My last trip to Home Pro and Global

Post by **chickaboom** » June 21, 2013, 6:07 pm

I've had my last trip to both of the above stores.

Today I went to the opening of the new hardware store on the Ring road. What an eye opener. They have more of everything that Global or Home Pro have and more besides. And there were farang employees who came up and asked if they could help me in English!

This store is the real deal and now I've been there I can’t foresee ever needing to visit those two old stores again. It’s just as good as any European hardware store. Good little restaurant too.

Post by **tamada** » June 21, 2013, 8:48 pm

LOL... can name the stores he won't be using but can't name the new one he will be using.

Post by **747man** » June 21, 2013, 8:55 pm

Yeah Strange that, Tam ????

Post by **Alchai** » June 21, 2013, 9:16 pm

Well, maybe Global & HomePro will give the new store

, what was the name again? some stock and price competition. Now that would be good [-o<

Post by **WBU ALUM** » June 21, 2013, 9:17 pm

tamada wrote:LOL... can name the stores he won't be using but can't name the new one he will be using.

I wondered the same.

Post by **parrot** » June 21, 2013, 9:38 pm

Nothing much strange about that......ไทวัสดุ Thai Watsadu is the new kid on the block with a not-so-easy-to-remember name.
I last shopped at Global House 3 days ago. I'll be quite happy if it's the last time I go into that store.

Post by **papaguido** » June 21, 2013, 9:41 pm

Thai Watsadu...

http://www.thaiwatsadu.com/index.html

Post by **WBU ALUM** » June 21, 2013, 9:47 pm

papaguido wrote:Thai Watsadu...

http://www.thaiwatsadu.com/index.html

I thought that was it, but wasn't sure. Hadn't been all around the ring road in awhile.

Post by **Prenders88** » June 22, 2013, 5:10 am

Looks like Global are building another branch on Highway 2 going towards Khon Kaen. Noticed it, as I was on the way to Honda to get the car serviced.

Post by **WBU ALUM** » June 22, 2013, 5:57 am

Do Home is supposed to be building something on Hwy 2 towards Nong Khai, too. I have shopped at their location just north of Khon Kaen. It is excellent.

Post by **douglas** » June 22, 2013, 8:33 am

Hi,
Was up at the big new store that opened on Friday. I dont know its name, so how many other new big stores opened in Udon, on Friday. And Chick not saying the name makes no difference. Everyone with a bit of common sense knew where he meant. Stop being so padantic and running people down, because they dont dot the i s or cross the t s.

Post by **Frankie 1** » June 22, 2013, 9:59 am

On the first day of opening everybody is happy and excited. There are special opening discounts and everything looks new. However, after a while it's just one of the many shops.

Competition is good, it will level things out. Like in Khon Kaen, there isn't much difference there between Home Pro, Global House, Do Home, Home Hub and Thai Watsadu. Some are bigger and other shops are smaller. I think that Do Home is the largest and has a variety of goods that are not available in the other shops. Having said that, Home Hub sells items that are not available in Do Home. All shops have items on sale regularly.

I wonder if the Farang employees in Thai Watsadu Udon Thani branch will still be there after a couple of weeks, or if they are only there to welcome new customers for the opening of the new shop.

Post by **Arosolius** » June 22, 2013, 10:17 am

I went there yesterday (Friday); I though it was excellent and I too wouldn't bother going to the other two stores again unless there was something that Thai Watsudu didn't have which I think would be unlikely.

Post by **parrot** » June 22, 2013, 8:17 pm

My brief observations:
- Best to go up past Makro/Big C, turn right onto ring road. Don't want to go from Tahan Rd as you'll have to go all the way down to Big C for a tight turn around on the ring road.

- Lots of things I haven't seen for sale in other home stores -- small kubota backhoe, gas operated power blower, some nice garden furniture, but sadly lacking in lawnmowers and powered garden equipment.

- Prices seem to be better than Global, but just checked a smattering of things.

- At least for the moment, wide open aisles, especially in the back warehouse section.

- Lots of parking

- R-37 insulation rolls (don't think I've ever seen R-37 in town)

- Both galvanized and vinyl guttering, along with all the accouterments

- A nice spray painted white skirt hawking led light bulbs

- A smart-home steel framed exhibit (didn't a member try building one of these several years ago?)

All in all a pleasant visit......even if prices were a few baht more, I'd go here than back to Global.

Post by **WBU ALUM** » June 22, 2013, 8:43 pm

parrot wrote:
- Prices seem to be better than Global, but just checked a smattering of things.

Between clerks who run away because they can't speak English to higher prices on almost everything that I have eventually bought at Home Pro, Global has been at the very bottom of my list for a long while.

Thanks for the rest of that report, parrot. I will make my observations during the week.

Post by **FrazeeDK** » June 22, 2013, 9:02 pm

gotta get over to Thai Watsadu and check it out.... Parrot on that steel framed house, evidently it languished for quite some time.. It is located about a kilometer from my place just west on Ban Nong Hin between 22 and 2.. However, I noted that whoever owns it now (perhaps still the American that built the original framing) finally tiled the steel roof frame..

Post by **Shado** » June 22, 2013, 9:26 pm

We were there this afternoon and noticed their sign posting the hours of operation.

07:30 until 19:00

Not sure about the hours for other home supply stores but Thai Watsudu's hours are pretty convenient. Nice to be able to get stuff early in the morning if needing it for the day's activities.

Post by **papaguido** » June 23, 2013, 6:10 am

Shado wrote:We were there this afternoon and noticed their sign posting the hours of operation.

07:30 until 19:00

Not sure about the hours for other home supply stores but Thai Watsudu's hours are pretty convenient. Nice to be able to get stuff early in the morning if needing it for the day's activities.

That got my attention too. I like getting an early start on DYI projects and having a hardware store that opens early is helpful.

Global opens at 08:30 & HomePro @ 09:00...

Post by **Khun Paul** » June 23, 2013, 7:13 am

Having watched with anticipation the building of watsadu, I thank those who have entered and seen the offerings.
I am intending to visit this morning for a peek as it were, for me it is certainly a better option than having to travel through at least two sets of lights and possibly a thrid depending on where I am going.
having said that I would think that the other main two Global and Home pro plus Home mart and the one whose name I can never say just down the road between makro and big 'C', will be watching and will possibly start trimming their prices.
Just aheads up when i came here 10 years ago it was only Home mart and the one near to Big 'C' that were in evidence, the others are relatively new.
I forsee good offers on some stuff coming out , but for me looking for GOOD TOOLS i go to Tool Pro Plus as they do have a good range of well known electric tools whose quality is not surpassed by the Chinese copies.

Post by **papaguido** » June 23, 2013, 8:01 am

Khun Paul wrote:Having watched with anticipation the building of watsadu, I thank those who have entered and seen the offerings.
I am intending to visit this morning for a peek as it were, for me it is certainly a better option than having to travel through at least two sets of lights and possibly a thrid depending on where I am going.
having said that I would think that the other main two Global and Home pro plus Home mart and the one whose name I can never say just down the road between makro and big 'C', will be watching and will possibly start trimming their prices.
Just aheads up when i came here 10 years ago it was only Home mart and the one near to Big 'C' that were in evidence, the others are relatively new.
I forsee good offers on some stuff coming out , but for me looking for GOOD TOOLS i go to Tool Pro Plus as they do have a good range of well known electric tools whose quality is not surpassed by the Chinese copies.

Never knew what it was called before, but they recently erected a sign in English "Big Lot hardware". As it's around the corner from me, it's usually my first stop before heading to HP or Global if I can't find what I need there.