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

  • Heaps for Cheaps on 03/08/2022 - 18:27

    Do you ever use a color meter to measure the quality of light?
    I have come to notice, particularly with LED's, that there can be a particularly ugly tint to green as well as general light quality.
    Do you agree or even notice this yourself?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 21:46
      +1

      I haven’t measured anything but I’m a number’s person. I can tell my the CRI, beam angle, colour temperature, the quality of the LED diode, lumen output, wattage, transformer/driver it uses etc to determine the quality of the fixture.

      All fixtures are different and that’s how companies differentiate between ok, good and the best at different price points.

  • amsaini15 on 03/08/2022 - 18:37

    Would you have good electrical plan for a double storey? I am building my house but dont know where to place regular switches and where smart switches. Ctec boards are best option or something else?

    Can you suggest smart dimmable rgb downlights (good priced) for home theatre?

    I like your suggestion about having switch to turn on half lights in family, Dining space for yourself and full lights on for guests.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 21:52
      +1

      Who are you building with? Private with a lot of flexibility or a volume builder with very little wiggle room? How much extra are you willing to spend because for every extra switch you add, there’s labour and wiring that needs to be run.
      Smart lighting and switches depends on which assistant you use as some brands work better with certain assistants.

      Always create different layers of lighting. Main focus/functional lights for task oriented, ambient/mood light for evening relaxation etc.

      Tell me your suburb and I will recommend the best lighting consultant in a nearby store who can help you create a lighting plan.

      Speak to your builder or sparky to see if they have a trade account and if they are okay to put your order under them. You pay for it.

      With their account, you get a flat 25% off which is the maximum beacon lighting offers. They are recently launched trade essential which are the top products tradies buy which gets 30-45% off which is massive. You will save a lot as it quickly adds up.

      • amsaini15 on 03/08/2022 - 23:13

        Awesome mate. Postcode is 2765. Would be great to discuss plan and requirements with someone.
        Will check with builder (private) about trade account as well.

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 08:34
          +1

          Then McGrath Hill and Castle Hill will be the closest store’s with an accredited lighting consultant. Call and book an appointment with one before you first walk in.
          Check with your builder, if they don’t have one - sign them up online through here - https://www.beaconlighting.com.au/trade/customer/account/cre…
          And you can put the order under them and pay for it to get the discounts. He gets the points and the job. Win win situation.

  • Bunnyburger on 03/08/2022 - 20:12

    What are margins like?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 21:43

      I CaNt give you an actual number on this unfortunately but if you go back I have given a rough guide which kinda applies. Once again, I cant say that as it’s part of our NDA.

  • ranakuldeep on 03/08/2022 - 20:20

    @Bubbly Bear* Maximum discount can be offered to the customer /customers with the manager's discretion

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 21:42
      +3

      25% off RRP on Lucci products without raising a flag in the system.

      If it’s deleted and been sitting for a while, I usually drop it straight to 90-97% off taking a massive hit on the margin but at least we clear all deleted products to make space for products we can sell for much higher margin. So taking a hit on the margin with deleted is okay; once again deleted products and how much you discount them is dependent on the store and the manager’s discretion. Not many manager’s will do that as it affects the overall P&L (which manager’s commissions are based of) and they don’t want to lose any money.

  • akyeeeahdude on 03/08/2022 - 21:58

    I've got to ask - why do people seem to love led downlights that have a non removable globe? I know you touched on this somewhat in previous posts but I don't understand what the benefit is in using an integrated unit instead of my 240v GU10 existing downlights which give me the flexibility of using whatever globes I want

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 22:02
      +1

      Unless you put a smart GU10 glove, you can’t change colour or brightness (without a dimmer switch).

      Integrated LED Downlights work better overall (colour accuracy, beam angle etc), can change colour and brightness through the wall switch nowadays. If and when it fails, you change the removable driver that sits in the ceiling for $3-7 and have a like new downlight.

  • Bing0 on 03/08/2022 - 22:02

    I have fond memories of Beacon Lighting in Mentone only because it signaled that my Grandmas house was only minutes away as a child (when a 30min trip felt like 8hrs). I buy my lights from Kmart and globes from Coles now though sorry.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 03/08/2022 - 22:05
      +2

      Just because you work at Lamborghini showroom, doesn’t seem you should own one. We too buy lights and fans elsewhere depending on our budget and what best suits our needs.

