Rip off?

[Dorsetmike]

Just had occasion to buy some paint -
Hammerite 400mL  spray cans
Homebase £13.98, drive 3 miles each way plus time
B&Q £14, drive 6 miles each way plus time
Amazon £9.81 free delivery, <5 minutes on line
OK Homebase & B&Q may have a load of shops and staff, but £4+ extra?

[njee20]

You need Hammerite immediately you pay shop prices.

This is basically the case for their entire inventory.

[ntpntpntp]

Same with most things: buy it cheaper online and wait for it, or pay shop price and have it immediately.

[Dorsetmike]

I could understand 10% - 15% but not over 30%, and Amazon delivery was next day; one would need to be desperate or a bad planner to be unable to wait less than 24 hours (ordered early evening, delivered 1pm,

[broadsword]

Amazon's business rates probably a fraction of the amounts paid by
DIY superstores, also no displays, customers' carparks, useless staff
walking about in orange waistcoats. Like to see cans of paint being
delivered by drones, about as likely as The Queen going into Poundland.

Also probably registered in the Caymans so pays no corporation tax.

[stevewalker]

Homebase and B&Q are known for their high prices, luckily we have a small (tiny) local hardware shop, a Toolstation and a Screwfix to hand.

Example: B&Q, TriStar Female F Connector, Pack of 4, £2.60; Screwfix, F Connector for Sky+ Cable Pack of 10, £2.59 - which look to be the same ones and B&Q and Screwfix are part of the same group.

SteveW

[silly moo]

We've just moved into a new house and new area and don't know where to find everything, we'd like to use local shops so they survive but sometimes time and money come into the equation and it's easier to order online from Amazon and get next day delivery.

Things like plugs and lightbulbs seem to be a lot cheaper off eBay. I usually get model railway scenery supplies and paints from the local model railway shop but have two locos on order from one of the box shifters.

After over fifty years in Africa we are still getting used to a functioning postal service.