Went to local Screwfix counter today to buy some Turbo Ultra screws. Did 
the usual, just about to pay and chap said they didn't have any. Offered 
to get them order in - for Thursday.

There was a notice about supply problems with the Far East. I think Mr 
Medway (or someone) mentioned pollution reduction measures for the 
Olympics. Sounds like a bad joke to me.

Overheard chap at counter talked about things in catalogue that are 
actually order only - but not identified - so lots of people come in 
expecting them to be in stock and are disappointed. Other people clearly 
also having problems getting their orders filled.

Are they really going down the pan? Certainly how it feels.

-- 
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious 
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
<www.thyromind.info> <www.thyroiduk.org> <www.altsupportthyroid.org>

"Rod"  wrote in message 
news:6jakjbF2aoiaU1@mid.individual.net...
> Went to local Screwfix counter today to buy some Turbo Ultra screws. Did 
> the usual, just about to pay and chap said they didn't have any. Offered 
> to get them order in - for Thursday.
>
> There was a notice about supply problems with the Far East. I think Mr 
> Medway (or someone) mentioned pollution reduction measures for the 
> Olympics. Sounds like a bad joke to me.
>
> Overheard chap at counter talked about things in catalogue that are 
> actually order only - but not identified - so lots of people come in 
> expecting them to be in stock and are disappointed. Other people clearly 
> also having problems getting their orders filled.
>
> Are they really going down the pan? Certainly how it feels.
>
> -- 
> Rod
>
> Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious 
> onset.
> Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
> <www.thyromind.info> <www.thyroiduk.org> <www.altsupportthyroid.org>

Sounds  more like Screw than Fix

> > Overheard chap at counter talked about things in catalogue that are
> > actually order only - but not identified - so lots of people come in
> > expecting them to be in stock and are disappointed. Other people clearly
> > also having problems getting their orders filled.

My local branch has a local area you can call to check whether they
have any item in stock. Unfortunately, you can't place an order by
phone, which is pretty silly as this would force me to go there twice
anyway. The reason for this is that counters expect orders to be paid
upfront and collected later... Maybe they will introduce trade
accounts (and possibly a Screwfix credit card... nectar points... you
never know)

W.

Rod wrote:
> Went to local Screwfix counter today to buy some Turbo Ultra screws.
> Did the usual, just about to pay and chap said they didn't have any.
> Offered to get them order in - for Thursday.

What size?

> There was a notice about supply problems with the Far East. I think Mr
> Medway (or someone) mentioned pollution reduction measures for the
> Olympics. Sounds like a bad joke to me.

T'was me - I was told that a few weeks ago.  Guess its possible.  No notice 
when I went in.

> Overheard chap at counter talked about things in catalogue that are
> actually order only - but not identified - so lots of people come in
> expecting them to be in stock and are disappointed. Other people
> clearly also having problems getting their orders filled.

I must say I've been pleasantly surprised overall with my local SF.  Things 
I didn't expect them to have - tennon arris rail brackets, letterboxes, weed 
control fabric, towel rails, garage door draught strips, sliding door gear - 
they had.  Realistically they couldn't hold everything in such a small 
building.


Turbogold coach screws are the only inconvenience I've suffered.



-- 
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Woland wrote:
>>> Overheard chap at counter talked about things in catalogue that are
>>> actually order only - but not identified - so lots of people come in
>>> expecting them to be in stock and are disappointed. Other people
>>> clearly also having problems getting their orders filled.
>
> My local branch has a local area you can call to check whether they
> have any item in stock.

Yes, forgot to mention that to Rod, they have cards with the branch number 
on.  I use that all the time to save wasted journeys.


