PSA: Be Wary Requesting Price Match Online with Bunnings

2027 on 21/05/2026 - 17:00

So, I found something I wanted about 30% cheaper than Bunnings somewhere else, yes it was identical model numbers and all that.

Hop on the online chat straight away, product pages open in both tabs, send the links off and ask for a price match.

“Matthew” comes back after 2 minutes, says he can’t price match because it’s already the same price…

I refreshed the Bunnings tab, and somehow, the price has magically changed! It guess that “beat it by 10%” no longer applied.

Joke’s on them, I won’t be getting it from Bunnings, and because I’m in an area with no shortage of tool shops, I won’t be getting anything else at Bunnings either.

The 10% difference is somewhat meaningless, the thing that got me was the principle of the whole thing.

So, moral of the story, if the 10% difference is important to you, don’t show your cards before getting to a store.

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  • jv on 21/05/2026 - 17:08

    I'd call their bluff and ask for a price match on just about every expensive item they stock where there is a considerable price difference, forcing them to drop their online prices…

    • 24
    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 21/05/2026 - 17:55

      We could ozbargain crowd source a coordinated bamboozle on bunnings

      • 37
      • wetsandwich on 22/05/2026 - 10:22

        This would be a proper use case for AI/bots actually, maybe we can get the daily supermarket discount slop app creators onto this instead?

        • 12
  • plmko on 21/05/2026 - 18:19

    There's no joke on them. That fact that Bunnings was your first port of call and not the shop giving the genuine discount means they've already won. You just can't see it yet.

    • 19
    • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 18:24

      The other store is closer, easier parking etc, I thought I’d go to Bunnings because I get discounted gift cards via my bank.

      So yes I’m down ~$16 from not grabbing and using giftcards, oh well, no doubt they’ve lost more to the competition from this little exercise.

      • 0
      • AustriaBargain on 21/05/2026 - 19:40

        Can you get it delivered for free with Onepass from Bunnings?

        • 1
        • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 19:54

          Yes

          • 0
          • AustriaBargain on 21/05/2026 - 20:09

            @2027: I'd do that then. Bunnings has to have a better return policy. Punch a few cones and relax, formulate a proper revenge plan against Matthew, revenge is best served cold.

            • 4
            • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 20:24

              @AustriaBargain:

              Punch a few cones and relax

              Aha although I’m in SA, I’m not that into sinking billies in my spare time

              Too late to go to Bunnings, I went to Total Tools.

              I did tell Matthew that I saw what he did, and it was a bit too sneaky for my taste. He closed the chat with the pre baked template lol

              • 2
              • Muppet Detector on 21/05/2026 - 20:47

                @2027: So, Matthew wasn't the Messiah? He was just a very naughty boy.

                Perhaps he needs to learn The Meaning of Life.

                • 4
                • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 20:51

                  @Muppet Detector:

                  The Meaning of Life

                  42% would’ve been nice

                  I may or may not have misread Matthew as Muzeeb@Dell, he is our only true saviour around here, and I was hoping to get it 90% off for a moment; but Matthew brutally betrayed me worse than my own eyes did

                  • 2
                  • MS Paint on 22/05/2026 - 08:40

                    @2027: RIP Muzeeb ☹️

                    • 2
                  • Muppet Detector on 21/05/2026 - 21:00

                    @2027:

                    and I was hoping to get it 90% off for a moment; but Matthew brutally betrayed me worse than my own eyes did

                    If you are deeply traumatised by your experience and want to talk things out a bit, perhaps you could consult Viktor Frankl (if he wasn't dead).

                    • 0
                    • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 21:05

                      @Muppet Detector: Yeah poor guy survived camps but not the late 1990’s - that’s terrible

                      • 0
  • jv on 21/05/2026 - 17:05

    What a coincidence that the price dropped while you were on the call…

    What are the odds ?

    • 13
    • Dr Phil on 22/05/2026 - 08:00

      yes all this price beat stuff is BS

      Chemist Warehouse is much worse.
      And They only beat it by 10% of the difference
      So $1 = 10c

      Moral of th story is to always go where they offer the best price.
      Dont bother with price beat

      • 11
      • tenpercent on 22/05/2026 - 08:55

        Price beat works for me when I have access to discounted gift cards at the matching shop, or I can access free delivery, or when the other shop is much further away.

        • 5
        • 2027 on 22/05/2026 - 14:44

          Price beat works for me when I have access to discounted gift cards at the matching shop, or I can access free delivery

          Exactly, these applied in this case. Total Tools wouldn’t ship because two batteries = dangerous goods apparently.

