Support your local shops - yeah.....right!

[Dirk]

I needed a ceramic tap gland for my kitchen tap. Went down the local hardware store, which is usually quite good at pricing, all things considered.
£15.39 each!
Screwfix - 5 miles down the road - do 2 for £6.29.
I'm sorry, but local loyalty only goes so far.
I'd have been quite happy to spend, say, £7 a piece just to save the journey into town.
It does make you wonder.
No wonder local shops are struggling.

 

[Markymark]

Similar story but the opposite way around to me. Couldn't believe that my local shops were cheaper than the big branded shops.

It depends on the item and depends on the shop.

 

[classic33]

Used two local hardware shops. One closed(age), the other got new owners. Seldom use the one that got new owners.

 

[roadrash]

bloody hell , that's a difference of ......9 fray bentos pies

 

[Dirk]

bloody hell , that's a difference of ......9 fray bentos pies

It's actually 24.5 Fray Bentos pies!
That's some reality check!

 

[roadrash]

maths was never my strong point

 

[Markymark]

maths was never my strong point

...nor is pie choice apparently.

 

[Elybazza61]

It all depends on suppliers;for instance our shop sources Shimano parts from Madison the official Shimano distributor for the UK(as it has been for ages) so as many online suppliers source from elsewhere and have the buying power to get an even better price sothey can charge a lot less,I presume it's the same in this case.

Or they are not making any profit on them like Wiggle etc

 

[cosmicbike]

I always find my local plumbers merchant cheaper than Screwfix, for plumbing bits. And I don't have to buy a pack of 5+ when I only need 1. Chap in there this morning wanted 1 O-ring for his sink waste, duly supplied for 10 pence, you can't do that at Screwfix.

 

[swansonj]

I like Srewfix. And they have just moved into our local industrial estate. Which means they are now the closest shop of any description to our house

 

[slowmotion]

I'm a ten minute bike ride from my local Screwfix and it stays open until 10pm apart from at weekends. A branch of Lidl opened yesterday the same distance away, with similar opening hours.

I must live in retail paradise.

 

[Drago]

I've been barred from Screwfix. Turns out they don't cure blokes of erectile dysfunction after all...

 

[screenman]

I needed a ceramic tap gland for my kitchen tap. Went down the local hardware store, which is usually quite good at pricing, all things considered.
£15.39 each!
Screwfix - 5 miles down the road - do 2 for £6.29.
I'm sorry, but local loyalty only goes so far.
I'd have been quite happy to spend, say, £7 a piece just to save the journey into town.
It does make you wonder.
No wonder local shops are struggling.

I bought and fitted a pair of those last Saturday, from Screwfix course.

 

[screenman]

Dirk, you may already know they come in different sizes.

 

[stephec]

Opposite way round for me.

We had a local plumbing shop ran by an old guy who dished out good advice, once in the middle of changing my toilet I realised I needed something to complete the job.

I took in a rough diagram and explained my problem, after which he took me to the relevant shelf and added the missing bits, £10 all in.

Next day I had a look at B+Q and found the same things for £13, sadly though the shop closed about six months ago.

Apart from the big sheds all we now have locally is an independent building merchants who mainly deal with local trades, and treat you in a Not the Nine O'clock News hi fi sketch type of way if the mood takes them.