-- 
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

In message , Rod 
 writes
>Went to local Screwfix counter today to buy some Turbo Ultra screws. 
>Did the usual, just about to pay and chap said they didn't have any. 
>Offered to get them order in - for Thursday.
>
>There was a notice about supply problems with the Far East. I think Mr 
>Medway (or someone) mentioned pollution reduction measures for the 
>Olympics. Sounds like a bad joke to me.
>
>Overheard chap at counter talked about things in catalogue that are 
>actually order only - but not identified - so lots of people come in 
>expecting them to be in stock and are disappointed. Other people 
>clearly also having problems getting their orders filled.
>
>Are they really going down the pan? Certainly how it feels.
>

I am by no means a regular at my local screwfix, but I would say that on 
each of my recent visits there has always been something on my order 
that wasn't in stock.

Turbogold included :-(
-- 
Someone

The Medway Handyman wrote:

> T'was me - I was told that a few weeks ago.  Guess its possible.  No notice 
> when I went in.

There *was* a notice in ours today...

(Still they had the 5 1/8" twinthreads I went in for ;-)

> I must say I've been pleasantly surprised overall with my local SF.  Things 
> I didn't expect them to have - tennon arris rail brackets, letterboxes, weed 
> control fabric, towel rails, garage door draught strips, sliding door gear - 
> they had.  Realistically they couldn't hold everything in such a small 
> building.

Only one I have failed on so far is a multimaterial diamond disc for the 
angle grinder


-- 
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
|          Internode Ltd -  http://www.internode.co.uk            |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|        John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk              |
\=================================================================/

On Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:34:32 -0700, Woland wrote:

> Maybe they will introduce trade accounts

The have already, since a few years ago at least.

> (and possibly a Screwfix credit card... nectar points... you
> never know)

It's a 30-day credit account, no big-brother points though.

Unfortunately they haven't yet caught up with the late C20 and let you set
up a direct debit to pay it off when its due, so there's always the faff
of manually setting up a transfer to go through a few days before the due
date to get there in time. Or I suppose I could send a cheque to make them
do a bit of work too (maybe write it out with a quill pen  on the back of
their invoice :-))


OT: had a droid from the *fix empire call me yesterday to ask if I thought
the Plumbfix £100 minimum order was excessive (they seemed to have a bee
about that: actually I'm not too bothered) and would I be using them again
(yes, but less so than if I could order from their pretty-pretty but not
very functional wibble). Wonder how long until they start up a sparks-only
channel, and what they'll call it (suggestions on the back of an NNTP
packet please :-))

-- 
John Stumbles

Extreme moderate

In uk.d-i-y, John Stumbles wrote:
>Wonder how long until they start up a sparks-only
>channel, and what they'll call it (suggestions on the back of an NNTP
>packet please :-))

"Firstfix" :-))

-- 
Mike Barnes

The Medway Handyman wrote:
> Rod wrote:
>> Went to local Screwfix counter today to buy some Turbo Ultra screws.
>> Did the usual, just about to pay and chap said they didn't have any.
>> Offered to get them order in - for Thursday.
> 
> What size?
>

3x30 and 3x16 - just little ones!

And to other posts/comments:

Previously I have been impressed by their stock availability. That is 
why I didn't even consider checking for something as mainline screws. 
(OK Turbo Ultra are a bit special compared with Gold.)

Also - they are pretty close to me and I was going almost past them 
anyway - but yesterday I managed to hit rush hour. So I should have 
checked. :-(

I'll pick up that card next time. :-)

How about HotFix?

And when they have enough subsidiaries, they should rename their holding 
company ProliFix.

-- 
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious 
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
<www.thyromind.info> <www.thyroiduk.org> <www.altsupportthyroid.org>

somebody wrote:
> In message , Rod 
>  writes
>> Went to local Screwfix counter today to buy some Turbo Ultra screws. 
>> Did the usual, just about to pay and chap said they didn't have any. 
>> Offered to get them order in - for Thursday.
>>
>> There was a notice about supply problems with the Far East. I think Mr 
>> Medway (or someone) mentioned pollution reduction measures for the 
>> Olympics. Sounds like a bad joke to me.
>>
>> Overheard chap at counter talked about things in catalogue that are 
>> actually order only - but not identified - so lots of people come in 
>> expecting them to be in stock and are disappointed. Other people 
>> clearly also having problems getting their orders filled.
>>
>> Are they really going down the pan? Certainly how it feels.
>>
> 
> I am by no means a regular at my local screwfix, but I would say that on 
> each of my recent visits there has always been something on my order 
> that wasn't in stock.
> 
> Turbogold included :-(

