B&Q high prices

divadee

I have always got 10% of the full price as well. for e.g wickes have something for £1 b&Q for 1.20 they price match the £1 and give me 10p off the £1 as well so i end up spending 90p

thaylock

B&Q are a rip off, example: light pendant, £3.09, Wilkinsons, 99p. I only purchase from B&Q if nobody else sells it. Another example, heavy duty lopper - B&Q £30, local shop £9.99 (& it's excellent).

Tommy_C_2

Odd_Fellow wrote:

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.

Small word. I too go to the same company CT Baker in Norfolk. They also have a department store in Holt and I often shop online http://www.bakersandlarners.com I agree their customer service is outstanding and I always prefer to shop with them.

cattie

I've always found my local hardware/diy store far cheaper than B&Q & they deliver for £5, handy for folk like me that don't drive. When I've had a delivery it's arrived within an hour of me returning from the shop. They stock a good range of stuff including timber & stuff for gardens. The guys who run it are friendly & helpful & I consider myself lucky to have them almost on my doorstep. There is also a plumbers merchant along the parade who are far cheaper than B&Q & again very friendly & helpful. If something you want isn't in stock it can usually be ordered in within 1 or 2 days.

stripeyfox

I too could not really have anything positive to say about B&Q. They've always struck me as expensive. I tend to use Wilkinsons or the local timber/plumbers merchants. The nearest B&Q is Loughborough or Leicester. We have a Focus in the town but they're also expensive and the staff little better than useless, usually with one 16 year old girl on the checkout on a saturday afternoon whilst all the management and supervisors stand around listening to the football on the radio.
Am not happy about lining Focus pockets either after their shambolic treatment of the fans of Brighton & Hove Albion FC a few years back.

Hang on, I've turned this from a B&Q thread into a Focus thread! Feel free to rant about either - I do.!

boofy_2

EXTORTIONATE PRICES!! I NEVER GO IN THERE. Have you tried Wilkinsons for selected items - much cheaper.

Roscoepeacotrain

B&Q is quite cheap for the bigger stuff but nails, screws and gate fixtures are a rip off. Its hard now to find a good cheap local DIY shop.

GreenB_2

We all know what B&Q stands for don't we......

Browse and Queue - they never seem to have enough staff on and you end up waiting 20 mins to pay for your items!

nebsta

BFG wrote:

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.

Firstly, B&Q's stores are not all Warehouses, they are mostly smaller supercentre stores. Secondly they are NOT a monopoly.

I disagree, B&Q have the cheapest prices, they check their prices regularly. They offer a price promice against competitors to ensure customers never lose out. Also you cannot compare Wilkinson prices against B&Q's because Wilkinson sell crap which breaks in 2 seconds.

My local B&Q have brilliant staff, they are incredibly helpful and will go out of their way for customers.

prettypinkfairy

I picked up a can of paint in B&Q by th handle-IT BROKE! paint can fell on floor and smashed

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paint all over my feet unable to move surrounde by messy paint Another customer tried to find member of staff as i could not move NOT ONE MEMEBER OF STAFF ANYWHERE IN HUGE HANGER EXCEPT ON TILLS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. As they all had queues they would not even listen to her I stood there covered in paint for 25 MINUTES !!!! EVENTUALLY SO FUMING I marched down to customer services and pushed to the front. Got the reaction Well madam you did say YOU DROPPED THE PAINT. My shoes are ruined . Our local hardware shops have all closed in the last few years.