Buying local vs. huge chain stores

sprucebunny · February 14, 2005, 06:30:19 PM

This is just my experience and your mileage may vary...

I decided to buy a welder cause I got a new toy that needs welding. I'd always wanted one but had no idea what to buy. A friend helped me pick a model that the huge retailer HD offers for $387.00 on thier web site. After calling eleven stores and not finding that welder , I called customer service ,who called one of the stores that I had called and when they didn't have the one I wanted , tried to sell me a different one !! Then he got me the price to ship it :$66.14
Then I looked in the yellow pages and called the 2 places listed in "Welding Supplies"The first one wanted $ 475 and the second one ; Merriam Graves wanted $ 452.88. This is less than the same model from HD (including shipping ) by a few cents.
More importantly, I drive by the store several days a week and can feel a lot surer of getting a tool that hasn't been dropped and , in the future , service from a knowledgeable person. ;)
The point is....what good are low prices when shipping is high or the product just isn't available ???

I often feel that we are being brainwashed by advertising into thinking that paying less is much more important than supporting smaller, local or regional retailers who offer fair prices and much better service and support.

dewwood · February 14, 2005, 06:32:31 PM

I could not have said it better myself.

Fla._Deadheader · February 14, 2005, 07:02:16 PM

I gotta agree 100% 8) ;D ;D

old3dogg · February 14, 2005, 07:57:40 PM

Sometimes it takes a little more effort to find good buys at the local small places but the time is worth it.The small time local guy wants you to keep coming back so he is going to work harder for you.The big shameless, huge retailers really dont care about you because they have thousands more to take your place if you dont buy from them.
This has been my argument about places like Wal Mart,McDonalds and the like for years.
They dont care because they dont have to!
I support the local,small,mom and pop joints every chance I get.

Phorester · February 14, 2005, 08:14:24 PM

Yep.

Tom · February 14, 2005, 08:22:37 PM

I'm not going to cut off my nose to spite my face, but if I can spend my money locally, that's what I will do. A great deal of your dollar spent at the big Department Stores or home repair stores, ends up in the coffers of the corporate entity, rather than in your hometown were it will be cycled so that you might get it again.

Today I spent $136 on V-belts at my "independent parts store". I actually saved a little money over buying out of state or over the net, or from the national parts place. I'll see that money again because I didn't let it leave the city. I can't help that so much is made over-seas. I can help who I reward for handling it though.

old3dogg · February 14, 2005, 08:24:48 PM

Amen Tom!

Saki · February 14, 2005, 09:38:37 PM

Everything mentioned above sure rings true. Another thing that really hasn't made it through is CHOICE. By supporting the local businesses and keeping somebody in business besides the big boxes or walmart you know that you will always have the option ( at least in my area ) of driving 5 minutes and supporting locally, or going 25 minutes one way to a big store. If we don't keep our local folks going, won't be long before we HAVE TO go to the big retailers. Also lots of times the teenager trying to help you at the big box won't know his " adze from his elbow" or something like that. ;D ;D ;D Good luck with your new toy. Saki

Fraxinus · February 14, 2005, 09:40:07 PM

Quote from: Tom on February 14, 2005, 08:22:37 PM
A great deal of your dollar spent at the big Department Stores or home repair stores, ends up in the coffers of the corporate entity

That "corporate entity" is part of what is keeping my 401(k) healthy.
I'm not disagreeing with the sentiment that it's good to buy local but don't fall for the idea that corporations are not people. Corporations are people, people just like you and me.
Everybody's gotta eat.

thecfarm · February 14, 2005, 10:04:31 PM

I went to HD looking for 16 penny gavl box spikes,50 lbs.Spent 15 minutes on my own trying to find them,no luck.Spent 10 minutes to find a person to help me,took them a minute to tell me if the spikes are not here,we don't have any.I ask the price,lets say $41.95.I leave with nothing.I went to a small lumber yard,asked for 16 penny gavl box spikes,50 lbs.I left in less than 5 minutes and they was a couple dollars cheaper.You have to be careful.Some things are cheaper at the big places,but the little guy can do alot at times.This isn't the first time this has happened to me.

crtreedude · February 14, 2005, 10:35:45 PM

When we first arrived here in Costa Rica about 7 months ago one of the hardest things for me was that when I would wander into a store, everyone wanted to help me. This was welcome after the experiences I had in NJ where finding a clerk was pretty hard - almost like they were hiding.

What wasn't so fun was that my Spanish was far from good - so a clerk would come up and say something fast and I would have no idea what he said. I learn real quick to say "solo ver" which means, Only to see.

I recently needed a belt and went to a leather store and got one hand made while I waited - for about 8 dollars.

It has been my experience that here people are just waiting to take care of you - carry things to your car, and basicly make you feel like they were happy you shopped with them.

We recently had a large store "Maxi Bodega" go in, but I notice it isn't exactly having great business - the feria has better produce, and a lot cheaper - besides, it is a lot more fun.

