Tim W wrote:
Andy Dingley
wibbled on Thursday 14 January 2010 16:22


A "home improvement store" is Focus. They sell lampshades. If they
sell nails, they're in packs of 10, for a fiver a pack.

This is one of my complaints with B&Q - small packs of sundry hardware cost
a fortune. And yet, I can also buy 3m packs of coving for less than the
builder's merchant next door, ditto plaster (OK, I just get fatigued by
endless haggling so I go where the marked price is cheaper if I can).

Trouble is, if you sell 3 nails at 3p each, you don't even cover costs for
the time to count them.

One way to do it might be clever use of price breaks. How about:
(for some item where the packet price might be 99p for 10)

1-5: 12p
6-20: 8p
21-50: 5p
51-100: 3p
101+: 1p
(numbers completely made up and untested)

That encourages people to buy more in bulk, but only if they need to.

Then use supermarket-style weighing scales and recognition chart at the
checkout to price them. Then you don't have to have anyone manning the
pick'n'mix desk (apart, I suppose, from worrying about people slipping them
in their pockets).

Self scan would be good if it worked like Tescos (ie worked). It is
potentially a winner if I don't have to stand in a queue just to buy 2
things. Alternatively, poach ALDI's till staff - they are at least 3 times
faster than B&Q's.

ALDI's staff work by simply throwing the items at you off the end of the
checkout. A bit hazardous if it's a length of metal pipe or a tin of paint.

Theo