      LED Globes are cheaper elsewhere but beacon offers free 3 year warranty on them unlike others. IXL heat globes, definitely buy from Bunnings. Everyday globes, I would still go to beacon to buy mine whenever I need one.

      • Bing0 on 03/08/2022 - 23:16
        +1

        Yep, definitely wasn't trying to imply you or Beacon are too snobby either… in fact your answers here have shown the value in using a specialist store (and manager) I may have not considered before :)

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 07:39
          +1

          It is after all a sales job and depends on who you deal with, they are either very nice or too pushy so they can make their budget.

          I try and treat everyone as I would like to be treated and that’s what I teach my staff. At the end of the day, customers are also humans and try to be honest and genuine in your advice. If they can find a better product at a cheaper price, I wouldn’t mind advising that as every dollar counts when building or renovation. We know a lot about lighting and they are walking in hoping to get the best advice possible and I try my best to offer that.

  • kaoz on 03/08/2022 - 22:10

    Have you got any recommendations for LED strip lighting? We are planning to use passive lighting throughout the house by lining the corners of the living areas and bed rooms with two led strips- one to shine along the ceiling, one down the wall - all on a dimmer to create ambience. I know this will cost us a small fortune but as an owner builder I can save in other areas and splurge on a few things I’m particular on. Can you recommend brands or certain products that are great quality/durable and won’t necesarrily break the bank too much? Same question for LED bathroom mirrors.
    Thank you btw for taking the time and answering everyone’s questions honestly and to your best ability. I’m sure everyone here is highly appreciative of your gift to this community!!

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 07:44
      +3

      Beacon has a few brands of led strip lighting. But compared to them, I love the quality of Azoogi led strips and that’s what would recommend personally. Not everyone at beacon know we can get it from them as it’s an external supplier and we charge a margin of 2.5x on top of what they quote us.

      I would advise you to send an email directly to Azoogi and mention you were referred my beacon lighting, this is the length of led strip you require in warm white, aluminium profile required and a compatible dimmable driver to power them up. Mention you are a builder (not owner builder) and wanting a quote and availability.

      They would be much cheaper than beacon and at least twice the quality with the led strips.

      • kaoz on 04/08/2022 - 21:11
        +1

        That is some really good advise, thank you so much for your time and wisdom!
        I will have a look at and contact Azoogi for a quote for the led strips. Again, thank you so much!
        I actually have one more question, if you don’t mind? Are there any LED bathroom mirrors (with the LED shining toward the user, instead of backlighting the mirror) that allow the user to replace the LEDs if/when they eventually fail? Most mirrors I’ve researched will not allow one to replace the strips, which I find incredibly wasteful & expensive. A brand recommendation would be fantastic, also.
        Many thanks again, you’re an absolute legend!

  • serpserpserp on 03/08/2022 - 22:12
    +1

    When you retired did you just walk out the door half way through your shift and they said "where you going?" and your reply was "Australian lighting!"

    • Heaps for Cheaps on 03/08/2022 - 22:19

      lol!

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 07:45

      Nah. Served my one month notice period for a proper hand over. There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes with reports, stock maintenance and ticketing.

  • banaltheory on 03/08/2022 - 23:05

    Congrats on your retirement!
    Do you have any advice or recommendations on pendant bar light for the kitchen benchtop?
    Is it better to go with individually lensed LED vs diffused style?
    Are there specific brands that have a high failure rate that should be avoided, and what's the best bang for buck?
    Curious to know what you have in your kitchen?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 07:50
      +2

      Depends on your island bench. Try and cover 60-80% of the length.
      The best selling is MFL Pearce as you can adjust the height at any time, followed my MFL Fleming. Then you have cedar, Contempo and Strix working down in price and quality. If you want brass, you have Luella (really expensive as it’s alabaster stone; very subjective on its worth) filled by Rivit, Presley and avenue.

      Luella in brass rrp is $2899 and the staff price is $800 and the store, head office and the manufacturer still have profit on them.*to the commentators who asked for margin. 🙊

  • CalmLemons on 03/08/2022 - 23:31

    How much does a normal store turn over? GP, net profit?

