Bunnings

[Tonyz]

I have now declared that I refuse to enter Bu...... again. I like service from people interested in their job and trade and have got hooked on Home Hardware Reynella SA Great staff, intelligent, Knowledgeable or find out THEN for you. Also they support woodworkers and TRITON
If I pay slightly more I dont care but in the long term I garanttee I still come away more satisfied.
Tony

[jackiew]

I visited a Home Hardware on Saturday where there were about 4 times more staff than customers and you couldn't move from one aisle to another without being accosted by someone .... absolutely no chance of spotting that item that I didn't know I wanted til I saw it ... i felt positively harassed and left the store with only the item I went in for ... normally i stagger out of hardware shops under the weight of my "impulse" purchases.

[GeoffS]

I like Bunnings for all the right reasons mentioned above. I even get excellent treatment from their trade desk despite never wearing work clothes or driving a ute.
Our other 2 local chains - well one always rips you off (their displayed prices are a rip off), you probably get 50% off if you run an account and spend a few $K every month In the other chain, most of their prices are not too bad (not their timber) but the staff, cripes they make Bunning's staff look like the founts of all trade wisdom and unless you wear your work clothes the smarter ones will rip you off.
Cheers

[Barry_White]

I have read this post with interest. In Tamworth we have a Bunnings, Mitre 10, Tradelink, Gasweld, Laminex Industries, Blackwoods, a company called Bearfast, a company called Avro Distributors and a independant builders hardware store with premises nearly as big as Bunnings.

Half of the staff at Bunnings used to work for the original builders hardware store and Elders Building Supplies that BBC bought out.
They were all well trained and very knowledgable and I also believe that the Manager keeps a tight reign on his staff and makes sure that all new staff are well trained.

All the staff will ask if they can help you and you never see any of them standing around yapping.

The local Mitre 10 has prices that will make you gag although they can be screwed on tools but don't carry a very good range of timber, MDF or Melamine mainly handyman stuff.

The Tradelink store is mainly for nuts and bolts and household goods.

The Gasweld Branch is the place to buy tools and have excellent knowledge and can be assured of getting good prices.

All the other stores carry good ranges of tools but are not that competative.

The independant builders hardware has the best prices on timber, MDF, Melamine and ply and Bunnings will match their prices + 10%

[adrian]

The mitre10 in Port Macquarie is generally cheaper than bunnings on timber and small items and they will match bunnings price if you find something more expensive such as tools.
As has been pointed out on other threads bunnings is quite expensive on the small ticket items such as packets of screws, hinges, bolts etc. Their 'cheapest or 10% off' marketing campaign has a lot of people believing that they are the cheapest. They rely on the fact that someone is not going to ring around to get the best price on a $4 pack of screws because the phone calls would negate any saving but if you check the difference between bunnings and other suppliers you will very often find that that pack of screws may be $3.50 elsewhere.

[Sir Stinkalot]

Today at Bunnies I picked up a 60L storage container .... it said on the sticker that it comes with a lid ..... exactly what I was after. Unfortunately the lids sitting next to the container didn't fit. I looked all over the others to see if it had been moved ... no luck ... looked for help .... no luck. I ended up taking the container to the sales desk. I commented that the container should have a lid but I couldn't find one .... the reply was I could have it cheaper .... No I am really after one with a lid .... did you look for a lid? Yes .... Did you ask somebody? .... who was there to ask. After two phone calls I was told that all the lids for these containers have been lost ... however on a brighter note there were some more on the top shelf .... thats all well and good but they aren't going to get them down until next Tuesday. Top customer service Bunnies

[GOODLIFE]

Just wait til Mitre10 Mega opens.....

Chelsea heights - 7th June

Dont go in expecting another Bunnings... Nothing like Bunnings. Be excited.

[Caliban]

Where I live Bunnings are always dearer than Mitre10, I bought a 50 pack of 65mm tech screws at m10 for $17.63, the same pack in Bunnings was $26. When I mentioned it they said they'd match it, they had made me feel like I had the plague just for questioning their price so I didn't ask for the promised 10%, now I feel ripped off and wish I'd been a bit more ignorant. I will not step foot in Kempsey Bunnings anymore, but the next closest Bunnings, Port Macquarie has helpful, intelligent people. So I suppose what I'm getting at is you have to pick and choose and not generalise.
Cheers
Jim

[Bob Willson]

Hovo

wish I'd been a bit more ignorant.

Surely you mean more forceful. It is not showing ignorance to demand that somebody lives up to a promise.

[Barry_White]

The difference between Bunnings and Mitre 10 is that Bunnings is a Company owned Store but the Mitre 10 stores are idividually owned franchised buying group. So most of the prices in Mitre 10 stores are set by the individual owners.

Consequently some are cheaper than Bunnings and some are dearer. Mitre 10 is a very big buying group but Bunnings is owned by Westfarmers which is a much bigger buying conglomerate

[Caliban]

Hovo


Surely you mean more forceful. It is not showing ignorance to demand that somebody lives up to a promise.

Yes Bob
that's exactly what I meant.
thanks for the help
cheers
Jim (ex spelling nazi )

[Sturdee]

Where I live Bunnings are always dearer than Mitre10, I bought a 50 pack of 65mm tech screws at m10 for $17.63, the same pack in Bunnings was $26.

Jim,

Whilst getting some timber from my local timberyard I saw that they sell the same screws for $ 13.25 for a 50 pack.

May I be so bold and suggest a little less time spell checking and more time price checking may in order.

Peter.

[Caliban]

Sturdee
Hurtful, Peter.
Especially as you are one of those who spells so wonderfully.
I did all the price checking possible in this little town.
Sorry that I offended your beloved B.... shop.
cheers
Jim (ex spelling Nazi) also ex Bun.....(Kempsey) customer

[stevephillips]

I live in Roleystone which is about 35km fron Perth center but I shop at Eureka Hardware in Wilson opposite where we used to live. The owner Phil can get anything you need if its not in stock and his prices are within spitting distance of the others if not less. On more than one occation Ive needed a tool to do a job on the rental property nearby and rather than drive back to Roley Phil has lent me his, gratis! He is knowledgable and attracts a crowd of handymen and tradesmen who stop and talk, sometimes for hours. Information and advice is freely available and usfull contacts can be made. Its a real hardware shop. ("screwdrivers all round and a double for you barman")

[echnidna]

Dont have a bunnies near me though one is on the way.
Have dropped into bunnies at Geelong and Ballarat.
YUK.
Cheaper tools maybe, but their timber and moulding prices are skyhigh and limited assortment. When they do get to Warrnambool the local builders supplies will knock them off very easily. Even in Melbourne I would get timber cheaper and better without problems.

As far as staff knowledge, that is much the same as most employees at BigW or Kmart or the other large chain stores etc, they are just employed to put your purchases in a bag at the cash register. So if you hate dealing with sales people without trade skills just shop elsewhere.