User:SpacePineapple711/sandbox

Thrifty-Link Hardware (commonly known as "Thrifty-Link") is an Australian retail hardware chain. The chain logo and name references a metal short link chain. While initially conceived as a convenience focused store, Thrifty-Link sells paint, plumbing, general hardware, power tools and garden products to the DIY market, as well as timber, welding and building products to the builder and trade markets. . Stores are independently owned and operated. Thrifty-Link has over 80 locations across Australia and is owned by Metcash.

History
John Danks & Son Wholesaler bought the Thrifty-Link promotional group from Hawker Bros. Limited in 1983. John Danks & Son launched Home Timber & Hardware a decade later to combat the rapidly emerging corporate warehouse operators; thus beginning the long companionship between Thrifty-Link and Home Hardware. Another subsidiary, Plants Plus, was acquired by Danks in 1995. Thrifty-Link became a nation-wide chain in 1999, when Danks acquired the assets of Independent Hardware Distributors in Western Australia. All three chains successfully launched into Western Australia.

Thrifty-Link was said to be in its prime in the early 2000's, marked by the construction of the Laura Thrifty-Link in South Australia, which was approximately 1000sqm in floor area. At this time, the chain had over 400 stores nationwide. . The Laura store quickly failed and closed. This was due to over-investment and over-capitalization. The chain slowly followed this fate due to growing market rivalries. Currently, there are less than 100 stores nationwide.

Wishing to enter the hardware retail market, which was dominated by rival Wesfarmers, Danks was acquired by a joint venture of Woolworths Group and Lowe's in 2009. . Following the faluire of Masters Home Improvement, in 2016 Thrifty-Link and Home Hardware were sold to Metcash, becoming subsidiaries with previous rivals Mitre 10 and True Value Hardware. . The four chains now operate under Metchash's Independent Hardware Group (IHG) and thus share a product range.

Metcash currently wish to end both the Thrifty-Link and True Value Hardware chains, forcing them to convert to either Mitre 10 or Home Timber and Hardware. This has been met with resistance from store owners.

Advertising
Thrifty-Link had a successful advertising campaign between 2001 and 2011. The short television commercials stared the chain's spokesperson, Red Symons, and conveyed the easy and convenient aspect the chain was known for. In 2011, the Thrifty-Link National Advisory Council decided to end the campaign due to its increased expenses; which could not be met.

Because of no current, national chain advertisement campaign, Thrifty-Link stores have now turned to individual advertising on social media; namely Facebook. Shippy's Hardware, in particular, have created and uploaded a number of comedic videos, which have been recognized by IHG and won the IHG Best Regional Advertising award in 2018.

Achievements
Despite their small store sizes and numbers, Thrifty-Link stores have received numerous awards over their subsidiaries from their parent companies acknowledging their excellence.