Cheap Triton router bits at Bunnings Browns Plains

[jisk]

Hey guys,

I was at Bunnings Browns Plains (QLD) this morning, and in their tool section they have two triton bit sets at half price. One is a 3 bit set and the other had 6 or 7.

I would have snapped one up if I had a router!

[Bluegum]

It would have made a good excuse to buy one though.....

[munruben]

I would have snapped one up if I had a router!

Yeah, hard to spin those bits fast enough without one Thanks for the tip, will have a look when I go down there today.

[Geoff Brice]

Hope they have the same deal in Adelaide .

[zathras]

Also spied Triton bit sets on the chuck out table at Broadmeadows (vic) also.

Looks like there is too much competition, so once again the in store range is reduced

[Big Shed]

Our local Bunnings in Bendigo doesn't have a quarter of the Triton stock they used to carry, haven't seen too many bargains going though. They seem to be reducing their stock graually and not replacing it.

[Stuart]

Those router bits are a pretty good pickup if you find them.

Sad if Bunnings stops stocking them, it will mean they will have no bits of any reasonable quality at all for sale.

At least Mitre 10 still stocks Carb-i-tool, so there is still some hope the backyardian (yeah, I know - stole the name from a kid's show) may accidentally (or otherwise) buy a decent quality router bit.

[geoffo]

Speaking of Bunn8ings - when in Bunnings the other day I saw that you can now get some new Triton products that do not seem to be on the Triton web site and are not on Bunnies shelves. If you want to buy the tool, you have to use the Bunnings special order system.
It makes me think "What value are Bunnings adding to the transaction?". Why do Triton involve them if the customer has to do mail order.
Why don't Triton give Bunnies a miss and allow the saw dust maker to order direct from Triton (should be at a lower price).
Does anyone have any info on why Bunnies and Triton are going this way?
Geoff

[skot]

I think the Big Green Box Hardware is definitely getting rid of their Triton stock. I was in the store at Oxley, Brisbane this morning and most of the shelves in the Triton section were empty as well as the majority of the Triton router bits had "Clearance" tags on them. If other people are like me...I like to go to the hardware store.....see an item....touch it....get a feel for it...pay for it and walk out of the store with it.

If Triton are moving quickly to the "Special Order" style of sales...I for one will be moving away from them at the same rate. It is not a good way to do business....IMHO

[Stuart]

Unfortunately, the decision about what is stocked is made by Bunnings, not by Triton.

They have recently done a full audit of their tool shop(s) with a mind to keep only products that make them the most money (what their formula boils down to anyway). That has resulted in a number of lines being discontinued, or having core components only, and increasing promotion of their special orders - ie "we can get anything you want, you just have to know what it is to ask for it (and you are screwed if you don't know, or expect to get an honest, neutral opinion about what the best tool to suit your requirements is, we will only stock what makes us the most money so lets show you that)"

Crappy method if you ask me, and certainly will not result in the best tools being stocked, as they rarely will be the ones making the most money, compared to the typical junk they sell by the pallet load.

In the long run, the Chinese crap will follow the same model as the Japanese, and with quality improvements, the cost will balloon back to reasonable levels (who's ever heard of a drill that is made with quality materials and design, and built to last costing $5 to make and being sold for $10), and so once that happens, other companies (and countries) making the quality gear that are suffering the current market trend will again be cost competitive. Unfortunately, many that are still around (and just surviving (or not)) today will have gone under by then.

Rant Off (for now)

[robyn2839]

how much were the router bits selling for?. bob

[skot]

I didn't take any notice of the prices because there was only about 7 router bits scattered over a very deserted wall with clearance tags on them. I already have router bits with the same profiles as were left. When you see the empty shelves and the wall that the router bits were on, and a lot of empty hanging pegs, it is a bad look for the store I think.

[Blackout]

The two boxes I saw were at the discounted (I know = everything is the lowest price or what ever they correct me with) table beside the counter. They were about half price - from memory $60 for the 3 pc box and $120 for the 7 piece.

They also had some nice Makita gear at the same table but the discount wasn't near that.

To be honest I found the Bunnies at Compton Road does better discounting ... reductions .. clearance pricing?

[princhester]

When you special order a big ticket Triton item through Bunnies do they actually do a special order, or do they place your order when they next have enough other orders to combine to gain economy of scale?

My experience with spare parts is that they certainly do the latter, and consequently the system is a joke: when I break something I need it that weekend but I can accept that I will have to wait till next weekend or maybe the weekend after. Eight weeks (which is what it took last time)?

No effin way.

[falcon]

I picked up 4, 1/2 bits a few weeks ago at Bunnings Underwood for $12ea. Cheap as i thought.

I have the same bits all ready, but at that price, couldnt go wrong