Packaging??

[Wongo]

Someone please help me out here. Why do a lot of items in the hardware store come in a pack of 3 or a pack of 5? For example hooks, butterfly nuts etc.

I bought a pack of rubber buffers yesterday. There were 5 in a pack but I only needed 4. What is wrong with 2 or 4 in a pack?

Is there a rational explanation or is it just purely a marketing strategy? You pay for 3 when you only need 2. You have to buy 2 packs when you need 4. Or do we have to start making table and chair with 3 legs and 3 corners? :confused:

Please tell me. I don’t want to lose any more sleep. :( :( :(

[gatiep]

You get 5, so if you mess one up or loose one in the shavings, or the dustie swallows it, you still have 4. Maybe it's a way to force you to think outside the square........make a five legged table/chair or whatever-be inventive.

Honestly, I have no idea why other than the person doing the packaging getting a bigger sale. By doing 5 for a 4 pack they have a 'forced sale' and increase their sales by 25%. Reminds of the story of the airline that supposedly saved heaps by reducing the olives in their meals by one less per meal.Perhaps its not such a bad idea getting a spare, because you can send SWMBO to the store with a sample next time you need some.Make four tables and get the fith one free!

Yeah right.

[jackiew]

The answer is simple, all the packs are meant to have 4 in but the packer got bored and to frustrate the hell out of everyone either puts in 3 or 5.

From the point of view of the seller 3 in a pack is better than 5 in a pack because if you have 3 in a pack then the buyer has to buy 2 packs to get the 4 items needed!

[Termite]

Frustrating isn't it. You go to buy 10 small screws nuts and washers, HA!
9 screws/pack, 7 nuts/pack, 11 washers/pack. So to get your 10 you end up with 18 screws, 14 nuts and 11 washers.
Next time you want to use the 8 left over screws you are 4 nuts and 7 washers short- so you go back and buy 7 nuts and 11 washers.
Here we go again- 3 nuts and 5 washers left over. And all this at rip off prices!
So my advice is to work out your most common sizes and go to someone like CEDRAY P/L or any other specialist nut and bolt supplier who will gladly sell in matched lots of 50 at a price that will please you.
Kind regards
Termite

[bitingmidge]

I was going to start a thread on this very topic!

I have a box containing plastic bubbles with between 1 & 3 of every known size shape and material of hardware.

My old man's feats at collecting screws with broken threads, and abilities as a nail straightener were legendary, but I have a bigger collection of fixings than he could have possibly collected in a lifetime, and mine are all new!!! :confused: :confused:

P

[Bob Willson]

You pay for 3 when you only need 2. Actually Wongo you are paying mostly for the packaging so you are paying the equivalent price of about 50 of any item, but because it is in a little bubble pack they give you the items for free.

[kiwigeo]

Someone please help me out here. Why do a lot of items in the hardware store come in a pack of 3 or a pack of 5? For example hooks, butterfly nuts etc.


Reminds me of my time in Japan. I could never find sets of bowls and other dinnerware in sets of four..was usually either 3 or 5. The reason being the japanese word for 4 ("shi") is considered to have bad conotations...eg "shinimasu" is the verb "to die".

Martin

[kiwigeo]

My old man's feats at collecting screws with broken threads, and abilities as a nail straightener were legendary

P
Sounds alot like my father....was bought up during the depression and is a chronic horder of anything with the slightest bit of value. Ive seen him pick up a comb off the road, give it a quick dust off and shove it in his pocket.

Martin

[bitingmidge]

Sigh!

Two more 60mm M8 bolts and a plastic box for my collection! Bought four bolts to replace the ones on my tablesaw-stand connection now that I have the spacer built- you guessed it.

They only come in packs of THREE!!!!


AAAAaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
:( :( :(

P

[RETIRED]

The answer is simple: They work on weight to have a standard price across the whole line. 2bolts=3nuts.7 washers=3bolts etc.

Still a bloody nuisance though.

[Ben from Vic.]

About 10 minutes fomr my place we have the most usefull store of all time, it's called The Universal Bolt Bloke.

Take in anything:

Take in nut and say I'll have two 50mm bolts to fit that thanks = $1

Take in bolt and say I'll have three more of them, and four nuts to fit thanks = $1.80

You get the idea. :D :D

And he's right next door to Total Tools. I've got it made. http://www.ubeaut.biz/thumbup.gif

Ben.

[RETIRED]

Hmm, must live near Dandenong? :cool:

[Ben from Vic.]

Close, but no ciggar. :D :D

10 minutes (almost) in the other direction. Boronia.

The two stores mentioned are on Burwood Hwy, Ferntree Gully


You get into the antiques much ?

Ben.

[fxst]

is an antique Ben ................ :eek:

[RETIRED]

Getting closer Pete:D

Ben. Son lives in Boronia. I occasionally do work for restorers but I don't have the patience or the inclination to do my own. ;)

[Ben from Vic.]

I mention the antiques because I know that just a bit further down the road from you there's heaps of antique shops. Including that old apple packing place (or whatever it is) thats been turned into a big antique store.

Most of it's rubbish though. ;)

Still interesting for a butchers-hook. :)


Ben.

[ivanavitch]

My biggest gripe is a packet of Tim Tams. There are 11 in a packet.
You can share it equally with one or eleven. If they put one more in you could keep 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 12 people happy.

scotty

[journeyman Mick]

My biggest gripe is a packet of Tim Tams. There are 11 in a packet.
You can share it equally with one or eleven. If they put one more in you could keep 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 12 people happy.

scotty
I can't see the problem here, either it it all yourself, or make a noble sacrifice and eat the offending leftover ones so as to avoid any arguemants amongst the sharees.

Mick (dark chocaholic)

[Termite]

journeyman Mick.
When you say "dark chocaholic" are you refering to the chocolate or are you a closet chocaholic like me :D :D :D
Kind regards
Termite

[Bob Willson]

Or do you mean that you have gained a deep tan colour?

[bitingmidge]

Originally Posted by ivanavitch

My biggest gripe is a packet of Tim Tams. There are 11 in a packet.
You can share it equally with one or eleven

Scotty,

Your problem is obvious...I don't know anyone who buys Tim Tams by the PACKET. Buy them by the CARTON, and hand out a packet at a time....

(How do these people live???)

P
Six pack a day man.

[Eastie]

Digressing back to the original question for a second, another possible explanation if there is more or less than there should be in a packet is that a lot of nuts/bolts are put together in gaols. The companies that use this labor profit from slave rates and the cons get a couple of bob for doing it, and I doubt very much that they give a hoot if you get 4 nuts, one washer and three bolts.

On a visit to one of her majesties finest establishments about five years ago (doing risk assessments bum-against-the-wall style, not as an invitee of the state) I witnessed one grey matter challenged lune who was getting great satisfaction at the collection of bolts in front of him. I've never put another nail, screw, bolt, ... in my mouth since.

[Iain]

Sheltered workshops is another place to escalate prices, the contents of these establishments get paid sod all, the place is government subsidised and they screw you for top dollar.
Many moons ago we manufactured fishing lures and approached one of the aforementioned establishments for a quote on packaging, the lure was about the size of a #3 Celta and we were quoted $2 per unit.
Private industry did the job for 9 cents and smiled when they got the work, and the boss drove a Mercedes Kompressor.
Could explain the pricing on pre packaged items and helping the needy (ho ho ho) :(