The small questions thread

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#3436337 21-Nov-2025 08:49

: eracode: Assuming it’s not a loss-leader product, how the hell can Bunnings sell this for only $3.16 and still turn a profit? They must have paid only about $2 for it. Even allowing for mass production, small individual components and bulk buying, it barely makes sense to me.

The price makes sense to me. Factories are super efficient and the large chains now buy more or less directly. Plus, Bunnings have a massive retail footprint in NZ and Aust. The source factory probably switches to NZ/AU plug for a couple of hours a week job done.

That said, it's not unusual for some of these things to come from environments with low environmental and labour practices and standards. I'd like to see the factory where things like that are produced.

Bunnings have an ethical sourcing policy here https://www.bunnings.co.nz/about-us/sustainability and some improvement stories here - https://www.wesfarmers.com.au/sustainability/fy2022/our-stories/bunnings-ethical-sourcing-program-improving-conditions-for-factory-workers. Realistically large companies like this always get pinged when some independent takes a closer look.

richms

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#3436347 21-Nov-2025 10:10

eracode:

Recently I bought a 2m extension lead from Bunnings. It was of good quality - solid and well-made.

I got a whole lot of the black ones with the piggyback plugs to put on some lights, about 1/3rd the price of a cable and plug with bare ends on the other end from other places. Seems to be the same mould with a different insert for the branding and approval.

Richard rich.ms

Rikkitic

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#3436350 21-Nov-2025 10:57

I did that years ago. Bought an industrial orange cable and chopped it up to make my own extensions for a fraction of the price. Colours don't matter in most places.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Behodar

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#3436351 21-Nov-2025 11:03

And if it did matter then you could always sell the excess to Quic.

SomeoneSomewhere

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#3436391 21-Nov-2025 14:42

In a similar vein, you can buy 2.5t 9m truck tiedowns, with ratchets, for ~$15+GST (they were $11 earlier, and they'll give you a further 10% off for buying 8+). https://www.cookes.co.nz/products/truck-tiedown-2-5t-l-c

It's hard to buy any sort of decent rope or webbing at that price, let alone get hardware with it.

Bulk is king.

fe31nz

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#3436536 21-Nov-2025 22:30

China uses both type A (North American) and type I (NZ, Australia) plugs and sockets. I have no idea of which type is more common, but if only a small proportion of China uses type I, then they will still be making huge quantities of them. Hence the very cheap price for us also.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country

SomeoneSomewhere

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#3436537 21-Nov-2025 22:33

The Chinese plugs are different to, and only marginally compatible with, ASNZS3112 plugs.

richms

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#3436550 22-Nov-2025 03:05

SomeoneSomewhere:

The Chinese plugs are different to, and only marginally compatible with, ASNZS3112 plugs.

The thinner pins that they used to have seem to have all gone now, but they are still not on insulated ones. Those do come up on some things over there but I suspect that is just them putting cables crimped for the AU market into the moulds with their style plug, rather than actually being part of the standard.

Richard rich.ms

MadEngineer

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#3437246 24-Nov-2025 19:39

When you need to buy one of these, Power Plug to Bare End Cables - PBTech.co.nz

But realise it's cheaper to buy an extension lead and cut the end off.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

SomeoneSomewhere

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#3437255 24-Nov-2025 20:17

richms:

SomeoneSomewhere:

The Chinese plugs are different to, and only marginally compatible with, ASNZS3112 plugs.

The thinner pins that they used to have seem to have all gone now, but they are still not on insulated ones. Those do come up on some things over there but I suspect that is just them putting cables crimped for the AU market into the moulds with their style plug, rather than actually being part of the standard.

If it's missing sleeved pins or doesn't cover the full keep-out zone, it's not compliant.

Bee

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#3437616 26-Nov-2025 10:26

Is there an app that will check all of my watchlists on streaming services (TVNZ+, Netflix, Disney etc) and tell me what episodes are available that I havent watched yet?

The closest Ive found so far is "just watch" but it seems like you have to manually update that as to what you have watched. But is that the best available at the moment?

Doing your best is much more important than being the best.

MadEngineer

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#3438060 27-Nov-2025 21:31

If a landlord of a retail centre places stupid restrictions on the parking spaces, say over 20 minutes results in a “fine” of $75, yet all the businesses (including a hairdresser and other shops for which 20 minutes is impossible) are against the parking restrictions and have nothing to do with the fines, how can the landlord claim costs from you for parking there when the landlord themselves does not have a loss of income?

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

Bung

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#3438078 27-Nov-2025 22:26

Is this a real example or a hypothetical? I've only come across 90 &120 minute limits.

MadEngineer

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#3438371 28-Nov-2025 21:37

^ On a Papamoa community Facebook page that randomly came up. I’m not from the area at all.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

Bung

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#3438377 28-Nov-2025 22:21

Something odd about this. Most of the parks are 90 minute limit but apparently some outside an empty shop have been changed to 20 minute. Echoes of the mad wheelclamping antique dealer whose real income was from clamping.

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