Is B&Q currently in some kind of financial crisis? I went into my local store yesterday and found that every item on my shopping list was sold out. Today, I was hoping to reserve a list of nine other items from a much larger depot (in Poole, Dorset) and every item on my list proved to be "out of stock".
Al
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Same with Screwfix - two out of four items out of stock (including a pop rivetter) with a promise to get them next day. I went to a proper tool store about 100 yards away and they had six different pop rivetters available although the prices were higher.
Cic.
B&Q seems to be run by machines, not humans - and those computers don't seem to be programmed that well. I've been through the mill of ...
1) pre-ordering things, 2) expecting things to be on stock on shelves, 3) navigating their website, 4) paying at the self-service checkout, 5) and even, applying for a job...... and it's almost always been a let down. The last one was a bit of a smack in the mouth when the HR computer sent it's stupidly generated psychometric profile opinion of why I didn't fit an office job, having previously been successful at that king of thing. Destructive criticism that would have sent a prediagnosed depressive applicant straight over the top on his medication ...
Luckily I have a choice of other retailers, and Toolstation is currently top of my list for satisfaction.
Stuff not on the shelves represents customers lost.
I no longer go to Screwfix, even though they're much closer. It was the out-of-stock rate that did for it.
But if you had lampshades and cushions on your list you would not have had the problem...
Geo wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
Unfortunately, I can't complete the guttering job on my house with lampshades and cusions. ((-;
Al
I've not been able to complete even lists of three or four items in ether B&Q or Screwfix lately (this year, in fact). Plus the range in Screwfix is getting much smaller and more pricey too. Defeats the whole 'shed' raison de'etre. One-stop shopping becomes ten sheds and a mail order! Increasingly I'm finding most of what I buy is ending up coming from Amazon these days!
Sharry wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@l6g2000yqb.googlegroups.com:
Much as I like corner shops, and much as I hate to disagree, I don't think that's the problem at all. The DIY sheds buy their stock in large quantities compared to corner shops, which means they can charge less than corner shops. Furthermore there are several DIY sheds all in competition with each other which helps to keep prices fair. The 'no longer cheap' effect (a.k.a. inflation) affects corner shops as well as DIY sheds.
Al
Except that the 'sheds' are no longer cheap. Compare Toolstations prices to Wickes or B&Q.
Flexible tap connector £6:99 in Wickes, £0:98 from Toolstation, 8 x 100 hammer fixings, pack of 20 in B&Q £8, pack of 10 from Toolstation £0:77.
Sheds never *were* cheap. Except for the odd bought in bulk and knocked out at a loss for marketing purposes and too crap to be stocked by anyone else.
I remember buying on impulse a pair of simple bath taps, HALF PRICE £10 only!! from B&Q.
When I got them I realised I actually wanted basin taps, so I got a pair from a hardware store at £7.50.
When building this house, I visted sheds several times to try and get basic useful building materials or fiottings. In every case the builders merchant was cheaper and better quality.
I think I have a shower glass shelf from Homeabse, and that's about it. I didn't know tyhe glaziers would cut and toughen glass, or have the fittings to make glass shelves, then.
In article , The Medway Handyman writes
I think Toolstation are still building market share (my local is always quieter than the adjacent Sfx) and they will hike their prices once they have it. They're in the same group as Travis Perkins so I can't see their business motives being all that altruistic.
My last experience from B&Q was a pain too. SWMBO bought some glass lampshades from there. We broke one a week later and I went back. Despite the fact I could see one on display I was told they were discontinued and they had none in stock. Would they fetch the one I could see? Of course not (for Elf & Safe-tea reasons).
Find one of those big ladder things and get it down yourself. Simon.
Geo wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
Agreed - or paints or adhesives or flooring, it seems.
I went to B&Q again today for what must be some of the most essential everyday plumbing bits - a sink trap, some straight 15mm speedfit connectors. Nothing! Lots of empty spaces in the plumbing department shelves. Go to the paint department, and you can choose from six different brands of emulsion, and five different makes of caulk! And enough choices of floor tiles to make you dizzy.
Al
Same in Weymouth, no own brand filler, no paint brushes (only 10mm ones) no paint Kettles and no Cuprinol fence paint for the last 5 weeks. If the economy is on a downturn it's because we cannot buy anything. I'm going back home and self isolating until the shops get some stock. They open tomorrow what they will be selling who knows.
The post you're replying to is 10 years old. Plus ca change...
Another Dave
Where are thes posts from times of yore coming from or is the backbone of usenet severely confused watt the year is? Brian
Google have launched a revamped version of Groups maybe that's dragging old posts out of the woodwork?
I was looking in B&Qs website last week for a specific item. They had a picture of it, but lower down the page it said that they no longer stock it. Eh? Why have a picture of the item if they don't sell it.????
Wilkos is nearly as bad with loads of empty spaces on their shelves. It seems like a case of when it's gone it's gone.
Oh so it's an old one
I thought that as the subject was prescient (have you tried buying plaster this week?)
that it was a new posting
:-(
tim
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