Thread: Magnet Mart getting out of Triton

It is a shame that MM is getting out of Triton (i'm ex Cbra). I knew that the Triton demonstrator from the Phillip store was one of the ACT club members.

However, this has reminded me about something I was wondering about:
All the great new stuff that Triton is coming out with - the scroll saws, bandsaws, sharpeners and thicknessers - who is going to be selling it??

I can't see Bunnings stocking big items such as the bandsaws. I also can't see them stocking much in the way of the other large products. And the biggest tool my Mitre 10 stocks is a bench grinder.

So while Triton may have some great products, who are the distributors going to be? Will they be stocked by Carbatac? Will Timbecon sell them? Or will Triton go online themselves?

The best products in the world are no good if you don't have a distribution deal.

Originally Posted by John G

It is a shame that MM is getting out of Triton (i'm ex Cbra). I knew that the Triton demonstrator from the Phillip store was one of the ACT club members.

However, this has reminded me about something I was wondering about:
All the great new stuff that Triton is coming out with - the scroll saws, bandsaws, sharpeners and thicknessers - who is going to be selling it??

I can't see Bunnings stocking big items such as the bandsaws. I also can't see them stocking much in the way of the other large products. And the biggest tool my Mitre 10 stocks is a bench grinder........

Bunnings stocks drill presses (GMC) that are quite substantial, and it is about time that they had some decent sized bandsaws available as well. (I think the biggest GMC bandsaw in Bunnies is 200mm?)

It would be great to see the thicknessers in store - Mitre 10 mega carries the $1000? Dewalt, and I'm sure Bunnings wouldn't want to be upstaged there. Scrollsaws and sharpeners - already part and parcel of Bunnings range, so extra brands shouldn't be much of a problem.

Retailers are really selling floor/shelf space. So extra brands and products are a problem if they do not increase the return per square metre.

I've previously posted that Bunnings Willeton has stopped selling Triton altogether. :mad:

Both Timbecon and Carbatec here in WA have supported Triton (and at the annual Wood Show). Come to think of it - it doesn't make sense to carry a product that competes with their's - does it. I think that we will soon see them only carry the 'Best of Breed' products.

So how will Triton sell .... hmmmm?

Recently I decided to not buy from Bunnings - unless I really had to. Over the past 6 weeks I have saved at least $300 by seriously searching the web and making 3 or 4 phone calls to local importers/manufacturers. The result is this will equate to about $1000 a year. Have also started buying tools over the web from the US.

Now if I can only find someone to supply the GMC lawn edger blades that Bunnings want $20 for ....

It really is a pity that GMC / Triton don't consider direct web based retailing.

They could even set up a seperate company which could compete with other retailers who no longer carry their product. Hey - they could even call it Triton!

Interwood

We can always dream

I can not see Bunnings stocking bigger Bandsaws or Thicknessers. They seem to cater for the Weekend Handyperson and the big items will not move fast enough for them. I think Triton should try them through the established Woodworking Stores..Carbatec, Timbercon, Gregories (in Bris) or on lne direct.

So how will Triton sell .... hmmmm?

Recently I decided to not buy from Bunnings - unless I really had to. Over the past 6 weeks I have saved at least $300 by seriously searching the web and making 3 or 4 phone calls to local importers/manufacturers. The result is this will equate to about $1000 a year. Have also started buying tools over the web from the US.
Interwood[/QUOTE]

A Triton salesman at the Canberra Wood Show told me that Bunnings keep asking Triton to drop their prices, especially when someone finds a product at a lower price than the posted Bunnings' price. The alternative Bunnings offers if they maintain their prices, he says, is that they will curtail the space given to Triton products. He says Triton is not the only firm which is treated this way.
But thanks, Corbs, for the info on Magnet Mart.

Originally Posted by skot

I can not see Bunnings stocking bigger Bandsaws or Thicknessers. They seem to cater for the Weekend Handyperson and the big items will not move fast enough for them. I think Triton should try them through the established Woodworking Stores..Carbatec, Timbercon, Gregories (in Bris) or on lne direct.

So true.

