Axminster Deliveries

[PAC1]

I have had next day deliveries from Axminster for the last 25 years using their standard delivery option. As long as I placed my order before 4pm the delivery turned up like clockwork. I did notice a while ago the "guaranteed next day" delivery option appeared but just smiled and thought what a waste.
This week that has all changed. I placed an order 8am Monday morning which was not processed until Wednesday and then delivered Thursday. I placed another order Thursday which has not yet been processed. I rang them and asked what is going on and was told effectively this is the new normal. I cannot expect an order placed at 9am to be delivered the next day Monday to Friday anymore.
You could say be more organised and plan what you need in advance but we all know we get 90% through a job and something breaks or runs out or you realise you never had. For 25 years I have just placed the order and it arrives next day. A brilliant service. Well now you have to pay for that level of service.
The slope just got a whole lot steeper especially as I was trying to keep the business in the UK. I have known for a long time that Amazon can supply most consumables that Axminster supply yet I have bought Axminster regardless. I now find I have no real choice I can pay more for Axminster stuff in the first place and then pay for next day delivery or go with Amazon Prime and get it next day for the price marked.
I would like to hope that the delay in processing at Axminster is just a Covid related blip and normal service will resume asap. But if it does not or it was not Covid related then Axminster are going to have engineered a massive own goal on their business.

 

[craigs]

Id imagine Axminster lost a lot of orders due to shipping problems a-la-covid and adding a bit here and there goes a little way to recoup losses, that being said when companies feel the extra income, they wont be giving it up...so I think this is the "new normal".

Since 2016 I have spent thousands with axminster supporting my "habit" and its a very easy place to walk into and spend money or plan next purchases, but now im looking at other options. I don't understand why we have soo little choice in this country.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Quite simply, Axminster are now overpriced for many things. I bought a gouge on impulse because I thought the price was good - £25.99 - and only really thought to check the price elsewhere afterwards. Axminster - £32.58. Not just a quid or two.

 

[Lons]

I'm one of the lucky ones who has an Axi shop within reach and as it's the only woodworking retail showroom in the area it's very useful to be able to view and handle tools before making a decision. I'm happy to pay a bit more for using that facility but there is a limit to how much of a premium is acceptable and I do find myself leaving the shop having bought much less than I would have had their prices been more competitive.
It's a 2 edged sword though and I can see how the shops could easily disappear and on line business suffer if people are buying purely on price especially where their delivery service is worse as well.

 

[Mead Camans]

There has certainly been a drop off in stock availability that started shortly into Covid which is still there. Just basic stuff like the screws and driver bits I used to order were suddenly out of stock for weeks or just straight up gone from the site. I have noticed the standard delivery isn't what it used to be as well. An order I placed last week took a day or two longer than I would have expected. My assumption for all this was Covid, but other companies seem to be handling it a bit better.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I ordered from Fusing Glass and Stained Glass Supplies Online | Creative Glass Guild Bristol - a minimum of £40 for free delivery. DPD next day .......... and it is next day. It can be done.

 

[Claud1]

Same old story now Covid 19 with a lot of suppliers, some of the ones I have used have been just as efficient as before the virus. I have spent many thousands of pounds over the years with Axminster but not anymore (got too big and as stated before too expensive) and not to mention delivery.

 

[Rorschach]

I used to buy a lot from them and several of my large tools are axminster branded. The prices though have gone a bit crazy. I was always happy to pay a premium as Axminster were of good quality/value and their customer service and delivery were good. That premium though is starting to get a bit silly, not just on tools but consumables as well. Now I think the only thing I buy is bandsaw blades as they are still offering what I consider to be the best blade available and at a fantastic price (Ground tooth)

 

[craigs]

In the age we live in, covid or not, there are no excuses for next day not being standard. if a company i order from doesnt come next day, then they wont be seeing me again. If Amazon can do it with bajillions of items, then anyone can do it.

 

[Terrytpot]

Have had a few items of them recently and must admit, they don’t seem particularly spry at getting the goods to you when compared to other outfits out there. I do wonder with a lot of their delivery times though whether its not just down to how fast they process their orders but more to do with what stock they actually have! I visited my nearest branch recently hoping for, ideally some hands on impressions, or failing that at least getting to see something in the flesh before taking the plunge on an/some purchases but all to no avail as their stock levels were non existent and to make matters worse the "sales person" I engaged with was not only not aware of their lack of stock but was unaware that it had been like for a prolonged period of time and had no idea when they were expecting any stock back again.. I appreciate that covid has had an impact on imported goods as during the first wave peak lots of companies shut up shop / reduced output through the imposition of "safer working environments" but driving about over the last week or so you wouldn’t believe we are currently deep in the most serious pandemic of our life times. Funny though how none of that seems to have impacted Rutlands or Amazons deliveries though...

