Thread: Great Bunnings Customer Service

Yeah Peter,

But the trips back are becomming less frequent.

Paid a visit to a Mitre 10 yesterday and was surprised at how competetive their prices were compared to 'Bunnies'. I guess the good thing to come out is that some of the other chains are taking them on at their own game.

RN

I went and purchased something from Bunnies today! Although I looked elsewhere for the item first...

Mitre 10...hmmm...the last Mitre 10 I went to was really way overpriced, it made me shudder, but then i guess these are independantly owned/franchised so prices may vary from store to store? The one I went to happened to be right in the middle of 'Posh-Central' here in Brissie, so perhaps that was the reason for the exorbitant prices.

I'll look elsewhere beore I buy from Bunnies, but hey, if Bunnies is the only place that has it without driving to the other end of town, then I guess they will win my dollars. I can't say i have had any problems with the few items I have needed to return to Bunnies, but I certainly don't agree they are the cheapest place in town as their adverts would have you believe.

Bunnies are far too convenient, so I keep going there. Don't have high expectations and they are fine.

However, the labelling of prices on the shelves leaves a hell of a lot to be desired. I spend 10 minutes trying to match the model number of the item I want to the price stickers.

As my first post to this forum I would just like to add my 2.2cents worth. A friend who works in Bunnings tells me that the head office sends them stock and that the local manager has little say in what they will receive. This also explains why they don't stock some items, unless the sales reps at Triton have 'sold' Bunnings on stocking an item it is unlikely that they will have it. Also head office may order items but, as explained above, may not distribute it to all stores.

Overall they are a supermarket so you should not expect a high level of service although I have been satisfied when I have asked staff for the location of items.

I don't know whether many are tradies as asserted above but I would think that at around $12 an hour it is not an occupation that would attract them away from the trade especially when it is nigh on impossible to get tradesmen at the moment (most limit themselves to new houses as the work is constant and payment more certain).

As to pricing, they are in business to make money so it is up to us as consumers to seek the best deal around and it is no use complaining about their prices if you know someone else offers it cheaper. Whether it is at Bunnings or Coles you need to ensure the price rung up matches the price on the shelf. I used to shop at Mitre 10 but Bunnings built on the same road but 500 metres closer so I guess that says something about human nature that I now go to Bunnings and save myself the extra drive. Recently I decided to visit Mitre 10 and what a difference competition has made. M10 now has a coffee shop and in the remodelling they have put a door into the back where the timber is kept whereas previously it was a yard. I also noted that their prices on triton equipment was $1 cheaper on most items which raises some interesting possibilities for Bunnings 10% off!

I also had the opportunity before Christmas to price items at Bunnings in Hoppers Crossing and Frankston. I found Frankston to be around $10 dearer on some items and the same on the rest. During the pre-Christmas sales however they had the same specials pricing.

Cheers

Welcome aboard, Averack! Appreciate you well written contribution. It appears that you have a clear understanding of retailing and business in general.

Frankly, I'm getting a little tired of Bunnings-bashing, or bashing of any business for that matter.

One of the beautiful realities of our enterprise system is that ultimately, it is the consumer who makes the choice. The implications of this need to be understood by all of us because we are each consumers.

Implication #1 - Retailers sell what is demanded by the consumer. If the consumer does not want the product, the retailer can't and won't sell it. He may try, but no demand = no sale.

Implication #2 - The consumer only purchases when he/she feels that the value of the item being purchased is greater than the value being paid. You may complain about a price being too high, but if you hand over good money for it the implication is that the item being purchased has more value to you than the money that you paid for it. Otherwise, you wouln't have done so.

Implication #3 - Retailers must be competitive. If they are not perceived by their potential customers as being competitive, as offering as much or more value for money than their competitors, they will not attract customers, and will not stay in business.

Implication #4 - There is more to the cost of a product than its shelf-price. There is the cost of service. There is your cost of time vs. convenience. There is the integrity of the warranty. There is the credit terms you can demand. There is the cost of delivery. There is the cost of repair, etc. etc. But after all of these costs are calculated, consciously or sub-consciously, the consumer will only purchase if the total value equation offered is competitive.

Implication # 5: One consumer's choice is another consumer's folly. We each place differing value on each of the components that go to make up a product. We each have a differing capacity to pay for products.

Given all this, a smart retailer picks his target market and works on squeezing every last dollar available from the consumer. But in the end, the consumer makes the choice of which retailer (if any) will be doing so.

If you don't like the practice of one retailer compared to the other - no problem. Don't shop there. THERE IS NO MORE POWERFUL LEVERAGE YOU CAN EXERCISE THAN WALKING OUT THE DOOR EMPTY HANDED. You can be assured that there will be another smarter/dumber, better/poorer, cheaper/more expensive, faster/slower, bigger/smaller impersonal/personal retailer just down the street.

It's your choice after all - exercise it!

Of course you can continue complaining, but it won't do as much good as the power of deciding who, in your opinion, deserves your business.

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Woodchuck Canuck
Good luck is the residue of good planning!

[This message has been edited by DPB (edited 21 January 2003).]

[This message has been edited by DPB (edited 21 January 2003).]

Deja Vu again. Right On DPB. This Bunnings knocking has gone far enough and is becoming boring. We've made our bed and now we have to lie on it. Put this discussion in the "Have Your Say" forum, where its all been said before!
Regards John H.

[This message has been edited by John Hambly (edited 21 January 2003).]

JH et al.,

… This Bunnings knocking has gone far enough and is becoming boring…

I don’t see the above as Bunnings knocking. I see it as the clear right of Australian consumers to air their feelings on factual matters without censorship. If such an airing alerts other shoppers to the hazards displayed by a particular chain then so be it. If the chain feels aggrieved by the statements then I am sure they will make every effort to correct such issues and attract those disgruntled clients back to it.

Redneck

Yeah right on Redneck,it's healthy for folk to want to vent their feelings moreover when they feel an injustice becomes apparent in relation to their hard earned.
We've just got the "supermarket" version of the Warehouse ...Bunnings style and immediately I have noticed differences in prices from the older friendlier store to the newer as if they're trying to financially justify the "upgrade" and this in the town where the store originated along with a family of the same name.
Westfarmers do have a lot sway in the decision process ...but give me the old Bunnings I had when we first moved to this town some 15 years back and got hands-on advice from courteous sales folk without any rancour or pressure.
Just my thoughts
Cheers

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Johnno

Well, what a train this turned into.

I just wanted a template guide from my local Triton stockist.

As to airing views vs Bunnings bashing as many are putting it- threads have titles, you are not obliged to read every one.

When can we expect the next Bunnings Bashing post to start...... 3 monthly seems about right to date!


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Catch ya later,
Peter B.
(Corunetes)

Stuart

On behalf of the Bunnings shoppers I apologise for hijacking your thread.

Redneck

Just as an aside, the Burleigh Waters Bunnings now stock the Template Guides. Bought them yesterday.

What was the listed price if I may ask?

My hints for Bunnies shoppers
[list][*]1/ know exactly what you want, don't expect much help, be grateful for any you get.[*]2/ shop around first, know what is a reasonable price, they do have some good prices, but they do sell some junk.[*]3/ most important make fiends with the girls at the service counter. I never fail to get a staff discount.
Averack - this is a must at Hoppers Crossing the young ladies that work Saterday and Sunday (esp. mornings) are not only very good looking but also very nice people (I am a dirty old man)