Is Super Cheap Really....?

[p38arover]

On Thursday I bought some Sikaflex 227 at Bunnings to do some sealing on the Rangie.

On Saturday, I saw it at Super Cheap and it was $5 more expensive than Bunnings!

Not so Super Cheap.

[Keithy P38]

I agree. They seem to be getting super expensive...

Cheers
Keithy

[Rok_Dr]

Depends on the item. Some things they sell close to cost while others have a good mark up. I suspect Bunnings has a more even mark up percentage.

My son works in the greater super retail group of which super cheap is part and it's been interesting seeing the variability in discounts he receives.

Cheers

Steve

[landy]

I tend to use them for oils and filters. I usally wait till the sales and buy all my lubricants for the next service.
I have bought some workshop tools off them, jack, jack stands and engine crane etc, also on sale which I thought was priced well.
But yes, Bunnings is better priced for consumables. I went to SC for some parts cleaner fluid and it was much cheaper at Bunnings.

[p38arover]

I tend to wait for their sales, too, that's why I was there yesterday - 20% off all in-store stock. I needed some sealants for the Rangie's head job.

[87County]

Consider who owns this business (together with rebel and bcf, amongst many others) and you'll understand that the main reason they're in business is to make a profit. They've made an art out of hard-nosed retailing.

Local Castrol agent can't match their prices for Castrol products when on special... Hmmm

At least you'll get your money back if it's faulty Ron, probably more easily than at bunnings :)

Superretailgroup.com.au

[p38arover]

I think the Super Cheap refers to the quality of their house brands, SCA and Calibre.

[1nando]

Being in an industry that competes against bunnings I can tell you that it is very difficult to compete with a lot of their prices. They basterdize products in order to starve the opposition. What's funny is that if you were to take the overall price on products bunnings is actually more expensive overall.
Eg: cement at bunnings is $1 per bag less than most sand yard's, for every 20kg bag of cement you need roughly 3 to 4 bags of sand. Sand yards sell their 20kg sand bags for $5, bunnnings for $6.50. So you saved $1 on the cement but paid an extra $4.50 to $6 for your sand at bunnings......you see there strategy is simple. Mainstream items are well priced, everything that you usually buy with those mainstream items is overpriced.
What you will also find is that bunnnings does not carry a "trade quality" range of products. Company's like sika actually provide them with a range that is lesser in quality than what you will find at mitre 10 for example. Sikaflex pro, sika sil. ......you will only get the cheap versions of these at bunnnings. Think of it like kfc, if your paying bottom dollar your getting the cheapest chook money can buy......want quality? Go to a specialized store with specialized products and service and get what you pay for....
Food for thought

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[87County]

Being in an industry that competes against bunnings I can tell you that it is very difficult to compete with a lot of their prices. They basterdize products in order to starve the opposition. What's funny is that if you were to take the overall price on products bunnings is actually more expensive overall.
Eg: cement at bunnings is $1 per bag less than most sand yard's, for every 20kg bag of cement you need roughly 3 to 4 bags of sand. Sand yards sell their 20kg sand bags for $5, bunnnings for $6.50. So you saved $1 on the cement but paid an extra $4.50 to $6 for your sand at bunnings......you see there strategy is simple. Mainstream items are well priced, everything that you usually buy with those mainstream items is overpriced.
What you will also find is that bunnnings does not carry a "trade quality" range of products. Company's like sika actually provide them with a range that is lesser in quality than what you will find at mitre 10 for example. Sikaflex pro, sika sil. ......you will only get the cheap versions of these at bunnnings. Think of it like kfc, if your paying bottom dollar your getting the cheapest chook money can buy......want quality? Go to a specialized store with specialized products and service and get what you pay for....
Food for thought

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That's quite correct 1nando, unfortunately in smaller centres bunnings have caused other retailers to shut down so there are no other alternatives...

[ramblingboy42]

I find SCA to be ok for most things I buy and as I'm a club member I always seem to have $10-15 credit on my club card which makes some purchases very cheep cheep.

