B&Q and Wickes shoppers queue for up to an hour to get on websites ahead of Easter bank holiday weekend
B&Q and Wickes shoppers who want to spruce up their home are being placed in queues lasting more than an HOUR to get on the DIY retailers' websites.
Both hardware stores say they're experiencing increased demand ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend after switching their services to online-only.
When The Sun tried to get online this morning, we were placed in a queue with an estimated wait time of 55 minutes to get on the B&Q website.
For Wickes, we faced a wait time of "more than an hour" to start browsing.
Both hardware stores have been allowed to stay open during the coronavirus lockdown as they're deemed "essential" retailers.
However, they're both offering an online-only service, leaving shoppers with the choice of home delivery or click and collect.
For click and collect orders, customers are told to go to designated areas outside shops where staff will bring their order out to them.
All stores are temporarily shut for browsing.
On top of the wait times, B&Q shoppers say they've also been kicked back to the bottom of the queue when it's almost their turn to get online.
Taking to Twitter to contact the retailer, one customer said: "What the hell, just waited an hour in the queue, got to zero then it went back up to an hour..."
Another shopper tweeted: "Please B&Q I've tried for the last three hours to access your website.
"Have not once refreshed the page but each time it gets down to three minutes in the queue, it goes back up to 59!
"I've tried three times in total. Wasted most my evening waiting and not refreshing my page."
While this customer said: "Jeez, B&Q's website has a 41 minute queue to get in! I'm not buying Glastonbury tickets here!"
It comes after the B&Q website went down for two hours last week, leaving shoppers with no way to buy products from the retailer.
Wickes shoppers were equally unimpressed by the wait times to get online.
One customer tweeted: "The queue for Wickes website is over an hour. No thanks."
Another said: "Seen it all, in a queue to get into Wickes' website."
And this shopper tweeted: "Appears I have to queue for Wickes DIY online, as they have huge demand from customers for online viewings.
"I am doing the isolation bit, by standing six feet away from my monitor."
The message on the B&Q website reads: "Thank you for waiting, lots of customers are using our website at present."
While the Wickes website has the following notice: "At the moment we are seeing significant demand for our products and services.
"As we want to ensure that you have a great experience when on the website we have had to temporarily limit access but will get you on there as soon as we can."
For both websites, click and collect orders have been limited to essential products for the repair and maintenance of homes.
B&Q and Wickes don't charge for click and collect services.
For home delivery, B&Q charges £5 for standard delivery, or free on orders over £50, while Wickes shoppers pay £7.95 for next day-delivery, free on orders over £75.
A B&Q spokesperson told The Sun: "B&Q is experiencing extremely high demand at present.
"We are advising customers to return to the site rather than wait for access.
"We are also asking customers to shop only for what is necessary."
We've asked Wickes for more information on their online wait times we'll update this article when we know more.
Hardware stores are allowed to stay open as they stock essential materials and equipment that help keep homes warm, safe and with power.
Screwfix and Homebase are also offering an online-only service.
When we checked this morning, both retailers didn't have a queue to get on their websites.
MORE ON MONEY
B&Q started selling bedding plants and herb bundles this week so you can spruce up your garden.
We've also rounded up where you can buy flour so you can make your own bread.
On the lookout for hand sanitiser, paracetamol or toilet paper? Check out our guides of where they're still available.
Take a look at The Sun Vouchers to see if you can get extra savings with voucher codes for B&Q and hundreds of other retailers.