          All good, I was happy to go for a quick drive, get a park right out the front, and be served instantly. Sure I paid a bit extra because I wasn’t using discounted gift cards, but it was a refreshing change compared to Bunnings.

          • 0
    • Muppet Detector on 21/05/2026 - 17:15

      To determine that probability, I need more information.

      Also, it will also depend on whether you want me to predict the likelihood of it happening again in the future or use the event that has already passed (FTR, the latter one is 100%.)

      • 1
      • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 18:19

        All I can say is 100% of all my attempts to price match some Bosch batteries today with Bunnings had this happen…

        • 1
        • Muppet Detector on 21/05/2026 - 18:32

          I am excellent at predicting the past too lolol.

          • 2
    • Cheap Gamer on 24/05/2026 - 12:57

      Gargantuan. You know, I've always liked that word… 'gargantuan'… so rarely have an opportunity to use it.

      • 0
    • MS Paint on 21/05/2026 - 17:15

      2:1

      • -1
  • tubeidea on 22/05/2026 - 01:02

    I always try to avoid price matching / beating these days if I can help it, try to support the smaller stores that actually offer the discounts. Sooner or later price matching will be one of the nails in their coffins and then we will just have mono/duopolies who will control entire markets.

    also, on a completely unrelated note; don't buy CDs online from JB hi fi. they can't pack for shit and will delete any reviews mentioning this or the damaged CDs you received.

    • 12
    • capslock janitor on 23/05/2026 - 14:53

      same goes for chemist/ pharmacy..
      i started getting meds from a small local nearby

      • 1
  • pegaxs on 22/05/2026 - 09:09

    I never reward stores that only "price match"… They didnt do the hard work at providing the "best price", and are just lazy enough to lower a once off item. I always go back to the store that gave the lower price in the first place.

    • 9
  • JIMB0 on 21/05/2026 - 17:57

    You can always start a GoFundMe for the difference.

    • 8
    • foxmulder on 21/05/2026 - 23:50

      I love this Simpsons episode.

      • 0
  • fantombloo on 21/05/2026 - 20:00

    Buy from Bunnings at 30% off, lose the receipt, return item when back at full price and get a store credit. Repeat a few times and get item for next to nothing.

    • 5
    • capslock janitor on 23/05/2026 - 14:46

      lose the receipt, return item when back at full price and get a store credit.

      thats a thing ??

      • 0
      • kev98 on 23/05/2026 - 14:52

        They will ask for your ID if you don’t have a receipt

        • 0
        • capslock janitor on 24/05/2026 - 13:22

          why ID for, when u dont have receipt nor linked account ?

          • 0
          • kev98 on 24/05/2026 - 13:40

            @capslock janitor: When no receipt

            • 0
            • capslock janitor on 24/05/2026 - 13:47

              @kev98: i mean what are they gunna use id for?

              • 0
              • kev98 on 24/05/2026 - 13:57

                @capslock janitor: They record it when you refund something you don’t have a receipt for. I guess if you keep returning things without receipts it triggers alarms in their system

                • 1
                • jeffa on 25/05/2026 - 19:04

                  @kev98: They link the ID details to the videos they have taken of you in store (maybe even previously…) Then that gets stored. Forever.
                  It's worth investigating which company Bunnings uses to store that data and whether they have interests in any other Australian retail outlets. Data sharing anyone?
                  Nothink like being a "person of interest" to make one feel nervous each time they shop at Bunnings.

                  • 0
  • Nillionaire on 21/05/2026 - 18:27

    Unfortunately they're a monopoly, they don't care..

    • 3
    • thousandreasons on 21/05/2026 - 19:05

      How can you have a competitor to price match against if you’re a monopoly?

      • 3
      • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 20:31

        That thought had crossed my mind, but it is not at all challenging for me to veto them as a tool shop. That bit isn’t a monopoly.

        But when I want cheap nasty fittings that don’t sit flush, tap washers that leak in a few months, curtain rods that bend under the weight of curtains, tape that doesn’t stick, drill bits that blunt in half a revolution, where can I go?

        • 0
      • BewareOfThe Dog on 23/05/2026 - 11:13

        They are is some areas.

        • 0
    • capslock janitor on 23/05/2026 - 14:45

      rip masters.

      • 1
  • JimB on 22/05/2026 - 10:02

    I don't price match/price beat if the original store is local to me.

    Bunnings is super close but I noted that sometimes the items bar code/model number are exclusive to Bunnings even though they are otherwise identical.

    Here's my story about Autobarn and price matching https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/959671

    I went to Autobarn yesterday to pricematch the Penrite Enviro+ C5 with a physical store that had a sale but Autobarn refused to price match it because it was on 'sale'! Not trade clearance, just a regular 30% off sale from a physical store in the same city lol I couldn't be bothered arguing with the store manager even though he was wrong.

