kingfisher breaking screwfix?

[jim]

Bah! just been looking for a pack of multimonti's to finish a project - screwfix only sell in packs of 50?!?! their "old school" no-name shield anchors are now twice the price of toolstation?!?!?!?

what gives?

Are kingfisher trying to restore B+Q's sales figures by effectively knackering screwfix for DIYers with smaller quantity requirements?

I also note that screwfix prices are much increased and some product areas have reduced ranges and more "premium" brand names appearingevery catalogue - with matchin premium prices...

Bah

Come on Toolstation open a branch nearer me!

jim

[PCPaul]

I've noticed that too. I don't go there much any more.

There's one just opened in Gloucester - which is nice (for me ;-)...

[RubberBiker]

Quite possibly. At trade counters, domestic buyers more often have questions or want to see items along with smaller overall purchase value. Whilst trade buyers are more likely to reel off order numbers and spend more - whilst be less tolerant of long waits

Again that could very well be driven by trade buyers that send stuff back if it isn't up to scratch - and Screwfix bear the cost because they're big spenders.

Screwfix did do a trade card a while back with privileged ordering - fizzled out - but I can see them making efforts to separate trade and diy customers.

[John]

I only occasionally use Screwfix as I don't regularly do DIY projects. I feel some retail customers are very unfair and expect to be shown items whilst there are well prepared customers waiting and fuming! Time is money for some people and retail customers should appreciate the fact or the prices will creep up as it gets pressurised into being more customer friendly to the small buyers.

[YAPH]

They're doing it now to some extent with Plumbfix: if you're gas registered you automatically get the PFX catalogue. You phone in orders (so far you can't order from their website), either for delivery (min £100 ex VAT) or pickup at a trade counter. The stock is mostly a subset of Screwfix's but at reduced prices, with some stuff you can't get from Screwfix itself. The reduced prices generally beat Toolstation's.

Apparently the new (second) Screwfix trade counter in Reading is going to have a dedicated Plumbfix counter added where you can order in the shop, as at Screwfix proper.

I imagine they'll roll out Sparkfix and Buildfix etc in due course. Presumably the CORGI/Gas Safe registration membership list was an easy way of selecting their privileged customer base.

[The Medway Handyman]

I thought they only ever did packs of 50 or 100? Certainly in the 6mm size anyway.

[RubberBiker]

I think the larger sizes came in packs of 25, but that was the manufacturers package size rather than a Screwfix policy.

[Tim S]

YAPH coughed up some electrons that declared:

They did - it's Electricfix -

[PCPaul]

I only want to see things where the picture and/or description misses out something fairly fundamental - which does happen quite often.

[PeterC]

Same here - I wanted a combi square, about the same price as in B&Q but B&Q's is shiny (why do they do that?), so had to see it at Screwfix as the pic. wasn't good enough. Every other time I've had a prepared order slip, so the only delay is if something's out of stock.

[PeterC]

It's OK, all this splitting up, but if a sparky wants some electrical items and some building ones, he might have to queue twice (unless it's just a filter). I wanted a waste trap (HepvO), went to a PlumbCenter ½ a mile away and was told to go to a Waste(?)Center several miles away. At least I had a chance to see the bikes outside the Ace cafe!

[EricP]

This does seem the typical B&Q approach. Go look for a £3 wire brush for an anglegrinder and find a branded one at £23. Sad, I liked Screwfix, but I do have a Toolstation within a days travel by camel.

[Dave Liquorice]

Second! When are we going to get the first in Carlisle... The distribution of SF counters is very patchy. They can't use the excuse that there is a B&Q in Carlisle as the SF counters on Tyneside are also close to B&Qs.

[YAPH]

At present, ordering by phone, one can add Screwfix-general items to one's plumbix catalogue items and pick them up together in one go.

The counter droids still have to fill in a paper form in quill pen if it's going on one's trade account through

[Frank Erskine]

On 4 May 2009 12:37:25 GMT, YAPH had this to say:

From their outset, Plumbfix have been sending me catalogues/fliers. I've no connection with the gas trade, have never asked for an account, nor (AFAICR) have I ever ordered gassy-type things from Screwfix; the few gas things I've bought have usually been from B&Q.

[TheOldFellow]

There's only thee and me 'ere, though. And I'm retired.

R.

[dmc]

Here in Folkestone we have a B&Q (not a warehouse one - just normal) right next to a Screwfix that opened about the same time. I've also noticed screwfix getting less and less competitive on price...

Handily, Toolstation opened shortly after screwfix (and just around the corner as well!). Excellent.

I particularly like the way you can check the local toolstation trade counter stock from the website and then make up an order and it gives you an order code. Pop along, they type in the order code and get your order. Excellent and something screwfix is really missing now :-/

Darren

[The Medway Handyman]

Yerbut, SF have never been cheaper on everything. You have to keep a close eye on everybodys prices. Lot of plumbing stuff is cheaper in Wickes, a lot isn't. TLC tend to be cheaper than SF or Wickes, but not always. Toolstation seem on average very cheap, but I've bought stuff from them which is crap.

Homobase is of course universally expensive :-)

[Dave Liquorice]

True enough but when you look at where there are SF counters there is massive lump of the country that doesn't have access. Like all of the west coast pretty much from Lancaster to Glasgow!

I'm far more likely to visit SF in Carlisle, as I go in that dierction at least once/week, than I am to make a special trip to one of the half dozen or so Tyne/Tees area.

[YAPH]

Curious. TBH I just assumed they'd got the names from CORGI (as then was).