mark wrote:
Has anyone tried spawn of Screwfix ie., Plumbfix and Electrifix?

I had a look at the Plumbfix website and the click to 'order a
catalogue' button wasn't plumbed into anything and there didn't seem
to be an online catalogue to browse.
The idea is: phone through your order then pick it up at your nearest
Screwfix branch. What's the point of that? Might as well go direct to
Screwfix or are they significantly cheaper on plumbing items.

http://www.plumbfix.com/


I'm totally confused by B&Q's 'Tradepoint' concept. We have 2 B&Q stores
locally, one at either end of the towns. The one at t'other end of town is
a very large store & now has a 'Tradepoint ' entrance. The local one is
small & just has a sign saying "Tradepoint cards can be used here".

They are totally confused by them. No training obviously.

I used to have a B&Q "Trade Discount Card" which gave a small rebate on
purchases. Once you accrrued over £50 you got paid your rebate.

Incredibly complicated - the rebate on some items was 15% and on others 2%,
but every 2 or 3 months ( I try not to use B&Q) I'd get a cheque for £50
odd.

This is now converted to the Tradepoint Card which apparently gives you
discounts on any item in the Tradepoint catalouge. These prices however
seem to be the same as Screwfix - and if its an item not in the Tradepoint
catalouge I pay the same as Joe Public.

The local Screwfix depot is 100 yards away from the B&Q Tradepoint store, so
I can't see the point.

The benefit of the old style "Trade Discount Card" was that you could bank
the cheque & spend the dosh wherever you wanted. Now I get the same prices
I would pay at SF or TS anyway - if the item is in the magic catalouge.

I'm also convinced that the price difference between the online suppliers &
the big stores is getting bigger.

Wickes also have a loyalty card which pays out vouchers - like a Tesco
Clubcard. Problem is you can only spend them in Wickes.

I have a running 'wish list' of stuff I could find useful, but only if I can
get a silly money deal on it. The B&Q rebate was handy for this, the Wickes
points aren't.

Example - I've been after a 6' level for ages. Local BM had a Stanley one
on offer for £25, which I bought knowing that the latest B&Q rebate cheque
had just gone in. I have a Wickes £10 voucher, but their best deal on a 6'
level at the time was £40.



--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk