Ask Me Anything - Just Retired from Beacon Lighting as a Senior Store Manager after 12 Years

SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 07:54

I had a few odd jobs and career jumps throughout my life. Beacon was my last stop. Like many say within the company, I didn’t wake up one day and decide I want to sell lights for a living; it just happened. I got freaking good at it after a few years.

I have designed lights for 750+ residential homes across Victoria during my time and countless commercial spaces.

I have been honest with my suggestions and have given the best managers discretionary prices when being customers are nice and people who couldn’t afford products but hesitant to ask.

Ask me anything about lights, electrical, working in retail or beacon lighting. :)

Introduce Yourself

Related Stores

Beacon Lighting
Beacon Lighting

Comments

    • dust on 02/08/2022 - 09:52

      What function would asbestos play in a lighting product?

      • King Tightarse on 02/08/2022 - 09:53
        +4

        Heat shield, plastic strengthener

  • Muzeeb on 02/08/2022 - 09:52
    -1

    Senior Store Manager

    Senior because you are old or because you had other managers below you?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 10:09
      +4

      Some store manager’s after years get promoted to senior store manager’s if you are working in a Category A store meaning we take care of the bigger picture and store managers look at day to day sales. We also mentor and train other store managers, go to other store’s to help with merchandising, stocktakes and do audits (admin, safety etc).

  • dust on 02/08/2022 - 09:54
    +3

    What kind of lighting do you have at your house?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 10:17
      +13

      Downlights (Custom 10W 100mm downlight, the number 1 downlight we sell and staff favourite), bar pendant over kitchen island bench as it gives a uniform light across the bench, feature pendant over the dining table, I use cougar lighting exterior lights (Coolum) as indoor wall scones (you can use exterior lights inside but not vice versa).

      DC Fans with lights in all the bedrooms. DC fan in the living room. Fans are expensive but they take way less electricity than split system and can help circulate the air.
      When they say DC fans are better, it is and it’s not an upsell.

      It takes way less electricity and easier to install. Some sparkies say otherwise because installing AC fan with wall controller is difficult and more money they make running extra wires and installing them.

      Always keep in mind, it’s your house. Don’t return it because your sparky said they don’t like it. We get that a lot!

      • dust on 02/08/2022 - 10:28

        Yeah nice thanks!

        Ceiling fans are great. Not very common in the southern states but are more popular in like Queensland for example. But agree that it's a cheap and great way to move air around the room without using air conditioning.

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 10:38
          +3

          DC fans take less than 1 cent per hour to run. Imagine that against a split system to push the air down during the winter.

      • Poor Ass on 03/08/2022 - 09:34

        Could I please get a link tot he downlight you are mentioning?

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 15:31
          +1

          https://www.beaconlighting.com.au/ledlux-custom-tri-colour-1…

          I still remember when it was launched at $35 and we thought it’s pricy. As the demand increased so did the price sitting at $52 per downlight.

          • simgue on 03/08/2022 - 16:22

            @SuspiciouslySquishyG: Is there a real difference between the link above and one like this?

            https://reductionrevolution.com.au/products/10w-led-downligh…

            • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 17:06
              +2

              @simgue: The one you mentioned is similar to this - https://www.beaconlighting.com.au/eclipse-maxi-led-colour-sw…

              90mm cut out and built in transformer. As the transformer sits built in and above the downlight, using it for prolonged time makes them go out and once it dies you will have to replace the entire fitting (which by then they might not make them anymore forcing you to search for something similar. If you have OCD, you can’t un see that one look’s different to the other Downlights in the same space).

              Having replaceable driver’s means you can place the driver 100-200mm away from the Downlights so the heat isn’t concentrated in one section and if and when it fails, you can just buy a driver from $3-7 that sits above your ceiling and have a brand new downlight.

        • seabombs on 03/08/2022 - 16:31
          +1

          I would guess it's this: https://www.beaconlighting.com.au/ledlux-custom-tri-colour-1…

          • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 17:08

            @seabombs: That’s the one I have and recommend. There is a newer version to this which is 14W (a lot brighter) and comes with colour switching via the wall switch. Meaning you can flick the wall switch off and on immediately to change from warm white to cool white to day light depending on what colour you like and what you are doing.

            I know there’s going to be many more Downlights later this year and early next year with this colour switching via wall switch tech.

  • rawm on 02/08/2022 - 10:07
    +1

    Thanks for your years of service, BubblyBear - You helped many see the light.

