Buy local vs online
 

Generally speaking I like to buy local and preferably from smaller mom/pop stores if possible . Recently I need eight 1/2-13 acorn/cap style nuts . Went to every hardware store and big box stores to try and purchase . No one had stock and only one had a bin for them .

The store that had the empty bin was asking $5.00 a piece for SS . So $40.00 if they had them to cover my needs . Not gonna happen . Went on Amazon this morning , a 10 pack of SS is $9.99 with free delivery! Have no way to know if comparing apples to apples but that's a crazy difference in price . And the Amazon delivery will be tomorrow .

That happens to me all the time. I go to Ace Hardware, Home Depot, and Lowe's and look for a particular fastener or nut, and they have lots of the other sizes, but the bin of what I need is empty. No inventory control at all for so many stores.

I come home, and find just what I need on line and get the, delivered the next day.

I really prefer to support a local business, but not when they can't keep the common sizes in stock.

There are things that I will exclusively buy locally, and things that it makes no financial sense to buy locally.

It just depends on the item and the local market.

For instance, I needed enough parkas for the family for a recent trip. I'm in FL. The local shops would have special ordered anything anyways (I did ask) for prices that were 5-10X what I paid for basic parkas that did the trick just fine. The ones the local stores could have ordered might well have been better quality, but I don't need a $300 parka for a 2 week trip, when a $40 parka will do the trick. Both were made in China anyways, so that didn't factor in. The cost difference paid for one and a half of the airfares.

Locally here the Tractor Supply stores have the best stock of fasteners and you pick what you need from the bins.

Two Ace Hardware stores have pretty good stock. You need to rely on the clerk to find what you need and some of the clerks are clueless.

Lowes/Home Depot aren't as good for selection and the workers offer to help, but they generally have no idea what they are talking about.

Most modern stores like HD, Lowes, and I assume ACE will have sophisticated inventory control. The problem is when items are stolen, that's not noticed for quite some time because there's probably 10s of thousands of SKUs in those stores. And to catch this sort of issue, every item in the store needs to be manually checked.

Many years ago, I worked in a retail auto parts store. Going through the weekly order for the entire store took most of a day. Having computerized POS system transformed that to an automatic process, but theft would completely screw up the process since theft wasn't accounted for until a manual check or inventory.

For me the local stores have a place. When I need a common item *right now*

…but they don’t have much variety. The local HW store wants $12 for 3 bolts. I can get a box of 25 of for the same from Mcmaster Carr for the same price? They must be marking them up 1000%

If my local store doesn't have what I need I'll check here first:
https://www.mcmaster.com/

I usually get what I need in 2-3 days.

I checked local Ace hardware and local True Value . Checked local lumber/hardware store . Checked local Tractor Supply . Checked local Home Depot . None had what I needed . So the only two options are don't finish the project or buy online . I chose buy online and finish the project .

Yeah, needed some exterior outlet covers (4). Lowes price: $30 each. Amazon price: $10. Same items. Guess which ones this cheapskate bought?

Seems like big box stores are turning into convenience stores with convenience store pricing.

Today's quest: crush washer for the Isuzu oil change. I kinda know where I'm going to buy!

Yep, $5ea vs $1ea is tough to stomach.

We try to support local when we can.

We have moved to the boonies. We've got a couple of stores with hardware nearby
(5mi), and I try to buy from those when I can. One closes at 530 M-F, and is then open for about 4 hours on Sat. I don't often buy anything from them because I'm not usually out and about when they are open. The other has reasonable stock and are open until 8 M-F and 7 on Sat, I think so that one gets a lot of my business. There are a couple of others that are within 12-20 miles. We will sometimes go to those, but that's more rare. The nearest HD/Lowes is 50-60 miles away. We might hit those if we are in town to visit the kids or for some other reason.

Lack of good employees and distribution problems will do that. Add in high property taxes and energy costs.
I can't say anything else.

A couple of months ago, I was looking for some 3-inch self-drilling SS Torx screws. I couldn't find anything locally and when I went to look online I couldn't get them for 3 to 4 days.

I probably could have gotten away with TEKS 2 3/4 inch from Lowe's or HD, but even then, their online stock for a local DFW store said they had one maybe two boxes. Who knows if they're really in stock, and I wasn't going to drive 30 to 40 miles to check!

Ace, McMaster, HD, Tractor Supply, Fastenal, etc... no one had them or if they did, they sold in bulk.

I finally found a place about 10 pages deep in a Google search that had what I needed at a good price. Their web page didn't list an address for their business, so I Googled it. It's local! I called them up, asked if they would sell over the counter, told them what I needed, confirmed that they had them, and they told me I was welcome to look through their inventory for something else that might be suitable if they happened to sell out before I got there. This business didn't have very many walk-in customers, there was no storefront.

I guess you could say I shop online and buy local!

I've got a TS about 12-13 miles away. We hit it every once in a while, but rarely for fasteners.

HD/L may at one time have had more knowledgeable guys that were retired and looking for something to do to get out of the house, but I think that's pretty rare these days. I've worked in retail many many years ago. I think you'd have to either be desperate or give-no-fuchs to last in that environment. The cust service went to crap for a bit, but in the past several years it's turned around. Like you said, the employees try, but usually have no clue. I've been told that they didn't have or stock an item only to eventually find it myself. I feel like most of the employees are kids and housewives making minimal money. They try to help but just don't have enough knowledge and experience which isn't surprising considering the range of items types of stuff in those stores.

https://www.belmetric.com/

https://www.mcmaster.com/

sure to find what you need.

I buy local when I can and expect the customer service. If they are clueless or lazy, sorry, but I'll go online for cheaper.

For 'old school' stuff (which I have a lot of)...I always go to my local hardware store. It costs more...but it works.
If any problems with it...returns or exchanges are done the same day.

Kudos to the great effort.
I would buy the quality 100pack or 500pack, spray 'em with WD-40, and not worry about 3" screws for a while.
(speaking of which I'm probably out)

It's almost like paying close to minimum wage doesn't get a very experienced or knowledgable staff.

^^^ exactly

I went by Ace on the way home to buy a few cheap paint brushes. The store look like it was half empty of inventory and I almost took a picture to post here.

For generic bolts, the Lowe’s near us has a mediocre selection.

If I need something special, it’s Bell-Metric or McMaster Carr.

Metal Depot has a huge selection and better prices than McMaster Carr For all types of metal. It does take longer to get vs M-C.