Toolstation in France

[Department71]

Just had an e-mail from Toolstation UK.  They now have a French version http://www.toolstation.fr/

 If you spend over 50 pounds they can give you free delivery in France. Website is in both English and French.

Delivery is cheaper then Screwfix and I have found prices at Toolstation on a par if not a bit cheaper in the UK.

[YCCMB]

I have just shared this information with Mr Betty. Thank you for saving our marriage. I have slowly come to the realisation that it's impossible for him to take a holiday if it means him having to forego his regular visits to Toolstation and now he will be able to have them deliver stuff to him whilst in France.

Happy days!

[woolybanana]

Betty, is it the grape or the grain which has loosened your thoughts?

[Chancer]

I hope Mr Betty doesnt get his hopes up, Toolstation "France" (not!) has been going a while now, the range offered is drastically reduced and the prices are in general very French, just as well because nothing else is as they are based in Holland, all the stock is held there and despatched to the customers in France.

At least the decision not to be based in France was a very good one, more and more companies are coming into a lucrative market with little more than a virtual sales presence in the country.

[Department71]

Just had a look at a couple of items in the UK website and the French one, prices seem to be compatable between the two, ( but depends on the state of the pound) Maybe apply for the French catalogue on their site and have a look for yourself.

Was told once that the guy who sold Screwfix to Kingfisher then went and started up Toolstation, don't know if its actually true or hearsay.

[Chancer]

Its true AFAIK.

Some of the prices are similar, sanding discs, stuff like that but most of the UK range either isnt there at all or severely limited, even things like screws.

I think its  down to the fact that anything that has any writing on it even "screw 4.0 * 50mm" has to be written somewhere in French, daft as it seems its obvious they are vis and even use the metric sizes but cannot be sold in France, as a consequence they have had to use different European suppliers of mastics, silicones, paints, pretty much everything and all at French prices.

They can sell you a hacksaw or a jugsaw blade, it will have a French description in the catalogue, and they would have to remove the packaging if it had hacksaw written on it in English not French.

Meantime the world and his wife can order from the entire Screwfix catalogue and have either cheap or free delivery in France, I suspect that withut doing anything except organise the cross channel deliveries they are doing more business in France than Toolstation.

I hope it works for Toolstation, if it does then you will see a very rapid expansion, if it doesnt they will bin it quickly and follow the Screwfix model which would suit me fine, I dont think we will ever see the rapid organic growth that has given me a choice of 4 Screwfix and Toolstation branches within a 5 mile radius, I doubt that they will ever have branches in France which is a real loss to the country.

but then just think of how many other modern success stories that should work really well in France but will never happen....................

[YCCMB]

Wooly, I am glad to report that my thoughts have seldom been loosened by grape or grain, as I partake of neither on a regular basis. However, I am concerned that one day, Mr Betty will leave me for the woman on the counter at Toolstation, as they seem to see more of each other than Mr B and myself.

[Mad dog]

You are quite right, he sold Screwfix to Kingfisher, then a few years later founded Toolstation, he sold half of this to Travis Perkins a few yrs ago for about 15 million, then he sold the other half to them a couple of yrs ago for a bit more again ..! Clever chappy..

[quote user="Department71"]Just had a look at a couple of items in the UK website and the French one, prices seem to be compatable between the two, ( but depends on the state of the pound) Maybe apply for the French catalogue on their site and have a look for yourself.

Was told once that the guy who sold Screwfix to Kingfisher then went and started up Toolstation, don't know if its actually true or hearsay.

[/quote]

[Chancer]

New catalogue sent to me together with un bon d'achat for €10 hoping I will place my first order.

 

The catalogue is a lot bigger but all my comments regarding the writing having to be in French still stand, most of the stuff is from EU suppliers although the stuff from the UK is now competitively priced, the 2 SPID wire brushes are half the price in France and the TCT sawblades are the same price given the exchange rate which is a serious bargain in France, in the past it has been cheaper for me to drive to the UK than replace one sawblade in France [:-))]

 

They sell an expanding foam gun (very expensive) but not the cartridges of foam [8-)] they now sell PER crimp fittings but only about 3 out of the 20 or so types needed, no elbows at all [:(]

 

Its getting better and moving in the right direction, there are also some things that are not in the UK catalogue or at least the last one that I have, like car covers.