No doubt others have had the same problem but I would be interested to know
their experiences. I ordered some items that were promised for delivery
today. When I checked the status this morning they have not even been
shipped. I phoned Screwfix and was told they had been shipped today and the
anticipated delivery was today. When I challenged this they stated that this
was only a delivery estimate even though they knew it was wrong!

Any suggestions for alternative suppliers?

Peter Crosland

Any suggestions for alternative suppliers?

www.toolstation.co.uk. ;-)

Christian.

I placed my first order with them yesterday. When I checked progress their
website said it had been delivered. Further checking showed that the order
reference related to an order delivered to a customer 150 miles away in
February! When I queried this I got nowhere. Any other suggestions?

Further checking showed that the order reference related to an order
delivered to a customer 150 miles away in February! When I queried
this I got nowhere. Any other suggestions?

Yes, the courier's tracking website is a bit odd, isn't it. They appear to
reuse parcel numbers. If you wait, the new one will appear shortly.

Christian.

Yes, the courier's tracking website is a bit odd, isn't it. They appear to
reuse parcel numbers. If you wait, the new one will appear shortly.

That was my conclusion. Still the parcel arrived which is the main thing. I
see the Screwfix site just has a holding page until they start taking orders
again. Talk about being in the brown and sticky!

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
I placed my first order with them yesterday. When I checked progress their
website said it had been delivered. Further checking showed that the order
reference related to an order delivered to a customer 150 miles away in
February! When I queried this I got nowhere. Any other suggestions?


How about getting off your butt and using a local supplier, or do you only
want to live in a world of mail order within 5 years ?!...

":::Jerry::::" wrote in message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
I placed my first order with them yesterday. When I checked progress
their
website said it had been delivered. Further checking showed that the
order
reference related to an order delivered to a customer 150 miles away in
February! When I queried this I got nowhere. Any other suggestions?


How about getting off your butt and using a local supplier,

I hope you don't mean B&Q :-)

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
No doubt others have had the same problem but I would be interested to
know
their experiences. I ordered some items that were promised for delivery
today. When I checked the status this morning they have not even been
shipped. I phoned Screwfix and was told they had been shipped today and
the
anticipated delivery was today. When I challenged this they stated that
this
was only a delivery estimate even though they knew it was wrong!

Any suggestions for alternative suppliers?


Get off you but and go to a local 'merchant' ? HTF do you expect someone to
say anymore unless you tell us what you need ?!... Doh

":::Jerry::::" wrote in message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
No doubt others have had the same problem but I would be interested to
know
their experiences. I ordered some items that were promised for delivery
today. When I checked the status this morning they have not even been
shipped. I phoned Screwfix and was told they had been shipped today and
the
anticipated delivery was today. When I challenged this they stated that
this
was only a delivery estimate even though they knew it was wrong!

Any suggestions for alternative suppliers?


Get off you but and go to a local 'merchant' ? HTF do you expect someone
to
say anymore unless you tell us what you need ?!... Doh

Jerry,
Have you ever thought of getting of your butt and seeing a Doctor? He may be
able to treat your aggression.

"mackem" wrote in message
.. .

snip
Have you ever thought of getting of your butt and seeing a Doctor? He may
be
able to treat your aggression.


Have you ever needed treatment for verbal diarrhoea brought on by ignorance
?....

"mackem" wrote in message
.. .

":::Jerry::::" wrote in message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
No doubt others have had the same problem but I would be interested to
know
their experiences. I ordered some items that were promised for delivery
today. When I checked the status this morning they have not even been
shipped. I phoned Screwfix and was told they had been shipped today and
the
anticipated delivery was today. When I challenged this they stated that
this
was only a delivery estimate even though they knew it was wrong!

Any suggestions for alternative suppliers?


Get off you but and go to a local 'merchant' ? HTF do you expect someone
to
say anymore unless you tell us what you need ?!... Doh

Jerry,
Have you ever thought of getting of your butt and seeing a Doctor? He may
be
able to treat your aggression.


Ok, I guess Jerry may have put it in a slightly better way, but he does have
a point. I have a hardware shop 2 minutes walk from the house and it is
bloody useful. Popping over on a sunday morning for almost anything is a
luxury that I find useful. I hardly ever go to the sheds now.
But, in 5 years time, it will all be mail order, so unless you want Rays
Hardware (and all the other little ones) to shut, you gotta start using
them.

