Masters Home Improvement Shops

[Davo]

Are they any good? Not that I'm in a hurry to visit one, but I was tickled to see somebody attempting to prise away the death-grip on the market that Bunnings has, though that doesn't mean they'll be any better. I see that my closest shop is 1800km away. :D

[sheerluck]

Same old. Slightly different range, a few things cheaper, lots of things more expensive.

Woolies versus Coles but with screws and nails.

[Mick_Marsh]

First and only time I went into Masters (just for a looksee) I walked up to the checkout with a couple of hundred dollars worth of purchases in my arms.
"We don't accept Visa debit cards" she said.
"If my money isn't good enough for you, then your store isn't good enough for me." and with that I walked out the door never to return.
I'll not be spending my hard earned there.

[V8Ian]

I've found Masters to be like Bunnings, but with staff.

[Homestar]

Heaps better than Bunnings IMO. HEAPS more range, including electrical goods, kitchens, etc and a lot better laid out. Rather than having 20 of the same thing like Bunnings, they have one or two of each item. Some stuff very cheap, other stuff not so.

They are building on in Sunbury at the moment and should do well, as we only have a ****y little half size Bunnings that has nothing of anything....

Also, I have found the service to be much better, but that could wear off in time.

Worth a visit, but not if you have to travel 1800km...:D. Wait a while, I'm sure there will be one closer to you sooner rather than later.

As mentioned, Coles V Woolies, but at least there will be some competition at last - the Bunnings here put our local hardware out of business so anything that makes them hurt is a good thing...

[isuzurover]

Masters are targeting female buyers... Hense the glossier layout, appliances, magazine stands and better staffing.

[Davo]

Masters are targeting female buyers... Hense the glossier layout, appliances, magazine stands and better staffing.

You mean hunky blokes then? :D

Anyway, I suspected it was more of the same, no doubt since it all comes from China. We'll have to see how they settle in over time, but I remember when Bunnings steamrolled every small shop around the place so I don't mind seeing them cop it a bit. In fact, I can remember when Bunnings was a little outfit and you had to wait twenty minutes in a queue at the one till that was open, if you were lucky. I see they still haven't got online shopping sorted out properly.

Crazy name for a shop. Do they sell fishing gear? Who's going to go out to get some Masters baits?

[Mick_Marsh]

Our local hardware store does well. I go there for timber and whatever I need that they have in stock. Unfortunately, they do not stock all that I need, and, like most (if not all) stores, they are not prepared to get it in.
Bunnings often has this stuff in stock. I do have to travel to another town that has a Bunnings.
Still won't shop at Masters.

[Homestar]

Masters are targeting female buyers... Hense the glossier layout, appliances, magazine stands and better staffing.

That is true. SWMBO will go to Masters anytime, but never to Bunnings, so I guess their market research must be ok.

[Chops]

Are they any good? Not that I'm in a hurry to visit one, but I was tickled to see somebody attempting to prise away the death-grip on the market that Bunnings has, though that doesn't mean they'll be any better. I see that my closest shop is 1800km away. :D

That'd be a nice drive,, take in a bit of scenery along the way,, ;)

We haven't been to a Masters yet, but have been eyeing off the new one at Dandenong, although it doesn't look very promising, very few cars are ever parked there. I do hope they do well, as others have said, sick of seeing Bunnings having the monopoly on the market, not that I want to see them fall, but fairs fair.

[disco_goose]

Being employed at a country mitre 10 shop, i wont put a foot in a bunnings or masters. We try to stock most things but still get the standard..." bunnigs is cheaper". Its all about trying to keep the dollarsin the community. IMO.
Goose

[isuzurover]

Being employed at a country mitre 10 shop, i wont put a foot in a bunnings or masters. We try to stock most things but still get the standard..." bunnigs is cheaper". Its all about trying to keep the dollarsin the community. IMO.
Goose

Not saying you are wrong, but would there be much difference between M10 and Bunnings/Masters in this regard???

Mitre 10 is still a franchise so a significant proportion of all sales would go to a head office somewhere. All 3 employ staff who live locally and spend locally. So the $$$ going back into the local community would appear to be similar.

