Big chain supermarkets

[prydey]

Originally Posted by b0son

I remember how everyone used to complain about Bunnings, and how they needed some competition. Then we got Masters. Bunnings picked up their act for a while, and you actually got something resembling customer service. But before long, everyone was complaining that Masters wasnt enough like Bunnings, and soon they were gone. Now we have Bunnings, back to treating its customers with disdain.

I feel like we have the retail sector we deserve in this country...

These are very generalised statements. Been to many bunnings and never had an issue with customer service.

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Have noticed of late a few Mitre10's scaling up their country stores with quite a few Aussie made products.
Bought some "Wobble T" expandable chain sprinklers, a couple of Aussie made rakes and Aussie watering cans, US made Sharkbite fittings. Bunnings sell the chinese knock offs.

Are you suggesting mitre 10 don't sell cheap stuff, or that bunnings don't sell stuff not made in China?

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by prydey

These are very generalised statements. Been to many bunnings and never had an issue with customer service.



Are you suggesting mitre 10 don't sell cheap stuff, or that bunnings don't sell stuff not made in China?

Around here Bunnings frequently aren't the cheapest in town.

More than once I've bought the same products at our Co-Op (Thrifty link hardware) or Total Tools at a better price

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by prydey

These are very generalised statements. Been to many bunnings and never had an issue with customer service.



Are you suggesting mitre 10 don't sell cheap stuff, or that bunnings don't sell stuff not made in China?

Not suggesting anything. Mitre10 sell Cheap Crap too.

Don't normally shop at either but I do know Bunnings only sell the cheaper (leaky) SmarteX plumbing fittings opposed to the original (PATENTED) Shark bit plumbers fittings.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

Around here Bunnings frequently aren't the cheapest in town.

More than once I've bought the same products at our Co-Op (Thrifty link hardware) or Total Tools at a better price

Buy most of my stuff opposite Bunnings in Wang called North East Fasteners or Delatite Steel and yes frequently better quality and cheaper.

Sometimes you be surprised that it's good to try the independents as was my point to this whole thread.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Sometimes you be surprised that it's good to try the independents as was my point to this whole thread.

I don't disagree however I see it is just another choice. Not a reason to run down the big corporations like Australians (especially older ones) love to do.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by prydey

I don't disagree however I see it is just another choice. Not a reason to run down the big corporations like Australians (especially older ones) love to do.

I feel so sad for big corporations, they must be doing it tuff needing to lay off their staff and replacing them with machines.

I almost feel as if we should all set up a "Go Fund Me" page for them.

I thought forums were where we have free speech and express our own opinions on subjects, some hate things some love things, we are all here to compare our experiences from one brand to another whether it be utes, cars, mowers, apps, Yank tanks or caravans.

[kevino]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Found IGA to be the best overall, still selling quality name brands and very helpful for getting item in they don't normally sell.
Usually have most of the checkouts in operation manned (womanned) by humans.

Don't know whether they do fuel dockets ? Never used them.

They are all different franchises
Some do fuel dockets some dont

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by b0son

I remember how everyone used to complain about Bunnings, and how they needed some competition. Then we got Masters. Bunnings picked up their act for a while, and you actually got something resembling customer service. But before long, everyone was complaining that Masters wasnt enough like Bunnings, and soon they were gone. Now we have Bunnings, back to treating its customers with disdain.

I feel like we have the retail sector we deserve in this country...

I found Masters was no competition to Bunnings, brands I never heard of, probably explains why they never lasted for the long haul.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Buy most of my stuff opposite Bunnings in Wang called North East Fasteners or Delatite Steel and yes frequently better quality and cheaper.

Sometimes you be surprised that it's good to try the independents as was my point to this whole thread.

Very hard to find independent hardware stores in my area of Melbourne compared to country locations, local Mitre10 got out of hardware and only stock timber, I'm stuck with Bunnings but they do ok for my needs.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Itsme

I found Masters was no competition to Bunnings, brands I never heard of, probably explains why they never lasted for the long haul.

Was an easy way to off load some staff.
Folks moved across from WW to masters, then it was killed off. Worked with a few of them and was nearly one of them.
The few times i frequented Masters, the customer service wasnt much chop!