    1. What is your opinion of the future of sales based jobs? Ie. Base salary + Commission?

    2. How do you think COVID changed the lighting business?

    3. Were you officially farewelled? Was there a gift or announcement or other made? Surely after 12 years of service…

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 10:37
      +6

      1. Sales is vital for any business. Without the sales team, there isn’t any business. Nowadays companies reduce the salary and give them in commissions and they act as a motivational factor to sell more. The more you sell, the more money you end up making. I know TGG does it and they make $350-500 in commissions per white appliance they sell that’s on focus.

      2. It really did. Short supply, increased prices, disgruntled customers. We got tired of customers coming in and yelling at our staff because the order is delayed or the prices have gone up since they last saw. They don’t understand we just work there and we have little to no control over logistics and prices.
        If a customer is nice, I will go above and beyond to help a customer and see their dream home come to life and it’s worth it.

      3. Officially not really. Just a state wide email acknowledging my work and my years of service. We had a team bowling night and dinner and it was nice to catch up with everyone in the team and just relax and have fun.

      Like most companies, once someone valuable decides to leave or retire, they start treating you differently. Plus they stop your staff discounts and commissions (last three months) as soon as you inform them. :(

      • BewareOfThe Dog on 02/08/2022 - 11:05
        +2

        I at least had Staff discounts available till the day I left HN, but like you there was no commission after I put my notice in (Revising my commission was one of the reasons I left in the 1st place. I ended up putting sales in other staff members names over that 4 week period.

        • John Kimble on 02/08/2022 - 11:16

          I wonder why they stop commissions on notice?

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 12:11
          +1

          That’s nice of you.
          Surprisingly, staff still put sales under them even on notice period so others don’t get commissions knowing they are also not gonna get it.

          I have seen it all.

  • JimB on 02/08/2022 - 11:43
    +1

    I found that Beacon are pretty on the ball with lighting trends. So your buyers/designers are pretty good.

    What's the percentage of light fittings sold which are Beacon's own brand vs other brands that other stores can buy/sell?

    Warm white or cool white?

    Not a question but comment. I have noted that the LEDs downlights offered at Beacon are terrible overpriced. I'm referring to the decent downlights, e.g. anti-glare recessed, high lumens and high CRI.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 12:13

      Lucci and MFL are our brands. 99% of the lights are our brand. Occasionally we do get lights from Lumi, Cougar (my favourite), Mercator, Azoogi, CLA, Green earth etc for specific needs.

      • JimB on 02/08/2022 - 12:53

        Thought so (Lucci and MFL)

        Incidentally, I have Cougar predator downlights 3000k.

        Got them for a steal on clearance.. purchased 100 for my house @ $20 each.

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 13:20

          Yeah. Sometimes we sell products wayyy below the cost as it costs us more to hold them rather sell them for dirt cheap and take a bit of a hit on the margin.

          The real problem comes if you want to claim warranty or buy more as we won’t have any and free replacement for the price you paid. At $20, there isn’t a lot of Downlights forcing you to pay more (with Downlights, some cases to drill the hole much wider).

          • JimB on 02/08/2022 - 14:07

            @SuspiciouslySquishyG: I purchased them from JD Lighting.

            I purchased about 10 extra just in case they die (and can't find replacements), fortunately 2.5years on wards not one has needed replacing.

            • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 18:23
              +2

              @JimB: LEDs fail very rarely. If they are defective, they fail in the first week or two. Else they Will last for years and years to come.

              When it’s dying, it will slowly start to fade before turning off for good.

              That’s why everyone including us give 3 year warranty because we know they don’t fail that easily.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 12:35
      +1

      The buying team and designers are pretty darn good at sourcing the best trends almost all the time. Very few companies who actively take feedback and bring out new designs and colours based on the demand.

      Warm white in places you want to relax and cool white in places you want colour accuracy and for productivity.

  • sharkyoz on 02/08/2022 - 11:49

    I have a few big cabinets with glass shelves and mirror backs to display my uranium glass.
    Can you recommend me a white/uv led light string?
    Or will I have to have 1 of each? The white is for normal display while the uv blacklight causes the uranium in pieces to glow green.
    Cabinets are 2m tall.

  • silenthillrocks on 02/08/2022 - 11:50

    Did beacon lighting bring home the bacon?

  • dontboopthesnoot on 02/08/2022 - 12:07
    +1

    Username checks out

  • Adredocto on 02/08/2022 - 12:21
    +7

    You are doing this wrong. AMAs on OzB tend to have disappearing OPs.