    Turnover figure would be fine :)

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 07:57

      It’s confidential information but net profit/loss is dependent on individual store and how it is run. I have never seen a store not met their target or a loss in years.
      Running a store has hundreds of expenses on top of POS sales but in the end, we will make a lot of money thanks to the margins we have.
      We want some customers to buy at full rrp to compensate the loss we make with deleted items at 90-95% off. For every deleted item we sell, we lose money. We need that from somewhere else to make up for it.

      • CalmLemons on 05/08/2022 - 00:25

        Do stores do $2m? $10m? $20m? p/A

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 05/08/2022 - 07:45

          I know the top seller for the last FY for VAT made $2M herself from just trade sales. Cat A store’s does $100,000-120,000 a week while some store’s does $30,000 a week. Depends on our clientele and location.

  • wau2 on 04/08/2022 - 01:25

    What kind of led do you recommend for energy efficiency? Something ic rated so I can cover with insulation.

  • Yiddos on 04/08/2022 - 06:41
    +1

    Really enjoyreading your AMA. There are sales person that you avoid quickly after a few exchanges, and there are sales person like you. Good on you mate!

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 07:54
      +4

      It’s sales after all but be human first. There is no point pushing a $1000 fan to a customer who is after a $200 fan because you haven’t met your monthly target.
      Also if it’s available cheaper elsewhere, I usually ask them to buy it from there. At least they will know I’m being honest and it will build a good relationship and trust when they want something in the future.

  • Skramit on 04/08/2022 - 09:02

    What is the margin for the store on a typical LED downlight? I was always horrified how much LED downlights were at beacon compared to other online outlets.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 09:10

      I have covered margin in a few comments but prices have gone up significantly in the last three years due to covid and few other factors.

      Get it from your trade as that’s the cheapest you will get, unless you have a very close beacon lighting employee friend who is willing to use their annual staff discount allowance for you.
      $500 per FY for casuals, $1000 for PT and $1500 for FT/manager’s with few exceptions. Staff discounts are cost + 10%. Obviously if the margin is 70% on average for example, that’s almost half price. ;)

  • Snowie on 04/08/2022 - 09:35
    +3

    Enlightening AMA - thanks for your time to share this.

  • skillet on 04/08/2022 - 10:04

    Plenty of 'clone' furnitures for sale in Australia. What do you think of bootleg copies lighting?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 10:33
      +1

      A lot. I don’t know who is copying from whom. We also know they all buy from the same manufacturer in China and tweak the name/packaging depending on your branding.

      You will see many similar products amongst Beacon, Cougar, Mercator, Lumi etc. while one costs $200 while the other costs $2000 depending on their brand and how people perceive that brand.

  • rentonc on 04/08/2022 - 11:36

    Do you find many people are aware of the NCC requirements for Watts per square metre for lighting?
    Do you find that many people just install whatever they want anyway?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 12:52
      +1

      If you speak to an accredited lighting consultant, yes. Not everyone knows but they pretend to. As a lighting consultant, we learn in detail about architectural lighting and get a certification from the Australian Lighting Council.

  • Russ on 04/08/2022 - 12:52

    Is it possible to get heat globes (e.g. for bathroom heating) that aren't blindingly bright?

    I've seen some globes for heat-treating sporting injuries that have deep-red glass on the front of them, but when I looked to buy some, I could only see them on eBay, and they were only 220V rated. Knowing that incandescent bulbs have a dramatically shorter life when run at higher-than-rated voltage, I didn't pursue those bulbs.

    So are there other options for heating bulbs?

    P.s. my bathroom is only 1.8m wide, so I can't fit a standard radiant heater, they require 1m clearance to the walls.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 12:57
      +2

      Those are speciality globes that beacon doesn’t sell. Incandescent/halogen globes get hot when doesn’t last long when touched with your hands and no guarantee. Sometimes they last for 15 years, sometimes for 1 day.

      If you are looking for bathroom heat light, there are newer generation of those (IXL luminate) and our version of it (Tempair). They look like a plain sheet of glass when it’s on and takes way less electricity. But since the technology is new, the price is also higher.

      I do know beacon is about to launch Mett 4 in 1. Really great technology of bathroom heat lamps that can heat and cool the bathroom and doesn’t take any globes and takes the same electricity as one ceiling fan (roughly 35W) compared to traditional heat lamps (4x375W).

