All Masters stores closing December.

[BruceandBobbi]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-24/metcash-to-buy-home-hardware-from-woolworths/7781606

Maybe some bargains down the track.

[Hill]

Its a real shame Masters couldn't get their store size, location, product range and customer service sorted out earlier and traded out of the mess they ended making for themselve.

After the recent profit rise announced by Wesfarmers with a significant contribution by Bunnings WF must be rubbing their hands awaiting the cash cow to produce even more.

Hill

[spot01]

Its a real shame Masters couldn't get their store size, location, product range and customer service sorted out earlier and traded out of the mess they ended making for themselve.

After the recent profit rise announced by Wesfarmers with a significant contribution by Bunnings WF must be rubbing their hands awaiting the cash cow to produce even more.

Hill

I agree - the lack of competition in hardware will only get worse as B drive the remaining smaller players out of business, then we will all pay big time!

[GOSSAMER]

I agree - the lack of competition in hardware will only get worse as B drive the remaining smaller players out of business, then we will all pay big time!

It was announced this week that home hardware and mitre 10 have joined forces so they might be able to add a little pressure.

[Georgie]

And I read this morning that WF have bought out the Home Hardware group in the UK and Ireland so look out the Brits here comes Bunnings like it or not
Cheers
Georgie

[grhyso]

Such a shame, i always shopped at bunnings when living in my old house as it was 5 minutes away, now we shop atmasters as its only 5-10 minutes and I'm now used to the store layout. Unfortunately our closest bunnings is a pita to get to and especially back from.

[hinsch]

Had a Masters open about two years ago just up from me, I found their shop difficult to navigate, bits and pieces stuck everywhere, some staff just not helpful or had no idea, not saying Bunnings is much different.
One issue I found was for example buy one or two bolts, you had to buy a packet of 12, I don't want 12 and I don't want to pay the extra $$$ either, same with flyscreen mesh it came in packets to a set size a lot of waste compared to Bunnings off the roll, buy what you need.
Woolworths have stated that they are trying to locate Masters staff to another woollies owned companies, maybe one day at Masters next at Dan Murphys, now that can't be all bad can it.

[nj swb]

The company that killed Dick Smith by filling shelves with cheap crap that people wouldn't buy has failed again by filling shelves with cheap crap that people wouldn't buy.

Those with good levels of disposable income don't make their buying decisions purely on price. If you regularly leave a store disappointed with the quality of the offerings, after a while you'll simply stop going.

Those with less disposable income, who make their decisions primarily on price, don't often exhibit store loyalty - they'll generally buy wherever they can get the best deal.

It's always been much easier to keep an existing customer than attract a new one. They couldn't attract the customers who have lots of money, and couldn't keep the customers who don't have lots of money.

Woolworths and Coles have for years both been shifting their business model to "value" "home" brands, cutting back on choice of name brands. Now the likes of Aldi have swooped in to entice away the customers who are happy to buy unfamiliar brands at bargain prices, while the customers who have their preferred name brands will go wherever they need to go to buy the product they want.

It seems to me that they're chasing the customers least likely to stay.

[GOSSAMER]

Monday Masters start clearing their stock.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[GHendo]

We have a Masters here that opened probably about 2 years ago – huge store with heaps of stock and the staff are very friendly and helpful – something the local Bunnings lacks at times. A lot of their stock is different brands to Bunnings and I’ve found some of the items superior and some not so good, so I’m very sorry to see them go as we’ve bought heaps of stuff from them and it is nice to have an alternative to the monopoly.

Geoff

[Katana Chatty]

I try to shop local whenever I can - I refuse to shop at Woolies or Coles and will always go to Foodland/IGA in preference.

With hardware I tried using local - Mitre 10 or Home, but their stores were long on homewares and plants, but typically short on the stuff I wanted.
I tried the one and only Masters in Adelaide and came away disappointed on range and service.

Bunnings, much as I hate the "big" stores owned by Westfarmers, I could always go in and know that I would find whatever I was looking for, and generally a good range of options. They have the hardware market stitched up.