Trade counters

Often find toolstation cheaper but they also stock more "junk" items.
After several issues with the online ordering I will now only go there if i can buy it there and then...if not will go the mile down the road to screwfix.

Last time I tried to click and collect at TS the items were in stock but when I got there they mysteriously were not and my order had been converted to an online order. Even more annoying is that they had defaulted to my old address which is no longer on my account. Staff could not cancel the order. Despite the fact my order had not been loaded onto a delivery van even phoning the delivery company could not stop it- some BS about code of conduct of delivery drivers and I could not interfere with the mail ( I was pretty sure that was royal mail but heh). Essentially I had to wait for them to attempt to deliver to my old address, hope the new occupants did not accept my stuff and then wait for it to be returned. Then 3-5 working days to have it all credited back to my account. They said they could duplicate and re-roder my stuff for next day ...went to screwfix instead on principle paying the couple of pounds more.

 

The problem with tool station is there c*** web site search facility.

 

Stoke on Trent branch by any chance? Sounds familiar. I avoid that one if I can. I believe there's a branch opening in Newcastle under Lyme. That might suit me well.

 

Here there is a separate counter for trade, and there is rarely a DIY customer in the trade area. TS and SF are separated by a Travis Perkins, I'd guess theres 40 yards to walk between the two.

Click and collect is so handy, place order before you start driving to SF and then pick it up almost straight away.

Within a 5 minute drive I can go to Travis Perkins, Selco, Builders Depot, Wickes, B&Q, Tradepoint, Toolstation and CEF. Yet I still mostly use, and prefer, Screwfix and Wickes.

 

I really only go to screwfix if the stuff I want isn't available in toolstation ( that is very very rare...).
95% of the things, ok Maybe 99% of the stuff is cheaper at TS as well ( even if it's by a penny, its still always cheaper in TS, I think they monitor SF prices and undercut them on everything).

One positive thing about SF recently is the card which you can scan so you don't have to spend minutes telling your data, that was just plain stupid before that...And I really hated it.

However... If I have few days to wait and just know what stuff I will need in future, I will always order Online from a website which has the stuff the cheapest- because EVERYTHINg is always cheaper at some place online than at sf/ts..

 

Anytime I go into SF, I always end up behind some chap/ woman who has the slightest clue as to what they want what they want, then order something similar out of the catalogue that "looks about right, but can I have a look at it first?" And of course the assistants are only to happy to oblige, so spend 20 minutes with the one customer. There's 3 tills, but you're lucky if there's ever two till operators on. (might be upwards of five people behind the counter, but only one or two are trained in till operations.. How hard can it be?).