Screwfix about to go belly up?

In article , MBQ writes

Even were that accurate, one must wonder what sort of moron would close down the old site -- which was fully staffed and which worked -- in favour of a new site which was not fully staffed and which patently does

*not* work even approximately.

That is, if there *are* any customers by then.

The way those idiots are going, they'd be lucky to get £70 of orders next year.

Reply to
Paul C. Dickie
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In article , chris French writes

Perhaps that's the going rate for "short staff"? o-)

Reply to
Paul C. Dickie

You're making a big assumption that customers won't return

When it's easy to order and shipments work, most people have pretty short memories.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Reply to
Andy Hall

In message , Andy Hall writes

Indeed.

Things do seem to be improving. While you may find at the moment that if you try too order at certain times the site is closed (it still has the warning on the home page), it's comes back up again later. More importantly, if you place an order, at least you are likely to get it. I ordered yesterday at about 9.45, received the order (as I would normally expect) this am.

Best try to avoid trying to order at 3 in the afternoon though I guess.

Sure they have made a major c*ck up here, but I think they have dealt with it in a reasonable way (not perfect, I take on boards points about leaving site up , just not taking orders). Better that then continuing to take orders when the system/staffing just weren't up to dealing with them.

It did spur me to try Toolstation last week though, all went smoothly, but less product range than SF (though of course they have some thing SF don't) Website doesn't seem to work quite so well either.

Reply to
chris French

There is also UNIFIX direct too

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. UNifix are v good for fixings and they stock much the same range as S'fix. Their catalogue is similar in size and feel to Sfix. Why all this obsession with one mail order company. Many companies do much the same thing.

Reply to
IMM

It's called effective marketing.

.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Reply to
Andy Hall

In article , G&M writes

I'd venture to suggest that's mainly because of where Wickes is situated

-- at the top of Lancashire Hill, further from the motorway than B&Q and with less easy access to the car park.

Reply to
Paul C. Dickie

In article , IMM writes

Mr Glib-Simplistic seems to have overlooked the perfectly obvious point that, once customers have found alternative suppliers -- some of which may be only a short drive away and may have a friendly face rather than a disembodied voice on the end of a 'phone line -- they may not perceive any desire to return to a company that seems unable even to give a shit for their business. But that's Andy Hall, isn't it? He even likes the way that Dyson suction cleaners are overpriced...

What a wonderful game -- to try to guess the day and time that Screwfux have deigned to let folk *order* once more! There are those, whoever, who actually *have* a life...

And some charge the same -- or less -- for the same items. For example, the 6mm long twist drills from Tilgear are the same price as those from Screwfux and they don't charge any extra for P&P. Nor, IIRC, do they have a minimum order charge.

Reply to
Paul C. Dickie

....and Makitas too. Appalling......

Reply to
IMM

The trouble is you are confusing perfectly obvious to you to perfectly obvious to everyone. Mr Glib-Simplistic wasn't saying returning customers were right to return, just that they probably would. When they do, sheep-like to the fold, you will be in the unenviable position of admitting Mr G-S was right!

Reply to
Bob Mannix

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (MBQ) wrote [quoting some local rag]

which doesn;t stp them stuffing up every order I've ever placed with them. The latest is missing 3 tile saw rods and instead I've got a cheap and nasty spirit level that no-one in thier right mind would want.

Reply to
Robert E A Harvey

In article , Paul C. Dickie writes

I obviously did *not* remember correctly; not only was the £1.29 price for a 6mm long series twist drill shared by Screwfux and *Axminster*, but also Tilgear (who charge £1.50 for that same item) charge £3.95 P&P on orders under £50. That said, they're appreciably less expensive than Axminster for some items, such as the Vertex ER25 collet chuck set.

Reply to
Paul C. Dickie

In article , Dave Plowman (News) writes

It does.

What's more, if one telephones the local branch of B&Q to ask if they have a given item in stock and one is told that item is there in plentiful supplies, there is no guarantee that it *will* be available when one has sped down a quarter-hour later. Should one bother to ask why one had been misinformed, they'll either deny all knowledge of the query or else claim that one had asked about something else...

Reply to
Paul C. Dickie

It seems as though the reality is that you tried to order some stuff for a job and were thwarted in doing so.

Why did you try to do so in the first place? Simple. it was because you didn't want to spend the time looking for other suppliers on the net or in bricks and mortar places locally.

In due course you will probably go back to net suppliers simply because it saves time as do most people who use net suppliers.

Why do people go to B&Q warehouses? Again simple. You are more likely to find more of the things you want there than in smaller DIY sheds and on average probably cheaper.

I am sure that most people view Screwfix in the same way - a convenient one stop shop with reasonable prices on most things and in general giving good delivery.

Nobody is denying that their move has been a shambles.

Does it mean that it will affect there market position in three months time?

Very doubtful.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Reply to
Andy Hall

Nope. Just standard "pay next month" terms. And delivery is still extortionate.

Reply to
G&M

IMM wrote or quoted:

A different message today:

``Screwfix.com is temporarily unavailable.

Due to our website unavailability over the last few days, we are experiencing very high traffic levels at Screwfix.com. In order to maintain a high level of service we are managing the number of users able to access the website at any one time. Please try again later.''

Trying again later produces the same message.

It sounds like their new computer system is having teething problems.

Reply to
Tim Tyler

IMM wrote or quoted:

Their web site boasts:

``OVER 5 DECADES OF EXPERIENCE SERVING _ONLY_ THE TRADE''

-

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bit of a turn-off for the home DIY enthusiast.

Reply to
Tim Tyler

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