Popped into my local Wickes today. I know most of the staff pretty well
& showed them the latest Toolsatan catalogue - which had the news about
three Toolsatans opening inside Wickes branches.

Staff knew nothing of it, but the manager seemed vaguely aware. He
thought the three were a trial.

Chatted about the sales of fixings, hardware, Gripfill, silicone,
plumbing bits, electrical stuff etc.

He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only
account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is
bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff.



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

On Sun, 26 May 2013 20:30:20 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Popped into my local Wickes today. I know most of the staff pretty well
& showed them the latest Toolsatan catalogue - which had the news about
three Toolsatans opening inside Wickes branches.

Staff knew nothing of it, but the manager seemed vaguely aware. He
thought the three were a trial.

Chatted about the sales of fixings, hardware, Gripfill, silicone,
plumbing bits, electrical stuff etc.

He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only
account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is
bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff.

If it's one of those two storey ones, like our local B&Q, presumably the
Wickes stuff would be kept on the ground floor, with the ToolSatan stuff
upstairs.

Then you'd have a heavy side layer.



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on
Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

The Medway Handyman wrote ...


Popped into my local Wickes today. I know most of the staff pretty well
& showed them the latest Toolsatan catalogue - which had the news about
three Toolsatans opening inside Wickes branches.

Staff knew nothing of it, but the manager seemed vaguely aware. He
thought the three were a trial.

Chatted about the sales of fixings, hardware, Gripfill, silicone,
plumbing bits, electrical stuff etc.

He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only
account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is
bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff.


Turnover is vanity...

There would be a lot more profit on a cwt of bits & bobs than a ton of
bricks.

The Medway Handyman wrote:
He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only
account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is
bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff.

We've just had a Wickes open. Toolstation is already established in another
part of town, directly across the road from Screwfix. I've been making a
number of trips between the two: Wickes for wood, Toolstation for the rest.
So would seem to go together quite nicely. Looks like the TS/SF site is
on the plans for development in the medium term, so interesting to see what
might happen.

However, if Ridgeons would stop hiding behind 'request a quotation' forms
and actually tell us what they stock and the prices...

Theo

On 27/05/2013 00:26, Theo Markettos wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only
account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is
bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff.

We've just had a Wickes open. Toolstation is already established in another
part of town, directly across the road from Screwfix. I've been making a
number of trips between the two: Wickes for wood, Toolstation for the rest.
So would seem to go together quite nicely. Looks like the TS/SF site is
on the plans for development in the medium term, so interesting to see what
might happen.

However, if Ridgeons would stop hiding behind 'request a quotation' forms
and actually tell us what they stock and the prices...

Theo

It is Toolsatans policy to open near SF & other places that attract
DIY/Trade traffic.

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

On May 26, 8:53*pm, Bob Eager wrote:
On Sun, 26 May 2013 20:30:20 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:
Popped into my local Wickes today. I know most of the staff pretty well
& showed them the latest Toolsatan catalogue - which had the news about
three Toolsatans opening inside Wickes branches.

Staff knew nothing of it, but the manager seemed vaguely aware. He
thought the three were a trial.

Chatted about the sales of fixings, hardware, Gripfill, silicone,
plumbing bits, electrical stuff etc.

He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only
account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is
bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff.

If it's one of those two storey ones, like our local B&Q, presumably the
Wickes stuff would be kept on the ground floor, with the ToolSatan stuff
upstairs.

Then you'd have a heavy side layer.


If only there really was a thing called the Heavyside Layer. Sadly,
all we have is the Heaviside Layer.

--
Halmyre

On Mon, 27 May 2013 03:08:01 -0700, Halmyre wrote:

On May 26, 8:53Â*pm, Bob Eager wrote:
On Sun, 26 May 2013 20:30:20 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:
Popped into my local Wickes today. I know most of the staff pretty
well & showed them the latest Toolsatan catalogue - which had the
news about three Toolsatans opening inside Wickes branches.

Staff knew nothing of it, but the manager seemed vaguely aware. He
thought the three were a trial.

Chatted about the sales of fixings, hardware, Gripfill, silicone,
plumbing bits, electrical stuff etc.

He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only
account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is
bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff.

If it's one of those two storey ones, like our local B&Q, presumably
the Wickes stuff would be kept on the ground floor, with the ToolSatan
stuff upstairs.

Then you'd have a heavy side layer.


If only there really was a thing called the Heavyside Layer. Sadly,
all we have is the Heaviside Layer.

Whoosh.

--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on
Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
On 27/05/2013 00:26, Theo Markettos wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only
account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is
bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff.

We've just had a Wickes open. Toolstation is already established in
another
part of town, directly across the road from Screwfix. I've been making a
number of trips between the two: Wickes for wood, Toolstation for the
rest.
So would seem to go together quite nicely. Looks like the TS/SF site is
on the plans for development in the medium term, so interesting to see
what
might happen.

However, if Ridgeons would stop hiding behind 'request a quotation' forms
and actually tell us what they stock and the prices...

Theo

It is Toolsatans policy to open near SF & other places that attract
DIY/Trade traffic.

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

I like Tool station: there is one 1/2 mile away: I can browse on line, putt
things in my shopping trolley, get a reference number and collect 5 minutes
later without filling in forms or thumbing through catalogues. Give in my
ref no and the guy has a pick list already in his ipad thing. Efficient and
huge stock.

