Ryobi signing exclusivity deal with Bunnings/Bunnings reducing range in power tools ?

[Batpig]

Noticed the ACCC only has one submission linked ATM, and its from Trade Tools who give the agreement their blessing!!!!
So at least one competitor would rather that bunnings stick as much to the lower end as possible, and leave them to real tools.

I guess therein lies the answer to whether or not the DeWalts, Makitas, and Bosch Blue's are going to stick around at the BigB when the B&D's, Maktec's, and Bosch Green's get shown the door...

on the plus side, if the accc aproves, then have to watch bunnies carefully for some clearance of stock lines!

I think it might have already started, Pharm. My brother rang me up the other day to ask me to try and get my hands on one of those $45 1050w GMC Rotary Hammers that are on p22 of the latest BigB catalogue. Those things were $109 when they first came out, and then they did the next container load for $99...

Best Wishes,
Batpig

[Stuart]

I think it is a good thing (no I haven't thought this through!): means I don't have to go to Bunnings to buy any power tool. I'm sure there will be plenty of other outlets for all the other brands - might actually make them more successful!

[blackhole]

should see more GMC getting pushed at K-Mart, etc.

Bunnings bought the remains of Coles/Myer after Myers was sold off so they own K-Mart.
You may find that K-Mart will loose their hardware sections altogether.

[Grahame Collins]

My wifes boss who runs an electrical tool repair business that just won't accept Ry--i tools for repair.

Someone bought in a tool , a drill I think,(he did not say) to be repaired.Ry--i wanted $33 each for the brushes usually sold by others in pairs and much ,much cheaper).

He also tells me that Ry--i also want a $100 of order before they will process it.

This bloke attracts his customers by giving them the most realistic price for the service he performs.His business is from repeat business of satisfied customers.He won't deal with R---i as he won't pass those sort of costs on to the customer

Before any of us consider a tool and for most thats a long term proposition, a good port of call is your friendly tool repairer for some advice.

Your tool repairer pulls them apart,repairs them ,knows what is quality and wots crap.
Also he can tell you about the hidden costs in certain brands.
I hope the above saves someone some money

Grahame

[Stuart]

I agree with a lot of that, but I'm not sure of one thing. Where the "tool repairer pulls them apart, repairs them, knows what is quality and what's crap" I hear there are a couple of tool repairers who bag the absolute crap out of Triton - specifically the router and saw.

I'm not sure what their motivation is, whether Triton is as crap as they "claim" but these are tools that have world class reputations (the router specifically), so I'm not inclined to take every repairer's word at face value. I had a switch in my saw go about 4 years ago (too much MDF dust), and the repairer did the same rhetoric about how much he hated Triton. The saw (with a new switch) never stopped again.

But, in general, I do agree with you Grahame - these guys should know good from bad, and hidden costs. Just so long as what they say is based on fact and not politics.

[Pheonix]

Lately been watching kmart for any improvement in the stock they carry,no such luck,paint department non existant now, crap Arlec power tools,shrinking hardware section, you could be right!!

[Big Shed]

I agree with a lot of that, but I'm not sure of one thing. Where the "tool repairer pulls them apart, repairs them, knows what is quality and what's crap" I hear there are a couple of tool repairers who bag the absolute crap out of Triton - specifically the router and saw.

I'm not sure what their motivation is, whether Triton is as crap as they "claim" but these are tools that have world class reputations (the router specifically), so I'm not inclined to take every repairer's word at face value. I had a switch in my saw go about 4 years ago (too much MDF dust), and the repairer did the same rhetoric about how much he hated Triton. The saw (with a new switch) never stopped again.

But, in general, I do agree with you Grahame - these guys should know good from bad, and hidden costs. Just so long as what they say is based on fact and not politics.

Stuart, I was a very early adopter of the the Triton TRA001 router, my son works for Hills who owned Triton at the time, so got it at a good price.

Within a very short time, actually the second time I used it, it refused to work. Rang Triton who told me to take it to a place in Castlemaine that does their repair work. Duly went there, remember this is not long after the TRA001 came out, and the first thing the guy said when he saw me walk in was "oh no, not another one, these things are cr*p!".

Not really confidence inspiring to a relatively new owner!

Since that time I have had to take it apart because of a build up of MDF dust.

I also own a Makita 3600B router, which has done at least 10x the work that the Triton has, has been dropped once by accident, and has never let me down. I have owned that router far longer than the Triton.

Having said all that, the Triton is my router of choice because of its' features, but I am inclined to take note of service people. They usually have no axe to grind, they should welcome all those tools that break down, it is their bread and butter.

[rowdyflat]

I avoid Bunnings on principle since
1. they have so much stuff its hard to find anything IMHO.
2. Their staff know way less than me in general i cant get any useful advice.
3.They are killing the competition through size so our choice in future may be limited.
4.In general as things get bigger they become impersonal no one takes responsibility for mistakes + they throw their weight around eg big banks Telstra etc -- you cant get a sensible answer out of the ANZ in less than about 1/2 hr if you can get thru at all.

