B&Q

[Zampa]

They also open at 7 in the morning and shut at 8pm

 

[makitaman]

I think you're right Woody. Unless I'm buying bulk and can get a decent trade discount from the merchants I drift towards B&Q and Wickes too. I don't think I'm the only one either, just looking at the vans outside B&Q on a Monday morning here in Milton Keynes tells its own story.

 

[sir_psycho_sexy]

They also open at 7 in the morning and shut at 8pm

actually close at 9pm.....well warehouses do

superstores 8pm

 

[sir_psycho_sexy]

Was once stood behind a guy at the check out of local B&Q warehouse. He had a SF catalogue on him and was getting a price match on his purchases. Don't know if they still do this but I'm not so sad as to carry a SF catalogue around with me all the time>

As long as the price is the same at a store within a 10mile radius that is fine

 

[Agile]

Aye, B&Q and Scewfix are indeed both part of the Kingfisher group but are separate companies and operate independently of each other, not only in terms of the roducts sold and the prices charged but also throughout the entire supply chain so the buyers for B&Q buy separately from those of Screwfix and negotiate prices accordingly.

Maybe Screwfix buy that palm sander from B&Q and sell it on Screwfix for £60 ???

Tony

 

[wilhelm]

nah, probably a typo.

 

[Brad Naylor]

Word is that Winzer Wurth are about to open 40 Screwfix style trade counters around the country following a couple of successful trial stores.

I use their products a lot and they're excellent - if the trade counters are run with German efficiency they could be worth a try.

 

[pjholybloke]

Word is that Winzer Wurth are about to open 40 Screwfix style trade counters around the country following a couple of successful trial stores.

I use their products a lot and they're excellent - if the trade counters are run with German efficiency they could be worth a try.

I agree Brad, but German efficiency with British attitude to service? Forget it mate, how many times have you been at a trade counter watching one snot-nosed trainee struggling for the right code to punch into a computer, while two or more fully trained colleagues prat about in the background sorting out telephone orders, or just attempting to look busy? (sometimes they don't even "attempt")

I see this sort of thing day after day, but if you dare suggest to any of them that whilst they are getting paid to be there you aren't - you tend to get the "who the feck d'ya think you are" look, as if they're doing you the favour by letting you stand there waiting!

Let's face it, queueing has become a British institution - you even have to queue on a telephone now. Fast food? My a**e. Drive Thru? Queue Thru more like. The classic - "I'll be with you in a minute mate."

Unfortunately dragging someone over a counter by their ear is considered to be anti-social nowadays, as is expecting fast efficient service apparently.

I have used Screwfix in a jam many times in the past - need a part to complete a job (plumbing/electrics etc.) but off your patch and don't want to waste time trying to find a local supplier - I've placed a telephone order - got on with other elements of the fit - and opened the door the next day to a bloke I've never seen before bearing exactly what I need. Sorted. To be fair, that sort of thing works in my line because I tend to be on the same job for an average of 4-5 days, and being a quite fluid process there's pretty much always something else to be getting on with.

Turn up anywhere in person though, and it seems that you're just interfering in an otherwise perfectly smooth business operation - who needs customers?

German efficiency and an American approach to service though? "Wunderbar, have a nice day."

Now that's worth dreaming about......

(Rant mode off)

 

[JohnD]

in my line because I tend to be on the same job for an average of 4-5 days.

Emergency plumber?

 

[Zampa]

Builders merchants are the same....you stand there for ten minutes while all the regular 'boys' who come in after you and walk straight round the back for their free cup of **** coffee and get served straight away!...

Then you get the traditional builders merchant greeting of a blank stare followed by 'yeh?'....

The last time I was in one I put a small drain cover on the counter while 'f---wit' went though the price book to find it...five mintues later I got the same blank look followed by 'Nah'..

I said 'nah what'..he said there aint nuffink in da book'

Two books, two staff, and ten minutes later they found it....

But then major panic set in...no calculator to work out the VAT!!!

I said '3.52' ...'hang on' said f---wit number 3 who had managed to find the calculator....'it comes to free fifty two'...less 10%'

I said 'no its minus 10% plus 17%but you keep it mate I have to be home in two hours.....' then put down 3.60 and went!

Posstots!

 

[pjholybloke]

in my line because I tend to be on the same job for an average of 4-5 days.

Emergency plumber?

V.funny, but kitchen/bedroom/bathroom fitter - emergency plumbing by appointment only

 

[pjholybloke]

Two books, two staff, and ten minutes later they found it....

But then major panic set in...no calculator to work out the VAT!!!

I said '3.52' ...'hang on' said f---wit number 3 who had managed to find the calculator....'it comes to free fifty two'...less 10%'

I said 'no its minus 10% plus 17%but you keep it mate I have to be home in two hours.....' then put down 3.60 and went!

Posstots!

Fiver says seconds after you left, one of 'em said "what's 'is f****n problem?" .............


What if...........


(Dreamland)

(rant mode on) "PROBLEM?! MYYYY PROBLEM?! I'll tell you what my problem is "MATE". My problem is that you've barely been taught to read, write or grasp the fundamental principles of addition and subttraction, but for some obtuse reason, the idea that failure is "acceptable" has been reinforced throughout your entire educational existence by some bed-wetting-liberal-idealist-free thinking-spineless apologist, just in case you react badly to it!"

(rant mode full on & NOX assisted)

"Well here's the reality you snot-nosed t**t; if I were to believe that failure was acceptable, I could feel justified by "failing" to keep my (at this imaginary point) nuclear temper under control, drag you over to my side of the trade-counter world, smash your teeth in and force-feed you a f****n choc-ice!!!!!

(rant mode off)


(... back in the real world)

Zampa, I tend to walk away from these sort of experiences in confusion and fearing for the future of my children.

Sometimes I wonder if I should have been a surfer.......

 

[Nige F]

run with German efficiency they could be worth a try.

German efficiency with British attitude to service? favour by letting you stand there waiting!

German efficiency and an American approach to service though? "Wunderbar, have a nice day."

Now that's worth dreaming about......

(Rant mode off)

Do you think Ve Haff vergotten der humiliation of ze Eagle Komiks und der World cup chants We will not rest until EVERY trading estate in your monkey island has an AUDI und "Mini" Kar Lotten on it Vagens for the People.....but only our vonz

 

[Deluks]

Do you think Ve Haff vergotten der humiliation of ze Eagle Komiks und der World cup chants We will not rest until EVERY trading estate in your monkey island has an AUDI und "Mini" Kar Lotten on it Vagens for the People.....but only our vonz

I quite like Germans, at least the ones I've met. It's just a shame that this kind of humour would be lost on them.