    The store was across town but that distance was not part of the price match condition.

    • 3
    • capslock janitor on 23/05/2026 - 14:55

      couldn't be bothered arguing with the store manager even though he was wrong.

      at least lodge a complaint/to HQ afterwsrds

      • 0
      • JimB on 25/05/2026 - 09:36

        Just done!

        Your message prompted me to do so.

        • 1
        • capslock janitor on 25/05/2026 - 10:19

          idk their model but hope it impacts/discipline them in some way

          • 0
          • JimB on 25/05/2026 - 10:50

            @capslock janitor: No need to discipline them, just educate them.

            If you're going to offer a price match guarantee, at least make a fair effort to honour it.

            Bapcor's (Autobarn's parent company) share price has dropped 90% in the past 12 months.

            We need Autobarn, Burson, Repco etc to survive, otherwise SuperCheap will dominate the market and jack up prices. Bunnings have/will enter the market but have limited offering.

            • 0
  • LFO on 22/05/2026 - 14:35

    I won’t be getting anything else at Bunnings either.

    Count your blessings, no more junk.

    • 2
  • 82norm on 22/05/2026 - 19:37

    I’m pretty sure 4 corners did a story on Bunnings and their bs beat it by 10%….

    • 2
  • Vadermort on 23/05/2026 - 16:00

    Same thing happened for me with OW.
    Coincidentally matched the price while I was trying to get a price beat 5%. OW Box Hill, I'm looking at you!

    • 2
    • mpember on 24/05/2026 - 21:53

      OW compare prices using services like staticeice and adjust prices in their system at around midday. It is not uncommon to find the price at the register has already matched the competitor.

      • 0
      • Vadermort on 24/05/2026 - 23:10

        Evidently, that did not apply for the item I bought. OW's price remained above the other retailers' price for the two days I was contemplating its purchase…up until I enquired about their price matching policy.

        • 1
        • mpember on 25/05/2026 - 21:13

          That's why it is always best to present the competitors price at a register in-store.

          • 0
  • Leeroy Jenkins on 23/05/2026 - 21:03

    I'm not a huge fan of bunnings, but if I were to buy tools from either Bunnings or Sydney Tools, it's 100% bunnings. At least they have good after-sales service.

    Sydney Tools makes me feel inferior, guilty and sorry for returning a faulty item. They are generally very pushy too. If i get something that's not quite right, the mental preparation required to deal with them just stresses me out. I've had similar experiences in two stores.

    • 2
    • revheadgl on 25/05/2026 - 16:00

      This is part of the problem. Bunnings are just far better and easier to deal with. Total Tools and Sydney Tools are terrible. I always find them both extremely slow delivering. Warranty is not fun with them either.

      The in store experience with Sydney Tools isn't pleasant, At least at the stores in Canberra. There is just an uncomfortable atmosphere like the staff just don't want to be there. Total Tools is definitely better in that respect though.

      I eventually gave up on both. Been just over just 18 months since my last purchase from ST and nearly 6 months from TT where I cancelled an order after 11 days waiting. And this was stuff that was showing as in stock at the time of ordering and still in stock when I cancelled!

      As much as it pains me to say TKD are also way better to deal with, and much quicker deliveries as well.

      So, like many others. I would prefer to buy from stores other than Bunnings, but these other places are almost doing there best to steer you to Bunnings:)

      • 2
      • Leeroy Jenkins on 26/05/2026 - 14:32

        Glad to hear it's not just me experiencing this with ST. I started to grow some self respect and stopped giving them attention (and money). I agree the atmosphere in every ST store I've been to just feels wrong. The way the staff look at me is like, "why are you here? I'm watching you!" Yeah (profanity) that.

        My experiences with the couple of TT stores in Melbourne have been great.

        But Bunnings definitely have the best service, and I see nothing wrong supporting them because of that.

        • 1
        • revheadgl on 26/05/2026 - 18:08

          Definitely not just you. My tradie brother feels the same way as well as a couple of friends.

          The only good thing ST did by setting up in Canberra was to give TT and Gasweld a wake up call. They were both bad prior,TT improved almost overnight, but Gasweld here remains a terrible place to shop.

          There are other tool shops that I buy online from sometimes and they are good as well. Trade Tools in Qld and Power Tool Specialists in Vic in particular sometimes have some crazy good deals.

          My only issue with Bunnings is the monopoly. I feel supporting the independent shops sometimes is the right thing to do. But yeah, I agree, Bunnings is mostly the easier and more pleasant place to deal with, so they deserve my dollars too.