[skot]

I too avoid Bunnings, for the same reasons as rowdyflat..the local Mitre 10 is closer..I use them for "Emergency" hardware items and not that much different in price for the small amount I need. For larger orders of timber, I use the local timber merchant ....all I have to do is be organised before the weekend and again cheaper than the Big B.

Trade Tools is the place to go for just about any power tool. Walk into TT and any one of 6 people behind the counter are pleased to serve you and know their tools as well.

I can find plenty of places locally to get my gear...all cheaper and better service than the big green box...just by being a bit organised

[Stuart]

Within a very short time, actually the second time I used it, it refused to work. Rang Triton who told me to take it to a place in Castlemaine that does their repair work. Duly went there, remember this is not long after the TRA001 came out, and the first thing the guy said when he saw me walk in was "oh no, not another one, these things are cr*p!".

Not really confidence inspiring to a relatively new owner!

Since that time I have had to take it apart because of a build up of MDF dust.

I also own a Makita 3600B router, which has done at least 10x the work that the Triton has, has been dropped once by accident, and has never let me down. I have owned that router far longer than the Triton.

Having said all that, the Triton is my router of choice because of its' features, but I am inclined to take note of service people. They usually have no axe to grind, they should welcome all those tools that break down, it is their bread and butter.

My experience is not that dissimilar, but writing off the opinion of a tool because of the insidious nature of MDF is a bit short-sighted by the repairers. The early switch wasn't sealed, and thus I guess our similar failure.

After that early experience however, mine hasn't stopped (and it has been dropped as well), which isn't exactly collaborating the opinion of the repairer (who was just as vocal as yours). Of course, given the similar opinions of different repairers, perhaps Triton routers are crap.

[Big Shed]

My experience is not that dissimilar, but writing off the opinion of a tool because of the insidious nature of MDF is a bit short-sighted by the repairers. The early switch wasn't sealed, and thus I guess our similar failure.

After that early experience however, mine hasn't stopped (and it has been dropped as well), which isn't exactly collaborating the opinion of the repairer (who was just as vocal as yours). Of course, given the similar opinions of different repairers, perhaps Triton routers are crap.

Stuart, the reason it went in for a warranty repair was a failed switch, apparently very common on the earlier Tritons.

The MDF happened afterwards.

My point is however, that the Makita has doen a lot more MDF work than the Triton and never been affected by it.

Still love my Triton though, and will use it most times before the Makita (Aunty Jack, because it'll rip your bl**dy arms off).

[Stuart]

Fair enough - mine was the switch & MDF!

[stan250]

I have to admit having a whirlwind affair with Ryobi for the last few months but that ended today when my Ryobi Planer/Thicknesser (AP13AK) died after only about the second or third use.

I also heard about this Bunnings/Ryobi deal from my Mitre 10, who have been ordering in stuff to satisfy my (previous) Ryobi habit/infatuation.

Predictions:
Bunnings wont stock all of the Ryobi range as currently available.
Without deluded fools such as myself going into out of the way Mitre 10's and ordering Ryobi Planer/Thicknessers, bench sanders, routers, cordless drills, and then waiting 3 weeks for them to arrive, Ryobi would fold. (Bunnings dont do mail order and Mitre 10 charged the same price as Bunnings even to order in one item- no postage charge).

So Bunnings wont stock the whole range and consequently, Ryobi will cut back on the range due to lack of sales of many items.
The range will dwindle.
Meantime, what Bunnings continues to stock will increase in price because THERE WILL BE NO COMPETITION.
Fewer people than now will buy Ryobi because it wont be available anywhere other than Bunnings (there is no Bunnings anywhere near me- I only have Home Hardware and Mitre 10) and Bunnings will charge more with their Ryobi monopoly and sell less and less of the ever dwindling range.

RESULT:
Ryobi will, in no time at all, cease to exist in Australia. Smart move Ryobi.

[henlan77]

Or maybe, just maybe, average Joe will continue to shop for tools at Bunnings long enough to increase demand for Ryobi products, spurring an investment in R&D, innovation and performance of their products will increase while prices remain reasonable... and we all live happily ever after.

Or maybe not.

[montiee]

I'm not sure what their motivation is, whether Triton is as crap as they "claim" but these are tools that have world class reputations (the router specifically), so I'm not inclined to take every repairer's word at face value.

I can personally attest that triton are crap. I won't purchase them again after my limited use of the router and it dieing after a couple of uses (literally). I took it out of the box to do some major work in renovating the house and it died in the ???? as soon as I turned it on.Too bad it was out of warranty.

I'll be sticking with Bosch or Makita from now on..Triton's rep is rubbish to me now and quite frankly I think it's over-rated.