      • Russ on 04/08/2022 - 13:29

        But since the technology is new, the price is also higher.

        Ouch, yes, I see what you mean by expensive, $500 to $800.

        I'll see if I can convince my electrician to do an experiment with my 4-lamp IXL Tastic clone, wiring two bulbs in series. In theory I should get one-quarter of the power consumption, but almost all of that should be produced as heat. Also, bulb resistance is lower at lower filament temperature, so power consumption may not be quite as low as one quarter.

        Do you know if my strategy is likely to work? It's like running each bulb on a dimmer, significantly reducing the light output but hopefully not reducing the generated heat as much.

      • Jackson on 04/08/2022 - 16:26

        what kinds of tech can heat a bathroom with 35W?!?

        • Russ on 04/08/2022 - 19:35
          +1

          I think he's been given incomplete specs, 35W sounds about right for fan+lights only, no heating.

          The average human puts out about 100W of heat, so 35W of additional heating is insignificant.

          Really great technology of bathroom heat lamps that can heat and cool the bathroom

          At 35W, the "cooling" must be fan cooling, not refrigerative.

  • eug on 04/08/2022 - 13:13

    If you did this AMA while you were still working there, you would have probably gotten a few more customers!

    When you mention $3-7 replacement LED drivers, what brands are you referring to? I've had to replace a number of larger (36W) CC LED drivers and went with Meanwell for their reliability, but they were pretty expensive. Is there a low-cost brand that's actually reliable?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 14:48

      Most drivers are made by the same manufacturers rebranded to their convenience.
      Go to Middys and show your existing driver, as long as the input and output wattage matches they are all the same.

    • Jackson on 04/08/2022 - 16:24

      he may have also got sacked :-p I've see companies do worse

  • lothus777 on 04/08/2022 - 14:05
    +1

    As long as you enjoyed your job, thats all it matters 😌

  • Gary Gary Gary on 04/08/2022 - 15:26

    In hindsight what do you really wish you did in life? Not having a jab, but just wondering if you daydreamed of alternate life choices through those 12 years?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 04/08/2022 - 15:49
      +1

      Started in IT. Probably a start up.

      • slowmo on 04/08/2022 - 16:24
        +1

        not too late to start again if you have the energy, some skills are transferrable (eg project management, handling people) just imo.

  • Jackson on 04/08/2022 - 16:23

    Thanks OP for your time and effort. A few quesitons:

    1. Do I have to put downlights in? Speaking to builders they tell me I am an idiot for not doing it. I don't see the point in the bedrooms, and I'd rather thave (and already purchased) DC fans with 2 tone warm/daylight lights integrated. I kinds don't see the point in downlights there, although builders all say I will lose money at sale time
    2. Downstairs, ok downlights are something to consider, but why do people put 10 downlights all on one switch with no dimmer? I don't want to live in the makeup aisle of a department store. is there any considerations having downlights and fans with lights in the same room?
    3. what other lighting should be I thinking of getting in at the time of building, and what can I do later?

    TIA

    • King Tightarse on 04/08/2022 - 18:31
      +1

      Personally not a huge fan of downlights. Each has a cut in the roof plaster which would have to impact your heater and/or cooling when there many per room. Added to that, the narrow light beam is not great IMHO.

      • eug on 04/08/2022 - 19:10

        Added to that, the narrow light beam is not great IMHO.

        Hmm, 100 degrees isn't that bad?

        I personally prefer several lights around the room rather than one bright light in the middle of the room. Less chance of casting shadows, e.g. if I was sitting at a desk against a wall and there was one oyster light in the middle of the room behind me.

        I guess you could also put several oyster or similar lights around the room. That might look a bit ugly though. Downlights are unobstrusive, being flush-mounted.

        • King Tightarse on 04/08/2022 - 19:16

          Yes that's true. My approach is to have quite a few up-firing lamps in the room with decent powered bulbs that bounce back diffused light. It gives the effect I like without too many 'hot spots'

  • UNO on 04/08/2022 - 20:30

    What's your favourite takeaways?

  • Yawhae on 04/08/2022 - 22:12
    +1

    As an electrician who has had builders supply Lucci fittings for installation. Can we please make the person who designed these install them…! The terminals and cable entry points are absolutely rubbish on most of the Lucci stuff I've seen.

