2manyrocks
Super Member
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- Jul 28, 2007
- Messages
- 7,399
When all the local brick and mortars die off, do you think the only thing left will be the internet version of the company store in a company town?
Online Buying vs Brick & Mortar.
- Thread starter scootr
- Start date
Larry Caldwell
Super Member
There is still one '50s style hardware store in town that stocks all the weird nuts and bolts you can never find anywhere else. I go to stores for paint, hardware, groceries, seed and feed. I have to buy my size 15EEE shoes online because nobody stocks them. As an aside, I recommend Fitville for wide shoes. I only go to town once a week, so ordering online is more convenient for most stuff. A small town won't have it in stock anyway.
Larry Caldwell
Super Member
Junk stores can be great. My wife and I picked up a complete 12 place setting of Noritake china, including serving dishes, for $20 at the men's shelter thrift store not long ago. That's about $900 worth of dishes online. I also have 17 lbs. of silver I picked up for $70 at Salvation Army. They thought it was plate because it wasn't marked Sterling. It was coin silver, dating from the time when it was cheaper to melt down silver coins than buy silver ingots.
ultrarunner
Epic Contributor
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- Apr 6, 2004
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- 23,247
- Tractor
- Cat D3, Deere 110 TLB, Kubota BX23 and L3800 and RTV900 with restored 1948 Deere M, 1949 Farmall Cub, 1953 Ford Jubliee and 1957 Ford 740 Row Crop, Craftsman Mower, Deere 350C Dozer 50 assorted vehicles from 1905 to 2006
One problem with online is the pirates that follow delivery trucks and steal right from your porch…
If I order it goes to work address because too vulnerable sitting on a porch…
If I order it goes to work address because too vulnerable sitting on a porch…
Lineman North Florida
Veteran Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2008
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- 2,076
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- LaCrosse Florida
- Tractor
- Farmtrac 360 DTC with FEL & John Deere 5093E with FEL ,Kubota SVL 75-2
I needed 4 new tires for my 3/4 ton truck a few weeks ago and shopped around for prices , nobody local even came close to what i could get them for from ebay, saved myself over $200 on a set of 4.
ultrarunner
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2004
- Messages
- 23,247
- Tractor
- Cat D3, Deere 110 TLB, Kubota BX23 and L3800 and RTV900 with restored 1948 Deere M, 1949 Farmall Cub, 1953 Ford Jubliee and 1957 Ford 740 Row Crop, Craftsman Mower, Deere 350C Dozer 50 assorted vehicles from 1905 to 2006
Are you self installing?
There was a time when tires came with complimentary installation, bubble balance and flat repair…
Now these are all line item charges so why not shop best price?
There was a time when tires came with complimentary installation, bubble balance and flat repair…
Now these are all line item charges so why not shop best price?
oosik
Super Star Member
I will search & compare products on-line. Purchases, most often, will be from a local outlet.
I purchase all my tires locally from Les Schwab. Very pleased with the way they operate.
I purchase all my tires locally from Les Schwab. Very pleased with the way they operate.
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
As a Contractor, I'm in Lowes or Home Depot almost every day. As a Farmer, I'm in Atwoods once a week. I also hit Walmart once a week for stuff my wife didn't get when she went shopping. A big part of my life is buying things that I need.
We've been dealing with leaks in our13 year old LG front loading Washing Machine for a couple years now. I take it apart, I find the leak, I order it online and it gets here in a day or two. Then a few months later, it starts to leak somewhere else and I do it all over again. We decided last week that it was time to buy a new Washer.
Looking at reviews and deciding what we wanted, we decided on a 5.5 cubic foot LG top loader that was on sale at Lowes for $798. They didn't have any in stock at any of the stores in our area, but the website said they would deliver it for free on Monday. I searched other stores and nobody has it in stock. Delivery was anywhere from the end of the month, to several weeks. Some included delivery, others had fee in store pick up, and Sears wanted almost $300 more for delivery. I didn't even know Sears was still in business.
They tried sneaking in a $70 set of stainless steel hoses to the order, but I deleted it. We got a test right after I paid for it online that said it would be here between 8am and noon today. I can see where the truck is by tracking it, and right now, we're listed as two stops away. It's coming from the Dallas area, about 80 miles away.
We're kind of annoyed that we couldn't go to Lowes and pick it up yesterday. We cleaned up the Laundry Room, but now we're just waiting for it to get here. I guess it's cheaper and easier for Lowes to use a warehouse to deliver appliances from then to keep them in stock? And it's cheaper to have a truck drive all over the state delivering appliances then it is to keep them in stock? I don't get it, but I think this is the future of appliance buying.
We've been dealing with leaks in our13 year old LG front loading Washing Machine for a couple years now. I take it apart, I find the leak, I order it online and it gets here in a day or two. Then a few months later, it starts to leak somewhere else and I do it all over again. We decided last week that it was time to buy a new Washer.
Looking at reviews and deciding what we wanted, we decided on a 5.5 cubic foot LG top loader that was on sale at Lowes for $798. They didn't have any in stock at any of the stores in our area, but the website said they would deliver it for free on Monday. I searched other stores and nobody has it in stock. Delivery was anywhere from the end of the month, to several weeks. Some included delivery, others had fee in store pick up, and Sears wanted almost $300 more for delivery. I didn't even know Sears was still in business.
They tried sneaking in a $70 set of stainless steel hoses to the order, but I deleted it. We got a test right after I paid for it online that said it would be here between 8am and noon today. I can see where the truck is by tracking it, and right now, we're listed as two stops away. It's coming from the Dallas area, about 80 miles away.
We're kind of annoyed that we couldn't go to Lowes and pick it up yesterday. We cleaned up the Laundry Room, but now we're just waiting for it to get here. I guess it's cheaper and easier for Lowes to use a warehouse to deliver appliances from then to keep them in stock? And it's cheaper to have a truck drive all over the state delivering appliances then it is to keep them in stock? I don't get it, but I think this is the future of appliance buying.
Torvy
Super Member
Even out here away from the city, if I order from Amazon, the nice FedEx lady or nice USPS lady brings it to me tomorrow (often).
The problem with the small local stores is that they often don't want to step into the 20th century (not a typo). Nothing stopping them from putting up a website where I can see if they have what I need without driving into town, wandering around the store or asking a kid that knows nothing to help.
That being said, if it is something we know is carried at the local hardware store, we will typically get it there (unless price is too far off). Even on Amazon, we find it there and then seek out the manufacturer and try to buy directly if possible.
The problem with the small local stores is that they often don't want to step into the 20th century (not a typo). Nothing stopping them from putting up a website where I can see if they have what I need without driving into town, wandering around the store or asking a kid that knows nothing to help.
That being said, if it is something we know is carried at the local hardware store, we will typically get it there (unless price is too far off). Even on Amazon, we find it there and then seek out the manufacturer and try to buy directly if possible.