B&Q high prices

George_Bray

I stopped shopping at B&Q about a year ago, after they started charging sky-high prices for too many things. Now they are reporting a sales slide, so perhaps many other people feel the same way. Please see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4582013.stm

It seems they're blaming everyone, and every factor, except themselves.

Heinz

I stopped shopping with them (and went back to Homebase) when they moved out of a reasonable size outlet locally and moved into a purpose-built jumbo jet aircraft hanger with a car park the size of greater London.

Different reason, same result.

lipidicman

Support your local hardware/plumbing/garden store

Better advice, and usually better prices. If you dont use them, they'll be gone (I dont own/work in one btw!)

Just bought a new bath mixer tap (contract model) £34 with shower and hose from my local bathroom showrooms with a plumbers centre out the back (trade counter type place).

B&Q want £65, even screwfix(B&Q owned) want £32 + £6 delivery. And I got free fibre washers (£3.39 for 100 is the smallest screwfix pack!)

Davidboy

Always said B&Q are a rip off, trouble is now where else do you go? We only have B&Q, all the little hardware shops are closed, only one left and is same price or more expensive!

D

BFG_2

Davidboy wrote:

Always said B&Q are a rip off, trouble is now where else do you go? We only have B&Q, all the little hardware shops are closed, only one left and is same price or more expensive!

D

This is the Wal Mart model - open a hyper/super/giga-store, kill off the local small stores, then bump prices coz you're a monopoly now.

Not clever, but highly effective.

shrek101

I have no choice to shop with them for most things, as other shops don't sell the range, we only small hardware shops. The only opposition we had Payless went 7-8 years ago.

I always thought they were expensive. The other week I bought a trelis I had to wait in store 30-40 minutes as I couldn't get to the garden bit because they were moving stuff around on fork lifts. When I go to pick up the trelist it was £14. Went to the check out that was another wait, funny thing I guy spoke out loud and said "no wonder they are losing money with waiting like this" or something to that effect.

We paid for the goods and they charged us about £1.50 more and I challenged that, I know it ain't much, but I thought it was dear enough as it was. They rang the tanoy and ask for someone from the garden. We wait 10 mins , no sign of anyone. I thought begger this I went to the place I got it from, the only price on the large rack point to this item I bought. I said to the wife the item we bought it was was right less than they charged us.

Eventually another 5 minutes went by and someone from gardens dept came, and confirmed it was incorrect. Woman at the till was a little off with us, no apology or out.

Having said that I give them credit when I over bought goods, like paint, laminate floor they gave us the full amount of money back.

ruiner99

i used to work for B&Q with the customer service and i have never met a bigger pack of wasters in my life. i would never shop there and i most certainly would not order anything as it will never come and if it does it will either not work or be in a million pieces. and if you phone them on the 0870 number you'll just be wasting your time. but hey if you do call them say hi to jamie for me.

lipidicman

It really gets my goat when staff dont apologise when you are right about being overcharged! B&Q do seem to get very funny when you stand up for yourself.

Computer says no!

Wig

I bought a pack of 10 stanley blades from a local chain which has 3 big shops, about 2.50 IIRC

When Next I was in BQ their price summat like 3.50 !

rchddap1

Have to admit that I don't like B&Q. Much prefer Focus. These days we always shop around when we have something specific in mind. Usually we will actually go to a local hardware shop as they are closer to where we live and we can usually find what we are looking for there.

Its only if we're not sure what we want, or if we are in the area of one of the big chains that we will drop in and look around.

I think our last purchase from Focus was a large 10ltrs of trade magnolia paint as my other half had a sudden impulse to repaint our hallway.

Odd_Fellow

I am a trade customer as we run a series of holiday cottages and also renovate buildings as a sideline.

I have found B&Q's service to be utter sh**e. Typically, the staff know little more than the time. The stock levels are pretty awful, the customer service can be non-existent at times (when you can find someone who's got time to talk to you) and the prices! WOW - just unreal for many things.

We tend to buy virtually all our building materials from a local builder's merchant (Bakers of Stalham, Norfolk) where I get a stunning service from knowledgable staff. Only when I've needed specialist things do I need to order them (like Kingspan insulation boarding) and I get the stuff delivered next day.

I have a Trade account with B&Q and, to be honest, I can't see me ever using it. I'm just too peeved with the company to want to waste my time on them.