I asked one of the Bunnies sales guys about a some pipe clamps. I picked this guy cause he was an old crusty and looked like he may know something about what he was selling.

He smiled and said "whilst we have 14 vaieties of knee protectors, we have no pipe clamps"

He seemed quite whimsical.

Originally Posted by skot

I can not see Bunnings stocking bigger Bandsaws or Thicknessers. They seem to cater for the Weekend Handyperson and the big items will not move fast enough for them. I think Triton should try them through the established Woodworking Stores..Carbatec, Timbercon, Gregories (in Bris) or on lne direct.

Bunnings rant on

This is the problems with Bunnings - they effectively squeeze out other traders/sulliers though advertising and selective price cutting (matching) and then when they have done that try to do same with manufactuers/wholesalers - by this stage manufactueres and punters both have little option but to use Bunnings - then the fnal blow they stop stocking anything that doesnt move quickly or makeup for turnover speed with extra high margins so you end up with a store dedicated to selling low quality, overpriced things that people "want" but dont really need.

Bunnings rant off

Albert

Originally Posted by Michael Breen

So how will Triton sell .... hmmmm?
The alternative Bunnings offers if they maintain their prices, he says, is that they will curtail the space given to Triton products.

This has already started at Minchinbury Bunnies. Most of the new Triton tools, and some of the already held products was relegated to a pile of cartons on the floor which looked more like junk ready for disposal than new gear wanting to be purchased. Most people didn't give it a second glance cause it was still in its boxes - if you didn't recognise the outer packing then too bad.

I might also add that the staff at this store don't know the Triton products and generally try to steer you away from them. I had asked about the spin saw and got blank looks even though that product was on the display shelf. Was suggested I would be better off with a dremel :mad: . Advice from Bunnies staff, I think not.

Originally Posted by Bodgy

So true.

I picked this guy cause he was an old crusty and looked like he may know something about what he was selling.

I think this is one of the best pieces of advise for shopping at Bunnings - too many times I have asked for information from younger guys/gals at my local only to received puzzled looks and "I don't know" answers. The older guys (haven't seen any older gals working there, so please don't think me sexist) seem to just have the experience to be able to not only answer my questions, but also give advise if what I ask for can be done in other ways.

Never underestimate the power of the crusty

Graha.

I once asked a young bloke at our local bunnings if they had a chippy there for me to ask a couple of questions. The young bloke had a very puzzled look on his face as he asked me ''Whats a chippy?'' Perhaps some of the larger hardware stores need to look at the type of training which they give their staff. I told the young bloke not to wory and thanked him for his time.

Yep, Bunnies is definitely in Phase Two of their Master Plan.

Phase One was to have a good range at good prices, and with reasonable service. I remember going to Bunnies, on the weekend, and actually having to fob off an extremely knowledgeable old crusty sales assistant who was a semi-retired tradesman but who was a bit overly helpful when I wanted time to think about a project I was putting together.

Phase One drew off so much business that it caused all the other hardwares in my area to downsize to the point where they are useless for serious hardware (those that are left at all).

Now Phase Two is in full swing. The competition's gone, time to ramp up the profits. You could let off a small tactical nuke in my usual Bunnies on the weekend and you'd be hard pressed to kill anyone other than cashiers and customers.

Bunnies used always to have it in stock. Last weekend three out of the six things I had on my list were out of stock. Probably not fast moving lines, or maybe now they've cut staff to the point where the housekeeping is falling away.

Of course, as a willing victim of Phase One, I don't have anyone to blame but me, really, do I?

At least Bunnies are (finally) converting the old "Hardware House" stores in NSW to look like REAL Bunnies stores on the inside, instead of just an external paint job - I went to Villawood a couple of weeks back and was pleasantly surprised - particularly at the tools and paint sections, which were a vast improvement over it's predecessor.
Despite how bad Bunnies can be at stocking shelves, Hardware House was much worse!

Its interesting as to how some bunnies stock things that others don't. Our local bunnies is good for basic bits and pieces but I find it better to travel down to either Oxley or Rocklea. They seem to stock more of a wider range of products.