Some of their products are quite expensive eg led lighting.

btw , I have 220mm Calibre driving lights on grumble and they are very good. Would have to spend several hundred dollars more to better them.

rather than install sliding drawers I purchased a dual drawer set from them.....the lower set fits EXACTLY between the D2 wheel arches and gives me a huge amount of vertical space when I go away.....the top 5drawer section is in my man cave. I remove the drawer chest when I get home . A fit man can lift it in by himself.

So SCA have done me very well. At the right prices too.

[p38arover]

Company's like sika actually provide them with a range that is lesser in quality than what you will find at mitre 10 for example. Sikaflex pro, sika sil. ......you will only get the cheap versions of these at bunnnings.

I would expect a product labelled Sikaflex 227 to be the same wherever I bought it.

[1nando]

I would expect a product labelled Sikaflex 227 to be the same wherever I bought it.

We stock all sika products and that is not one of them. That is a range that is offered exclusively to particular buying groups/ stores to compete with other products similarly priced.

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[p38arover]

We stock all sika products and that is not one of them. That is a range that is offered exclusively to particular buying groups/ stores to compete with other products similarly priced.

I went to the Sika website and looked for automotive sealing products and found Sikaflex 227. I then looked at Bunnings (because I had $40 of gift cards to use) to see if they stocked it. Seam Sealing | Sika Australia Pty. Ltd. (http://aus.sika.com/en/solutions_products/01/01a001/01a001sa02/01a001sa02100/01a001sa02101.html)

[1nando]

I went to the Sika website and looked for automotive sealing products and found Sikaflex 227. I then looked at Bunnings (because I had $40 of gift cards to use) to see if they stocked it. Seam Sealing | Sika Australia Pty. Ltd. (http://aus.sika.com/en/solutions_products/01/01a001/01a001sa02/01a001sa02100/01a001sa02101.html)

My apologies, we don't stock any automotive products, so that is beyond my knowledge. I know that most of the mainstream trade products are in fact different and not all stocked by bunnings. This is done to protect the sika brand. I have been told this by my sika rep and various other suppliers that supply our store and also supply bunnings.

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[p38arover]

I have no doubt Bunnings (and Masters) have products packed especially for them. It makes it very hard to find another shop that can beat their price and get thus get an extra 10% off.

1nando, do you mind if I ask for whom do you work. I use Bunnings because it's convenient to get to.

[PhilipA]

Last time I went to Bunnings I looked for Sika 227 and they didn't have it, but had Sika products labelled in a different way.


I wondered if they were the same product labelled differently. At Bunnings it is called Sikaflex Auto + and shows the use to be auto seams in a diagram on the hanger.


I had previously been able to get 227 from them a couple of years ago.

This is a pretty standard marketing ploy, if you have a popular product and two distinct and powerful retail chains, as it avoids direct price comparisons.

Regards Philip A

Sikaflex-FIX AU should be used as a general sealant for sound proofing and vibration deadening between body panels in your car.

If you need a highly flexible adhesive for your windows or windscreen, use Sikaflex-255 EXTRA+, which also cushions glass against vibrations and impact shock.

Sikaflex-AUTO+ is used as a higher strength general purpose adhesive sealant in your car, perfect for everything from adhering internal door panels to the frame of the door, to sealing around your engine block. You can also use it to attach a body kit to the frame of the car for a more unique look in your vehicle!


it seems to me that Auto + is a DIY edition of 227.

[PhilipA]

I have now studied the PDS of both 227 and Auto + and they appear to be almost identical.
The only difference is that Auto+ has a tensile strength of 1.6N/mm2 vs 227 with a tensile strength of 1.7N/mm2.

BTW Auto+ says
it is a universal sealant exclusively for crash body repair which is used to create a continuous , bonding seal on interior and exterior automotive body joints and is suitable for making permanent elastic seals of high tensile strength.

