Small retailers v Tool station/screw fix etc-how do you guys feel?

[mart]

I like the concept of Tool station. Sit in a nice warm house in the evening with a mug of tea and browse the catalogue, making a list of what is required. The prices seem good. The product range is very good. Often there are several brands (electrical example) MK/Crompton/Heinz57. But what about customer service? Returning stuff seems hassle free. But, you need to know what you require, as I’ve found you cannot get advice. That, I suppose is fair enough from a supplier of items for many different trades. All under one roof-just like a supermarket.

There is a local electrical retail shop near me (family run business). They can and do advise on what is required, but probably cannot afford to sell at the same price as TS. Friendly helpful staff that makes buying from them a small element of pleasure.

If you have 3 very small jobs to do-plumbing, electrical and roofing for example, are you going to spend the time going to 3 different places?

It has been said that supermarkets kill the high street. B&Q/Wicks could be described as being responsible for killing the handy shops etc, but what do you do as an individual? Everyone is busy these days, and for the engineers & trades people on here, time is big money (lost) if you are running around for bits & pieces.

 

[MattF]

Personally, I favour the local hardware shop over the larger places. Been going in there for years. Originally owned & run by the father, who passed away some years ago, and now his daughter owns & runs it. I will go to places like Wickes etc. for stuff I know they don't stock, but if it's something they stock, I'd much rather get it from there, and she'll try her best to get a specific item for you, if it's something she doesn't have, if you give her the details of exactly what you want.

 

[mart]

Personally, I favour the local hardware shop over the larger places. Been going in there for years. Originally owned & run by the father, who passed away some years ago, and now his daughter owns & runs it. I will go to places like Wickes etc. for stuff I know they don't stock, but if it's something they stock, I'd much rather get it from there, and she'll try her best to get a specific item for you, if it's something she doesn't have, if you give her the details of exactly what you want.

That is the same as my experience at the family run electricals. However, I`m not keen on or paying over the odds running about to various places.

 

[sparkysy]

I too would have to agree! Where the spotty oik in b&q would look at you blankly and say never heard of one of those our local owned small shop will trip over themselves to help, and while it's a bit more money I'd rather pay that bit for the help and service!

 

[rtbcomp]

I've had my car off the road for about 12 months so have been using the local DIY near me and found their prices for what I wanted were less than B&Q.

Same with computer stuff, I need a new hard drive and I'll get one from my local shop, I'll probably pay a tenner more than CPC, but I can always ask him for help if I have a problem.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I tend to avoid the electrical wholesalers because it bugs me that you never get the same price twice!
I can go in one week for 10 MK Logic Plus double gang sockets and be charged £50 and then go in the following week for 5 of the same and be charged £15!
It all depends on who is on the counter as to what discount you get.
I now stick to TS or Screwfix because at least you know the price up front.

 

[brightspark]

I tend to avoid the electrical wholesalers because it bugs me that you never get the same price twice!
I can go in one week for 10 MK Logic Plus double gang sockets and be charged £50 and then go in the following week for 5 of the same and be charged £15!
It all depends on who is on the counter as to what discount you get.
I now stick to TS or Screwfix because at least you know the price up front.

i sometimes go to elecrifix and price there gear. its the trade side of screwfix then i ring 2 of the wholesalers and get the price if there dear i tell em the price and they come in lower i did it yesterday and saved 8 quid on 5 items i heard em in the background saying the stingy greedy b

 

[Spark plug]

From an electrical point of view screwfix and toolstation are ok for bits of domestic stuff. I personally prefer screwfix. The probloem with them is if your buying conduit you have to buy a big pack of pipe as opposed to just getting 2 or 3 lengths. They dont stock mutch industrial stuff no steel conduit or unistrut.