    Good insight into a life in sales. Thanks 😁

  • jv on 02/08/2022 - 12:25
    -5

    Ask Me Anything

    What colour underwear are you wearing?

  • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 12:35

    :/

  • uncompressed on 02/08/2022 - 12:45

    What would you recommend for light centered above the garage entrance?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 13:38
      +1

      Floyd if it’s outside under eaves. Downlights would still be my go to undereave and up/down wall lights around the sides. Downlights are cheap and floods the space with light.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/08/2022 - 13:57

    If you were to open your own lighting store, what profit margin would you price your products for? If a certain light costs you $100, how much would you typically sell it for and how much profit would you make off that light eventually?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 02/08/2022 - 18:21
      +6

      Hypothetically speaking, margins are around 65-80% on average. Please be mindful I cant say what the companies I have worked with have but 60-70% profit margin would be a good start.
      They need to make money at the end of the day and most of the time, you buy them for 15-25% off. Clearance at 50% off. They need to still make money on top of that.

      One of the things I never ever do after working in many retail shops is that I never buy things at full price. Always set an alert at ozbargains and camelx3 to see the price trend is before buying anything.

  • Heaps for Cheaps on 02/08/2022 - 15:13
    +1

    Thanks for the AMA. I hope you are enjoying this new part of your life.

    My question is: This Great JJ Floor lamp is 16k in Australia.
    https://customlighting.com.au/product/the-great-jj-floor-lam…

    What would the approx cost price be? I am interested in how much mark-up there is on designer products.

  • El cheepo on 02/08/2022 - 17:44
    +2

    This Ama had been quite enlightening…

  • Qazxswec on 02/08/2022 - 17:48
    -1

    Do these pants make my butt look big?

  • Wasabi Ninja on 03/08/2022 - 00:10
    +3

    Nothing to ask. But congrats on your retirement. Enjoy making memories with the grandkids and family.

  • baskinghobo on 03/08/2022 - 00:27

    What do you think about modern lights having planned obsolescence?

    • luminousfox on 03/08/2022 - 06:56

      I'd always steer customers away from getting products with built in led's and be really happy when beacon would release products with globes options, meant it could be tailored a bit more with brightness and color temp and future proof the product more. Dealing with integrated led product returns/warranty calls was fairly common, and a lot of the products had shamefully short warranties. (Used to work there)

      • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 07:59
        +2

        I would disagree on this. I understand where you are coming from and many customers feel the same. Having a products that takes a globe gives you comfort knowing when it fails, you know how to change and make them work again. But having worked in a lighting for more than a decade, I can confidently say integrated LEDs are better than anything that takes the globe as they work as one unit and components can communicate better with each other. LEDs don’t fail easily but even if they do, go and mention the model and ask for the driver if it’s outside the warranty as the driver costs $10-30 and makes them work as brand new. LED themselves don’t really fail and it’s the driver that’s powering them up. You change the driver and it’s new.

        Easiest way to explain is take your phone and phone chargers. You can either go to Apple and buy a new chargers or go to Ankit for example and get the same lighting cable. Same way, you can get the driver from AWM or Middys as long as the input and output matches. You do need an electrician to replace that but trust me, it’s worth it.

        Also integrated led units come handy in outdoor fittings as they are completely sealed and have better IP ratings than anything that takes a globe. If it takes a globe, there is an opening and closing. If you don’t close the lid properly after changing the globe, it can cause water damage.

        Integrated LEDs can now change colour and brightness built in which is a nice add on for many.

  • hashtagbargain on 03/08/2022 - 00:49

    Hey op which city are you based in? Is the work culture within beacon different based on the region/geography? What is the name top profit maker item by unit and by volume? Hope you enjoy retirement!

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 08:03
      +1

      Work culture differs from store to store depends on management. The upper most management is really good but middle management isn’t. I have seen many staff quit due to how their store managers run the show. For state managers, as long as the store brings in results, they don’t care what happens within and they blindly go with what store managers say which is sad.

      Globes and fans have great margin and Made by Mayfair with alabaster shade are really really expensive and we sell a lot of them. ;)

  • rezok on 03/08/2022 - 06:40
    +1

    Looking at light switches and power points for a new build.

    Love buster and punch which some of your stories stock. Is it worth it? What could a discount be? Anything else worth looking at this is contemporary and doesn’t feel like Bunnings?

