I just went into Howdens Joinery ready to spend £500 on doors. They turned me away because I'm not a "trade customer". No amount of arguing would convince them to sell me anything.
It's incredible that such bull-headed intransigence still exists in these recessionary days. There are no shortage of nice folks on the Web who actually want to take my money.
So my advice to anyone extending their house. Give Howdens the boot.
-That's the way they prefer it.
I'm not sure they'll miss you...
Howdens Joinery supplies over 400,000 inspirational kitchens each year to UK homes. What makes us different is our culture and our people. We are a British business that prides itself on a sense of local community, traditional values and long-established relationships that thrive in each of our 480 trade depots.
Howdens Joinery is a trade only company supplying to registered account holders.
Seems like a good business model to me - it's probably a lot less work selling to the trade and Wickes etc fill in for consumer stuff.
depends on the branch
We got an MFI kitchen just before they went bust
We where lucky in that we had it delivered, unlucky as there was an end panel damaged and non of the iron on edging strip
It was originally supplied to MFI by Howdens, who also sold it direct (I was later told their cost price was more than the MFI selling price so probably no wonder they went bust)
I tried the Derby branch who refused to even give me a 1m offcut of edging strip for a cash sale, as yes, I was not trade and had no account. Our builder (kitchen was part of an extension) even went in but they wouldnt sell to him without an account, and he came away saying he wouldnt open an account as they where basically being complete (swear filter)'s
next week I went into a different branch who gave me the edging strip free and replaced the end panel for me, no questions asked
What a strange post.
Trade outlet sells to trade only, shock horror.
I never tried to buy anything from them, but when we had out kitchen redone, the kitchen fitter sent us to Howden's to choose what cupboard doors, sink, taps, worktops etc. we wanted. Except they won't tell you how much anything is, or even is that tap more than that tap, how much more is this worktop over that one, etc. I understand why, so the fitter can add his markup, but it made it a bit tricky to choose what to get.
I have just used them and can say they are great.
Used my brother's account to gain access to the hallowed price lists. Very happy with the service, after service and the company in general.
OP: have you tried walking into Specialized UK and asking for a trade price Stumpy? I think you'd get a similar response...
double post
It's usually pretty simple set up a trade account. If you are doing a big job on your house you will probably have the required invoices. I don't know about howdens but most places don't mind if you're a sole trader so you don't need to have a Ltd company registered.
Slightly off topic, but I designed the artwork for the boxes.
Check that out for a 'Claim To Fame' 
so you are angry because a company who's requirements you don't meet won't sell you something?
i look forward to other threads such as "my 12yo couldn't buy single malt"
and "M&S wouldn't give my moobs a bra fitting"
I'm an account holder & I find them excellent, they only sell to account holders so they can confirm their customers are actually trade customers.
Slightly off topic, but I designed the artwork for the boxes.
Can I have your autograph? 
Jamie, you certainly can, a signed photo is winging its way to you now
No problems here either without an account, just cash with order. THey do expect to deal with folk who know what they're after and what to expect in terms of delivery and service etc. Same with Travis Perkins and a few local merchants. Regular customers placing decent amounts of business regularly do get chunky discounts from catalogue prices, but it is a PITA if you want stuff once or infrequently, or you're working in a different town to your usual suppliers and want to walk in somewhere and get trade price. Hence Screwfix and a few others are doing so well as it's not the same system.
Howdens are good and cheap used them loads of times same company as MFI but howdens units are assembled and MFI you assemble yourself and MFI sell to public i just took in a headed invoice that i created and i had an account
Worked well for us. They suggested the joiner to do the job and used his account.
Howden's will apply their discount from branch to branch as well. I get the discount applied at the Livingston branch where the account is held at the newcastle one. They can't do any bigger discounts, but can offer that.
BTW - was there yesterday, allegedly a first ever january sale starting on the 4th.
No amount of arguing would convince them to sell me anything.
It utterly astounds me that you'd do anything more than politely ask once, any amount of arguing would be too much. People who deal with trade only do so for a reason, who cares what the reason is, but they have one, its their business and it works for them.
Bought an oven from them via a trade account and the glass in the door exploded just under a month after the warranty expired. Our builder confirmed that it was a poor design.
Replacement? Had to pay for it. Google search confirms similar problems with the same make and model...
Not my favourite company!
via a trade account
There's your problem - not a retail sale = no consumer protection 
One reason they're able to be cheap...
SIMPLE ANSWER! ARNOLD LAVERS!!
LOL
I went in and they sold me 2 worktops as a 'temporary' customer. When I went to collect them my wife asked about some taps, and the other guy said 'trade only'.
I think if you speak to the right people when the wrong people are not around they will sort you out, however if the gaffer's in then you'll struggle.
If in the meantime there's anyone on here willing to order me a couple of worktop strips on their trade account and post them up to me, PM me and that would be much appreciated as I'm currently stuck with worktops with exposed ends that are difficult to get covers for.
Mountain carrot and Pieface what area are you i have an account.
Aside from the trade only shenanigans, the stuff is rubbish anyway.
I might be being a bit stupid here, but if the public can buy at trade prices, aren't the tradesmen going to be pushed out of business as they won't be able to make profits on the parts?
exactly, everybody value 'stuff' nobody values people. Its very sad.
They make money on the work they do.
I had a tradesman last year (general builder) who wanted me to pay him time for going to get the stuff and a mark up on what he paid. I told him I'd pay one or the other or he could get stuffed. He agreed that if I paid his time then I could have at all at trade (and I checked). Happy days. I normally get the stuff myself and employ someone to fit it for me so I don't have these troubles, but in that case I was too busy.
I'm happy to pay tradesmen a good hourly rate, but I hate the idea of paying them to be a shopkeeper for me.
I am in Sheffield
Need part number GIR0032 UK - 3 pieces, enough to do 3 ends so either 3 single pieces or 2 pairs
Ta
wwaswas - Membervia a trade account
There's your problem - not a retail sale = no consumer protection
Not even for faulty, potentially dangerous, goods.
Shonky.
Pieface Gir0032 not in their catalogue but the ends are available from toolstation and screwfix, possibly cheaper.
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