If you go to the Central Valley, you can find large businesses that will ignore you just like in the USA - but I haven't had the urge yet. ;-)

We have an account with a hardware store so normally Hector or I just pick things up and once a month, pay off the tab. If we pay on time (30 days) we get a 10% discount - you can bet we pay on time! :D

One of the biggest shocks being here is that I am treated like a person, not just a potential customer. It takes a bit getting used to. It also means, in a city of 40,000 people, when I walk into a store and they don't have it and say they will find it - they will drop it off at my house - and they know where my house is!

Gives you the willies the first time it happens, I'll have you know.

Our daughter was down doing some work for me last year and went to a town 20 kilometers away to pickup mail. Walked into the postoffice and someone walked up to her - who she had never seen before and gave her something. It was the mail for our partner's wife.

In our neck of the jungle - there are only a few Gringos - we are pretty obvious! I am still trying to squash the rumors from Harold's visit.... :D

Percy · February 15, 2005, 02:21:14 AM

Ya , we got the WAL-Mart up here in the sticks as well, about a year ago. It has hurt some of the local businesses bad but some of the local businesses have done very well since the big box joint opened up. More people comming to town, more hotels, restaraunts yaddayadda. Nudder thing I learned/noticed is they only sell the cheap stuff. If you want an uptown TV, you have to go somewhere else to buy it as they(WAL MART) only stock lower to mid line stuff. Anyone who chooses to compete with Wamart will probably lose, unfortunatley. Most people I know will buy the lowest price, all things else being equal, and me too probably. The stores that sell the good stuff, higher end equipment, will do fine I think. I like the good stuff ;D ;D

Ron Wenrich · February 15, 2005, 05:57:03 AM

You get what you pay for. Walmart has those real cheap prices on stuff in the aisles that lure you to the higher priced stuff. I can get hardware cheaper at the local Ace strore than I can at Lowe's.

But, there's one thing I can't get at the box stores. Yes, they have better selection, but, they can't tell me any of the local doings. Those small mom and pop stores are great rumor mills. Some of its true, some not. But, you can't buy good conversation. Its something that those mom and pops give out for free.

crtreedude · February 15, 2005, 06:11:31 AM

Walmart is not my choice for shopping if I can avoid it. :( I picked up some jeans there before we came here and they fell apart - I have other jeans that I purchased that are hanging together very well. As you say Ron, you get what you pay for.

Conversation is so important - my morning ritual is to walk down to the local soda (small restaurant) and have a cafe con leche or two while shooting the breeze with the owner. We all have a good ole time - and my Spanish improves. I have made some very good friends that way too.

It has been a bit of an eye-opener for me. When we lived in NJ - there never seemed to be enough time to get to know anyone - and if you made the time, they other person didn't have much. Here, everyone has time for you and you for them.

We are always having a fiesta down on the finca for someone - nothing really special - just kill a pig or something and have chicarrones (pork rinds - fresh) with tortillas and limes and perhaps a few beer. Throw some yuca in there and it is all pretty good.

The problem with getting our lives too efficient is that we lose the interaction with others. The charm of the smaller communities is the fact everyone knows each other.

A quick example - recently we had someone visit the finca (not Harold) and when leaving, they asked Hector - I assume there a few people here that you have to keep an eye on. Hector thought for a while and said, no - everyone living here are good people. And I believe he is right.

Now - I will say when I see one gentleman coming on the dirt road, I move to the side - I KNOW how he got his license - and it wasn't from passing a test!

Fred

redpowerd · February 15, 2005, 07:55:57 AM

off topic, what did you get for a welder? my buddy, coincedentally works at walmart, is looking for one and said wallmart had a deal on them. i told him to hang on and we will find him one of higher quality and proly less cash. mig.

as for the comments on big chains, thats exactly why potsdam ny banned wallmart. they have so many main street stores that do very well, they dont want wallmart around. wallmart has been trying for years to get into potsdam. many folks like wallmart for their prices and lobby to get wallmart into potsdam, their just not concerned with what it may do to the local economy. brainwashed is a good way to put it.

sawguy21 · February 15, 2005, 08:17:03 AM

Fraxinus, sure they are people but are they always NICE people, concerned for the customers and the communities they serve? They recently refused arbitration and closed the store in Jonquiere, Quebec rather than deal honestly with the workers in the first unionized Walmart. I am not getting into a pro or anti union discussion here but I shop as much as possible at the locally owned business unless the price is way out of line. After all, I work in one. I wont patronize Walmart or H-D
I purchased a 100' extension cord at a local building supply. It was half the price of Canadian Tire, better quality, and the connectors were installed and weatherproof. This I like!!!

MrMoo · February 15, 2005, 10:20:29 AM

Couldn't agree with you more Spruce. I always try to support the small local businesses. In New Hampshire we have added incentive because we don't have the sales tax. Without that most times it makes no sense to order online and pay for shipping.

leweee · February 15, 2005, 11:01:59 AM

Quote from: Fraxinus on February 14, 2005, 09:40:07 PM

That "corporate entity" is part of what is keeping my 401(k) healthy.
I'm not disagreeing with the sentiment that it's good to buy local but don't fall for the idea that corporations are not people. Corporations are people, people just like you and me.
Everybody's gotta eat.

