B & Q Prices

[xpc316e]

I bought 2.5 litres of Cuprinol Decking Oil today from B & Q, paying £26.99. When I got home, out of curiosity I checked out the price for the same thing at Screwfix online; they only had a 5 litre tin, but it was £22.99. Needless to say, I chased around to my local branch of Screwfix and got a tin, taking the other one back to B & Q.

I do not mind anyone making a fair profit, but bearing in mind the fact that both firms must buy in considerable quantities (B & Q probably buy more) I reckon that B & Q are ripping us off. It certainly pays to shop around.

Anybody got any more examples of their outrageous prices?

 

[Tim Bennet.]

B&Q and Screwfix are the same firm (Kingfisher) so I think there must have been a mistake. Normally the price difference is marginal a reflects B&Qs 'highstreet presence'.

 

[Zoiders]

B&Q and Screwfix are the same company in effect so they were indeed trying to shaft you.

B&Q will be opening Screw fix trade counters in a lot of the big Warehouse stores this year.

 

[Globalti]

Yes - everything is about 20% more expensive at B&Q, apart from the loss leaders. MK electric sockets are about half the B&Q price if you can find the retailers your sparky uses.

 

[Zoiders]

Wickes are about the cheapest highstreet outfit on electrical stuff and lighting, not much else though.

 

[beanzontoast]

Mrs B and I have both felt that since the local B&Q's amalgamated/rationalised down from 3 sites to 1, things have seemed more expensive - or at least, the cheaper products that we used to go there for seem harder to find.

 

[marinyork]

Never been impressed with B&Q on lighting. The company were late adopters of energy saving light bulbs of varying sorts and are very pricey. As quite a few people shop there it unfortunately sends out the wrong sort of message to those still living in the dark ages in terms of lighting.

 

[Mr Pig]

B&Q often give good prices on the big things but totally shaft you on the little things, the kind of products you don't bother checking the price of. Nuts, bolts nails etc. They'll charge you £6 for a packet of 100 disposable gloves when I can buy them for less than £2.

They get way with it because they put most of the small hardware shops out of business so that most people have little real choice.

 

[rogerzilla]

Wilko prices are like going back the to 1970s. OK, you might not want to be seen coming out of a Wilko by anyone you know, but I like 'em.

 

[Speicher]

There is one of those old-fashioned hardware shops near here. You could buy one bolt if you wanted, or three washers. If you do not know what you need, you can ask and get good advice. If it is a younger person serving and they are not sure, they are obviously under strict instructions to ask their colleague(s). Because of this, I very rarely venture into HomeBQ etc, but when I have compared prices, they have been very competitive. I will happily pay slightly more anyway, for the advice they give.

 

[Globalti]

Dawson's in Clitheroe.

The best hardware shop.

 

[yenrod]

Theirs a place just by St Helens Central station called Hampsons & they are good for bolts.

 

[Kestevan]

Hardware shop in Holmfirth is brilliant.

Just like the shop in the 2 Ronnies "Fork Handles" sketch; complete with small bloke in a brown overall and 1000s of drawers, holding odd items.

Might be "slightly" more expensive than B+Q if buying in bulk, but then you cant buy 4 screws and 2 washers in a paper bag at B+Q

 

[Brains]

We have a number of the larger DIY stores within walking distance of the house, B&Q, Wikes, Travis Perkins, Plumbase and SELCO trade store.

We have over the years done up a lot of houses, so use them all

Selco usually come up cheapes, often undercutting B&Q by as much as 50%.

 

[dellzeqq]

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=20532