B & Q prices jumped in a matter of days!

socks_uk

I picked up one of the Garden catalogues while in B&Q last week and had a good look at it while we had all that wet weather. I'm taking my time building my ground level decking and, although I have screwed only 6 deck boards down, I laid out the rest of the boards and realised the deck would be quite big and characterless unless I put some sort of rail balustrade around. There are a few different styles in the Garden Catalogue and so took the catalogue in to B&Q with me this morning to look at them 'in the flesh' only to fins that every component has increased in price by about £5! :eek:
Modern Deck Post £8.98 in cat - £13.98 on shelf
Capstan Deck Post £12.98 in cat - £17.48 on shelf
Natural Fibre rope £69.98 in cat - £87.98 on shelf
Easifix Deck post £8.98 in cat - £13.98 on shelf
Easifix Spindles £19.98 in cat - £24.48 on shelf

I went to the customer service desk and mentioned this and they said it was an old catalogue (Spring 2009) but yet the catalogue was still there on a stand for customers to still pick up! I queried the price hike and they took my number for a manager to ring me ( in the meantime I have been rapidly trying to figure out which style and how much of it I'd need). A sales assistant gathered all the catalogues from near the customer services desk and then went to get the ones from near the lawnmowers to take them off display. I'm still waiting for their decision as to how much they are going to charge!

So, I'm now in the situation of, instead of buying the easifix rail section by section as and when I need it (and can afford it!) I'm going to buy the Capstan deck posts that you thread the rope through as that is the only one I can afford to pay out in one go - I do actually quit like it actually but I hate having to make this decision within an hour or so! I need enough to go down one edge and along part of the front of the deck (about 10m in total).

Sorry, just a rant but don't get caught out too!

ic

You're looking to do the job at the wrong time of year. I did my decking in April (better weather than now!) and they had an offer on of a third off all decking. Then as a week long special, they knocked another 15% off. I was paying peanuts for the boards - I think they were half the price of Wickes. Then tend to do offers like this each Spring, to kick people into buying this stuff earlier in the year.

As for the catalogues, its an understandable oversight - in the eyes of the law, the price is set at the till when you pay. Its down to their own customer service aspirations as to whether you get the old price.

daveyjp

Wait a couple of weeks - odds on they will be having a sale event around the Bank Holiday and all prices will be reduced.

Alternatively use a local timber company.

Woby_Tide

socks_uk wrote: »

I picked up one of the Garden catalogues while in B&Q last week and had a good look at it while we had all that wet weather. I'm taking my time building my ground level decking and, although I have screwed only 6 deck boards down, I laid out the rest of the boards and realised the deck would be quite big and characterless unless I put some sort of rail balustrade around. There are a few different styles in the Garden Catalogue and so took the catalogue in to B&Q with me this morning to look at them 'in the flesh' only to fins that every component has increased in price by about £5! :eek:
Modern Deck Post £8.98 in cat - £13.98 on shelf
Capstan Deck Post £12.98 in cat - £17.48 on shelf
Natural Fibre rope £69.98 in cat - £87.98 on shelf
Easifix Deck post £8.98 in cat - £13.98 on shelf
Easifix Spindles £19.98 in cat - £24.48 on shelf

If within the next 3 months these items aren't on sale (End of summer bargains) with 25% i.e £13.98 > £10.50, 33% £13.98 > 9.25 or 50% off £13.98 > £6.99 I'll be surprised

Meepster

Prices go up
Prices go down
That's retail...

socks_uk

Well, I've had a phone call from a manager at B&Q and she said they will honour the prices in the catalogue once for me. She also said that they were not advised to take the brochures off display and it's because of that that they will let me have the things at the catalogue price.

In regards to using a local timber merchant, that is where I got the joists and deck boards from. It's just the choice of posts and spindles weren't what I would choose and the prices were only slightly better than B&Q's catalogue prices. I'll have another look at my plans tonight because I want to get this stage of the project finished while I'm on holiday.

socks_uk

ic wrote: »

You're looking to do the job at the wrong time of year.

Unfortunately, the summer holidays is the only time I could do a job as big as this on my own otherwise it would have taken me months of doing it on my day off (only Sunday). Even with the wet weather we've had so far since I finished school I've got the base finished which I'm pleased about.

I'm going in to B&Q today to buy the deck posts (because I like the style of them) the rest I've got from a local timber merchant.

weaverb

I ALSO NOTICED THAT A CERTAIN WALLPAPER I WAS INTERESTED IN WAS £5 MORE PER ROLL RECENTLY, AND WAS TOLD IT MUST HAVE BEEN IN A SALE AT THE TIME.
I know it wasn't and it would seem that although I am not stupid, The staff obvoiusly think that I am! B & Q have this attitude consistantly the stupid twits!

SplanK

dont they usualy increase the prices of stuff around 6-7 weeks before having a sale?!

daveyjp

daveyjp wrote: »

Wait a couple of weeks - odds on they will be having a sale event around the Bank Holiday and all prices will be reduced.

Alternatively use a local timber company.

Advert just this morning - B&Q sale this weekend 15% off everything!

MrsBartolozzi

I remember last winter when they brought out the new bathroom brochures the new prices were much higher (double I think) than before. They even had the nerve to have a 50% off sale a couple of weeks later when the prices went back to what they were before, but the salespeople were trying to make out it was a big bargain!