Those big box stores hire part-time labour(no benefits) for minimum wage. People in China are starting to eat better than we do

There is a hidden cost for the precived benefits of shopping at the big box. When you consume more than you produce(trade defacite)the money flows in the wrong direction :'( jmo

Corley5 · February 15, 2005, 11:30:08 AM

Our local Carter's IGA stores closed after the Supercenters moved in. It's too bad. Well paid members of the Grocer's Union lost their jobs :( because Wal-Mart doesn't pay decent wages. I'm guilty of patronizing the big store. We can't sensibly afford to shop elsewhere especially when it comes to groceries. Prices for some items are almost half of what locally owned supermarkets charge. All the Chinese made stuff in the dept half of Wal Mart bothers me and we seldom buy from that side of the store. It's the cheap stuff they sell from that side that enables them to sell food so cheap on the other side. I'd rather go to an Ace Hardware or the like but these small stores are few and far between up here now and the hours of the ones that are still operating make it hard to get to them when they're open. A new Lowes just opened in Gaylord and I like it. The staff is friendly, helpful, actually knowledgeable and the store is bright. All the HDs that I've been are just the opposite

Buzz-sawyer · February 15, 2005, 12:22:20 PM

I liked our local LOOWES for the forst 2-3 months.....then they stopped acting like they cared about helping or doin business..as usual....
On our St Luis news the lead story last night was that, LOCAL grocery closes up due to NEW walmart.

Buzz-sawyer · February 15, 2005, 12:35:13 PM

Leweee said
Those big box stores hire part-time labour(no benefits) for minimum wage. People in China are starting to eat better than we do There is a hidden cost for the precived benefits of shopping at the big box. When you consume more than you produce(trade defacite)the money flows in the wrong direction
Buzz says, You are right, and the odd and troubling recent occurance is that we are ALSO Chinas 3rd world Raw material suppliers...so they can manufacture and send it back to us...WE NEED TO BUILD STUFF.!

IndyIan · February 15, 2005, 01:27:43 PM

Speaking of Walmart, they just closed a store in Quebec because they had organized a union. Walmart says the store was not "profitable" but they just don't want unions in their stores.

Now I know not all of you are in favour of unions but Walmart is a perfect example of where they are needed. Minimum wage and no benefits is a hard way to make a living and sharing some of the wealth with the "associates" would not hurt Sam Walton one bit. Funneling all the money to him doesn't do anyone any good at all.

I'm sure Walmart lost money on closing the store in Quebec and hopefully more stores will unionize making it "a good business decision" to pay people a decent wage instead of closing a store everytime they unionize.

Ian

crtreedude · February 15, 2005, 01:55:50 PM

What is weird is the ease of communications should be driving things the other way - not to bigger and bigger stores, but to speciality stores since I can easy find, near to me, whatever I am looking for.

But, instead, we are seeing more and more monster stores - where instead of search for a store, you can search for a thing in a monster store - or search for someone to tell you where to find it.

The problem with so many of these monster stores is they start off killing the competition with low prices, and then when they don't have competition any more, expect your prices to go up.

Educating people on what will happen a few years down the road is a challenge, most people vote the "hip-pocket nerve" as a friend of mine used to say.

Dana · February 15, 2005, 03:41:07 PM

My town is a tourist town. The down town has Charlevoix shirts, [the town name ] fudge and ice cream. There is an Ace Hardware (located out of town in the township] and other than that two grocery store's that were local Glens, and Olsens they have been bought out by Spartan Food Stores out of Grand Rapids Mi but kept their names to seem local. in the summer our population swells to 30,000 plus and Walmart wanted to put in a store. Several local business men and the kids from high school started a stop Walmart group and were sucessful. They used a its our town logo and got a lot of publicity. Walmart decided to pull out due to all the negative pr. Now that they are out of the picture the local hardware store once again gives poor service, (unlike when the competition was coming) Our money for food and clothing still leaves our comunity forGrand Rapids 150 miles, Petoskey 20 miles away or Gaylord and Traverse City 50 miles away. I wonder if Wallmart had come to town how much of the money would have stayed in town due to the jobs and related infastructure that results?

leweee · February 15, 2005, 03:50:28 PM

Quote from: crtreedude on February 15, 2005, 01:55:50 PM
What is weird is the ease of communications should be driving things the other way - not to bigger and bigger stores, but to speciality stores since I can easy find, near to me, whatever I am looking for.

But, instead, we are seeing more and more monster stores - where instead of search for a store, you can search for a thing in a monster store - or search for someone to tell you where to find it.

The problem with so many of these monster stores is they start off killing the competition with low prices, and then when they don't have competition any more, expect your prices to go up.

Educating people on what will happen a few years down the road is a challenge, most people vote the "hip-pocket nerve" as a friend of mine used to say.

Those precieved benefits of the big box disappear as fast as the competition. Prices rise, employees live " hand to mouth" & service suffers :'(