[jsp]

Had a look at one outside Melbourne, wasn't that excited. At the time there was only the self serve checkout's - I am not a fan of those at all.

It amuses me they advertise like crazy here (South Australia) but put in very small print at th ebottom of the screen we only have one store in the state at Mt Gambier, which for me is 4 to 5 hours drive from Adelaide.

[disco_goose]

Yes there are somethings we cant even get close to in price, but thete are things that we can get close and are closer. I just like to see the community shops staying put. Not being outpriced and forced out by much bigger corporations.

[Noodles6202]

Masters is good for the people who are disgruntled with Bunnings stores. It is good there is an other store to take up the customers who are unhappy with the service/staff/quality/prices etc. found at Bunnings.

But, in my opinion, like Bunnings it's just a matter of time before the honeymoon ends at Masters and it will be just like walking into Bunnings but with different colours on the wall!

[Homestar]

although it doesn't look very promising, very few cars are ever parked there. I do hope they do well

It's the other way around at the Ardeer store on a Saturday arvo - Masters carpark full and the Bunnings accross the road looks like a ghost town. I'm sure once everyone has had a look then it will even out a bit.


Had a look at one outside Melbourne, wasn't that excited. At the time there was only the self serve checkout's - I am not a fan of those at all.


Although the checkouts are self serve, they have people there and they are quite happy to work the checkout for you, not just show you how they work like in the Supermarket, so a bit better.

[Homestar]

And YES, I am a big fan of Masters if you haven't worked it out yet...:D

[Cobber]

Same old. Slightly different range, a few things cheaper, lots of things more expensive.

Woolies versus Coles but with screws and nails.That about sums it up :)

It's all same/same really, even down to the store itself. In most places, the people who build the Bunnings stores also build the Masters stores :D

[F4Phantom]

my mate works at masters, says its more for women, more packaged stuff instead of nails etc.. and they have a big thing with service, there are bells all over the store and they guarantee someone will be with you in 30 seconds from the time you press the bell. If they make the 30 seconds over time all the staff get a reward equally, so if one staff is not running to the bell someone else will.

Its not cheaper in whitegoods but fairly low priced overall.

[loanrangie]

Dont know which stores you guys go to but from what i have seen they have no where near the range bunnings has , i cant see what problem you would have with bunnings - its a store , i go in buy what i need and only once did they not have what i wanted.

[Homestar]

Dont know which stores you guys go to but from what i have seen they have no where near the range bunnings has , i cant see what problem you would have with bunnings - its a store , i go in buy what i need and only once did they not have what i wanted.

You must have a full size Bunnings where you are. The smaller stores have **** all...

[FeatherWeightDriver]

The best thing going for the Masters near me (Greenacre) is that if I get my timing right there is a grey 110 in the parking lot.

Spent about 10 minutes one time point out to SWMBO the mods on my "to do list" that had been fitted to this car :angel:

[loanrangie]

I have never seen a small bunnings , not since they were Mc Ewens.

[Homestar]

I have never seen a small bunnings , not since they were Mc Ewens.

Unfortunately they built quite a few of them in smaller towns - we were one of them. It is a half sized store, so has half the stuff in it - all the crap as it turns out. There has been many times when I have had to drive 25 minutes out of town to a big Bunnings to get what I need.

[FeatherWeightDriver]

I have never seen a small bunnings , not since they were Mc Ewens.

Quite a few of the smaller Sydney Bunnings are completely useless as well :mad:

[disco gazza]

I've got 2 Buntings,one near the M4 and one on the other side of the railway(which is the closest to me) plus a Mitre 10.
The Mitre 10 has mostly timber/nails etc,where the Buntings is full of all the stuff they stock.
Would like to see a Masters nearby but there's no where vacant.
I'm not driving 60 odd k's to the nearest to find out what there like.;)


cheers

[LowRanger]

I've got 2 Buntings,one near the M4 and one on the other side of the railway(which is the closest to me) plus a Mitre 10.
The Mitre 10 has mostly timber/nails etc,where the Buntings is full of all the stuff they stock.
Would like to see a Masters nearby but there's no where vacant.
I'm not driving 60 odd k's to the nearest to find out what there like.;)


cheers

Well you won't have to soon,as they are building one at StMarys,right next door to the leagues club.;)

[dullbird]

I much prefer Masters to Bunnings, stuff in Masters is easier to find, the isles are nice, wide and bright and you don't feel like your walking around a dungeon...

and Masters DO have more than bunnings from my experience.

its just a far more pleasant shopping experience. Bunnings is just outdated, they have likely done the same thing with the store year in year out and it shows...