Mikw

Ok, I guess Jerry may have put it in a slightly better way, but he does
have
a point. I have a hardware shop 2 minutes walk from the house and it is
bloody useful. Popping over on a sunday morning for almost anything is a
luxury that I find useful. I hardly ever go to the sheds now.

What hasn't occurred to either of you is that there are large numbers of
people who, for numerous reasons, don't have access to the sort of
convenient shop that you do.

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
Ok, I guess Jerry may have put it in a slightly better way, but he does
have
a point. I have a hardware shop 2 minutes walk from the house and it is
bloody useful. Popping over on a sunday morning for almost anything is a
luxury that I find useful. I hardly ever go to the sheds now.

What hasn't occurred to either of you is that there are large numbers of
people who, for numerous reasons, don't have access to the sort of
convenient shop that you do.


My original remark wasn't just about the use of sheds but the "Tell me were
I can get what I need" sort of question without telling us WHAT you need,
could be anything from a tap-washer to a full house re-fit for all we know
!....

Mike Hibbert wrote:
"mackem" wrote in message
.. .

":::Jerry::::" wrote in message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
No doubt others have had the same problem but I would be
interested to know their experiences. I ordered some items that
were promised for delivery today. When I checked the status this
morning they have not even been shipped. I phoned Screwfix and was
told they had been shipped today and the anticipated delivery was
today. When I challenged this they stated that this was only a
delivery estimate even though they knew it was wrong!

Any suggestions for alternative suppliers?


Get off you but and go to a local 'merchant' ? HTF do you expect
someone to
say anymore unless you tell us what you need ?!... Doh

Jerry,
Have you ever thought of getting of your butt and seeing a Doctor?
He may be able to treat your aggression.


Ok, I guess Jerry may have put it in a slightly better way, but he
does have a point. I have a hardware shop 2 minutes walk from the
house and it is bloody useful. Popping over on a sunday morning for
almost anything is a luxury that I find useful. I hardly ever go to
the sheds now.
But, in 5 years time, it will all be mail order, so unless you want
Rays Hardware (and all the other little ones) to shut, you gotta
start using them.

We had a proper hardware shop in the village, knowledgeable staff and a good
choice of stock. The problem was they only opened 3 1/2 days a week and
closed for an hour at lunchtime so it was always hit and miss as to whether
they'd be open when you needed to go there.

--
James...
www.jameshart.co.uk

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 18:16:49 GMT, "Mike Hibbert"
wrote:



Ok, I guess Jerry may have put it in a slightly better way, but he does have
a point. I have a hardware shop 2 minutes walk from the house and it is
bloody useful. Popping over on a sunday morning for almost anything is a
luxury that I find useful. I hardly ever go to the sheds now.
But, in 5 years time, it will all be mail order, so unless you want Rays
Hardware (and all the other little ones) to shut, you gotta start using
them.

Mikw


I suspect that you are the fortunate exception.

If I want to find a hardware shop like that, I have to drive into the
adjacent market town where there is one in the centre.
If I can find a parking space, I'm lucky, otherwise I have to wait
until somebody leaves or drive all round the one way system to another
car park which may also be full and in eiother case pay 40p to park.

It is not that large, but has a reasonable selection of things at high
prices in small packs - typically about 2x B&Q price, and nothing of
particularly good quality. It's closed on Sundays.

In the same amount of time, I can have gone to a Focus as long as I
can steel myself not to kill the surly teenagers that work there, and
the woman who wants me to buy double glazing with 50% off - she
doesn;t know what it's 50% off from, just that it's 50% off. That at
least has a broader selection, although again, nothing of particularly
good quality. Slightly further away, there's a Homebase and a
Wickes, neither of which are inspiring.

Half an hour away, as long as the local football team isn't playing
and I can stand the smell of sewage, there's a B&Q which at least has
most of what one would need for the majority of jobs without having to
waste time roaming from place to place.

In the context of that, ordering what I need from Screwfix et al.
early in the week, even if I'm travelling, and having it all waiting
ready for the weekend is quite appealing in terms of time saved.

