Online Buying vs Brick & Mortar.

[riptides]

... Most of these small businesses are open 9-5, closed weekends. ...

Yup!

 

[MossRoad]

My wife works at a financial institution. Back before ATMs, people would go there on their lunch hours to conduct business. About that time, half the tellers would also go to lunch. So double the customers and half the staff 11am-1pm every day. I always found that strange.

I like the Barber shop model... closed Monday since they work Saturday.

 

[caver]

I've noticed some local business that used to be open until noon Saturday are no longer open on Saturday. Mom and Pop farm type store and an equipment rental place.

 

[MossRoad]

I've noticed some local business that used to be open until noon Saturday are no longer open on Saturday. Mom and Pop farm type store and an equipment rental place.

We've got a local feed mill that also has a farm store. It's only open M-F most of the year, but in spring through mid-summer it's open on Saturdays for flowers, seeds, mulch, and pool chemicals, etc.

 

[Omega Woods]

My local awesome hardware store/ Stihl dealer has some pretty cool on line features.

Let’s say I want to buy a Stihl chainsaw. If I go to Stihl’s website and look at a particular Stihl product, it will show up with a banner across the top of my local hardware store, the availability (in stock) and even the price. It’s also show optional bar & chain sizes with prices. I think it does the same with other brands.

Everytime I walk in, I feel welcome, treated like family, given a discount, and get better than expected advice. I WANT to go there. My son now goes there, too and buys work clothes, hats, etc.

My local Ace Hardware is like this. A family owns several of them in the area and they do a great job. Having said that, I do 75% of my shopping on line. 75% of that is on Amazon.

 

[WVH1977]

I am in the mall generation (80s) with Sears/JC Penny, etc. I like brick and mortar. Back then who would have ever thought Sears would go away. I used to look at the big Sears catalogue with all the toys in the back and cirlce eveything I wanted/wished for for birthdays and Christmas. I also really miss the days when you went to the music store to go through all the cassettes/records. Also miss going into the toy store to see all the toys in person. Usually all the specialty stores had salesman/women that knew their product. Like going to the shoe store and having the salesman size your foot, get the shoes, put them on your feet and tie them. That type of service is all but gone. I like talkng with folks that know what their business is. Not like going into Best Buy to talk with a purple hair, tattoos, rings in the nose and ears teenager about a refrigerator they know nothing about.

I do like shopping online in craigslist and marketplace to buy equipment, tools, vehicles, etc. Always looking for deals on items in there.

 

[WinterDeere]

About the only two things I still buy in a Brick and Mortar store are... wait for it... bricks and mortar! They're too heavy for UPS!

Joking, but it's not far from the truth. Aside from groceries and lumber or building supplies, nearly 100% of our shopping is online.

I grew up cursing the local hardware and auto parts stores for always closing before I got off from work, and being closed most of the weekend, precisely when I was working on projects. Then along came Heckingers, Home Depot and Lowes, who had better selection, better prices, and infinitely more convenient hours. I never understood why anyone was sad to see the mom-and-pop stores disappear, with their higher prices, shorter hours, and lesser product selection. I can only guess it came from nostalgia more than logic.

Now, ironically, people are lamenting the closure of big box and large department stores, due to online competition! Weren't those corporations the enemy, just 25 years ago? Weird.

Amazon was at my house three times today, dropping off 7 packages. Just another average Tuesday. They aren't the cheapest, but they're the fastest and most convenient, keeping me from wasting hours and gas driving around God's creation in my perpetual hunt for oddball items. I almost can't imagine how I managed before online shopping, and other than valuing a dollar or two saved more than an hour or two wasted, I have trouble understanding anyone who still prefers driving to a store for small items.

 

[Oaktree]

I grew up cursing the local hardware and auto parts stores for always closing before I got off from work, and being closed most of the weekend, precisely when I was working on projects. Then along came Heckingers, Home Depot and Lowes, who had better selection, better prices, and infinitely more convenient hours. I never understood why anyone was sad to see the mom-and-pop stores disappear, with their higher prices, shorter hours, and lesser product selection. I can only guess it came from nostalgia more than logic.

One reason I've heard many times was the lack of "personal attention" that the mom & pop stores allegedly provided and the box stores didn't. 9 times out of 10, I just want to get what I need and leave, and not be pounced upon by an employee asking if they can "help me".
Growing up in the 50s/60s/early-to-mid 70s we accepted stores' bankers hours because we didn't know anything different. At least where I live, stores being open Sundays wasn't really a thing until the late 70s, even grocery stores had limited hours Sundays.

Amazon was at my house three times today, dropping off 7 packages. Just another average Tuesday. They aren't the cheapest, but they're the fastest and most convenient, keeping me from wasting hours and gas driving around God's creation in my perpetual hunt for oddball items. I almost can't imagine how I managed before online shopping, and other than valuing a dollar or two saved more than an hour or two wasted, I have trouble understanding anyone who still prefers driving to a store for small items.

It depends for me. If it's something I don't mind waiting a week for, or something not easily available nearby I'll order online but I generally prefer to see the merchandise first. It's a bit over a half hour drive to a town with anything in the way of retail, so I'll set aside one day a week and pick up items I need same time as I do my grocery shopping.
Sometimes I just wanna get out of the house.

 

[deserteagle71]

we do still have a few old hardware type stores that have 6-7 employees manning the store, I'd bet their average age is 55 and know their stuff

The local hardware store here also has knowledgeable employees...but here's the problem. I live in a 33 year old house. Yet if I need to make, say, some plumbing repairs, the local hardware store does not carry any of the fittings that fit the older plumbing in my house. I have to get them on line. Same with parts for my old John Deere tractor...dealer doesn't stock the parts for it - he has to order them...and then I have to go pick them up. Well, I'd just as soon order them and have them delivered to my door.

 

[jyoutz]

The local hardware store here also has knowledgeable employees...but here's the problem. I live in a 33 year old house. Yet if I need to make, say, some plumbing repairs, the local hardware store does not carry any of the fittings that fit the older plumbing in my house. I have to get them on line. Same with parts for my old John Deere tractor...dealer doesn't stock the parts for it - he has to order them...and then I have to go pick them up. Well, I'd just as soon order them and have them delivered to my door.

I will shop locally and don’t mind driving around within reason. But if they don’t have what I want or tell me they have to order it, I will go straight to Amazon or eBay.