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Was an easy way to off load some staff.
Folks moved across from WW to masters, then it was killed off. Worked with a few of them and was nearly one of them.
The few times i frequented Masters, the customer service wasnt much chop!

I remember the one they built up in Coffs, huge store took a long time to build it. Wasn't open a year before it closed.
Master's demise was convenient for drive thru Covid testing centres.

[PG2]

For sometime there, I was addicted to Supercheap Auto.

In the last 6 months or so, I have been comparing 'automotive items of need' with the other spare parts stores, both independent and chain stores, and have only bought one of those items from supercheap auto. This is either due to price and/or availability. I am not saying that I have bought all of my items of need from the one store but have been using other places more and more.

[danzvtil]

Masters never had enough time to mature in Australia. They went too heavily into low margin household appliances, and not nuts and bolts that Bunnings has. One thing they bought here was brands and products we hadn’t seen before all due to their Lowes tie up from the US.
Bunnings head office even became better to deal with for the suppliers, as they had a choice. They were back to their old tricks once masters left.

[T3rminator]

On to car stuff, its hard to go past the big 2, for your normal everyday consumable. They always have sales on and its always stuff that I want need. I mean, 40% off Penrite oils recently, how do you pass on that?

Supercheap also have a very clever scheme going. If you buy something today, and it goes on sale within the next 2 weeks, you get the difference back. Have received at least $100 credit back on that scheme. They are also taking in old engine oil, no need to make a trip to the recycling tip and pay for the privilege. Last time I dropped a tub off, the lady gave me $5 credit for recycling . At least they are looking after the customers.

[ute83]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

On to car stuff, its hard to go past the big 2, for your normal everyday consumable. They always have sales on and its always stuff that I want need. I mean, 40% off Penrite oils recently, how do you pass on that?

That's after it's gone up 100% over the last year or so.

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by ute83

That's after it's gone up 100% over the last year or so.

Yeh its freaken ridiculous. Do 20-30,000kms a year, change every 7000, so it quickly adds up. There are a few indies advertising on FB, but they aren't cheaper. So I'm assuming its an industry wide problem, rather than big 2 ripping us off.

[Adamz Ghia]

Originally Posted by prydey

These are very generalised statements. Been to many bunnings and never had an issue with customer service.



Are you suggesting mitre 10 don't sell cheap stuff, or that bunnings don't sell stuff not made in China?

When Masters was around Bunnings stores were so over staffed it was almost annoying. Couldn’t walk down an aisle without one or two staff members asking if you needed help. Now Masters is gone I can walk through the entire store and not see a single staff member other than the ones on the tills and front entry. A lot of the things they sell is just cheaply made, but expensively priced crap. Take their new pet range. Quality wise it’s equivilant to the local $2 shop but priced the same as Petbarn.

As for the supermarkets, we do 3 big shops a year. When we do them, we workout the meals we!re going to make and buy enough stuff to make them as many times as we need to to get us to the next shop. So we compare Coles, Woolies, Aldi, IGA, Costco and some smaller independants we know. As much as I don’t like the big two, they are significantly cheaper, and Costco is brilliant for meat. Like chicken for example. I can buy free range thighs for $15 a kilo at Woolies, or regular thighs for $22 at the butcher. Beef porterhouse for $30 a kilo from Costco, $40kg at Coles or $63 a kilo from my butcher. When I’m buying 8kg or porterhouse at a time, we’re talking big dollar differences. When we do the list of everything we need, even if we exclude meat the difference between the big two and Costco and independents is hundreds of dollars, thousands if meat is included. We’re not poor, far from it. But we also don’t have enough to throw away to ‘support’ certain retailers for the sake of it.

[roKWiz]

"Quality is remembered long after Price is forgotten" Aldo Gucci.

[Citroënbender]

I think you’re crediting too many people with having a critical thought process, still in place.

[Polyal]

I always do my best to buy Australian made.

Usually only buy fruit and veg that is Australian and in season and will never buy fish or meat from OS.

I do my bets to support local but if the difference is too great then there is only so much you can do.