Thread: Credit where credit is due - Carbatec

Ahhhh - you know all about Carbatec's computer system too

I needed a part that Carbatec Sydney had to order from Brisbane. I ordered it on Wednesday afternoon, they rang me on Friday morning to say it was in. Can't complain about that.

Hi guys,
Seems ridiculous to me...why not one annual catalogue - anyways Carbatec have also removed any discounts from purchases. They never really gave that much...but it all helped. Obviously they are feeling the pinch. Drilli.

Alex - as with all retailers, it depends who serves you......

The last time I needed a part ordered from Brisbane, it took 2 attempts over a 3 week period (plus many phone calls) to get the correct item. An absolute comedy of errors.

There are a couple of staff in Sydney who are absolutely fantastic; very knowledgeable about the products, keen to help, and very good at sorting out any mistakes that occur. I've got to the point where I will only deal with those individuals, even if it means waiting on the phone or browsing the store a bit longer until they are available to serve me.....

Just as Gerry Harvey is learning to his cost, the retail space doesn't stand still. Carbatec have had a good run (and wiped out several smaller competitors in the process), but they may need to adapt in order to survive IMHO.

+1 for not having stock on shelves. Lots of times recently I've called in there only to leave empty handed.

Originally Posted by Ashley Cobb

+1 for not having stock on shelves. Lots of times recently I've called in there only to leave empty handed.

Yep. The Brisbane store is much less handy for me now and I was quite annoyed to find so much not in stock.

John: Agree the old catalogue was better, but I can't say I'm surprised. It was expensive to produce and they handed them out like 2c lollies.

Yachts: As has been said we who are silly enought to own wooden boats are in a constant race to repair stuff faster than it rots

Of course the smile is a fantasy, and the idea he'd have time to fire up the laptop...

Reminds me of a series many years ago on SBS, "men and their sheds". One particlularly unfortunate soul who had the misfortune to own a triumph motorcycle was seen at the end of the episode noting with some glee "it'll run...when the time comes, it'll go".

Sums up triumphs perfectly, but perhaps the real thrill of doing 4 knots under sail is that nothing has broken, yet

Of course being a multihull enthusiast I can reach disaster far quicker than a keel boat owner...

Finally I'd echo the importance of getting the right person in carbatec. The range of service is far greater than any other business which I have ever dealt with, from remarkably good to almost unbelievably bad.

Regardess of their catualoge comming out more often I will not order anything from them and have them to post it to me. It cost me $12.00 postage for a bandsaw blade which Australia Post weighted at 110 grams .The only time I will buy from them if I ring and am imformed that they will have the stock when I arrive at their store. If one item is not avaible at that time I will leave their premises and go somewhere else . After all its 400km to my nearest Caratec store.

I'm about a 20-minute drive from Sydney Carbatec. I never drop in on spec - I always place an on-line order and select store walk-in as the delivery option, then I wait for the phone call to tell me it (or some of it) is ready. Sometimes I do a bit of impulse buying while I'm in there, but of course anything I decide I want must be in stock; otherwise I wouldn't see it so I wouldn't decide I want it!

Painless and, so far, successful. And I've always had first rate service from behind the counter.

- Michael

The Brisbane Carba-Tec store is quite conveniently situated for me in its new location but I , too, have been disappointed in their stock-outs on their shelves lately.

The strangest of these was that they had zilch Titebond glue of any variety on their shelves when I dropped in for their much promoted three day sale last week. Zilch! In any of the Titebond varieties. Zilch!

I went to the three day sale believing the promise of all sorts of in-store promotions and specials but there was nothing to be seen that was not already listed at a discounted price on their website specials page so that was a disappointment in its own right.


So, when I went there, I thought that at least, if I did not see anything that I wanted to buy, then I would get some Titebond but there was not a drop on the shelves. Not a drop!

I had previously been there a couple of weeks previously to get so T-track, only to find that it was going to be a couple of months before the material that I wanted would be arriving and that of the 50 pieces on order, ten were already reserved by customers.

I have bought some awesomely priced runout stock in the past few months so I suspect that they are cleaing out their inventory of slow moving or old stock which is sensible but I do expect them to have Titebond on their shelves.

BTW, before anyone asks if I asked the staff re same, there were a few people at the counter and I have lost patience in awaiting service in the past in the Carba-Tec store.

They are a good store and I like dealing with them but sometimes I wonder about whether the CFO is implementing excessively tight inventory management for a retail business.


In relation to the other observations about boaties and woodwork, in my first year of retirement, I went fishing in my boat at up to six times per week. After a year or so at that, it started to seem like a job and so I started to diversify my interests and discovered that I like woodwork. Bananas might be a monoculture but I can assure you that unless you have diverse interests in your retirement, you might develop bunchytop yourself. Woodwork and boating do together very well.


Even on a fishing boat there are things like sacrificial bait cutting boards that can benefit from some woodworking skills ...

Click for large view - Uploaded with Skitch


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Originally Posted by Bob38S

I'll reserve judgement at this stage on the new format as I was a big fan of the old catalog which had almost everything.

That's what I did, but now I've passed judgement and I'm not impressed.

Normally I check the catalogue, then ring if something is in stock and get them to put it aside for me before driving out to Springvale. So today I looked in the new catalog and the two things I wanted wasn't in it.

So I looked at the old one and rang to find out that they still had them. Unfortunately they seem to have dropped the storage boxes and augur drill bits from their range. Not happy.

No wonder they can reduce the size of their catalogue and issue them more often if they've reduced their range of stock.


Peter.

Originally Posted by ToothFairy

I never drop in on spec - I always place an on-line order and select store walk-in as the delivery option, then I wait for the phone call to tell me it (or some of it) is ready.

- Michael

That's a great idea, thanks Michael

Think Tony did a great job with the catalogue blimey he said he was working on it on the weekend as well. Having said that we use the old one because it had everything.

Our trip to Carbatec the other day was fantastic, brilliant patient staff who explained everything to me. Which took a bit as I have only just started woodworking.

After we had almost made our choices we needed to think a few things over, there is a great coffee shop they recommended in Gumdale (about 5 minutes away). So we thought and had coffee and cake, perfect.

As for the yachtie not so sure though it is rather cheesy. We have been out in our caravan and ordered things from other stores and have them shipped home so we have everything ready to go when we get home.

All in all a great day out, only one hour each way drive too.

Sharon

Now that I have worked out where Carbatec is, I have been in the store three times in a week. The first time because I was in the area, the second to return a couple of non required items in as sold condition and the third time today to get some clock parts.

It is some what bewildering when walking around the store to find empty spaces, or when you see something you may be interested in; no price.

The store is not a "Bunnings" or "Masters" it specialises in the serious woodworker. A lot of the stock may not have a fast turnover and much of it would be imported. The staff can only do the best with what they have.

A phone call to check stock before travelling to the store is the best way to save a wasted trip.