Woolworths to exit Masters hardware venture

[Airgead]

Its not just that people want cheap. Its very hard to specify quality. If you don't specify every nut and detail, then it substituted. And even if you do, they are anyway.

Ask Matel about the lead paint... or some of the contractors supplying trains to the rail corps, who've had to setup local factories to re-engineer the trains built to their own specifications, so that they meet their own specifications

Manufacturing in China, much like any other outsourcing, you get a much better outcome if you treat them as partners in the design and production rather than just as a source of cheap labour.

Treat them like capable professionals and they will do the right thing by you. Treat them as trained monkeys and they will cut costs to the bone.

We find this all the time with IT outsourcing. If you treat the vendor as a source of cheap bodies, they give you cheap bodies and the quality sucks. Treat them as a valued partner and suddenly you get good people and the quality is great.

OK, yes, there are some shady operators but engaging in a partnership is a really good way to weed them out quickly. Like going over there to visit the factory and finding out that they don't have one and just outsource to backyard workshops...

 

[pcmfisher]

All those gizmo's wont help if the vehicle is poorly designed and made.

NCAP results are what you want. If it folds up like a tissue box and gets a low rating in crash testing then its not a very safe vehicle

You're right of coarse. I would like them to get tested.

 

[barls]

One of the pit falls of bringing ***** into the country the importer who brings in some dodgy goods from elsewhere is deemed to be the manufacturer (reason being the government has no jurisdiction over overseas suppliers) can't see why the government standards can't test the goods at importers expense.

it doesn't help when the person your buying from is lying about it meeting the standard. as was the case of the supplier in china

 

[wide eyed and legless]

it doesn't help when the person your buying from is lying about it meeting the standard. as was the case of the supplier in china

If one imports, OR SELLS electrical goods it must comply with the Australian standard, the Chinese supplier can lie through his teeth it will not be him facing a large fine or imprisonment, it is up to the importer as they are responsible, and the on seller should be checking if the goods were tested and view the certificate of conformity.
Going into liquidation will not save the director(s) from responsibility.

The maximum penalty for selling, importing, hiring or exchanging ‘declared articles’ without ‘electrical safety approval marks’ and an Australian Certificate of Approval is $82,500 and/or 2 years jail for individuals or $825,000 for corporations.

 

[Phoney]

So, does anyone know if or when there'll be closing down 'everything must go' sales at Masters stores? Or will they be handed over to liquidators and everything will be sold off independently through auction houses?

 

[Bribie G]

I don't believe they are officially "bankrupt" so it's more of a closing down issue than receivership, will be interesting. In any case I'll be stocking up on a few sacks of Amgrow granular lawn food at $1.20 a kilo, Bunnings can't match that.

 

[Phoney]

Interesting. Are you not in Old Bar anymore?

 

[spog]

If one imports, OR SELLS electrical goods it must comply with the Australian standard, the Chinese supplier can lie through his teeth it will not be him facing a large fine or imprisonment, it is up to the importer as they are responsible, and the on seller should be checking if the goods were tested and view the certificate of conformity.
Going into liquidation will not save the director(s) from responsibility.

The maximum penalty for selling, importing, hiring or exchanging ‘declared articles’ without ‘electrical safety approval marks’ and an Australian Certificate of Approval is $82,500 and/or 2 years jail for individuals or $825,000 for corporations.[/size]

Last yr on the ABC there was a report on dodgy Chinese building products being used here in Oz , the amount of shipping containers that come into this country is staggering,the percentage that are checked truly is a piss in the ocean.
The falsified accreditation and stamps on products was un bloody believable,it truly is.
But we all take it for granted, .....oh I paid for it so it is fine ?.
Nope,who actually pays such attention to accredited stamps etc.....SFA .

 

[wynnum1]

I don't believe they are officially "bankrupt" so it's more of a closing down issue than receivership, will be interesting. In any case I'll be stocking up on a few sacks of Amgrow granular lawn food at $1.20 a kilo, Bunnings can't match that.

Is that a masters only product .

 

[Bribie G]

It's actually made by the same company, Amgrow that labels the product as Shirley's no. 17 for Bunnings, according to the guy at Bunnings it's identical product but Shirley's is About $32 for 20 kilos whereas Masters, when they can get in the 20k bags, do it for around $22, otherwise $12 for the 10k.

Amgrow do a big batch for Aldi a couple of times a year that sells for $10 for 10k.

Oh the wonderful world of lawn fertilising.

 

[wynnum1]

The stuff you get at supermarkets and hardware stores is diluted down over priced if its got some heavy metal that seems to drop the price but not good for your vegetables.

 

[nosco]

There was talk that Big W was going the same way but thats nothing new. Dan Murphys is frickin useless
Last time i went in toy local DM i nearly walked out. Their beer range gets halved every time i go in there. The only thing keeping Woolworths a float is the super markets.

 

[spog]

Yep, I noticed the beer range at Dans in Noarlunga Adelaide had shrunk when I was there over Xmas,especially the English beers which annoyed me.

You said you "nearly walked out"... Are you still there ?

 

[Camo6]

I can see why the suppliers went into liquidation.

To replace all that wiring in each house is a VERY expensive job

Pretty much the reason why 60% of it is still unaccounted for. How many contractors are going to volunteer to rewire their work with no guarantee of compensation.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

There was talk that Big W was going the same way but thats nothing new. Dan Murphys is frickin useless
Last time i went in toy local DM i nearly walked out. Their beer range gets halved every time i go in there. The only thing keeping Woolworths a float is the super markets.

You're assuming they care about the craft beer drinking minorities choice. They will just stock what they can weasel the best deal for like other mass retailers. Driven by consumers wanting theur beer even cheaper! Support your local craft beer bottle shops for sure

 

[wide eyed and legless]

The falsified accreditation and stamps on products was un bloody believable,it truly is.
But we all take it for granted, .....oh I paid for it so it is fine ?.
Nope,who actually pays such attention to accredited stamps etc.....SFA .

I have been involved with goods with exactly that, accredited sticker with an AS/NZS false number, even had the cheek to put a warning label on the goods BEWARE OF COPIES.

 

[Dave70]

I don't believe they are officially "bankrupt" so it's more of a closing down issue than receivership, will be interesting. In any case I'll be stocking up on a few sacks of Amgrow granular lawn food at $1.20 a kilo, Bunnings can't match that.

They should be able to beat it by 10% actually.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/price-guarantee




Always a *, isn't there..

 

[Bribie G]

Typical Bunnings trick. They get the stuff packed just for them in 20k bags under a different name so they can claim it's a completely different product so not covered by the guarantee.

 

[stux]

They should be able to beat it by 10% actually.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/price-guarantee




Always a *, isn't there..

Most things in Bunnings are Bunnings exclusives,or Bunnings exclusive versions (same product, different label, or minor change etc). Thus you can never get them to price match anything as the products have to be exactly the same.

 

[earle]

They should be able to beat it by 10% actually.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/price-guarantee




Always a *, isn't there..

The problem with Bunnings (or any) price match is that it has to be the same product.

They have the buying power that they can offer the same product but different enough so that the price match can't be used. EG. different size offering that only they stock

Even with Gerni pressure cleaners they sell some models that are exclusive to bunnings - so no price match

Then we can go into the brands that they either own or are exclusive to then e.g. Ryobi, probably ozito .... - if you can't buy it anywhere else then you can't get a price for comparison