On May 27, 12:42*pm, "Geoff Pearson"
wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in ...





On 27/05/2013 00:26, Theo Markettos wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only
account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is
bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff.

We've just had a Wickes open. *Toolstation is already established in
another
part of town, directly across the road from Screwfix. *I've been making a
number of trips between the two: Wickes for wood, Toolstation for the
rest.
So would seem to go together quite nicely. *Looks like the TS/SF site is
on the plans for development in the medium term, so interesting to see
what
might happen.

However, if Ridgeons would stop hiding behind 'request a quotation' forms
and actually tell us what they stock and the prices...

Theo

It is Toolsatans policy to open near SF & other places that attract
DIY/Trade traffic.

--
Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk

I like Tool station: there is one 1/2 mile away: I can browse on line, putt
things in my shopping trolley, get a reference number and collect 5 minutes
later without filling in forms or thumbing through catalogues. *Give in my
ref no and the guy has a pick list already in his ipad thing. *Efficient and
huge stock.

+1
Toolsatan's IT IME seems well sorted to the actual "needs" of doing
efficient business, not bombarding punters with BS "best match" and
"upselling" bollox a la "B&Q-fix"

Jim K

On 27/05/2013 00:07, Eric wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote ...


Popped into my local Wickes today. I know most of the staff pretty well
& showed them the latest Toolsatan catalogue - which had the news about
three Toolsatans opening inside Wickes branches.

Staff knew nothing of it, but the manager seemed vaguely aware. He
thought the three were a trial.

Chatted about the sales of fixings, hardware, Gripfill, silicone,
plumbing bits, electrical stuff etc.

He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only
account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is
bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff.


Turnover is vanity...

There would be a lot more profit on a cwt of bits & bobs than a ton of
bricks.


True enough, especially at Wickes prices - 400% more than Toolsatan om
some items. But it also depends on turnover.

10% margin on a million is more dosh than 40% margin on £20K.

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

On Monday, 27 May 2013 15:58:16 UTC+1, Jim K wrote:
On May 27, 12:42*pm, "Geoff Pearson"

wrote:

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in ...











On 27/05/2013 00:26, Theo Markettos wrote:

The Medway Handyman wrote:

He said he wouldn't mind losing the sales of those things, they only

account for a small proportion of Wickes turnover. The mainstay is

bricks, plaster, timber, doors, fencing etc - more heavy side stuff..



We've just had a Wickes open. *Toolstation is already established in

another

part of town, directly across the road from Screwfix. *I've been making a

number of trips between the two: Wickes for wood, Toolstation for the

rest.

So would seem to go together quite nicely. *Looks like the TS/SF site is

on the plans for development in the medium term, so interesting to see

what

might happen.



However, if Ridgeons would stop hiding behind 'request a quotation' forms

and actually tell us what they stock and the prices...



Theo



It is Toolsatans policy to open near SF & other places that attract

DIY/Trade traffic.



--

Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk



I like Tool station: there is one 1/2 mile away: I can browse on line, putt

things in my shopping trolley, get a reference number and collect 5 minutes

later without filling in forms or thumbing through catalogues. *Give in my

ref no and the guy has a pick list already in his ipad thing. *Efficient and

huge stock.



+1

Toolsatan's IT IME seems well sorted to the actual "needs" of doing

efficient business, not bombarding punters with BS "best match" and

"upselling" bollox a la "B&Q-fix"



Jim K

SF website continues to be bollix. Odd naming of items, random ordered lists, nonsensical categories, can't traverse up the hierarchy, like not listed with like. All issues TS seem to have fixed, along with listing stock q's at my local store instantly. My only gripe is that TS is still a bit downmarket in some areas, e.g. no alternative to Silverline-junk tools.

On 01/06/2013 08:02, wrote:
SF website continues to be bollix. Odd naming of items, random ordered lists, nonsensical categories, can't traverse up the hierarchy, like not listed with like. All issues TS seem to have fixed, along with listing stock q's at my local store instantly. My only gripe is that TS is still a bit downmarket in some areas, e.g. no alternative to Silverline-junk tools.

The old, old, old SF site used to be pretty bad but I could find things.
Every iteration since has made it worse.

Despite all these years, the appalling performance of that ancient site
has only been overtaken because of the massive increase in server,
connection and client power/speeds. That is, hardware has improved even
faster than SF have buggered it up.

--
Rod

On Jun 1, 8:38*am, polygonum wrote:
On 01/06/2013 08:02, wrote:

SF website continues to be bollix. Odd naming of items, random ordered lists, nonsensical categories, can't traverse up the hierarchy, like not listed with like. All issues TS seem to have fixed, along with listing stock q's at my local store instantly. My only gripe is that TS is still a bit downmarket in some areas, e.g. no alternative to Silverline-junk tools.

The old, old, old SF site used to be pretty bad but I could find things.
Every iteration since has made it worse.

Despite all these years, the appalling performance of that ancient site
has only been overtaken because of the massive increase in server,
connection and client power/speeds. That is, hardware has improved even
faster than SF have buggered it up.

--
Rod

try using "B&Qfix"'s "mobile" site - jesus H I may as well drive to
their nearest and pick up a catalogue...
the only thing they appear to do is change the screen layout to suit
handheld devices - rest of the bloat seems to be still there and
renders it unusable on slow connections, even if it works it's
hammering your mobile data allowance....

wickes is similarly bloated

toolsatan - no problem....

how Fing hard can it be??

Jim K