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Why can't you get a single screw these days?

droogiefretdroogiefret Posts: 24,117
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in General Discussion #1
I just needed one to fix a chair. There used to be a shop in town that would have sold me one for a penny or two.

But no longer. You have to go to B&Q and buy a whole packet for £2.

And, to make it worse, when I went to save the packet in my box of 'things' I found an identical packet already there. So now I have two packets that will never get used! >:(
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    stoatiestoatie Posts: 78,106
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    #2
    We've still got a local hardware place where you can buy 'em one at a time.
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    LostFoolLostFool Posts: 90,659
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    #3
    There's an innuendo in there somewhere...
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    cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    #4
    Maybe you're just not going to the right places.
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    James FrederickJames Frederick Posts: 53,184
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    #5
    But what if you buy just one and it brakes while using it then you have to go out and buy another
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    bobcarbobcar Posts: 19,424
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    #6
    stoatie wrote: »
    We've still got a local hardware place where you can buy 'em one at a time.

    Lucky you. We had one 5 minutes walk from where I live and it was brilliant, you could almost anything there and in small quantities like single screws. I used to use it a lot but unfortunately most people preferred to drive miles to queue in an out of town DIY store and so they closed :cry: - the high rent and rates didn't help.
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    ElyanElyan Posts: 8,781
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    #7
    James Frederick wrote: »
    But what if you buy just one and it brakes while using it then you have to go out and buy another

    You should be able to really go at with a good screw.
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    Babe RainbowBabe Rainbow Posts: 34,349
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    #8
    James Frederick wrote: »
    But what if you buy just one and it brakes while using it then you have to go out and buy another

    Well that applies to anything you buy one of, doesn't it.

    You wouldn't buy two toasters just in case you drop one on the floor when you open the box.
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    QT 3.14QT 3.14 Posts: 1,771
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    #9
    droogiefret wrote: »
    And, to make it worse, when I went to save the packet in my box of 'things' I found an identical packet already there. So now I have two packets that will never get used! >:(

    Which begs the question, why didn't you bother to check your 'box of things' first?
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    VulpesVulpes Posts: 1,504
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    #10
    Why didn't you go to your 'box of things' in the first place?
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    2shy20072shy2007 Posts: 52,579
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    #11
    Our local hardware shop sells hundreds of different fixings, and you can buy just one if you want.
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    ShrikeShrike Posts: 16,607
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    #12
    bobcar wrote: »
    Lucky you. We had one 5 minutes walk from where I live and it was brilliant, you could almost anything there and in small quantities like single screws. I used to use it a lot but unfortunately most people preferred to drive miles to queue in an out of town DIY store and so they closed :cry: - the high rent and rates didn't help.

    Also the profit on a single screw is going to be tiny - for the same overheads as a pack of 50.

    I did see some loose screws for sale in Wilkinsons recently so maybe there is a shift back to such things?
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    droogiefretdroogiefret Posts: 24,117
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    #13
    QT 3.14 wrote: »
    Which begs the question, why didn't you bother to check your 'box of things' first?

    I do recognise that I don't have a satisfactory answer to that question.
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    TallywackerTallywacker Posts: 1,561
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    #14
    I'm fortunate enough to have one of those hardware stores on my high street that's been there at least 70+ years (probably more) where you can buy a single screw/bolt/nut whatever.
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    James FrederickJames Frederick Posts: 53,184
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    #15
    Babe Rainbow wrote: »
    Well that applies to anything you buy one of, doesn't it.

    You wouldn't buy two toasters just in case you drop one on the floor when you open the box.

    No but you could take that back and get it replaced could you really get a replacement screw if one bent.
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    Babe RainbowBabe Rainbow Posts: 34,349
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    #16
    James Frederick wrote: »
    No but you could take that back and get it replaced could you really get a replacement screw if one bent.

    Not if YOU dropped it on the floor and broke it, no.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6,924
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    #17
    Tallywacker wrote: »
    I'm fortunate enough to have one of those hardware stores on my high street that's been there at least 70+ years (probably more) where you can buy a single screw/bolt/nut whatever.

    Us too. A lot of the stock has been there so long it has Shillings and/or pence on the price labels.
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    James FrederickJames Frederick Posts: 53,184
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    #18
    Babe Rainbow wrote: »
    Not if YOU dropped it on the floor and broke it, no.

    They would have to prove that and it wasn't like that when I opened it.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 8,916
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    #19
    James Frederick wrote: »
    They would have to prove that and it wasn't like that when I opened it.

    Why not just nick the toaster instead? It saves you the hassle of taking back the one you have 'dropped' then.
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    1saintly1saintly Posts: 4,197
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    #20
    droogiefret wrote: »

    But no longer. You have to go to B&Q and buy a whole packet for £2.

    >:(

    Ooooh a whole £2 to repair a chair.

    Tell you what, do buy the £2 pack of screws, just scrap the chair and go out and buy a new set of chairs :o:D
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    FizixFizix Posts: 16,932
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    #21
    Our local hardware stall sells most everything individually. If you're going to chain stores, then they want to sell packs as they likely have a better profit margin on them.
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    TUTV ViewerTUTV Viewer Posts: 6,236
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    #22
    Fizix wrote: »
    They want to sell packs as they likely have a better profit margin on them.

    Loose sharps in a retail outlet is just a menace.

    You can just imagine the squeals as the children stand or fall on them. Then the joy of ambulance chasers getting £s for accidents.
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    Si_CreweSi_Crewe Posts: 40,202
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    #23
    People who have to use places like Wilko or B&Q have my sympathy.

    A couple of quid for a vacuum-formed plastic pack containing half a dozen washers etc!

    Local auto-spares place sells washers for 2p each.
    Same thing with nuts, bolts and screws etc.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,567
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    #24
    Obviously the OP doesn't have well organised shelves of jam jars full of assorted screws , nails, bolts, nuts, rivets, split pins, cotters, spigots, flanges, spandrels, washers, ferrules, spacers, grommets and gudgeons.
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    AndrueAndrue Posts: 23,364
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    #25
    Elyan wrote: »
    You should be able to really go at with a good screw.
    And if it's done properly there should be no pulling out at the last minute.
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    RobinOfLoxleyRobinOfLoxley Posts: 27,040
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    #26
    My local auto shop went bust because Halfords opened a new store half a mile away :-(
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