I bought a 4ft fluresent light fitting from toolstation a wile ago it didn't come with a lamp but you could only buy the lamps in packs of 5, so I had to go to screwfix for a lamp

 

[brightspark]

electrifix have the biggest stock of mk distribution boards metal and plastic and u can get next day delivery and there prices are verry good .u rely need to be buying diffrent things on a regular basis and know where and who do the best prices. people buying small amounts will pay over the odds for one offs so it wont matter i sometimes pay over the odds for plumbing and joinery gear

 

[Wendelspanswick]

electrifix have the biggest stock of mk distribution boards metal and plastic and u can get next day delivery and there prices are verry good .u rely need to be buying diffrent things on a regular basis and know where and who do the best prices. people buying small amounts will pay over the odds for one offs so it wont matter i sometimes pay over the odds for plumbing and joinery gear

Plus free doughnuts on Friday mornings (free coffee all week).

 

[roofman]

For my roofing materials i like to stay loyal to the same couple of places...let them know this fact and i tend to get a very good discount code,well the best actually.I did spend a few weeks once running around trying other places but ended up getting stung on prices (new kid on the block senerio) so stopped trying.

 

[TAITSIE]

I have always found the counter staff in Toolstation etc to pleasant enough to deal with but they are only selling items people have selected and have no product knowledge,

 

[Parm]

Interesting discussion, I think in this current climate when everyone wants something for nothing it has to be the cheapest place that supplies the quality and standard of goods you want.

If you need advice on something then that's what the internet is for or your mates or dare I say it a forum like this

 

[brightspark]

Interesting discussion, I think in this current climate when everyone wants something for nothing it has to be the cheapest place that supplies the quality and standard of goods you want.

If you need advice on something then that's what the internet is for or your mates or dare I say it a forum like this

[u can do your research on the internet and also get good reliable information on here on a large variety of subjects then form your own opinion on what suits best .any misinformation given will soon be criticised

 

[Spark plug]

Even b and q are cheep for sum stuff, cement and plaster. I know plenty of builders buy theirs at b and q.

I rearly buy cable from screwfix because the don't sell buy the meter, if I wanted 27m of 4mm 4 core swa I would have to buy 50m at screwfix but at the wholesaler I would buy 27m. And screwfix don't sell SY and the like.

 

[Parm]

[u can do your research on the internet and also get good reliable information on here on a large variety of subjects then form your own opinion on what suits best .any misinformation given will soon be criticised

When doing a paid job it's hard to explain to the customer that you paid double for the what're ever cause you didn't know and had to go to the little shop down the road where he explained all!

 

[mart]

For my roofing materials i like to stay loyal to the same couple of places...let them know this fact and i tend to get a very good discount code,well the best actually.I did spend a few weeks once running around trying other places but ended up getting stung on prices (new kid on the block senerio) so stopped trying.

This loyalty from a customer is a good idea, but it has to be a “two way street”, and in your case it seems you have it covered, which is a nice arrangement.

However, regarding what Wendel explained, with one price one week and no consistency on price the following week it is going to create bad feeling for most people-myself included. “I get” that the retailer has to know that you are regular, and I understand that the more people there are serving the harder this is to establish.

Small (family) retailers may be the best way for loyalty between seller AND customer

 

[MattF]

Interesting discussion, I think in this current climate when everyone wants something for nothing it has to be the cheapest place that supplies the quality and standard of goods you want.

I'd disagree, within reason. I'd much rather spend a little more and help a small business stay running, providing their service and attitude are pleasant, and I won't humour bad attitude companies simply on principle if nowt else. The latters prices could be half what anyone else had and I still wouldn't use that type of company.

It's the something for nothing attitude which is part of the reason this country is such a shambles. It'd be highly hypocritical to whinge about it like we do whilst at the same time encouraging it further. Personally, a pleasant person who knows their stuff and who knows what customer service is, is worth paying that little extra for, IMHO. I've suffered way too many pillocks who are bothered about money and nowt else, for me to be willing to give them time of day any more.

 

[MattF]

When doing a paid job it's hard to explain to the customer that you paid double for the what're ever cause you didn't know and had to go to the little shop down the road where he explained all!

If you're having to go somewhere so that someone can explain how you should do your customers work, you're in the wrong trade matey.

 

[Rocketman]

If you're having to go somewhere so that someone can explain how you should do your customers work, you're in the wrong trade matey.

Unless it's a training course