Why small, local stores are better

[ladyfire3374]

It's not an "overblown" price. You're paying for the customer service you get as well as some convenience.
Cash ain't the only consideration.

Look at it this way. Once you have:
parked at the big box
walked the 1/4 mile to the store
walked 1/4 mile to the aisle you need
made sure it was the right fitting (not in the wrong box)
made sure you got the one with the UPC on it
walked the 1/4 mile to the front
stood in line to use the %$*&! self-scan machines
waited for the cashier because you used a commercial card
walked 1/4 mile back to your truck
checked you truck to make sure it wasn't broken into

How much did that 39-cent fitting REALLY cost you?

[Workhorse]

Originally posted by ladyfire3374
It's not an "overblown" price. You're paying for the customer service you get as well as some convenience.
Cash ain't the only consideration.

Look at it this way. Once you have:
parked at the big box
walked the 1/4 mile to the store
walked 1/4 mile to the aisle you need
made sure it was the right fitting (not in the wrong box)
made sure you got the one with the UPC on it
walked the 1/4 mile to the front
stood in line to use the %$*&! self-scan machines
waited for the cashier because you used a commercial card
walked 1/4 mile back to your truck
checked you truck to make sure it wasn't broken into

How much did that 39-cent fitting REALLY cost you?

And then find out someone labeled the bag or box wrong just to have to go all the way back to exchange it and have them give you the 3rd degree.

[Diceman]

Originally posted by smokin68

Originally posted by Diceman
.
It's not too late to take this country back ya know.

It's far too late.

As a famous American once said, never give up the ship.

[Workhorse]

The big box stores do nothing but sell you the most generalized product they can. They use the cheapest product they can get and sell it for maximum amount they can get. All in all that's not bad except when you hurt other businesses around you in he process. Look at their appliance, hvac, flooring or cabinetry sections. They not only sell you the product, which in itself is not bad but then they set up installation with a 3rd party. This 3rd party is selling their service for so low to get the work cause they couldn't do it on their own in the first place. They don't stand behind any of their work and forget warranty work.

Myself, I always try to use local small business over the box stores whenever I can. The local Ace/True Value has all the odd ball parts I'm looking for and the service is friendly. The prices are comparable. The one good thing I like is Ace has now gone to a small catalog where they will deliver it to you too. I used to get a lot from the box stores delivered and now I give it to Ace.

[jeep6275]

the people that own the true value i shop at will recommend me on a regular basis to their customers trying to fix things. what is that worth?

hell the menards i work for, the store manager wouldnt even call me to work on his home ac this summer. he asked me later what we would have charged if he would have called me. called another contractor with "never an over time charge"
(we were cheaper even with the overtime charge!!)

[vmc1161]

Originally posted by Diceman

Originally posted by RoBoTeq
Or....maybe the big box stores wouldn't have screwed up in the first place.

Incompetent employees??
You ever been to home cheapo or wally world........ever?
Talk about dumb.
This small store has been here forever, does a very good biz too. Sorta like my company.

Hey, my middle son works at Home Depot!



Moreover, he is not, I repeat "NOT" dumb.












Takes after his mother...the little rascal.

[fastfred]

Originally posted by RoBoTeq
Or....maybe the big box stores wouldn't have screwed up in the first place.

When that small store folds up because of the incompetent employees, that cashier will go to work for the big box store that will train her how to pay more attention to a customers money.

RoBoTeq-Not trying to start a flaming war. You have been sounding more amenable lately,thank you. However, once again your management bias manifests itself in your statement that the "incompetent employees" will cause the the business to fail.Is it possible that "incompent management" could cause a business to fail?
Would it not be better to hope that the smaller stores will exist as long as they can manage?

I asked the owner of my local Ace store if he could be more competetive with the "Big Ones". He gives me great advice,help and 10% off.

[dhvac]

I shop at the local hardware store as much as possible
I do go to Lowes when I am remodeling my own house; I also hit whatever place is the closest to the job when I need something for that job
I like the local store more then Lowes but they simply don’t have enough stock to do a large project

[Workhorse]

Originally posted by fastfred

Originally posted by RoBoTeq
Or....maybe the big box stores wouldn't have screwed up in the first place. When that small store folds up because of the incompetent employees, that cashier will go to work for the big box store that will train her how to pay more attention to a customers money.

I asked the owner of my local Ace store if he could be more competetive with the "Big Ones". He gives me great advice,help and 10% off.

Not only that they are helpful, when was the last time you went in to a small business and asked for something only to be told "that not my department, go ask in plumbing". Or they not have what you needed and they told you "tough, we don't carry that, try someplace else". You probably haven't heard that out of a small business man's mouth. My local Ace store owner/manager always tells me if I need it, he'll get it. It may take him a day or so, but he's come through so far. There's even a few items he didn't stock before that he does now since he knows I'll be needing them.

[Workhorse]

Originally posted by RoBoTeq
Or....maybe the big box stores wouldn't have screwed up in the first place.

When that small store folds up because of the incompetent employees, that cashier will go to work for the big box store that will train her how to pay more attention to a customers money.

Robo, I thought you were a little off before, but hey aren't most of us, but when you made this comment I knew you have to be screwed up in the head.

So I guess you're saying small business don't get it right and big business is the only ones that can train employees. The problem with your thinking is that when you have a problem with big business you have to go through how many people to get satisfaction? Let's see, floor manager, department manager, manager on duty, store manager, district manager, regional manager and then you start with corporate. Small business, let's see, manager/owner and owner/manager.

Get you head out of your arse and come up for a little air would you. I think you're getting a little delirious from the lack of oxygen.

[operator]

you know, I'm a pretty small business.

do i charge more than the big guys, probably

it costs me more to buy the same parts they get

I try to go small business any time I can, they will be more willing to help you out and give better service

I was looking for a small shop here to get a fireplace blower. I had the area but didnt see the place. Pulled over to call him and as i was looking for the # the guy stops and asks if i needed to get something, he had already locked up for the night and was pulling ouut of the parking lot.

home depot wont stay open for me, for damn sure

[Collin]

Went to the small Ma&Pa store instead of Starbucks which just opened up across the street. After receiving my coffee, I was embarrased to find out they didn't take interac, and I had no cash on me.
Lady says "No problem, pay us next time."
Like the 18 year old kid at Starbucks would have let THAT happen.

[yocona]

Small business rocks, and hardware stores are an excellent example. I'm happy to pay a bit extra so that my local Ace store can retain knowledgeable staff. I'm willing to pay more at the near-by family-owned building supply store, because one of the sons is a regular customer of mine and the other is my neighbor. And I don't mind not getting the cheapest price, because I know I'm not being sold products that were manufactured as cheaply as possible exclusively for Home Depot, Wal-Mart, et.al.

But most of all, I love the "localness" of the experience. I like knowing the owners I patronize, and recognizing the staff who help me. Also, I really appreciate the fact that these local businesses let me have a house account. It's a great convenience that I can stop by even though I don't have a check with me, or get an employee to pick something up. After Hurricane Katrina, shopping locally really paid off. My sister and her husband live in southern Mississippi and were without power for over two months. By the time she was able to get in touch with us two days after the storm, north MS was over run with people and supplies were wiped out. I made one phone call to Sneed's Ace, and had her a generator five minutes later.

I don't think it's too late, but then I'm an optimist. And I've always figured that the bigger they come, the harder they're gonna fall.



[Edited by yocona on 07-04-2006 at 11:30 PM]