The Screwfix effect

[Rick]

For all that is said about Screwfix, they are one of the best web based small item delivery compaines. They keep you informed, the stuff arrives, and when it goes wrong they try and help. Many of their problems are due to the idiot drivers the carriers employ, not to them.

The "screwfix effect" is that we get used to the screwfix quality of service, and then start to expect screwfix and others to be even better.

I orderd for three different people last week, all on garentted "post within 24 hours" or "3-5 day delivery", not one of them has met their stated delivery times.

nepine.co.uk, 3-5 days delivery. I spoke with them tuesday - "went out monday", today they said "will go out tomorrow". 3-5 days starts when they send it out, not the 7-10 days it takes them to actually send it. Plus that thay have lied to me on the phone. They are sending from the US (not thay they tell you this on the website), so the 3-5 days is optamistic

Framepackers.co.uk. 72 hour delivery, I spoke to them, they adimited they have screwd up, and told me they put an extra 50% of framepackers into the order, so I feel better, but its still not arrived.

even amazon will take an order on 2-4 weeks delivery, and every 4 weeks send email to say its delayed 4 more weeks.

Now if screwfix were bad at delivery, then all these other people would look good. I have a clear weekend to work on my house, the tools and the last bit of the materials is stuck in some warehouse everywhere.

Rick

[PC Paul]

Where's your nearest SF trade counter?

[Lobster]

Have to say, IME they have certainly turned things round after the fiasco of moving their operation center a few months ago

David

[Christian McArdle]

They did that to me. After several such iterations, they apologised, said the item was impossible to get hold of and sent a 5 quid voucher.

Christian.

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Except that they are spammers, who see nothing wrong with their behaviour. Doing business with a spammer just encourages them.

[Steve Firth]

Yeovil isn't it? Handy sometimes for work purposes.

[Doctor Drivel]

Their products leave a lot to be desired, unless it is a known branded product. Their no quibble returns is excellent and they pay for the return postage, unlike other mail order outfits.

Their service is fine and top notch as they don't make an issue of matters...just watch the quality of the no-name brands that's all. Delivery? I never trust anyone to deliver on time, so give a wide window to that.

[John Anderton]

In what sense (e-mail, snail mail ?) are they spammers ?

The only thing I've ever received from them is a catalogue every now and again which I'm very happy to get.

Cheers,

John

[bigcat]

you dont actually buy from them do you

NT

[Andy Hall]

It's funny, but only a few short months ago they were being lambasted and berated from here about poor service following their move to Stoke.

I remember being almost a lone cry in the wilderness in their defence.

Bastards never sent me anything nice for doing it either ;-)

[Andy Hall]

Obviously his staff discount is not that good...

[Rick]

Bet even when they had that problem, they didn't take orders and simply not deliver - which is the symptom of these others that has upset me. The "screwfix effect" is that we now expect these on line retailers to do what they say, which it appears most are incapable of doing.

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Email spam. I have a letter from one of the directors pointing out that they intend to keep on spamming, even though it is an offense now. They seem to believe that buying something from them allows as much spam as they care to send.

The case I was involved in reached the newspapers locally as I was prepared to sue in the end. May still be available in Google.

[Bob Eager]

He gets his hacksaw blades there. Not sure about cabers, but he's certainly a tosser.

[Andy Hall]

Exactly. My sentiments completely. IMO, it took a lot of balls on their part to halt the order taking, amend the promise and fix the problems.

Undoubtedly they ran into problems that they didn't expect, but then dealt with them quickly and efficiently and most importantly set customer expectations accordingly.

This is one of my main criteria for doing business - that people do what they say they are going to do. If it's going to be a 5 day delivery, then say so - it may be fine. It's also fine to promise 5 and deliver in 3. Why so many distance traders can't get this right I have no idea, but on something as fundamental as this, if deliveries are adrift it implies poor control of the business and I don't want to deal with them.

[Jim Alexander]

Maybe, maybe not

arrives, and when it goes wrong they try and help. Many of their

Partly agree but Screwfix know Lynx reuse consignment numbers but have done nothing about it.

Still use Screwfix due to inertia and agree that they are quite good for refunds although that is no more than a legal requirement, but never now for the next weekends work

Jim A

[Doctor Drivel]

Not much these days. When I did, I found they never tried to hoodwink me when things went wrong.

[Henry]

The main issue now with Screwfix is, IMHO, that they no longer seem very cheap. They used to seem to beat everyone, highstreet and online, on price by miles.

My last order to an online DIY store was to Toolstation and at about £50 was nearly a third cheaper than Screwfix, order came nextday no probs though they did fail to give an email confirmation which seemed a little odd.

Henry

[usenet]

That's not normal, a Saturday order one would expect to be delivered on Tuesday surely.

[Doctor Drivel]

Good point. They are not that cheap anymore. Many items In Homebase are cheaper.

The worst I have come across for service and delivery is Plumbworld. I have the impression they take order from the web and then everything else is on paper.