The local little shop would do far better if it had some quality
and/or differentiated product lines. People would go there for
that. As it is, it is clear that the business is in a slow decline
and the owner seems unwilling to make changes.

When it inevitably closes, which I am sure will happen in the next few
years because there is hardly ever anybody in there, it won't be
missed.



--

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Agree totally with Andy.
I would love to use the local hardware shop - but can't afford to.

As an example I needed a 60 watt ES lamp, 99p each in the hardware shop!
£1.67 for 10 in Screwfix, 45p per 2 in Asda.

Multiply that by the fact that I'm working my way through re-furbishing the
whole house and the money saved runs into thousands!
I also love the fact that I can get home in the evenings, have my tea, then
place an order on the PC whilst the wife watches some old tosh on the TV!
The goods are delivered in a couple of days for me to get on with the work!

I remember the days when Screwfix were reliable, I'm starting to look at the
alternatives too. Are Toolstation okay?


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.786 / Virus Database: 532 - Release Date: 29/10/2004

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
news snip

The local little shop would do far better if it had some quality
and/or differentiated product lines. People would go there for
that. As it is, it is clear that the business is in a slow decline
and the owner seems unwilling to make changes.

And why is it, if people bought form them perhaps they would stock more...
As for the "business is in a slow decline", I'm nor surprised if no one buys
for them !


When it inevitably closes, which I am sure will happen in the next few
years because there is hardly ever anybody in there, it won't be
missed.


Until such time that you haven't got that screw (or what ever) and you need
it now and not when ever SF or TS decide to deliver it.

Andy Hall wrote in message . ..

In the context of that, ordering what I need from Screwfix et al.
early in the week, even if I'm travelling, and having it all waiting
ready for the weekend is quite appealing in terms of time saved.



Absolutely. ...and it often costs a fraction of the price from the sheds etc.

Andy Hall wrote in message . ..

The local little shop would do far better if it had some quality
and/or differentiated product lines. People would go there for
that. As it is, it is clear that the business is in a slow decline
and the owner seems unwilling to make changes.

When it inevitably closes, which I am sure will happen in the next few
years because there is hardly ever anybody in there, it won't be
missed.


Reminds me of an unusual business I once visited. From the outside it
looked as if the building was at risk of collapse. Half of it was
boarded up. Inside it was like walking 40 years into the past, they
stocked paraffin cookers, distemper, whiting, paraffin, and the sort
of household appliances I doubt anyone has bought in a very long time.
Tin baths were one example. Anyway, the distemper was 70p for 2.5l,
and most of the colours were sold out. It was nearly half a century
old. Not the best policy on stock rotation then.

The sales person was dressed in tattered and torn clothes, smelt of
paraffin, and seemed more interested in a long chat than anything.


It seems a lot of businesses have real difficulty in seeing things
from the customer's perspective, screwfix is no different to the rest
in this respect. They mucked me about badly when I needed it least,
and I'm not pleased. Will I buy again? Theyre all the same, they all
employ incompetent tw--- that couldnt care less and just make stuff up
as they go along.

It was easy to see disaster ahead in Screwfix's move, but they seem to
have believed a very optimistic view, and are now paying for it,
probably by the multiple million. They have certainly done their
business real damage. Thing is, its all so easy to avoid.


NT

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 20:26:26 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:


I suspect that you are the fortunate exception.

If I want to find a hardware shop like that, I have to drive into the
adjacent market town where there is one in the centre.
If I can find a parking space, I'm lucky, otherwise I have to wait
until somebody leaves or drive all round the one way system to another
car park which may also be full and in eiother case pay 40p to park.

Hi,

May be worth popping in when driving into town anyway, might save a
separate trip to the sheds on the way home. I usually buy basic
consumables and bits well ahead of needing them, so when I do some DIY
I have them already to use.

I sometimes pop into London to shop, and there are quite a few good
hardware shops in Soho (!) what with all the shop fitting going on
round there. There is also a good decorating place in Shaftsbury
avenue.

The local little shop would do far better if it had some quality
and/or differentiated product lines. People would go there for
that. As it is, it is clear that the business is in a slow decline
and the owner seems unwilling to make changes.

That's a shame. If I can't find what I want I always ask, then
hopfully they will get the hint and maybe stock it

cheers,
Pete.