    Dimmers and LED illuminated switches would be helpful. The ones that have a blue or orange dot on the button…

    I thanks for the AMA!

    • luminousfox on 03/08/2022 - 07:08
      +1

      The buster and punch switches used to be my favorite!, they were lovely well built,used a lot of metal and had amazing details, but around middle of last year they changed the manufacturing processes to meet some australian standards which turned them to plastic frames with bad injection moulding/added their branding to the switch plate and overall reduced the quality of the switch. I think it was due to it originally being a UK company selling them and altering them slightly for the aus audience before finding out that some changes needed to be made to meet standards and also that metal frames probably aren't great when installed improperly, we'd also hear customers buying them cheaper from the UK. The buster punch dimmers had huge warranty issues! and apparently were a frequent callout issue with our internal warranty electricians, even our store display for showcasing our light strip would fail frequently because they would use electronic dimmers rather than the traditional type with the potentiometers that could be adjusted to set the voltage start, power outages or random issues would reset this voltage sometimes and make it so the base voltage was set to the lowest which means some lights wouldn't even receive enough to turn on. Not sure if there's been any changes since, i quit about 7 months ago but keep it in mind. Clipsal does nice illuminated switches in their saturn range! (Not op)

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 08:07
      +1

      B+P is good but like the @luminousfox mentioned, we had a lot of issues last year with all the switches breaking and switching from metal to plastic yet keeping the same price. I would steer away from them and get Clipsal. Lucci Power is good and we sell a lot of matte black switches but still have a long way to come before I can confidently recommend.

      I personally use Clipsal at my house even though we get really good discounts for our products. I guess they should say a lot about those switches :(

  • mousie on 03/08/2022 - 06:45

    What's the product lifecycle for lighting, how often would they change planograms?

    • luminousfox on 03/08/2022 - 06:51
      +1

      Ranges would change by summer/winter and new catalogs and product launches would happen then. Planograms would change for sure then, but also randomly throughout the year as the items from the summer and winter catalogs found their best sellers (pushed to front of store) and old products went out of range (back of store/low traffic zones). usually popular items would stay on for a good 3 years, but some would be gone within the year if they weren't good sellers. Not op but used to work there!

      • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 08:09

        Hey luminous fox! Great to see a fellow beaconite :)
        From store or support center? :)

  • Vote for Pedro on 03/08/2022 - 07:26

    A friend of mine went to a job interview at the local store and the store manager described beacon as the Chanel of perfumes and started talking about how she expects workers to have passion for lighting. Seriously?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 07:41
      +10

      It’s perspective. I’m very realistic. I expect no one to know about lights and no one comes to work at a lighting shop because they love to sell lights. No one ever wakes up one day and dreams of working at a lighting shop. It just happens!
      As long as someone is nice, customer focused, can sell and have the interest to learn - it’s good for me.

      • Vote for Pedro on 03/08/2022 - 08:08
        +6

        Nice to meet a normal human being that manages retail. Wish you all the best in your retirement and spending wonderful time with the grandkids

  • Dreamcast on 03/08/2022 - 07:56

    Was life brighter with beacon?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 08:12
      +6

      I had a good run. As with anything, I had my fair share of ups and downs but life moves on yeh!
      A bit weird though as you now get up and don’t have a workplace to get ready and go.

  • dane005 on 03/08/2022 - 07:57
    +1

    Who sets up all your display lights? Do the stores have an in house electrician?
    Hope they are paid well, personally I don't envy that person, as a sparky, Lucci were some of the worst lights I had to fit off, such low quality fiddly fittings.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 08:15

      Depends on the store. Most store’s do the fitting ourselves. They come prewired with a plug and play to install. Anything that requires a sparky like chandelier points, fans and pendants with chains that are adjusted in store, we install them and we get a sparky or our internally electricians to come and wire them up.

      Our store was one of the biggest and we have our own stock and maintenance person who does installs, paperwork and pallets.

      Most other stores, sales associates get the hang of it and just do it. No real training but we just learn on the job.

  • Iwantthatbargain on 03/08/2022 - 07:57

    Where are your heading now? Opening own lighting store, or working for a new employer?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 08:15
      +7

      Retired. Have grandkids to take care of, school drop offs and pick ups, making yummy lunch and weekend picnics :)

  • werdnanostaw on 03/08/2022 - 07:58

    What's a planogram?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 08:37

      Planogram basically consists of two things designed by the merchandising team for each store.