The T shirts are good. Mine hasn't shrunk in the wash

John Stumbles wrote:
> ... Wonder how long until they start up a sparks-only
> channel, and what they'll call it (suggestions on the back of an NNTP
> packet please :-))

ventilation products is a fairly obvious next step...

Owain

On Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:51:52 +0100, Rod wrote:

> Went to local Screwfix counter today to buy some Turbo Ultra screws. Did
> the usual, just about to pay and chap said they didn't have any. Offered
> to get them order in - for Thursday.
> 
> There was a notice about supply problems with the Far East. I think Mr
> Medway (or someone) mentioned pollution reduction measures for the
> Olympics. Sounds like a bad joke to me.
> 
> Overheard chap at counter talked about things in catalogue that are
> actually order only - but not identified - so lots of people come in
> expecting them to be in stock and are disappointed. Other people clearly
> also having problems getting their orders filled.
> 
> Are they really going down the pan? Certainly how it feels.

This is not how to use screwfix, IMHO. 

Clearly the management thought there was some benefit (for them) in 
opening up Screwfix counters.  Unless the counters have the same sort of 
stock reliability as the online next day service then they are a chocloate 
teapot AFAIC. 

I can put up with the next day aspect for the online service but if I have 
to go shopping then the advantage is lost. 





-- 
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk 
Gas fitting FAQ  http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html

Ed Sirett wrote:
> On Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:51:52 +0100, Rod wrote:
> 
>> Went to local Screwfix counter today to buy some Turbo Ultra screws. Did
>> the usual, just about to pay and chap said they didn't have any. Offered
>> to get them order in - for Thursday.
>>
>> There was a notice about supply problems with the Far East. I think Mr
>> Medway (or someone) mentioned pollution reduction measures for the
>> Olympics. Sounds like a bad joke to me.
>>
>> Overheard chap at counter talked about things in catalogue that are
>> actually order only - but not identified - so lots of people come in
>> expecting them to be in stock and are disappointed. Other people clearly
>> also having problems getting their orders filled.
>>
>> Are they really going down the pan? Certainly how it feels.
> 
> This is not how to use screwfix, IMHO. 
> 
> Clearly the management thought there was some benefit (for them) in 
> opening up Screwfix counters.  Unless the counters have the same sort of 
> stock reliability as the online next day service then they are a chocloate 
> teapot AFAIC. 
> 
> I can put up with the next day aspect for the online service but if I have 
> to go shopping then the advantage is lost. 
> 
> 
I was pretty happy with the pre-counter (and pre-Kingfisher) Screwfix. 
But, seeing as they exist, I do use them pretty much like any other shop.

I'd be a lot happier if I could check online - don't really want to have 
to ring them up. Unfortunately, there are few stockists of stainless 
screws, and even fewer at sensible prices and the sizes I wanted!

-- 
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious 
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
<www.thyromind.info> <www.thyroiduk.org> <www.altsupportthyroid.org>

In uk.d-i-y, Owain wrote:
>John Stumbles wrote:
>> ... Wonder how long until they start up a sparks-only
>> channel, and what they'll call it (suggestions on the back of an NNTP
>> packet please :-))
>
>ventilation products is a fairly obvious next step...

"Airfix"

no, wait...

-- 
Mike Barnes

Rod  wrote:

> Are they really going down the pan? Certainly how it feels.

Not sure, but many common items seem to be permanently out of stock at
my local trade counter. It seems odd that I can gt safety helmet, boots,
gloves and jacket in my size without problems but a box of screws or
some roofing bolts seem to be beyond them unless pre-ordered.