Fastenal

[CliffordK]

I suppose each business model is different.
When I go to the local home supply store in search of nuts & bolts, I'm happy to poke around the shelves.
It is not uncommon for me to sort out items that are placed in the wrong areas.

The home supply store just asks price & qty, whereas a grocery store wants the bin number for bulk items. I'll give them whatever information they need. I prefer if prices are marked on the items, and I detest multi-tier pricing.

And, it is not uncommon for me to round up to a full box size, so if I need 20 of one size, but the box size is 25, I'll buy the box.

Anyway, the way Fastenal works, it is labor intensive to work with the small customers.

There are two types of home supply stores. Those that cater to corporate customers, and those that cater to individuals (and professional builders).

Those that cater to individuals tend to be far more vibrant of places, whereas those catering to corporate customers usually have more sales people than customers.

I think it is obvious that about half the people here are unable to deal with the Fastenal policies. It has to add up. I actually sought them out because occasionally I need speciality nuts & bolts, but they are not oriented to meeting my needs.

 

[sparc]

And, it is not uncommon for me to round up to a full box size, so if I need 20 of one size, but the box size is 25, I'll buy the box.

I do the same to build up my stock so I can save a trip in the future.

I went to Fastenal because no one else around had what I needed.

I can understand the way they price items. I guess they don't get
much walk-in business for one or two of something.

As someone else pointed out their local store had open bags as did mine
so it wasn't the first time they broke the 'buy the bag' policy.

They should have a special code to ring up those small sales so they could
get a good count of what percentage of their sales (if they weren't giving them away) is.

 

[NWOH_Grizz]

Our local Fastenal store in Maumee OH (Toledo suburb) moved about a year ago, but still seems to have decent service. Bag/box only quantities, no big deal as I like to have spares anyway. They always put my purchase on somebody else's cash account, and I get the discount. Quality is OK. If I need just one or two of something large, I try The Andersons first. Its a locally-owned store that is big into rail cars, grain elevators, fertilizer processing, etc, and they have 3 or 4 general stores. Andersons has been gradually phasing out the men's side of their general stores, but the fasteners are still there, and they even carry some very weird ones.

 

[crazyal]

I had to replace a lovejoy connector on my log splitter. Fastenal had the best price I could find and had them at the store in 2 days. But they only sell in full boxes. If you're looking for a special bolt you may be forced to buy a box of 25. Around here there's another fastener company that's been around a lot longer that will sell individually so I go their first.

 

[PhysAssist]

I had to replace a lovejoy connector on my log splitter. Fastenal had the best price I could find and had them at the store in 2 days. But they only sell in full boxes. If you're looking for a special bolt you may be forced to buy a box of 25. Around here there's another fastener company that's been around a lot longer that will sell individually so I go their first.

When I put a new motor and then a new hydraulic pump on out Heath kit spltter, I needed a new set of lovejoys and spiders, and the local TSC had everything but the sizes I needed, so I searched online and found that Aplied Technologies (applied.com) had them and would ship them for free to the local store for me to pick them up.

The best price I could find a 2-stage pump for was at Bailey's Hydraulics. (www.baileynet.com)

When the Heathkit splitter finally died, Applied also had the wierd hydraulic oil to match what came in the TroyBilt splitter I got from Lowes.

They were really helpful, but the price for the oil seemed relatively high.

Thomas