Yes Crowie, we have Hardware and General :2tsup:. That was the business I was referring to in a previous post re getting what you want and free home delivery. My local store is small but their Dural and Brookvale operations are large.
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Yes Crowie, we have Hardware and General :2tsup:. That was the business I was referring to in a previous post re getting what you want and free home delivery. My local store is small but their Dural and Brookvale operations are large.
Bunnings only really stocks DIY level tools unless you are getting something cordless from makita/dewalt/bosch where they will have the pro range too. That might be how they avoid price matching. Also the range of tools at bunnings is pretty limited - auto tools, electrical tools, air tools etc - they really are targeted to home renovators.
Either way, all the branded products are the same price at sydney and total tools so it makes no difference its really just who is more convenient. I just stick to total tools as there are more of them around and they have a points system so you get credit every now and then (sydney tools also has this I believe but theres only 1 close to my house but none close to my workplaces). Ive only ever noticed a difference between sydney vs total tools for smaller items. It will be interesting to see what their new line of shops will offer in terms of difference - seems like most tool shops just sell at RRP.
I never really shopped at masters but it was bad when they went down. Competition is always good. Masters also had stanley fatmax, panasonic power tools, wera sockets, gear wrench a huge range. Will be interesting to see if bunnings offer really high end stuff like wera sockets - total/sydney tools dont but blackwoods stock them.
Just on the conversation on bunnings price match - when i bought the big makita router i ordered it through bunnings and they price matched total tools. its their policy not to price match non-stocked item but i suppose it depends who you get on the day. when I bought a second one i tried again at bunnings - no price match.
I'm lucky enough to have a couple of H&G stores reasonably close, and yes, they have a good range and people who know what they're talking about.
They have a few trade outlets, Crossroads is another but it doesn’t change the level of service it is just that they stock trade quantities of selected high turnover product
One of the issues you have is arranging a delivery, you can’t coordinate a time and date with them whereas with the independents you can arrange say that a 7am delivery or whatever time to meet a crane on site and you know it will happen and have a person accountable for it
Try that with Bunnings and the best you get is the staff member writes down a request for the delivery run coordinator to hopefully accommodate but they don’t do the run sheet until the day before so you don’t know what is happening and if you ring to find out nobody knows what is happening and X who does the job is on his day off so ring back tomorrow
For this reason I have not used Bunnings for a delivery for over 5 years but do buy off the shelf
me thinks they would have the ACCC stepping in and making life very difficult should they attempt to take over Sydney Tools or another established tool retailer.
Far better to rebrand and grow "Adelaide Tools" into a national competitor to Sydney Tools, Total Tools, Gasweld
afterall, ACCC has already approved Bunnings' acquisition of Adelaide Tools
It would be very interesting to hear from the tool makers/suppliers themselves.
After being squeezed on the DIY market to comply with Bunnings' "Walmart strategy" they will now get the same treatment on their professional tools.
I think Bunnings might find it harder going than they reckon.
* A book to read is The Walmart Effect, it is highly enlightening. Companies like Bunnings are a cancer on society.
Not everyone shops at Bunnings eagerly. I don’t like going there at all but the masses have decided I can no longer go to the local hardware.
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I went to Bunnies today after a long time to get some glue, I forgot to check the ever changing COVID rules and the stopped me at the door because only tradies allowed something something.
I took one look inside and it was full, only tradies. Of course a lot of them shop at Bunnies, what did you think?
Also, I work for a transport company with a couple hundred trucks running 24/7 in VIC Metro and in constant need of maintenance, and my office is in the same building as the depot and workshop. The workshop has at least 5 mechanics at any point day and night and the deal is they get a tool allowance and they have to buy their own hand tools and power tools. And guess what, everything is Ryobi from Bunnies, if they can get Ryobi they get Ryobi, they run it to the ground and then they get the next Ryobi. Very rare I see anything else.
There was one of those trucks with German and snapon tools that used to roll around once a month or so, I haven't seen him in years.
Last week they renovated the first floor, there was a bunch of tradies - Ryobi galore.
My friend is a cabinetmaker with 6 employess, half Ryobi half Makita, all from Bunnies
Dude who built my fence - Ryobi
etc etc
Interesting re the tool brand choice. All I see amongst the chippy apprentices and electrican apprentices is Milwaukee. I’ve had two tradies at my place over the last two months - both had Milwaukee.
An interesting insight into tradie tools was a visit by pour mens shed a few years back to our local police warehouse where recovered stolen tools were stored awaiting auction. The pyramid of tools (yes it was a large pile of tools, chargers and batteries just sitting on the floors was about 3m across and nearly 2m high. The cops said most of them would have been stollen off the back of trades utes. The only brand that stood put was Ryobis followed by Makita and perhaps Dewalt, but there was a fair smattering of most pother stuff. We were allowed to help ourselves - I recommended we stick to one brand (hence less need for multiples of batteries and chargers) but no, they ended up taking a few of everything. I think most of the unusual gear (like the right angle cordless drills) are just sitting in boxes.
If you go to Total Tools you'll understand. A 100m aisle full of Milwaukee. A Festool section probably just to scare everyone with prices into thinking the Milwaukee is reasonable.
The Ryobi 18v brand have winners, particularly the standard drill (when flat, drills exactly perpendicular, built-in spirit level, plenty of guts. They have a lot of "best in breed" for this and that. For a garage woodworker the fact all the batteries work on all your garden gear is a winner. I keep my mower blades sharp, which means the 18v mower you can lift with one hand easily does the job.
I have assumed, though don't know for sure, it's viewed as a "home DIYer" brand but I haven't been disappointed yet.
I really like the Milwaukee 12v (m12) line. The batteries are tiny so the tools are very light, compact and gutsy. For years I only have a Ryobi drill but after using the m12 line, when I go back to the 18v drill they seem large and needlessly unwieldly. For just regular shop stuff like driving screws into pre-drilled holes, drilling those holes with small bits, et cetera, they have ample power at about half the weight. The right-angle die grinder is a bit of a luxury but a gem.
I have always thought I'll end up plumping for the Festool drills but the combo of Ryobi for versatility in the 18v line and Milwaukee for compact and light line in the 12v really satisfies me.
One thing I am *really* keen to get is the milwaukee 12v pin nailer when it comes out.
I have a Makita 18v pin nailer and it’s superb.
This thread is going side ways