Both full PDS are on the Sika site .
It seems strange that auto+ has a notation in the same para that


This product is suitable for professional experienced users only. when it is sold as a DIY product range in Bunnings!
Regards Philip A

[1nando]

I'd rather not mention who I work for, however I will tell you that I am the general manager of a sand and cement yard. We cater specifically to masonry trades (concrete, tiling, rendering, brick laying etc). We stock an extensive range because my customers want convenience.
I understand that burnings is convenient, I do. I personally refuse to buy or support them not because of where I work but rather to protect an industry. If the specialists stores disappear then bunnings and masters have a monopoly.
Next time you need materials for a job check your local sand cement yard, the savings might surprise you.
As for the quality of bunnings products, think of it as tailored to diy and not trade. Trade is specific in their wants and needs. DIY is the bare minimum required to do a job, made easy for the average Joe.
Back to your original post, super cheap is a specialist store. Even thought the 227 might have been $5 more when you bought it, chances are that anything else you might have needed would have been cheaper. Try to support the little guys, without them bunnings would charge you what ever they wanted......

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[p38arover]

Next time you need materials for a job check your local sand cement yard, the savings might surprise you.

I've never bought those products from Bunnings. I always use my local yard. However, I didn't know they sold stuff other than sand, soil, cement, etc.

I agree about Bunnings and Masters driving the little blokes out.

[Roverlord off road spares]

I have now studied the PDS of both 227 and Auto + and they appear to be almost identical.
The only difference is that Auto+ has a tensile strength of 1.6N/mm2 vs 227 with a tensile strength of 1.7N/mm2.

BTW Auto+ says

Both full PDS are on the Sika site .
It seems strange that auto+ has a notation in the same para that

when it is sold as a DIY product range in Bunnings!
Regards Philip A
I usually buy the large cartridges, the handy man small tubes might be harder to come by.
Here is Bunnings sikaflex products, 227 is avail, as well as the marine and other stuff.
Search - Our range | Bunnings Warehouse (http://www.bunnings.com.au/search/products?q=sikaflex&redirectFrom=Any)

Cheers Mario

[shanegtr]

I only every bother goi to super cheap for oils or anything else thats really common as the prices there a generally better than anywhere else.

[Dark61]

I flit between SCA Autobarn and Repco - find what I want and then track down the best price. Comparing quality is not all that easy though. I don't think just because it has cheap in the name it is cheap - any more than say Woolworths branding itself "the fresh food people" make's their stuff "fresh".


D

[firsttracks]

I bought some rtv silicon from super cheap $33 dollars. Equivalent from repco was $11. PS for tools I goto tradetools Bunnings tool section is a joke.

[Eevo]

I have no doubt Bunnings (and Masters) have products packed especially for them. It makes it very hard to find another shop that can beat their price and get thus get an extra 10% off.


im 100% certain of this.

[Eevo]

i use autobarn, repco and SCA for things depending on whos got the best deal.
its just like any store.
you have your quality brands and the house brands, with the house brands lower quality.

[Scouse]

rather than install sliding drawers I purchased a dual drawer set from them.....the lower set fits EXACTLY between the D2 wheel arches and gives me a huge amount of vertical space when I go away.....the top 5drawer section is in my man cave. I remove the drawer chest when I get home . A fit man can lift it in by himself.

Any chance of a picture?

[DoubleChevron]

supercheap, autobarn and similar stores as far as I can tell are full of glitz, bull**** and dazzle. The crap they sell can be just as easily purchased from your sunday market (eg: audio, car covers, trailer lights, fog lights). They are actually quite expensive for all this type of stuff.

You need to find a proper auto parts store. I usually go to this place:

Sebastopol Discount Auto Parts - Car Accessories - Sebastopol, VIC - Yellow Pages? (http://www.yellowpages.com.au/vic/sebastopol/sebastopol-discount-auto-parts-11969657-listing.html)

The guy that owns it is a crazy old bastard. I've had him threaten to beat me up and been thrown from his store in the past ( :Rolling: ) 'cos I wanted to return working LED lights that were ****. Where else can you walk into and find old trade stuff though. He often has a big box of ball joints, bushes and gaskets sitting infront of the counter. All the obsolete old parts they haven't sold over the decades. You'll have fun figuring out where they fit though :)

seeya,
shane L.

[Ranga]

I tend to use them for oils and filters. I usally wait till the sales and buy all my lubricants for the next service.

I did too until I found that the normal price at Maxiparts (http://maxiparts.com.au/) (aka Queensland Diesel Spares) was usually cheaper than the SCA sale price.