      Floor planogram that tells us which range is going on which section as an overview.
      Individual planograms which is very complex tells us which product is going where within the space (mm from the front, side and back and it needs to be precise as we get audited), the length it needs to hang from and what globe it needs to go in them.

      It’s very detailed to show the products how they imagined it should look like.

  • Slippery Fish on 03/08/2022 - 07:59

    What's the most illuminating thing you learned from a customer

  • SgtBatten on 03/08/2022 - 09:30

    Why are zigbee switches so expensive?

  • timmy_tam on 03/08/2022 - 09:55

    you always see the lights on overnight in the lighting stores.
    and not just one or two, but EVERY light

    what was the electrical bill like?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 10:03
      +4

      It’s a very common question we get asked. It’s actually less than a common 2 bedroom house and 90% of the stores have Solar panels throughout the roof and have a battery pack to store and reuse. Plus it’s all LED which takes less power and except one or two lights per bay, everything else is on timer with motion sensors. When there’s no customers most of the lights are off saving us power.

      I have also seen some manager’s get really paranoid and turn the hvac off when it’s a really quiet day. Luckily, I realise it’s not my money and staff are still humans who need to work in a nice environment with right temperature.

      • timmy_tam on 03/08/2022 - 13:00

        so these stores had solar and batteries before batteries were as popular as they are now?

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 15:34

          Well before. Our store had batteries from 2010 until recently it got an upgrade 3 years ago.

  • Homr on 03/08/2022 - 11:11

    In the 12 years, did you work your way up to Senior Store Manager or did you held that title for 12 years?

    Were you thinking of advancing your career in the same workplace? Like being Area Manager or another position in head office?

    How old are you?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 15:42
      +1

      I joined as a full time sales associate and trade consultant but quickly moved to assistant store manager and then store manager. Stay there for a while before moving up to the senior store manager. I was offered roles in other states as the assistant state manager but my other half was happy with the job and didn’t feel like moving our whole life to start again. Sometimes I realise career is not the only thing in life.

      Overtime, I just got used to doing this day in and day out and got little too comfortable.

      • Homr on 03/08/2022 - 15:51
        +1

        Fair call, I agree that moving does take a toll.

        My employer is single and last time he gave me a black face when I rejected a move interstate and made a comment that I didn't want to further my skills any further.

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 16:59
          +1

          Yeah. I had the same response given by the executive team when I decided to retire. They were not happy one bit and how they treated me changed so quickly after that initial phone call.

          Years of service and loyalty meant nothing after that.

  • Brick Tamland on 03/08/2022 - 11:14

    What's the electricity bill like with all those lights running all the time?

    What's your opinion on the quality of the ceiling fans? I purchased one recently and it was junk from day one but fairly expensive to buy.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 14:41
      +1

      I answered above for electricity bill but it’s actually very less as we have Solar panels and battery pack at most stores.

      Ceiling fans are good depends on which model you get.
      Type A is our number one selling fan and staff favourite.
      Next would be Whitehaven, radar, line, aria etc.

      • Brick Tamland on 03/08/2022 - 16:38

        Thanks. I think I bought a really cheap one thinking it was expensive. The Type A and Whitehaven is definitely more money then I spent before. I ended up buying a Big Ass fan to replace it.

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 16:57
          +1

          Big ass fans are great. The closest we have in that air flow will be Type A, Resort and Abyss in 70”. Great airflow at a very expensive price.

  • GuitarNeo on 03/08/2022 - 11:29

    Thanks for doing this.

    I recently upgraded to downlights and didnt realise how bright they are! :-)

    Can you recommend some ideas on how to manage number of lights in an area? how to make a plan to cut down on lighting

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 14:05
      +1

      Always create different zones in your space with different switches. Turn one switch to half of the lights on and the other switch when you have guest over and want that extra bit of light.

      Run a dimmer switch to lights in main areas like living room, kitchen, dining and master bedroom. It is slightly expensive to run dimmer but totally worth it. You can have the full brightness when using and turn it down and set it as a nice mood light in the evening.

      Face lights towards wall or ceiling to give a nice diffused ambient light.

      If Downlights, go with recessed one’s. Same brightness but since it’s recessed it gives a nice arc on the wall and don’t hurt your eyes when sitting underneath it.

  • Munki on 03/08/2022 - 12:06
    +1

    I genuinely read that as Bacon Lighting.

