Warning: this is a true story

[bsrlee]

You wonder how these places stay in business.

My local Bunnies had a large trolley of end-of-line and 'missing parts' screen doors, all for $50 or so. I bought one with the intention of enclosing a small area under a footway as 'secure' storage, a few missing screws would not be a problem to me. My neighbour's wife saw it the other day & said she would like on to replace their existing screen door so next trip to Bunnies I had a look for the trolley - I found an actual knowledgeable & helpful employee who helped me find where they had hidden the Cotter/split pins - would you believe they are considered 'Hi tensile bolts'? - neither did I.

Anyhow, I asked about the door - he informed me that the manager had directed staff to put the lot in a dumpster & send them to landfill - a complete economic loss to Bunnies as well as environmental disaster. This is the same clown that held on to my mobile phone that I had dropped instore for a few days before taking it to lost & found

The problems in these places starts at the top.

[hybridfiat]

Went to Bunnings last year in July looking for the 'cut to fit' corrugated roof flanges for flues, breather pipes etc.
A young girl came up to me as I walked in and asked if I needed help. I though "this is going to interesting", so I described what I wanted and without so much as a delay she said "aisle 35 down the end bottom on the right".
That's where they where too!
My experience of Bunnings has been pretty consistently good since then.
In October while I was putting the new floor down I ran out of Selleys LD Floor Adhesive and so did all the Bunnings stores near me (Id bought all their stock). So I tried 2 local hardware stores. Big stores, well established stores who cater for tradies so I thought. They had no idea of what I was talking about. I rang: The store assistant went and looked at the tin they had and came back,
A: "yes we have some floor adhesive"
Me" "is it low foaming"?
A: "I don't know"
Me: "can you look"?
a little while later A: "it doesn't say anything on the tin".
Me: "who makes it"?
A: "I dont know".
After 20mins I gave up and rang Bunnings.
They found a store that had some and when I got there the bloke in that section had been using the stuff to put a floor down at a friends place. He was full bottle on the stuff.

[popawisky]

LOL at Bunnings etc. My best experience at the green shed was when I asked if I could check a set square for accuracy, was informed that being metal, not wood it was accurate not allowed to check.
So a delightful half hour filling a trolley from all areas of the shop, returned to the same tool expert and again was not allowed to check the square. Wonder how long it took them to return the contents of the trolley to the shelves.

[NathanaelBC]

To be fair to Bunnings, at least their returns policy is pretty good / loose:

"Hi, I want to return …"
"… what's wrong with it?"
"It le…"
"… got the receipt? Want to exchange or refund?"
"Refund please"
"Done"

[TermiMonster]

To be fair to Bunnings, at least their returns policy is pretty good / loose:

True.

[david.elliott]

last week and could not help overhearing a conversation between a staff member and a sweet young thing (SYT)
the convo went like...
S...I'd like to hang some pictures on my walls,
H...What kind of walls are they?
S...Cavity walls, I think?
H...Then you need these he says, giving her Wallmates, and instructing her to place them on the end of a screwdriver a push/turn on the wall... and wandering off.
At this point, being a show off, and unable to resist an SYT, I talk to her.
Could not help overhearing, I say, but where have you cavity walls? (I asked as here in WA gyprock clad walls are still quite rare/unusual)
S...In my house she says.
M...What makes them cavity I ask?
S...There are two rows of bricks with a gap. Aren't they cavity walls?
At this point the image of her with wallmates on the end of a screwdriver push/turning on a hardwall plaster wall pops into my head.
So... I point out the error, take her to nylon anchors and the picture hanging stuff, ask her if she has a drill and a masonry bit, she does, she thinks. I figure she can drill a hole, put one of them in and hammer it home...