Kingfisher group (comet, b&q, woolworths) vouchers suspended?

Bowks_2

I just tried to spend Kingfisher vouchers at Woolworths and was denied, having had the same happen at Comet.

sydneybean

Hi All,
not posted before but just felt i had to on this one re some of the comments about B&Q - yes i work for them!
As much as i would like to comment on the vouchers thing i wont because i am not completely sure about what has happened although i can confirm all stores were told not to accept kingfisher vouchers.
i would though just like to make a few points re some of the comments here;
1 - Comet and Woolies are NOT part of the Kingfisher group, they were once over as were superdrug but were sold off quite a while ago.
2 - Kinfisher do not sponsor F1, that is Kingfisher beer i belive? Kingfisher did however sponsor Ellen McArthur and GB Olympics team.
3 - Screwfix becoming more prominent - i would imagine (but couldnt swear to it) that this will be down to the fact that since Euan Sutherland came on board he is actually the CEO of the UK which is both B&Q and Screwfix and that may be why there is more focus that there has been in the past.
4 - Kingfisher are not going into administration and i doubt very much that they will, B&Q are the leading DIY retailer and have been increasing their market share over the past few months.


anyway, sorry if i seem a bit defensive, but there you go!.....

LELAN

sydneybean wrote: »

Hi All,
not posted before but just felt i had to on this one re some of the comments about B&Q - yes i work for them!
As much as i would like to comment on the vouchers thing i wont because i am not completely sure about what has happened although i can confirm all stores were told not to accept kingfisher vouchers.
i would though just like to make a few points re some of the comments here;
1 - Comet and Woolies are NOT part of the Kingfisher group, they were once over as were superdrug but were sold off quite a while ago.
2 - Kinfisher do not sponsor F1, that is Kingfisher beer i belive? Kingfisher did however sponsor Ellen McArthur and GB Olympics team.
3 - Screwfix becoming more prominent - i would imagine (but couldnt swear to it) that this will be down to the fact that since Euan Sutherland came on board he is actually the CEO of the UK which is both B&Q and Screwfix and that may be why there is more focus that there has been in the past.
4 - Kingfisher are not going into administration and i doubt very much that they will, B&Q are the leading DIY retailer and have been increasing their market share over the past few months.


anyway, sorry if i seem a bit defensive, but there you go!.....

:T

Quite understandable (Quote --- " a bit defensive") B&Q sure do need some heavy defending after the way they have treated * LOYAL * customers! :mad:

* By " LOYAL " I mean those of us who shop(ped) at B&Q on a very regular basis.

Yes, I mean those of us who may have used our hard won cash to buy KINGFISHER vouchers in the apparently mistaken belief that B&Q, -- of course, an integral part of the KINGFISHER GROUP would actually honor our KINGFISHER vouchers, as opposed to pointing us at a company struggling to get rid of all their old tat whilst the joint administrators earn a pretty penny from their demise. --- All this without any prior warning to us victims of these shananigans --- :eek: :eek: :eek:

LELAN

LELAN wrote: »

:T

Quite understandable (Quote --- " a bit defensive") B&Q sure do need some heavy defending after the way they have treated * LOYAL * customers! :mad:

* By " LOYAL " I mean those of us who shop(ped) at B&Q on a very regular basis.

Yes, I mean those of us who may have used our hard won cash to buy KINGFISHER vouchers in the apparently mistaken belief that B&Q, -- of course, an integral part of the KINGFISHER GROUP would actually honor our KINGFISHER vouchers, as opposed to pointing us at a company struggling to get rid of all their old tat whilst the joint administrators earn a pretty penny from their demise. --- All this without any prior warning to us victims of these shananigans --- :eek: :eek: :eek:

Wed 14th Jan 2008
:rolleyes:
I checked in Ipswich B&Q today and their instruction to NOT HONOUR KINGFISHER GIFT VOUCHERS still stands. Woe -- :eek: :eek: :eek: -- betide any poor mortal who may now discover that they are holding these seemingly worthless bits of paper in some dark, maybe long forgotten, crevice. _pale_ :doh:

A little Idea now:
Why don't all of us Geriatrics who regularly use our 'over sixties' discount card just not use B&Q on one particular Wednesday, so that they will see a big fat 'blip' in their sales figures for that particular Wednesday.
That would inform them of some loyal customers disgust at their refusal to redeem their now totally discredited KINGFISHER GROUP VOUCHERS.
In fact why not all who can, whether ,"over sixties", or not, boycott them on one Wednesdy?

