TSC never keeps their stock up!!!!!

[RichZ]

I'm sooo tired of TSC and their stocking issues. When TSC first opened a store in our area, about 15 years ago, my wife and I were thrilled. We had a goat dairy farm, milking 60 goats, and I bought all of my dairy cleaning supplies at TSC, because it was the cheapest place to get them. My local manager kept the cleaning supplies in stock for me and several other dairy farmers. But they transferred that manager, and no other manager would or could keep the supplies in stock, so I was often forced to buy the supplies elsewhere for higher prices. Plus the local TSC lost a lot of business, but apparently they didn't care.

I no longer milk goats, but I still have a farm and often buy supplies at TSC, when they keep them in stock. Several years ago I bought a Poulan Pro chain saw at TSC when they had it on sale. I know it's a cheap chainsaw, but it's worked fine for me. Today, while cutting up a tree downed by a storm, my saw was running rough. After checking it out, I saw that the air filter was pretty clogged, and beyond cleaning anymore. Since TSC is 1/2 hour away, I called to see if they had the air filter in stock. Not only do they not have it in stock, but they don't even carry it. So I asked if I could order it, and was told, sure, but I have to come in to place the order. I told the kid on the phone that I live 1/2 hour away, and I'd like to get the filter ASAP, so could he take my order over the phone, since it was too late to make it down before the store closed. I was told they couldn't take orders over the phone.

Well, never mind, I'll either get it someplace else or order it directly from Poulan. I'm so tired of TSC's terrible customer service. I buy a lot of stuff there, most of the sales people and the manager know me, but they're often out of what I need, and it often takes weeks to get whatever I was looking for. Luckily, I have a beautiful Agway store in town, but there are a few things that they don't carry that I go to TSC for, but they're often out of stock!!!

Sorry for the rant, but I'm so tired of TSC being out of stock, and no one caring about keep their stock up. And it's not just my local store, there are a bunch of TSC's around here, and sometimes while doing errands, I stop at others, and it's the same thing at those stores. I wish we had another chain of ag stores to compete against TSC.

 

[JRobyn]

It usually doesn't impact me as much as you when they are out of stuff, but I sure feel your pain and agree!

 

[BigCountry1689]

I have 2 within 30 miles and both always seem to be out of what I need. Wife ordered a new halter for my daughters pony because they were out of the color she wanted, they said well have it in 3 to 5 days, 3 weeks later thy call. My wife told them keep it I already bought one from the local feed store. Thankfully Home Depot carries some AG stuff and the rest can be had at local stores. That's why I like ACE hardware, we have one in town that's been there for 40 years and they have everything, I bet if I went in there with the temperature knob for a 1960 toaster they would have it.

 

[JFoy]

I worked at TSC a few months ago. The biggest challenge there in terms of inventory is corporate decides what each store gets for their weekly shipment. As for special orders, many stores require customers to pay in advance since they've had issues with special ordering something and then the customer never comes to get it and pay for it. I can see their side of it but concede it is also a pain to the customer.

As for ordering time for special orders, well, again, the store itself has no control over when it shows up. Really puts the store managers in a bind since they have little control over it. I saw some irate customers as it had been two or more weeks and they were still waiting for their parts.

 

[polkwrangler]

seems like the place has went downhill....when they came to florida years ago it was the place to go to get stuff but not anymore

 

[weldingisfun]

I run into the same sort of issues with the two local TSC stores. The managers are powerless, "Corporate" does it all. Hmmmm, isn't that the same problem our Country is facing with the federal government taking over control of more and more of the things in our lives. I did NOT intend to make this a political issue, but the situation is identical. And, just like the federal government, TSC Corporate never visits the local stores and talks to the folks.

 

[TractorGuy]

Ours would often have a bunch of empty bins in the hitch pin area. They also don't stock a full line of implements so I end up driving an hour and a half to Agri Supply to buy those. I emailed corporate and suggested that a business named "Tractor Supply" might consider actually having a full stock of implements and hardware for, you know, TRACTORS! Don't know if they improved their implement stock but I have noticed the hardware bins got filled up.