    Also I love it when customers supply their own fittings, saves me having to warrant the replacement when it fails and crappy retailers not been interested in reimbursing my costs.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 05/08/2022 - 07:49
      +1

      I feel you. Some product installation are a nightmare but the newest range launched a month ago did take this into consideration and a lot easier to install. They do take these feedbacks when designing but only for future models but everything else we sell, will continue to have those difficult installation wirings. :(

      • Yawhae on 05/08/2022 - 07:56
        +2

        Appreciate the response. They definitely need to be fit tested on a "typical" install before mass manufacturing. Outdoor lights are the worst and this problem isn't exclusive to Lucci, just seems to be more prominent.

        The main issue is. The electrician doesn't know what brand/type of fitting is been chosen at rough in stage and can't wire for every type of light fitting. When I bring a cable (or two) through weather board it will be centre of the wall and board. The fittings that have the hole offset are are massive pain… To the point where I have custom 3d printed bases that will compensate for this.

        • TimmyTims on 05/08/2022 - 10:20
          +2

          Ok you gotta post a pic of these 3D printed mounts. I'm curious what the end product looks like

  • Dpkmax on 04/08/2022 - 22:59
    +3

    Thanks OP i enjoyed reading this Forum.

  • GuitarNeo on 05/08/2022 - 10:21
    +2

    BubblyBear, once again thanks for doing this. Never knew an AMA about lighting would be this interesting!

    You sound like such a decent guy - met a few genuine sales people like you (helpful and working towards a joint goal with customer) up untill 2000-2005ish. Lately though its changed heaps- its a very real estate/car salesman like stress to the whole sales process as a buyer (Places like goodguys, JB who used to be mighty helpful in the past are not anymore- harveys were never helpful to begin with lol - am talking little things like salespeople rushing you towards a sale/upgrade rather than explaining anything at all).

    Has there been a change of sales training (or lack of), or is it more generational thing or rising costs to brick and mortar businesses which might be putting more pressure on sales people or are the sales people paid differently now a days? Also did you feel a change over the years from the other side?

    Sorry I dont have a business background and not the best of English just my general observations.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 05/08/2022 - 15:05
      +2

      It’s true. Things have changed a lot in the last two decades.
      Sales and sales people have become very aggressive and the companies have gotten greedy to squeeze more and more.

      Whether you like it or not, you push through or there is always someone else to do that for much cheaper salary.

      I used to work at Jb Hi Fi and still have a lot of contacts within and the daily sales was insane. Somethings we don’t agree with nor like the quality of it but still got give that sales pitch instructed by the company to push them to anyone and everyone. I quit as it went against my morales to suggest something I don’t believe in and I felt I wasn’t being honest to my customers.

      Nowadays the second you walk in, they’re immediately identify you as whether you are gonna buy or just browsing. They don’t want to waste time with someone who is browsing around when they could sell a white appliance in the meantime to someone else. The more they sell, the more commissions they get.

      So next time you walk in to HN, remember they are not busy but pretending to be because they don’t want to help you. That’s the mean one you gotta stay away from because even if you end up buying, they care so less of you it’s not worth it.

  • ShortyX on 05/08/2022 - 17:16

    Thanks for the AMA and your insights. We're building a house and recently had our lighting plan meeting at Beacon. We went with the Infinity Mini downlights but thinking we should change to the one you had recommended. It will probably be another $20 each so for around 40 downlights, that'll be $800 extra.

    As for fans, we've gone with the Futura fans 122cm with lights before and have chosen them again at this point. Would the Slipstream DC fans be a better choice?

    Thanks!

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 05/08/2022 - 19:37
      +1

      Infinity mini is great for most homes. If you can spend the extra, I would highly recommend the custom downlights as they are worth the price increase. A narrow beam of angle for nice feature lighting, higher CRI, built in gimble, recessed lighting and I can keep going on.

      Futura is popular amongst. If you really want AC fan, I would consider Aria over Futura. Futura does have slightly better airflow (but keep in mind airflow is at full speed and most times you don’t set it to max) but Aria has slightly better built quality. Next time you go to Beacon, look closely at the Futura fan blades versus Aria. Once you see it, you can’t unsee the quality of the Futura fan blade quality.

