B&Q bargains

quoia

Snugster wrote:

I'm not usually one for posting warnings about potential scams but I had a close miss yesterday.
I walked into B&Q and some old guy dressed in orange asked me if I wanted decking.
Fortunately, I got the first punch in and that was the end of that.
Those less suspecting might not be so lucky, so please pass this on to your friends, family and colleagues.......

Last time I went to a very expensive and posh hotel, at reception I was asked if I'd like to fill in a questionaire before being shown to my room.
I said yes and went outside and thumped the doorman.
I must get my hearing checked..

seaweasel

Paul_R wrote:

One problem that I've noticed is that B&Q now have a policy to not reduce ex-display electrical items (more Health and Safety lunacy I think). A crying shame to hear that they are 'sent back to head office' or 'thrown into the skip'. Not even cash money waving in the managers face would persuade him otherwise.

This isn't the case, unless the new policy is very recent (I stopped working in B&Q a couple of weeks ago). Also, display stock can't be sold until it's got something to replace it in the display space. We marked down a lot of ex-display and returned appliances in my old store, by quite a lot sometimes. Stuff only gets skipped or returned to the manufacturer if it's faulty.

anewman

Paul_R wrote:

One problem that I've noticed is that B&Q now have a policy to not reduce ex-display electrical items (more Health and Safety lunacy I think). A crying shame to hear that they are 'sent back to head office' or 'thrown into the skip'.

Maybe they could stick them in a publicly accessible unlocked skip? :beer:

laurz121

seaweasel wrote:

This isn't the case, unless the new policy is very recent (I stopped working in B&Q a couple of weeks ago). Also, display stock can't be sold until it's got something to replace it in the display space. We marked down a lot of ex-display and returned appliances in my old store, by quite a lot sometimes. Stuff only gets skipped or returned to the manufacturer if it's faulty.

Not true. B&Q will never sell off ex display electrical items that have had a current running through them (eh light's) as it's illegal to do so. They're also startig to take the line that they won't sell off electrical items that havent had a current passed through them if they havent got the instructions for them (this includes switches etc).

As for non electrical things, it just seems to depend on whether or not you're lucky as to whether they decided whether to skip the item, send it back to the supplier for a refund, or sell it to customers. This goes for end of range stock just as much as display's too.

I would say that i've seen well over 100,000 pound worth of stock thrown away by b&q in one store alone.

never_enough

anewman wrote:

Maybe they could stick them in a publicly accessible unlocked skip? :beer:

:T :rotfl:

seaweasel

laurz121 wrote:

Not true. B&Q will never sell off ex display electrical items that have had a current running through them (eh light's) as it's illegal to do so. They're also startig to take the line that they won't sell off electrical items that havent had a current passed through them if they havent got the instructions for them (this includes switches etc).

As for non electrical things, it just seems to depend on whether or not you're lucky as to whether they decided whether to skip the item, send it back to the supplier for a refund, or sell it to customers. This goes for end of range stock just as much as display's too.

I would say that i've seen well over 100,000 pound worth of stock thrown away by b&q in one store alone.

As for lights etc, I can't comment as I worked in kitchens and bathrooms, but we sold off returned kitchen appliances frequently.

ben_edwards2612

There was a large clearance section in Aintree B&Q at the weekend (where the indoor plants usually are). I got an electric fire (clearly a return or ex-display) reduced from £140 to £50 and a pack of 6 MK fused switces for £4. In the outdoor lighting section there was a half price sale also. Some were returns/ex-display (the one I got didn't have instructions or fixings) but fine otherwise. I don't know the legality of selling off these electrical items but some stores obviously do and I say good, as I get a great bargain!

roses

I went today because a mirror I bought 2 weeks ago reduced from £20 to £5 was missing the hooks to hang it up. I spent half an hour argueing with the woman at customer services because she said they only reduced damaged items, they never reduce items which are in good condition!

I said the mirror should have stated that there were parts missing & I wouldn't have bought it if I had known.

After awhile I had 3 B&Q employees gathered round me argueing & they gave in & took the hooks off another mirror to give to me.

One of the guys said to me: here is a tip, if it's in the sale then there is somehting wrong with it. I said, well what is wrong with all those curtains, cushions & blinds you are selling at 75% off. He said he didn't know but he can guarantee there will be something.

The cheek of them!

On a side note, they have further reduced all their blackout blinds & curtain poles. I didn't check the price of the curtain poles but the blackout blinds are now £6 for the 1.8cm length & £2 for the 1.2m blinds. Still loads of blinds left but very few curtain poles in Cricklewood London store.

asharon

roses wrote:

I went today because a mirror I bought 2 weeks ago reduced from £20 to £5 was missing the hooks to hang it up. I spent half an hour argueing with the woman at customer services because she said they only reduced damaged items, they never reduce items which are in good condition!

I said the mirror should have stated that there were parts missing & I wouldn't have bought it if I had known.

After awhile I had 3 B&Q employees gathered round me argueing & they gave in & took the hooks off another mirror to give to me.

One of the guys said to me: here is a tip, if it's in the sale then there is somehting wrong with it. I said, well what is wrong with all those curtains, cushions & blinds you are selling at 75% off. He said he didn't know but he can guarantee there will be something.

The cheek of them!

On a side note, they have further reduced all their blackout blinds & curtain poles. I didn't check the price of the curtain poles but the blackout blinds are now £6 for the 1.8cm length & £2 for the 1.2m blinds. Still loads of blinds left but very few curtain poles in Cricklewood London store.

I had something similar when I saw a table saw for £100. There was one left and it was the demo model and covered in marks / scrtches so I said can you take a bit off. She pretneded to talk to the manager and said no because all sale items are normally damaged and I walked around the section for the sale and pointed out new sealed items and asked hhow they were damaged. She couldn't answer. In the end I saw some of the saws that were new and took one of them.

roses

Interesting, so it seems that it's a nationwide attitude & not my local store.