be cut out of the drywall and returned… trip number FIVE.
If you are looking for lighting, look elsewhere.

These folks are amazing! I searched all the well-​known lighting and hardware shops around Berkeley and El Cerrito, and had to explain and re-​explain what I needed to meet code in Berkeley with a lighting fixture I needed to retrofit to accept anything but screw-​in bulbs. After 30 seconds on the phone with the guy at Laner, he told me he had a couple of options for the socket replacement part I needed. When I went into the store, he checked in his database for the combination of the most economical and the most common LED/​CFL bulb for which he had a replacement socket. I walked out the door with exactly what I needed, within three minutes of walking in, and it was painless on my bank account, too! I didn’t think this quality of knowledge and efficiency was available these days. This business is really doing a GREAT job — I’ll be going there the next time I have any product or advice needs for anything electrical or lighting related.

I stopped in to pickup an electric ballast for a T12 to T8 fluorescent fixture upgrade. Berkeley Electric Company suggested here as they would have better selection than Berkeley Ace Hardware. I believe him, however when to Laner’s and stated exactly what I was looking for (as Eric G. recommends), the Asian woman behind the counter just brought the one ballast from the back. It will do the job, though I’ll never know if there were other options that would work better (such as a dimmable ballast).
Parking is a breeze and it’s located conveniently off the 580 (just time your trip there around rush hour traffic).
Better for contractors/​electricians than DIY’ers, but worth going if you are looking for something special/​specific as others have mentioned (otherwise it’s a 3 star).

This place can find the hard to get electrical part you need .
The staff is friendly, helpful and courteous. The black guy there is hella cool.
I have an old panel from the 1970’s and I went to home depot, ace, osh, and after precious minutes lost from flagging down half-​dead employees a kind man recommended this place to find the OLD breaker I needed. They ordered direct from the company and took about 3 – 5 business days.
Prices are comparable but you can’t put a price on customer service sometimes… you get a small town feel in Richmond. It’s in a nice industrial area, no worries about parking there is parking right in front.
B.t.w. they sell l.e.d. lighting, breakers, etc. etc. anything to do with electricity.

I had almost given up on finding the part I needed, but then I called Laner. Not only did they have the part, but they had it stock transferred to their San Francisco location by the next morning. It does help to have a clue what you’re looking for, but the staff was also able to guide me and suggest alternatives. Very friendly, knowledgeable, & helpful staff. The guys at the San Francisco location are terrific. Laner is my go-​to electrical parts store from now on.

Home Depot be damned. This is where the real shiznit is.
At Laner you will have access to professional grade electrical supplies and lighting products at great prices. You can still buy the cheap Home Depot junk here if you really want to, but Laner stocks excellent quality items from better manufacturers, and more variety than the big orange store.
TIPS
1. It helps if you know what you want. This is not the best place to learn as you go because some of the clerks are more helpful than others. Keep in mind that their #1 customers are electricians and do-​it-​yourselfers are #2. Electricians need to eat, buy inflated priced gas, and see sucky expensive movies too you know. The wreck-​it-​yourselfer people cut into that. So if one of the counter guys makes you feel like you’re over your head, they’re just looking out for their friends and customers. Just tell ‘em. Hey, it’s okay. I’m not a shithead.
2. They have a web store AND a storefront counter. Check out
. They have more stuff than you see on the web site, so call ‘em.
3. Call in your order for will-​call for the fastest, painless shopping experience you’ve ever had.
4. Some items are sold in massive quantities that make Costco packaging look like canary crap.
5. Free donuts and coffee in the morning.