      If DC, Slipstream is cheap and feature packed. Some don’t like the looks of it, then I would go with Banksia, Whitehaven or Climate III.

      • ShortyX on 05/08/2022 - 20:04

        Thanks - just noticed that the GX53 globe in the Slipstream is cool white so might have to change that for warm white for the bedrooms.

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 05/08/2022 - 19:42
      +1

      Slipstream has the same airflow as Futura but it’s a DC fan, comes with a remote, quieter, takes less electricity to run and easier to install.

      Economy of scale applies here. As many buy DC fans nowadays, the cost have come down to a point you can buy a DC fan for $50 more expensive than a traditional AC fan that has way more features. So why not buy a DC fan?

      Side Note - whoever you spoke to, seems to be recommending all the top go to products. They are not trying to upsell and you can trust them with their choices as well.

      • ShortyX on 05/08/2022 - 20:10
        +1

        you can trust them with their choices as well

        We've used her a couple of times now - she's always been great!

      • ShortyX on 19/08/2022 - 23:01

        I realised we've gone with https://www.beaconlighting.com.au/ledlux-vivid-colour-switch… instead of the Infinity Mini downlights.

        Are the Ledlux Vivid downlights ok?

        • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 20/08/2022 - 09:27

          See if you can swap them over. If not, vivid is okay. Similar priced but looks a bit nicer and have much better thermal handling if you are using for longer periods. Next time you go to the store, ask them to open a box and look at the back side of the Downlights.

  • Mr Krinkle on 06/08/2022 - 08:34

    What are the best lighting options for an apartment with concrete ceilings? What options would you recommend to replace the oyster lights?

    There are currently a couple of wall lights but I don't really like the look of them. What other options are available to increase the ambient light?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 06/08/2022 - 12:34

      Surface mounted Downlights Will be the go. Surface CNC, Ison and gypsum surface mounted downlight would be your options. You can also try putting track lighting and have track spots pointed to where you want.

  • TecoMax on 10/08/2022 - 14:05

    Hi @BubblyBear,
    Thanks for making yourself available for these queries.
    I recently bought a Lucci Abyss ceiling fan from Beacon as a replacement for one probably 20+ yrs old. Initially everything appeared ok but I only ran it for a short period. I have since tried running it for a longer period and bizarrely after 3mins 15 seconds the fan beeps and stops. It never varies. I'd like an independent opinion on whether this is likely to be an electrical issue and bring back the electrician, a fault with the unit and return to Beacon, or if its in some kind of demo or timer mode and that I need to press some sequence of buttons on the remote to get it to function normally.
    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
    Cheers

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 12/08/2022 - 08:42

      I’m sorry to hear that. There is no timer mode and it’s very strange it stops automatically.

      If you look at the instruction manual, there will be instructions on resetting the remote it came with. Try it and in most cases it should fix it. Else, go to the website and file in a warranty claim. The warranty is a bit slow at the moment with the number of cases and less staff but if they deem it’s faulty, they will send a sparky and replace it for free. You don’t have to pay anything and everything will be covered by Beacon Lighting.

      It’s very rare to see Abyss fail as it’s built like a tank.

      • TecoMax on 13/08/2022 - 11:14

        Thanks BB,
        I was concerned about getting stuck between Beacon and the electrician and incurring ongoing costs.
        I've tried resetting the remote but the same issue persists. I'd have thought that any fault, electrical or with the unit, would either be immediate or variable. The fact that the fan operates perfectly for exactly 3 minutes and 15 second before switching off is baffling to say the least. I'll let you know if I ever find out what the issue is.
        Cheers

  • cerealJay on 11/08/2022 - 23:29

    Question: If I walked in and purchased a light from your store using my credit card, but not telling you email or anything else that you may ask for, what information do you get from the card for your own customer records? Do you get the customer's name? What details does an Eftpos machine extract from either bank or credit card?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 12/08/2022 - 08:38

      Just your card first and last 4 digits. POS also stores all transactions in the receipt form for records and stock movement.

      If you are really paranoid, I recommend at least providing a fake name and fake phone number that no one will ever have (so it doesn’t get overwritten if the people with that phone number ever shops). The reason we get those details is because we can go back and look at your sales history and process your warranty claim without having to worry about your receipt or knowing which product or when you bought it as we can get all the information from your digital receipt.