 

[Droogs]

I feel this is an indicator of worse to come. This is in no way meant politically even if some take it as such.
The size of our market is just not big enough to warrant have more than a few tool speciallists like Axminster and on a slightly smaller scale Peter Sefton's happy band of wood manglers. As such we are about to pay a high price on avalability and choice of supplier here in the UK. With the chaos we can all see coming shortly our politicians have in their infinite wisdom just made the UK even less appealing to overseas suppliers of items such as we like to buy. Generally they are not really big going concerns and now have the added costs of administering the UK's VAT and import duty collection burden on imported goods sent by them to us. These additional cost are making it totally unprofitable to sell to the UK. The best example of this recently is Capt James T Kirk who has now announced that he will no longer sell to the UK. The new rules just passed by the tories mean that it will cost him an additional minimum £1K per 10K of business he does with Star Trek memorabilia to the UK. So will not sell to us.
Many companies are going to follow suite and i would not be surprised if Dictum and Herr Schmidt do the same or they will have to show very large price differrences from EU and UK customers or show all as POA and we will have some nasty surprises

really is a sad state of affairs

 

[craigs]

I dont know of this James T kirk you speak of, I assume American? if so, we have no trade deal with the US at present, so whatever happens in the near future will mean pipper all difference. Also considering most of this stuff comes from China....no trade deal there either. Whatever happens on the 1st of January ( and i dont assume doom n gloom or fancy shmancy) everything coming in from outside europe will just pay duty in the UK instead of the EU. for those countries that have trade deals in place with the EU, most have already agreed to roll those over to the UK.

 

[Droogs]

Up until last thursday it was the Importer's responsibility to pay any import and or VAT on goods coming into the uk. So you would have to pay the courier any additional fees regarding the doodad you just bought and had delivered . Now the person selling the item to you must do all the paperwork and pay the fees before sending the item. So a shop outside the UK and not registered as a UK business or legally required to pay UK taxes must now act as a Customs and Excise agent for the UK Government if it wants to trade with us. The additional cost burden is such that the UK after January will no longer be a viable sales market. so less choice for us. Cpt kirk enterprises is one of the business name for William Shatners business that sells stuf to do with Star Trek.

 

[craigs]

Up until last thursday it was the Importer's responsibility to pay any import and or VAT on goods comining into the uk. So you would have to pay the courier any additional fees regarding the doodad you just bought and had delivered . Now the person selling the item to you must do all the paperwork and pay the fees before sending the item. The additionalcost burden is such that the UK after January will no longer be a viable sales market. so less choice for us. Cpt kirk enterprises is one of the business name for William Shatners business that sells stuf to do with Star Trek.

Jesus! Mary and Joseph! who's dumb idea was it to do that? I had no idea about that change but i can't find anything on the gov website to that affect, it all still says importers pay tax and duty. do you have a link?

 

[PAC1]

The other change they have made is previously you could order something that was not in stock and it would follow for free when it arrived. Now if it is not in stock you cannot place an order until you remove items that are not in stock. Then you have to add it to another order later on.

 

[Droogs]

@craigsalisbury this is where i found out about it

 

[craigs]

@craigsalisbury this is where i found out about it

ok so i just spent a good chunk of time on the government site and been through a bunch of VAT notices and updates. I cant find anything other than the way we know it works when you import something i.e. you pay duty/VAT where required. then i looked at the channel and all the videos seem to be anti everything doomy gloomy......so im going to put this down to BS unless i can see a government document.

"
There is no requirement for a VAT-registered business to account for VAT on imports into the UK from the USA in the same way as from other EC states.

The United States has a system of sales tax that is charged at the state level rather than at the federal level. Most states choose to charge it, and the rate varies considerably, from 1% to 16%. However, this should not be added on goods that are exported from the USA into the UK. Instead, UK VAT at 20% is normally paid on import, and a UK VAT-registered business can reclaim that same amount from HMRC by including it as input VAT in box 4 of their regular VAT return, subject to the normal rules about recovering input tax."

 

[shed9]

In defence of Axminster, I've had some infrequent purchases from them since lockdown, some bulk and some small. Have to say the service was spot on. Yes it didn't arrive next day, but then I figured a global pandemic was going to affect some businesses more than others. I'd also add that it doesn't seem rationale to compare them to a 1.4 trillion dollar global corporation either.

 

[craigs]

In defence of Axminster, I've had some infrequent purchases from them since lockdown, some bulk and some small. Have to say the service was spot on. Yes it didn't arrive next day, but then I figured a global pandemic was going to affect some businesses more than others. I'd also add that it doesn't seem rationale to compare them to a 1.4 trillion dollar global corporation either.

You are right, things are far more complex for a 1.4 trillion dollar global corporation, however for a much smaller company with items that are in stock.......

 

[PAC1]

In defence of Axminster, I've had some infrequent purchases from them since lockdown, some bulk and some small. Have to say the service was spot on. Yes it didn't arrive next day, but then I figured a global pandemic was going to affect some businesses more than others. I'd also add that it doesn't seem rationale to compare them to a 1.4 trillion dollar global corporation either.

I agree with all but the last sentence. I have supported them with trade and comments on here. I also made a point of placing regular orders over the spring. Like it or not our beloved Axminster is in Amazon’s sights. I do not know if their new normal was COVID related or not. If it is not they need to hire more people and get the orders processed on the day they arrive or they will lose trade. If they think I will pay extra for next day delivery on top of an already expensive product, they will find out otherwise. Take an example of Titebond III £12.38 at Axminster and £12.99 Amazon but at Axminster need me to spend £45 to get next day delivery whereas Amazon will deliver it tomorrow for the price marked. when I could rely on Axminster for next day delivery it was not an issue. Now if it could be a week before I get it then I cannot always wait.
It is called competition if Axminster have stopped competing on service then why use them
Don’t get me wrong I want Axminster to up their game I do not want to have to find a new go to supplier