 

[EddieWalker]

It's my understanding that each store is individually owned and the owner of the store sets the tone in how it's run. At least that's what I was told by the guy who claimed to be the owner of the store here. For years, I would go there and not be able to get what I had bought previously. It's almost like they have no idea of inventory, and how to keep what sells in stock. About ten years ago Atwoods came to town. It was cheaper, more stuff and better run. The exact same size, same brand welding rod was $5 cheaper at Atwoods compared to Tractor Supply. A couple of years ago, at the other side of town, a new Tractor Supply was built. It's bigger, cleaner and generally better run. I have been happy with them the few times I've been there. I really like their country line post hole augers and replacement tips. By far, the best deal out there!!!! But a couple weeks ago I went in to see what they had for sprinklers and they where all sold out with no idea when they would get more in. More and more I go to Amazon to buy stuff. It's just not worth the time it takes to run around to stores and not find what is supposed to be there.

 

[jack707]

Farm &fleet is another store that does not keep up either. Last week Ai went looking for a 7 cut off wheel the woman that was in the aisle with me I ask her why I can't buy that wheel she told me we don't carry it!!! You carry a 7 "grinder wheel but no cut off wheel!! And they also call their store a farm store but they don't carry cultivated wheels we also checked the net no stock!!!.

 

[fidowanttobe]

More and more I go to Amazon to buy stuff. It's just not worth the time it takes to run around to stores and not find what is supposed to be there.[/QUOTE]

Same here. Sets the mood for the rest of the day driving store to store to find something. Get online and the mailman drops it off. Done. I usually have it in 3-4 days. WHERE do they order it from that it takes 2 weeks?

 

[Mendonsy]

We originally had one Central Tractor store which changed over to TSC when they bought out Central Tractor. They sometimes had what I needed but mostly not.
About 5 years ago they built 3 more TSC stores around the area and things got better but not great. Then two years ago Runnings opened up a new location in a retired Walmart store. Now the TSC stores have most of their stuff in stock.
It's all a matter of whether there is competition.

 

[TheMan419]

Local TSC here seems to always have what I need. I have to price shop them on stuff though. Often they are a bit on the high side.... but if it is a part you need today to keep working getting it from Amazon does not help.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

My hunting/fishing camp is located near a small town and at 5:00 PM the Ace hardware store closes and it's about 50 miles to the nearest home improvement store, so when a TSC store moved into town I was happy that I would have another option to get pvc and galvanized fittings and other things that you always seem to need, boy was I ever wrong empty bin after empty bin in the fitting department and they have been open for over a year so it's not looking like it's going to get any better.

 

[japody]

I wonder if anyone at TSC HQ reads this forum?

 

[RichZ]

Japody, that's why I started this thread. I was hoping that someone from TSC corporate would read it, but none of them probably have any interest in tractors, based on the way they maintain their stores' stock, so they probably never look at TBN. It's just too bad, years ago I loved TSC, now I try to avoid them. I just ordered my air filter on-line, so they lost another potential sale, small as it may be.

 

[MF283]

Should change their name to USC = Urban Supply Store, the kids that work there wouldn't know what a tractor looked like if it weren't for scale models in there

Ronnie

 

[japody]

email for Board of Directors - board@tractorsupply.com

CEO is Greg Sandfort.

 

[stuckmotor]

I've had pretty good luck finding Poulan saw parts on the internet. What makes me mad is going to Tractor Supply and finding the section of the nuts and bolts bin that holds the ones I need empty.

 

[widefat]

The TSCs in my area seem to do a pretty good job of keeping stock up. I'm in the same boat as a couple of you - everything in my town closes at 5pm M-F and noonish on saturday.
Not open on sunday. So, TSC is the only place to buy nuts/bolts/hardware,

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I think there is a local guy that stops at the bolt bins before I do because there is usually one item thats out of stock. usually washers, nuts, or bolts of the 1/2" variety. I will say that they were indespensible for putting my jd550 crawler back together. I bought alot of grade 8 hardware there. We have a fastenal nearby but they are only open 9-5 or 8-4 weekdays. Not helpful. The next town over just got a rural king store and wow does it blow tractor supply out of the water! That store is enormous! The quality of things isn't much better but you can find just about anything. They even have an entire stihl section.