Bunnings is like a messy shed...its cluttered

[isuzurover]

I much prefer Masters to Bunnings, stuff in Masters is easier to find, the isles are nice, wide and bright and you don't feel like your walking around a dungeon...

and Masters DO have more than bunnings from my experience.

its just a far more pleasant shopping experience. Bunnings is just outdated, they have likely done the same thing with the store year in year out and it shows...

Bunnings is like a messy shed...its cluttered

Did you see my post on page 1? :D


Masters are targeting female buyers... Hense the glossier layout, appliances, magazine stands and better staffing.

[disco gazza]

To Low Ranger,

Thanks for that,I can check it out on the way to work when it eventually opens..


cheers

[gromit]

The biggest problem is that 'it's different'.
I visit Bunnings in many E. Melbourne suburbs and they are pretty much the same layout (some are mirror imaged) so you know where to find stuff.

When Masters opened last year the first time I visited it was a bit scary. Staff kept coming up to me to ask if I needed help ! Bunnings staff used to scuttle off in the opposite direction if you approached them.

It's good to have competition. They have some things cheaper than Bunnings like rattle cans of paint some things more expensive like angle grinder discs.
I did find in the nuts & bolts aisle some sets of drawers with lots of goodies in like roll pins, grease nipples, fibre washers etc. but a bit exxy.

I prefer Bunnings tool section rather than Master's tool aisle. Mind you they carry Stahwille spanners at Masters....
Look in the power tool aisle, they have a brand that goes by a number 909 or 606 or something, the packaging reminds me very much of GMC.

I'll keep visiting both stores.....


Colin

[cjc_td5]

Bunnings is like a messy shed...its cluttered

What's wrong with a messy shed?:D

[modman]

I've installed evaps in bunnings
About 60 amps FLC
I've installed packaged ac units in masters
600 amps FLC
Lucky they are about 5 stage comps
The precast walls are all lined with fridge panels about 120mm
It is white and bright
They do have a reasonable selection of ht bolts
Dc

[p38arover]

I've got 2 Buntings,one near the M4 and one on the other side of the railway(which is the closest to me) plus a Mitre 10.
The Mitre 10 has mostly timber/nails etc,where the Buntings is full of all the stuff they stock.

You forgot Hudsons just up the road from the Bunnings North Penrith

[Ratel10mm]

I've installed evaps in bunnings
About 60 amps FLC
I've installed packaged ac units in masters
600 amps FLC
Lucky they are about 5 stage comps
The precast walls are all lined with fridge panels about 120mm
It is white and bright
They do have a reasonable selection of ht bolts
Dc

Bunnings have started to put A/C in?

What brand of RTU are Master using?

[Basil135]

Don't have much choice around where I am...

I mean, all 3 of the Bunnings stores around me are up to a 10 min drive away.. :P

And, I have 1 of each flavour. Small, Medium & Large. :D

That said, I will shop between them & Stratco for whatever we need. Masters not being an option for us.

Never had a problem with the Bunnings staff. But that said, I don't tend to visit much on the weekends unless I have to. I will quite often go down after dinner, when there are 3 staff for every customer. ;)

[Reads90]

First and only time I went into Masters (just for a looksee) I walked up to the checkout with a couple of hundred dollars worth of purchases in my arms.
"We don't accept Visa debit cards" she said.
"If my money isn't good enough for you, then your store isn't good enough for me." and with that I walked out the door never to return.
I'll not be spending my hard earned there.

Mm interesting as they do accept Visa and Amex and dinners.