  • hashtagbargain on 03/08/2022 - 14:09

    Hey mate One of my downlights recently started flickering and then one day just gave up.

    https://imgur.com/a/r5DGqI6

    How/where do I source a replacement? Closest alternative? I hope this is diy. Thx.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 14:38
      +1

      That’s a 12V downlight with 70mm cut out. We don’t sell them anymore. You can buy an MR16 globe to replace the globe. Else go to Middys and get an 12V downlight and transformer to replace the whole unit.

      Long term and permanent solution would be to replace the whole thing with 240V downlight that comes with a plug. Nowadays Downlights can change colour and brightness and lasts longer. I would recommend Eclipse mini or custom 70mm downlight. I would personally lean towards custom as it’s recessed and can gobble to highlight an artwork or feature wall but they are also expensive.

  • Weezle on 03/08/2022 - 14:40

    When is the best time to buy ceiling fans with lights? Any recommendations for good quality ones that have a heating function too?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 15:04
      +3

      When there is 25% off all lights and fans promo. Ishu ally thr promo is twice the year around March and Nov. 25% Will be the cheapest you can buy for. You Will see many promos under different name’s but 25% Will be the lowest per item you can get discounts on. Unless it’s deleted and then it’s usually 50% off to clear it off.

      I don’t recommend buying clearance items as I have seen many having issues when it comes to warranty claims or buying more but for the price, can’t beat it.

  • kev98 on 03/08/2022 - 15:08
    +5

    Interesting read BubblyBear. Enjoy your retirement!

  • muzzamo on 03/08/2022 - 15:43

    Could you tell which customers were clearly buying stuff they were planning to wire up themselves without a sparkie?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 16:56
      +3

      Yeah. We know. We just tell them not to explicitly tell us for moral reasons. If something happens, they won’t be able to claim warranty as we need the sparkies REC number when something happens to know if it was installed by a certified sparky.

      Sometimes we just replace in store to make the customer happy and handle it as damaged in transit.

  • isthisreallife22 on 03/08/2022 - 15:48

    Any tips on getting free design consultations and massive discounts - I'd like to improve my lighting but fearful to spend any real $$ to get started and also fearful that I'll end up getting ripped off

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 16:52
      +3

      Sign up for a VIP account (you just need to provide your email address for marketing) and you get a free in stock and in home consult.
      If not, all trade accounts get free in home and studio design consults for free.

      Also most store’s don’t charge you (including ours) where we just went to their home and did the consult free of charge and just trusted they are gonna buy from us. We sometimes spend days on a project and they take the products recommended to a wholesaler and buy them for a lot cheaper; some times they do end up buying. For us, seeing through the end result is worth it.

      You don’t have to do everything at once. Just upgrade the Downlights, fans and exhaust. Then outdoor lights and then misc.

      I would recommend budget version of custom downlight (which is staff favourite) which is Flare (almost same spec but budget range and less build quality and non replaceable driver). For $12 they are one heck of a downlight worth every penny.

      Ceiling Fans - do basic DC fans like banksia or slipstream. They do phenomenal job for the price.
      If not DC fans, go with Aria. Hands down the top 5 fans we sell.

      Exhaust - premium Hi flow is the cheapest and highest air flow. But I would recommend Mett IP or Reef.

      Let me know if you need any other recommendations.

  • StonedWizard on 03/08/2022 - 16:10

    Do you have any recommendations on a bathroom exhaust which is activated by a motion sensor?

    Panasonic has one, but it’s a small fan. So I don’t think it would offer great performance.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 16:54

      Panasonic is great but not the highest airflow but they are DC exhaust fans which are quieter and takes way less electricity to run.

      We don’t have any other motion activated exhaust fans but if you have really high air flow go with Mett in line. It has a face plate and a massive separate motor which can be placed on the other end of the house making them really quiet.

  • simgue on 03/08/2022 - 17:28

    OP what's your opinion on smart lighting?

    Would you recommend trying to set up everything from the light globe itself (i.e. Philips Hue), at the switch (i.e. Deta Smart Switch) or via the wiring (i.e. Shelley)?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 18:01
      +2

      Main areas where you need changing colour and brightness, you can do smart lighting. Ex - living, kitchen, master bedroom and home theatre.
      General areas where you need to automate turning it on/off, do smart switches. Ex - Hallway, outdoor and garage lights.

      Keep in mind smart lighting is really expensive compared to smart switches.

      Nowadays many customers also put smart switches in bathroom to have the exhaust on for 30 mins from the time it turns on so it stays on after you leave the shower to remove the moisture and mould build up. Convenient and easy to do

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join