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New B&Q campaign pushes everyday low prices

Published: 12 February 2013
B&Q has launched a new drive, backed by television advertising, that aims to underline its positioning as a retailer that offers permanently low prices.
New B&Q campaign pushes everyday low prices
The 'Handy prices' campaign promises that B&Q is 'Lowering prices on 100s of everyday products' and 'Lowering prices and holding them down'. The multi-million pound advertising and marketing schedule takes in television, radio and in-store materials.

It comes hot on the heels of the spat that broke out last month when B&Q accused rival retailers of deliberately increasing the prices of some of their kitchens so that they could apparently slash prices later. B&Q, on the other hand, offered its kitchens and bathrooms "at an everyday low price", it said.

Its claims were backed up by research by www.kitchen-compare.com. But some of B&Q's competitors thought B&Q was being hypocritical, while others questioned the validity and independence of the comparison website's findings.

The Handy prices drive covers decorating, flooring, tiles, paint, hardware, tools, garden, bathrooms and heating.

The campaign is the first from B&Q's new agency, Karmarama, and centres on a moving hand to emphasise the Handy prices message.

A B&Q spokesperson told DIY Week: "Offering customers great value for money is paramount to B&Q, and this commitment is highlighted in our brand new and quirky creative from our recently-appointed creative agency."

Comments

Published prior to March 2014
By Peter Bunyan
Bought 750ml tin of dulux non drip paint at B&Q for 13.98.Had to buy another tin,bought it in Haddington East Lothian at Irvines a small hardware store(huge stock though). PAID ONLY 8.99 !!You do the maths SHOP LOCAL
Published prior to March 2014
By Jon
Doesn't surprise me at all. I was looking at some of their kitchen doors for a rental property. 2 weeks ago they were priced at 15 now I've just checked and they have gone up to 27 a massive 55% increase. its absolutely ridiculous.
Published prior to March 2014
By tone
Following the handy prices ad campaign "if you've had enough of dodgy prices, tricksy prices, hurry ticky tocky price?" I felt compelled to write to B&Q about my recent experience... so I did:
I told them that on January 17th 2013, I went to look for tiles in my local B&Q store. I liked the look of the Designer White Matt Wall tile. I took a picture of the price label with product information (dimensions etc) with my phone to see how they would fit in my bathroom.
Once I was ready to purchase the tiles (2 week ago) I went to the store to purchase them.
The price had gone up from 13 to 16. This is what I call dodgy prices. I got to speak to the duty manager and shown them the photo of the price
tag before the 23% increase.
I asked if I could get the 13 per box price but was told that they cannot match their own prices
from a month ago. I was told "Had you seen the same tiles cheaper in Wickes, we could have done the price match". I was also told that had I come
the week before, I could have enjoyed the 20% offer on all tiles. Put the prices up 23% then offer 20% off. Is this not tricksy prices?
B&Q responded saying it was inevitable that products that they range in their stores or on DIY.com may fluctuate in price; in order for them to remain in line with the current retail market...
marvellous
Published prior to March 2014
By Steve
As any independent retailer knows full well and thankfully more and more customers are realising, B&Q prices are on the whole expensive. The only prices that are cheap are their offers in nearly every other case I would back us to be cheaper.

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