          • 1
  • No ONE on 24/05/2026 - 00:28

    Before price match confirm the current price from tongue and then start price match process. That way you abide them by their words.

    • 2
  • browser on 23/05/2026 - 20:39

    If Bunnings has the identical product in stock, will always buy from Bunnings. No other tool shops can beat Bunnings on return, exchange, and warranty policies. Let alone locations, opening hours, and full range of products.

    • 1
  • bigbadboogieman on 24/05/2026 - 09:56

    Should have recorded the whole conversation, made a tiktok. May be the news agencies would have picked that up then.

    • 1
  • wombok2 on 24/05/2026 - 12:29

    This isnt new…people forget theres something called browser cookies that stores and track all the sites you’ve been to.

    Its not what Matthew did, its what the bunnings site most likely did.

    Try find an electrical item thats cheaper than the Good Guys, THEN go find the product at TGG website. Once you leave by moving your mouse away, you’ll notice a popup asking if u found it cheaper and it’ll automatically offer a price thats just a tad lower than the other store you just visited.

    Most leading travel websites(like agoda) do something similar to ensure you book on their website.

    • 1
    • mpember on 24/05/2026 - 21:58

      I was looking for something the other day that only JB/TGG stock. Even without competition, TGG still offered to drop the price by ~ 20%.

      • -1
  • tenpercent on 21/05/2026 - 18:02

    @2027, are you from the future?

    • 0
    • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 18:17

      Well this reply is 17 mins further into the day than your comment, so that might be saying something

      • 1
      • Muppet Detector on 21/05/2026 - 18:36

        Are you Marty McFly and own a time travelling DeLorean?

        • 1
        • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 18:37

          Close, but Doc showed me how to do it on the cheap - instead of a DeLorean fuelled by garbage, I’ve got an OzBargain account fuelled by garbage

          • 3
        • McFly on 24/05/2026 - 00:23

          Yes.

          • 2
  • bloom on 21/05/2026 - 20:19

    Did they put a down down sticker on it?

    • 0
    • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 20:26

      No, but I have a big hand with a finger extended for their campaign if they need it

      • 3
  • coffeeinmyveins on 21/05/2026 - 21:14

    I've price matched two power tools in the last week with them and saved over $200

    • 0
    • 2027 on 21/05/2026 - 21:15

      Was it online or in store?

      • 2
  • p1 ama on 21/05/2026 - 23:53

    The 10% difference is somewhat meaningless, the thing that got me was the principle of the whole thing.

    The "principle of the whole thing" is that you should have just bought it from the shop that offered you the best price in the first place instead of trying to dick around with Bunnings.

    Looks like that's what happened in the end - good outcome I'd say!

    • 0
  • MrGecko on 23/05/2026 - 19:36

    I’m with you. Don’t just support the little guy to support the little guy. Buy from the little guy for generally better quality instead of the obscured home brand bs Bunnings sells.

    What I don’t get about the price match is the Bunnings person in store will often act like the discount is coming out of their person pay. Maybe intense pressure from head office if the product ultimately shouldn’t have been discounted?

    • 0
  • Eeples on 23/05/2026 - 19:38

    I wonder if they would price beat on a screenshot.

    • 0
    • browser on 23/05/2026 - 20:05

      Maybe 10 years ago. Now they always have to check current price and stock availabilty.

      • 0
      • Eeples on 24/05/2026 - 01:34

        Sure. But the OP is suggesting that Bunnings reduced their price live as a result of him trying to price match.

        • 1
  • jeffa on 22/05/2026 - 09:28

    Did the Bunnings price go back up after your investigation?
    Or is that product still at the price you instigated?
    If it went back up, it's ACCC time!

    • -1
    • DoctorCalculon on 22/05/2026 - 12:12

      If it went back up, it's ACCC time!

      Do you think most people have the patience to deal with ACCC (aka Toothless Tiger) and how long they actually take to get back to you?
      Of course, lodge a complaint, but expect nothing to happen.

      • 0
  • Jono05 on 22/05/2026 - 14:42

    First world problems. Have a good whinge?
    Don’t think Bunnings will miss you as a customer.

    • -5
    • 2027 on 22/05/2026 - 14:49

      First world problems. Have a good whinge?

      Nah I didn’t actually, but it almost sounds like you’re complaining about me complaining? First world problems indeed.

      Don’t think Bunnings will miss you as a customer.

      I won’t miss them as a supplier. FTFY

      Excuse me for expecting integrity from someone I deal with, especially when they’re representing a company - I should’ve known better hey

      • 2
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