We could just show those figure jugglers that consumers really can have the last word. :T
Anybody up for this? -- Suggest a Wednesday in a couple of weeks time !

sydneybean

LELAN wrote: »

Wed 14th Jan 2008
:rolleyes:
I checked in Ipswich B&Q today and their instruction to NOT HONOUR KINGFISHER GIFT VOUCHERS still stands. Woe -- :eek: :eek: :eek: -- betide any poor mortal who may now discover that they are holding these seemingly worthless bits of paper in some dark, maybe long forgotten, crevice. _pale_ :doh:

A little Idea now:
Why don't all of us Geriatrics who regularly use our 'over sixties' discount card just not use B&Q on one particular Wednesday, so that they will see a big fat 'blip' in their sales figures for that particular Wednesday.
That would inform them of some loyal customers disgust at their refusal to redeem their now totally discredited KINGFISHER GROUP VOUCHERS.
In fact why not all who can, whether ,"over sixties", or not, boycott them on one Wednesdy?

We could just show those figure jugglers that consumers really can have the last word. :T
Anybody up for this? -- Suggest a Wednesday in a couple of weeks time !

Hmm you really dont like B&Q do you! :rotfl: :rotfl:
Yes, slightly defensive i admit that, have worked for the company for 17years and they have been a good company to work for, however, as i said last time i do see where you are coming from and i dont know exactly what has happened. I do believe though that when we de-merged from Woolies that there was some agreement that you could still get Kingfisher vouchers, BUT when i go into work tomorrow i will see what i can find out for you and post an update!!

can i just point out again though that the latest market figures are out again and whilst the DIY Market has dropped around 7% B&Q have yet again increased their share, so someone likes us!!

Anyway, typing sometimes doesnt get across things how you mean them, so hopefully you can see that i am not being defensive now, but very nice!;)

anyway, any questions on your favourite DIY shed, just ask!!

sydneybean

Hi,
have done some digging at work today and have found out the following re the Kingfisher vouchers;

Shortly before the Woolies demerger from Kingfisher an incentive scheme (mainly used by big companies, Shell was an example) was set up, part of which was owned by Woolies (Not Kingfisher) the vouchers were to be redeemable by stores within the Kingfisher group namely Woolies, B&Q, and Comet. Kingfisher as the redeemer of the vouchers would then claim their money for vouchers taken back from a company called (I believe) CIL. As CIL (i believe) are part of Woolies who went into administration would not/could not(?) honour the vouchers presented back to them.

It would also appear that there is an estimated £10m in vouchers currently in circulation. (which may or may not explain why Comet/BQ dont want to honour!)

If you ring the phone number given out by stores which is 0800 146 500 you will find that it is now an answering system put in place by the liquidators. You are requested to leave your name and number and they will contact you (Hmm....) or you can write to them at

The Gift Voucher Centre
PO Box 141
Castleton
Lancashire
OL11 3DZ

Sorry i couldnt be of more help

LELAN

Thu 15th Jan 2009
Hi again sydneybeam and first I must thank-you for trying to find out what has been going on with Kingfisher vouchers.

The phoneline has NOT worked for me. (as you say (Hmm....)
I have left messages twice.
I have not heard of this "CIL" set up in my probings, nothing surprises me now on this voucher racket.
I am actually a great fan of B&Q bug am thoroughly disgusted at their decision not to accept KINGFISHER vouchers.

Some of what I have trawled up follows:

Flogistics Limited as far as I know do the vouchers and ARE actually a part of WOOLWORTHS GROUP and WOOLWORTHS GROUP are NOT in administration. That is the 'Worldwide' WOOLWORTHS GROUP "handle" --- Deloitte are carefully wording their communications which is not being particularly helpful to punters!

It was Woolworths PLC. (our UK shops) who WERE in joint administration with their Music arm. ---- Deloitte ARE the joint Administrators for Woolworths PLC. Correctly they tell enquirers that Flogistics Limited are really nothing to do with Woolworths PLC.
Seems there is some dispute between Flogistics and Kingfisher, guess who is suffering as a result?

There is a long (and very likely deeply meaningful) relationship between Kingfisher Group and Flogistics Limited.

It all rather stinks to me.

B&Q ARE of course currently part of Kingfisher Group.

Woolworths WERE part of Kingfisher many years ago.

Comet WERE part of Kingfisher until about 16 months ago I believe.

"What a tangled we weave when we practice to decieve"

There is a pretty colorful history of court actions surrounding vouchers, Tax issues and members and ex-members of Kingfisher group.

