B&Q Website

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Used it for the first time today to order up some kitchen doors. All went ok, although it's very slow.

Go to checkout, and it asks for my house number and postcode, and up comes the correct address. Fill in everything else and try to proceed. Nothing. Thinking it something my RISC OS browser can't cope with I do it all again on the PC card. Which was even slower...

Turns out the 'county' field wasn't filled in. Don't think I've got one, so I just put in Balham which seemed to satisfy it.

What's the point of them having a postcode database if their system doesn't believe it?

[Mike]

We have the opposite problem. We're in Cheshire but most postcode databases insist on changing this to Derbyshire which is fine for the Royal Mail as their local sorting office is there but screws up most other delivery companies.

[EricP]

The question really is "Why do B&Q bother to have an online shop at all?"

You put "lightbulb" in the search engine and it produces three pages of kitchens, patio slabs and a lawn mower.

It also contains about 2% of what they actually stock, usually the ridiculously expensive stuff, and you go and buy the cheaper elsewhere, only to find they do stock what you wanted all the time.

[<me9]

Isn't Screwfix the same outfit, and supply most of the rest of the range?

[Andy Hall]

Presumably it filled in the other fields with "Gateway to the South" (foursquare on the Northern Line)....

Actually, thinking about it, they would most likely have no clue as to what that artform was all about. Culture's off dear.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'd visited my local branch for something else, and noticed they had some kitchen doors on offer. And mine really could do with an update - but the units which I built myself are still fine. But the ones I wanted were to order only. So I took a catalogue back and worked out what I needed. Had I been able to pick them up, I wouldn't have bothered with the website. But it seemed a good idea to order them that way - and in fact that part was easy.

[Ian Stirling]

It's really a cunning ruse of Ikea, to destroy B&Qs online reputation.

[AlexW]

IIRC Yes to first part, some overlap on second I think.

B&Q's website is an anomaly though. IMO it just seems designed to annoy users and has so little of interest on it ... what's the point?

I'd also be interested to know why they actually bother with it given that their portfolio includes screwfix.

[:::Jerry::::]

But who would bother to order electric light bulbs (at least the types B&Q stock) online, other than a totally lazy couch potato?...

Grins, ducks and runs :~)

[google]

I ordered my kitchen on the web and was well pleased with the service. If you have a B&Q warehouse nearby, they seem to carry the whole kitchen range as stock items. This was useful when unforseen problems meant I needed a few extra/different bits. I was even able to exchange items I'd bought over the web, but I don't think I actually told them that.

Andrew

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Now wait for the spam to arrive. It took a registered letter to encourage them to stop spamming me! They seem to think that once they have your details, they are entitled to use them for any purpose they like.

BTW. Dave, sewing machine now all sorted. Are you going to Bromley?

[Christian McArdle]

However, it is the correct address! If put a county in at all, you are supposed to put the county of the post town, rather than the county of the address.

Christian.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Not my local warehouse in Wandsworth. They had the stuff I wanted on display, but to order only.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Did you tick the box saying you didn't want offers, etc?

Excellent.

I hadn't intended to. When is it? (The latest PC is downstairs. ;-))

[Doctor Evil]

Gateway to the south. What sink estate are you on?

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

I always take great care to do that. Even so, the default should be "no spam" rather than "jump through hoops to protect your mailbox".

Sunday. We go every year. It is one of the best ones, beside the autumn Beaulieu show. We'll be there with WNJ in the Reliant one make parking.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Predictable reply given your age. When did you retire?

You've not been to Balham in the last twenty years or so?

House backing onto my garden has just sold for 1.7 million...

[:::Jerry::::]

Only worth that if cashing in or moving out though....

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's worth what someone is prepared to pay for it.

If you mean you wouldn't wish to live there, I'm happy here for many reasons - one of which is it only takes 10 minutes to get to work in the morning. ;-)

[:::Jerry::::]

,

No, what I meant was it might as well be worth 10.7 million - 10.7 quid...

If you move, unless you move out of the area (or into very much cheaper housing stock within the area) you will be spending the same sort of money - conversely you house might as well be worth 10 quid and be a mansion, as long as you are buying in the same area IYSWIM.