So must not have liked the look of you :-).

[Reads90]

I much prefer Masters to Bunnings, stuff in Masters is easier to find, the isles are nice, wide and bright and you don't feel like your walking around a dungeon...

and Masters DO have more than bunnings from my experience.

its just a far more pleasant shopping experience. Bunnings is just outdated, they have likely done the same thing with the store year in year out and it shows...

Bunnings is like a messy shed...its cluttered


Well that's is because you are their target market.

Master made their stores for women and not men . They made the bright , clean looking,lots of pictures and explanations , cool with AC and easy to find stuff.

They knew that when a bloke says I am going to bunnings the wife says god I am not going there go on your own . Where as they wanted women to go into Masters hence why they are set up like they are.

And as a person that deals with them they picked it right and are doing good business and Bunnings are very very worried.

[dullbird]

well they did there marketing well..I didnt have an issues going in to bunnings.

and I dont think they just did it for women however I think they did it for women too well as I believe they are having a hard time getting the tradies in because it looks "Too clean", which is probably why the masters I have near work often holds a free tradie breafast before 7am

[Chucaro]

Here in Hobart the 2 big franchises of Mitre 10 are better than Bunnings and offer a better service.
I guess that it is the only place in Australia were Mitre 10 offer a good competition.......

[sheerluck]

Here in Hobart the 2 big franchises of Mitre 10 are better than Bunnings and offer a better service.
I guess that it is the only place in Australia were Mitre 10 offer a good competition.......

Not quite. Our local hardware stores, Home Timber and Hardware, and Mitre 10 a little further away, both offer fantastic service as they are family owned stores. They just don't have the same range as the big Bunnings and Masters sheds.

We generally go there first, unless we need paint, then the 60km round trip to Bunnings becomes viable as it is normally 30% cheaper.

[d2dave]

Unfortunately they built quite a few of them in smaller towns - we were one of them. It is a half sized store, so has half the stuff in it - all the crap as it turns out. There has been many times when I have had to drive 25 minutes out of town to a big Bunnings to get what I need.


The Bunnings in Shepparton is not a patch on the ones I have visited in Melb, but they do seem to have most of what I need.

[Ratel10mm]

Same-same but different. I'd rather eat at a Masters Macca's than a Bunnings cafe, & that's saying somehing!
Went to my local bolt shop today, they didn't have the fixing I needed & suggested Bunnings. No luck there, not with the other thing I went to Bunnings for. So I tried Masters. Found the fixing, but not the other.
So like most things in retail, it seems to me that you need to know your retailers & what they stock as well as prices.

[d2dave]

I prefer Bunnings tool section rather than Master's tool aisle. Mind you they carry Stahwille spanners at Masters....
Colin

Handy to know. Stahlwillie, ya cana hand a man a better spanner.

[V8Ian]

Handy to know. Stahlwillie, ya cana hand a man a better spanner.
Wasn't that a Sidchrome catch cry? "Ya canna hanna a man a grander spanner."

[d2dave]

Wasn't that a Sidchrome catch cry? "Ya canna hanna a man a grander spanner."

Sure was, but not true, as you can't beat stahlwillie

[Homestar]

Wasn't that a Sidchrome catch cry? "Ya canna hanna a man a grander spanner."

Unfortunately now, you can Hanna man a grander spanner...:D. Almost anything else these days. My old Sidchrome stuff is great, the new stuff ain't so hot.

[d2dave]

New stahlwille will leave old sidchrome(as good as it is) for dead. I have lots of both.

[V8Ian]

I've heard that someone bought the Sidchrome dies and the quality is now acceptable/reasonable.

[Homestar]

Got a lot of old Sidchrome which is good, new SP which I have had no issue with, and when I was going through a 'I'm feeling rich' stage, a fair bit of Snapon.

[V8Ian]

I have a mate, nicknamed Inspector Gadget by the Snap-on rep, who has spent over $100,000 on Snap-on gear. He admits he's paid a premium for credit facilities and a lifetime warranty but considered it worthwhile. He no longer buys Snap-on as the warranty has been changed with the lowering of the quality.