Rant about screwfix

[johna.clements]

When we were kids we would dig up slate and use it for writing on the pavement. Only one colour but free.

 

[robgul]

Well toolstation = Travis Perkins screwfix = B&Q so you vill have vot ve are selling and pay the price we say

TP has de-merged TS into a separate business (as they did Wickes a while ago) - not that it makes much difference!

. . . and with Wickes - who remembers the little catalogues they used to distribute by the million back in the 1980s when the business first arrived in the UK?

 

[stuart little]

The local B&Q (brother of Screwfix) has just taken out ALL of the checkout-lines and replaced them with self-scan units . . . . makes the purchase of bags of cement/compost etc and paving slabs or sheet goods a challenge. Madness.

Haven't they got scanners on 'curly leads'?

 

[Bingy man]

I’ve used Toolstation for years and usually end up in s/f if a product is o o stock at t/ s . The books are really helpful if a customer has to collect an item for a job as you can simply quote the reference number and know they will bring back the correct item. It’s amazing when you search online the product you need isn’t displayed but search the order number and it magically appears. Like a lot of companies of all types it’s a way of forcing you online when not everyone shops this way or has internet access. I’m more than happy to spend a bit more by shopping at a store with actual real people that know their products and will advise you based on what you need rather than the products they are instructed to promote. Eg one of my customers was going to pay over 350£ for a manual tile cutter but they had an electric wet cutter ( heavey duty) for £300 . Cust asked what’s the difference- sales person said £50 , and of course the manual cutter can’t do complicated cuts - job done .

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A Rubi? I've always wondered how they justify their prices, good as they are.

 

[GLS]

Went into my local Screwfix as TS didn't have what I wanted in stock, so an unplanned visit. Inside I find the catalogues have gone to be replaced with some form of swipe screen IT contraption. What I could do in a few seconds with a proper paper catalogue, was taking so long with the electronic version I gave up and left, as I had better things to do and alternatives places to try. No more SCREWF***ks for me.

 

[stuart little]

Why is it all these companies & organisations (NHS included) assume EVERYONE has access to the internet &/or smart phones? Doing away with cash is another - when the systems break down, which they do, one cannot buy anything!

 

[Thingybob]

Went into my local Screwfix as TS didn't have what I wanted in stock, so an unplanned visit. Inside I find the catalogues have gone to be replaced with some form of swipe screen IT contraption. What I could do in a few seconds with a proper paper catalogue, was taking so long with the electronic version I gave up and left, as I had better things to do and alternatives places to try. No more SCREWF***ks for me.

Well this is becoming a bit of a same storey wake up kingfisher

 

[AJB Temple]

Why is it all these companies & organisations (NHS included) assume EVERYONE has access to the internet &/or smart phones? Doing away with cash is another - when the systems break down, which they do, one cannot buy anything!

Deloittes did a survey in 2019 that said 90% of adults have a smart phone and 95% of those used them daily. So that covers quite a big segment of the likely market. Tradesmen can't really operate without one now.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I wonder why why they don't publish a catalogue without prices to last maybe 12 - 18 months or even longer, then publish updated price lists when necessary ........... quite often atm.

 

[stuart little]

Just thinking ........I appear to be lucky, down at the tail end. Within six or seven miles we've two specialist paint suppliers, two SF's two TS's, a B&Q, a TP, a Wickes, a Bradford's, an MKM, two Jewsons and five good independents.

That's probably the problem these days, having too many branches of the same co. too close together, amounting to massive overheads so prices increase accordingly.
I find there are better prices elsewhere online than SF. If, on the rarre occassion I something yesterday, Toolst. is my first stop.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I haven't a smartphone. I refuse to pay dearly for something I don't need. I use a cheapie Tesco pay as you go (£5 since February) mainly for ID verification for Ebay and Amazon. I accept I'm probably unusual, though.

 

[Ollie78]

Deloittes did a survey in 2019 that said 90% of adults have a smart phone and 95% of those used them daily. So that covers quite a big segment of the likely market. Tradesmen can't really operate without one now.

There is a slight difference between owning a smartphone and using it daily to having permanent Internet connection at all times.
My wife has a smartphone but only pays a few pounds a month for basic functions. She does not turn on the Internet.
So she is one of the 95% but not able to order from screwfix from a random location without WiFi.
I have unlimited Internet but that doesn’t mean I can get a signal everywhere.

The objection to the forcing of the always on Internet and apps for everything ( like my washing machine, for no apparent reason) is partly the fact that it is creating a two tier system.
Are you poor? Well you cant participate in society anymore, are you older and not well versed in technology? Well screw you.
The lockdown schooling fiasco was glaring evidence of this happening in front of our eyes.

Ollie

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Conversely we can't expect things not to move on (even accepting that some of it is schlimmbesserung). Speaking as one of the technologically inept.

 

[Ollie78]

Conversely we can't expect things not to move on (even accepting that some of it is schlimmbesserung). Speaking as one of the technologically inept.

Quite right, and I am certainly not against progress.
I have a cnc machine and use 3d design software. But it doesn't mean that the chisel has become obsolete.

Ollie

 

[deema]

No cash = not being robbed, either as an individual or the poor person who has to drop the takings off at the bank.
No cash = less mistakes by staff
No cash = less cost for the businesses
No cash = faster checkout.
No cash = less fraud
No cash = end of black economy…..yep everyone should pay taxes and contribute
No cash = positive proof you bought something, exactly where and when
No cash = less crime

Roll on No cash, Im sure some will poke holes in the realities on a No cash society. Finland is almost there, when I ran a company there it was brilliant. Never ever took cash, never needed it.

The luddites hated progress too……

 

[Thingybob]

No cash = not being robbed, either as an individual or the poor person who has to drop the takings off at the bank.
No cash = less mistakes by staff
No cash = less cost for the businesses
No cash = faster checkout.
No cash = less fraud
No cash = end of black economy…..yep everyone should pay taxes and contribute
No cash = positive proof you bought something, exactly where and when
No cash = less crime

Roll on No cash, Im sure some will poke holes in the realities on a No cash society. Finland is almost there, when I ran a company there it was brilliant. Never ever took cash, never needed it.

The luddites hated progress too……

No cash = a lot of the British public at present

 

[Phil Pascoe]

No cash? I suspect here there would be before very long a local currency of some sort.

 

[NormanB]

No cash = not being robbed, either as an individual or the poor person who has to drop the takings off at the bank.
No cash = less mistakes by staff
No cash = less cost for the businesses
No cash = faster checkout.
No cash = less fraud
No cash = end of black economy…..yep everyone should pay taxes and contribute
No cash = positive proof you bought something, exactly where and when
No cash = less crime

Roll on No cash, Im sure some will poke holes in the realities on a No cash society. Finland is almost there, when I ran a company there it was brilliant. Never ever took cash, never needed it.

The luddites hated progress too……

Just scams

 

[NormanB]

I wonder why why they don't publish a catalogue without prices to last maybe 12 - 18 months or even longer, then publish updated price lists when necessary ........... quite often atm.

I wonder why?