B&Q occassionally cheaper in bulk than Screwfix?

[dom]

I would expect SF to always be the cheaper, but there's few inexplicable di fferences I've come across on bulk items.

For instance Ronseal Diamond Hard floor varnish:

9321 £36.99 for 2.5 litres

£59.98 for 5 litres

OK a 2.5 litre can is £42.98 at B&Q - but if you don't know about the 5 l itre price at B&Q, you end up paying more in the long run at SF.

Actually that 5l can price is the cheapest I can find anywhere.

Same happened when I was buying boxes of MK White double sockets - the box of 5 significantly cheaper at B&Q. I think I also found that some of the ot her MK fittings were slightly cheaper at B&Q (5A round-pin lighting sockets IIRC)

And another was Ragni trowels (the good hardened steel stuff).

Any others you know of where the DIY sheds beat the trade counters?

[Tim Watts]

On Sunday 29 December 2013 09:14 [e-mail] wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Quite often it seems to happen. B&Q pricing is random.

Even instore...

Once I noticed some precut mains flex, it was something like I forget the exact figures):

5m £2.99 10m £6.99

[Andy Burns]

single 3m length 15mm copper tube

B&Q £8.98 SF £9.49 (£7.49 if you want ten pack) TS only sell 2m length in ten pack for £5.49

Oh dear, now I disprove my own point, must be a recent offer, I checked a week or two ago

Wickes £5.49 (£5.36 in ten pack)

[Bob Eager]

There was some discussion here (a while ago) that the sheds were selling 'special builds' of MK stuff - not built to the same quality. Can't remember the outcome though.

[Scott M]

Though unlike dishwasher tablets, 15mm copper tees and screws, there's no saving to be had if you want a single 10m run of flex ;-)

In general, I find SF have ramped their prices up so much in the last few years that they're not at all concerned with beating anybody in price wars, instead relying on heavy advertising of the "25% off!" type to draw people in.

[dom]

The MK stuff I bought had exactly the same product ID's, but that's certainly one to be wary of in future.

[PeterC]

Not exactly on topic, but sometimes B&Q and SF are the same price, then take off 10% on crinklyday...

[D.M.Chapman]

Our local TS (Folkestone) will sell individual lengths if you ask. I discovered this by accident when I was in there picking something up and remembered I needed a length of plastic conduit. After quickly looking and noticing it was only listed as 20m packs in the catalogue I mentioned I'd leave it. The guy then pulled out some tatty bit of paper from under the counter with individual prices and went to split a pack.

Can't remember the price but it was perfectly reasonable. Worth trying if you are in there anyway - might save a trip elsewhere :-)

Darren

[Adrian]

In message , D.M.Chapman writes

There are a few things in TS's online catalogue that are sold in packs, but are available in individual lengths if bought in store (rather than online).

Adrian

[chris French]

In message , D.M.Chapman writes

It's not in the printed customer catalogues, nor online I think, but there are extra pages in the laminated ones at the 'order stations' (in the Huntingdon anyway) one giving the singles prices for various pipes

[D.M.Chapman]

Ah, that might explain it - I've never used the instore catalogues. Will look next time.

I usually stick it all in my basket online, check it should be in stock then print out the basket with the magic code. Much quicker than them having to rekey it all and saves having to give postcode etc repeatedly.

Added bonus is the orders are all visible online - handy when I want another tube of that sealant that was good last time yet I can't remember which one it was. :-)

Darren

[Andy Burns]

I use the TS trolley as a stock checker, but rarely order using it unless it's unavailable in a local branch, as it makes you wait two days to collect, unlike virtually every other click and collect website.

What "magic code" is this?

Oh, so you have to go through the motions of printing it (but can cancel the actual print) to see the xx9999 format reference number, given that I'd never print out an order I've never noticed that, and given that all you need is the reference why *would* you print it - daft!

[chris French]

Ah will have to investigate.

[D.M.Chapman]

Yep, that's the code. I did contact them and ask why it only appears on the printed output and they thanked me for my feedback...

that was a good two years ago, so I guess it's not likely to change anytime soon.

Darren