      Worst case scenario, write down your invoice number and the date of purchase as managers can do a journal search based on the invoice number to find the original purchase or based on stock movement on that month but many won’t be bothered to take that extra step as it’s time consuming going through hundreds of transactions.

      • eug on 12/08/2022 - 11:20

        Worst case scenario, write down your invoice number and the date of purchase as managers can do a journal search based on the invoice number to find the original purchase or based on stock movement on that month but many won’t be bothered to take that extra step as it’s time consuming going through hundreds of transactions.

        Strange, I would have assumed the invoice number is unique and would immediately bring up the exact invoice that the customer would have been given for warranty.

      • cerealJay on 12/08/2022 - 12:56

        Thanks for answering.

        Unfortunately many businesses use customer details for more than receipt reasons. They will send marketing material, add you to mailing lists, track your clicks via third party services, send further emails such as "we miss you" etc. Sometimes this includes text messages months later.

        Other times, your details end up in the wrong hands due to mishandling, or trusting dodgy third parties. Bunnings for example used a third party service which was compromised and customer details were leaked. Combine sloppy data handling with Bunnings biometric face scanning, and we have ourselves a boycott of Bunnings (at least for me).

        The printed receipt is enough for me. It usually contains product name, SKU, date purchased, and invoice number.

        • King Tightarse on 12/08/2022 - 15:11

          Yes, the face scanning is really going too far. I guess there is no stopping it whether declared or not in retail settings, once it becomes cheap and easy to do.

          • cerealJay on 14/08/2022 - 21:40

            @King Tightarse:

            there is no stopping it

            It can be stopped via regulation when people wake up.

            Imagine being finger-printed every time you enter a store. Face scans and finger prints… not much difference.

  • hotchoc on 17/08/2022 - 13:38

    Hi BB

    Thinking of replacing my 90mm LED lights with WIFI ones. Ones that are plug and play in the roof and where you can control on/off via your mobile.

    Any brands or lights in particular that you can recommend? Nothing fancy but just to create an impression someone is at home after night.

    • eug on 17/08/2022 - 14:25

      I'm not OP but just a suggestion, if you have lots of downlights you can just replace the light switch with a wifi light switch like this. It'll be cheaper and allow you to turn them on/off from your phone or according to a schedule.

      • hotchoc on 17/08/2022 - 22:59

        thanks eug. didnt think of turning them on and off at one go instead of 1 by 1. reviews are not too great though. is there a comparable item that is similar?

        • eug on 18/08/2022 - 00:08

          Hmm, they seemed alright based on comments on forums, although I've never used them myself. There's two years worth of posts here about which smart switch to get.

          An alternative is to install a wifi module like a Shelly 1 behind your existing light switch. Your existing switch will still work, it just becomes 'smart'.

          • hotchoc on 18/08/2022 - 00:18

            @eug: Thanks eug. I've read up in whirlpool awhile ago and from the looks of it's not too shabby !

            Only issue is i have 2 way switches which i believe can be resolved via automation.

            I'm curious to see how Shelly 1 works. Do you know where i can find more info?

    • SuspiciouslySquishyG on 17/08/2022 - 19:22

      Hello hotchoc:)

      If you want to change colours and adjust brightness, then smart downlights are a great option. I would personally recommend the GE Imagine Downlights that uses Nest devices to connect to your wifi.
      If you want a cheaper smart downlight, look at the Tuya powered smart downlights and they will do the job just fine.

      Like Eug mentioned, if you want to just turn them on/off or change brightness, a smart switch will be the best option. $100 for a switch to operate 4-6 Downlights versus $60 per smart downlight.
      Beacon Lighting has Powermesh smart switches to try them out. I would stick with the Bunnings Grid Connect as they both technically use the same platform behind the scenes.

  • Afar3309 on 04/02/2024 - 18:05
    -1

    Hi

    First post on Ozbargain and was hoping you could give me some guidance.

    About 3.5 years ago i bought the 450 and 600 Lucci Connect Circa lights. The smaller light connects to the app fine without any issues.

    The larger light connects to the app but will not follow directions i.e. it wont change colour if instructed via the app.

    Can you give any advise about how/who can solve this? There is no real guidance on the internet and the beacon lighting shop were unable to assist.

    Thanks in advance

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