Masters is going belly up.

[yeoman]

It's been doing the rounds in the news: Masters will soon be no more. Apparently the competition from Bunnings was too steep, and Woolworths Group has decided to pull the pin.

For us makers of selfbows, the real-world effect of this is an extremely short half-life on the availability of Red Oak.

So get in quick and look at every board if you get the chance.

[greybeard]

........ Apparently the competition from Bunnings was too steep..........

The term 'Competition' covers many areas in the retail industry.

Apart from price consumers may look at reliability and continuity of supply, customer service, product range, staff knowledge of product range, store location and ease of parking.

I have two Bunning's outlets within four minutes from home and the nearest Masters outlet eighteen to twenty minutes from home.

The particular item that I wished to purchase was listed on Bunning's website at $217.00. The price was acceptable so I went to the store to make a purchase.

After some messing around Bunning's informed me that they had discontinued the item twelve months ago and when questioned why it was still listed on their website they could not give an answer.

For the first time in my life I shopped at a Masters outlet.

When I returned home I looked up Masters on the net and found the exact item I required for $219.00. A quick phone call confirmed that the item was in stock.

In all dealing with Masters was a pleasant experience the only downside being a forty minute round trip travelling time.

Price was not an issue.

http://www.smartcompany.com.au/growth/f ... asics.html

http://www.smh.com.au/business/woolwort ... j9x16.html

Daryl.

[perry]

A Couple of Months back I was down at the local Masters to Buy some Boards for Selfbows with a Gent who I was Teaching to make a Selfbow. The Manager who I had often spoken too and had found Friendly and Helpful approached me and said he'd seen me at his Store regularly then asked me to leave his Store because I had no Shoes on. I looked at him incredulously and promised him I would not be back. As I had a Student with me and we needed the Timber and had no where else to buy it we stayed. I was not wearing Shoes because my Back does not give me as much Pain when my Gait is unaffected by Shoes.

I have rarely had a positive experience at any Bunnings Store and have a real problem with the Morayfield Store because they discriminated against the local SSAA Branch I am a member of and Banned them from Working their Sausage Sizzle Fundraising they put on for local Sporting Clubs. I know its their right to do so but it really stuck in my Craw. They have since invited them back and the SSAA Branch gratefully accepted the Invitation back but it still left me with a Bad taste in my Mouth

I try very hard to support the very few remaining Family owned Hardware Stores . Theres one at Banyo and one at Geebung, not aware of any closer to Home.

Ah well, back to the Bush for my Bow and Arrow Wood.

regards Perry

[Ian Turner]

Hi Perry i can understand where the manager was coming from when he asked you to leave having bare feet.
He has to be on top of anything and everything that may give rise to a litigation claim or compensation issue or any kind of injury that could happen to workers or visitors to the store.
At the end of the day he is responsible for OHS and if you or any one else gets injured he has a lot of issues to deal with from his employer, workcover, insurance companies, solicitors and litigants.
I used to be a cinema manager and i too had to be al to aware of any issues that could arise in terms of injuries.
Sorry mate but the American way of sueing for anything and everything has taken on here in OZ with a vengeance.
Cheers
IAN

[yeoman]

Perry,

Completely off topic, but have you tried the good old Dunlop volleys? They're pretty flat. The next step down/up from that would be to try vibrams. They barely even exist on your fit when you're wearing them and yet they are considered 'shoes'.

[Burnsie]

I have been to three masters stores in the western sydney area to have a look for red oak board but they all only have aus oak. Of course their website says they have red oak in stock but they never do.

do you think aus oak could be a good contender for a first bow?

[yeoman]

In a word: no.

In a short paragraph:

Australian Oak is a trade name applied to a whole bunch of different species that are fairly indiscriminately logged, milled and sold together. The result of this is the timber you buy is wildly inconsistent from board to board, even if at first they look the same.

I would not use Australian Oak or Tasmanian Oak for bows, I'm sorry to say.

[Roadie]

The Oak looks Great as a Timber Floor that has been polished. Just love working with it. Cheers Roadie.

[Burnsie]

In a word: no.

In a short paragraph:

Australian Oak is a trade name applied to a whole bunch of different species that are fairly indiscriminately logged, milled and sold together. The result of this is the timber you buy is wildly inconsistent from board to board, even if at first they look the same.

I would not use Australian Oak or Tasmanian Oak for bows, I'm sorry to say.

Thanks for the reply. I noticed that even just looking through the board that they had no consistence at all

[greybeard]

One will have to think outside the square.

Daryl.

[BowmanBjorn]

Unfortunately my experience with masters has been terrible and I'm not surprised that they haven't been able to make the lucrative hand an market profitable for them.

I was eagerly awaiting the opening of the cairns store. And was there for the opening day with money readings spend.

Lack of service, staff knowledge and automated checkouts that didn't recognise their own barcodes was enough for me. Even though my wife gets a reasonable discount at masters due to working for the Woolworths group we still shop st Bunnings.

Experiences staff (most are semi retired tradesman) and a good range for a chain store are what draws us there.

I'd prefer to shop at a local ply owned hardware store but they simply don't exist anymore with a reasonable range or service.

It was Woolworths own greed that led to this choice.