Hardly surprising that no-one really wants to take responsibility for all that useless (and I guess non VAT able paper) circulating as 'Vouchers" The £2 million you have discovered represents lots of little peoples money of course.

I believe we just aint seen nuffink yet!

I also cynically wonder what is behind the recent opening of Screwfix (Kingfisher Group again) retail branches, sometimes these are in quite close proximity to B&Q outlets.

Everybody I speak to has seemed perfectly happy to use Screwfixes well established and very efficient mail-order system.

Most of these people also shop at their local B&Q's as well.

Doesn't really seem much of a demand for localScrewfix branches does there? Oh! Unless of course there is some great master plan afoot to "

---

" (Please feel free to insert your own ideas here!!)

sydneybean

Hi Lelan

re your comments, i dont actually disagree with you on a lot of your comments, unfortunately i dont work in high enough circles to know the relationships between all of these companies but i suspect you wouldnt be far wrong! i also tried ringing the helpline number myself, wasnt helpful!

Re the screwfix's again i dont disagree, i have posted previously re Euan Sutherland now looking after Screwfix as well as B&Q which hasnt happened previously and i know that he is putting a lot of focus on these, but i know of a large warehouse we have that has a brand new shiny Screwfix at the other side of the carpark! who knows what the plans are, maybe its about cornering more of the market (my own personal views here!) in that, yes a lot of the trade guys use screwfix already but not as many of the public, and as screwfix are cheaper i believe then maybe thats what they are aiming for. to be honest there are some views in the team i work in that we would be as well off actually putting the screwfix stores into the Trade departments in the Warehouses.

as an aside and as a customer, what do you think of our new uniforms?!

LELAN

sydneybean wrote: »

Hi Lelan

re your comments, i dont actually disagree with you on a lot of your comments, unfortunately i dont work in high enough circles to know the relationships between all of these companies but i suspect you wouldnt be far wrong! i also tried ringing the helpline number myself, wasnt helpful!

Re the screwfix's again i dont disagree, i have posted previously re Euan Sutherland now looking after Screwfix as well as B&Q which hasnt happened previously and i know that he is putting a lot of focus on these, but i know of a large warehouse we have that has a brand new shiny Screwfix at the other side of the carpark! who knows what the plans are, maybe its about cornering more of the market (my own personal views here!) in that, yes a lot of the trade guys use screwfix already but not as many of the public, and as screwfix are cheaper i believe then maybe thats what they are aiming for. to be honest there are some views in the team i work in that we would be as well off actually putting the screwfix stores into the Trade departments in the Warehouses.

as an aside and as a customer, what do you think of our new uniforms?!

Hi again sydneybeam, --- Last First.

Dohhhhhh!!!!! --- Wed 21st Jan 09
To be truthful I hadn't actually noticed new uniforms! -- Guess I'm always preoccupied with the looking for goodies bit.
Was in last Wednesday, and from what I remember there were Black/Orange fleeces about. Is that it?

If so, I would say un-noticeably smart and casual.

(are they "reversible" -- with maybe, "Screwfix" printed on the reverse? )


If not, please give me the low-down.

Whatever the master plan is, I just hope that the scheming doesn't involve depriving Voucher holders of their redemption rights. :mad: Reckon we will just have to wait and see what comes out of the wash. :eek:

sydneybean

LOL!!:T
Most definately not Screwfix i assure you, although you have got me a little more inquisitive than i have previously been so i may do some digging myself on that one!!

ooh our lovely new uniforms, gone are the days of looking like easyjet staff with the orange & black fleeces (which were actually nice and warm) and now we have a nice new uniform of polyester combats (not designed for women trust me) or a nice A line skirt (like the ones you wore at school). Really smart black jacket with new sponsors on there but more like an outdoor jacket, not very good to work in.

i work in an office so am sneakily wearing a cardi over my top and hoping none of the head honchos drop in for a visit.

truth be told we had to have a new uniform, B&Q had sponsored the GB olympic team and we only did it for a year but we had it printed on nearly everything, so.... we have invested millions in a new uniform. although to be fair the staff had a lot of input into the design (not sure who came up with scratchy polyester though)

anyway, dont have any other B&Q gossip, although have heard a rumour re Homebase & Argos in that they are looking at moving their inner city Argos stores into their local homebases if they are in a retail park. probably not a bad idea if you think how much rent they will pay on some units.

not good for B&Q though as their footfall would increase and by nature of the beast they would get more sales.

ps - lovely Ipswich (have passed the store previously when my EX Hubby dragged me hours in a car to go watch his beloved football team!!)