When You Buy Can Make A Difference

MikePA · Jun 2, 2004

I am fencing in our 3 acre pasture and I am also keeping track of what it costs. I took 2 extra days off this week, so over the past 5 days, I've been visiting the local Lowe's to pick up 4" x 4" x 8' PT (ACQ) lumber I'm using as posts. 'Interesting' unit prices follow.

5/21/2004 $5.97
5/30/2004 $6.97
6/1/2004 $6.97
6/2/2004 $5.97

Same stack of lumber, same store. Must have received a shipment of really good posts just in time for the Memorial Day weekend. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Also posted on CBN

AndyM · Jun 2, 2004

I am about 20 miles from three Lowe's stores, and two more are about 30 miles away from my house. All of them have a Home Depot store nearby, except for the one about 20 miles to the south of me.

The Lowe's sale ad that appears in the local newspaper for that town 20 miles to the south has different prices than the ads in the newspapers in the other cities nearby. To add to that, the prices in that store are consistantly higher also, because of a lack of competition.

No competition from Home Depot means higher prices! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Since I've got three Lowe's stores each 20 miles away, can you guess which one I don't shop at? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

jmc · Jun 2, 2004

Mike,

I think the dream of every retail organization is to instantaneously match price with demand. A perpetual auction. Seems to work on airline tickets. Gasoline shows signs of it but suspect some collusion there.

SnowRidge · Jun 2, 2004

Lowes seems to be putting its new stores in towns that don't have a HD, while bypassing those that do. At least it looks that way from here.

SnowRidge

Junkman · Jun 2, 2004

Easy to understand. They upped the price for the weekend and then brought it back down. If you take all the receipts into the store service counter, they will make an adjustment and give you the lower price on all of your purchases that you were "overcharged". With the advent of computer registers, it is easy to do these changes. I was in a grocery store that had a sign on the 10# bags of potatoes advertising a sale price of 99 cents. They rang up at $1.49 and I had to go to the service counter to get the 50 cent refund. Took my neighbor shopping on Friday, and the sale was still on. He purchased the same product and was also overcharged at $1.49. Went to the service counter and showed them the receipt and pointed out the mistake was still being made since Monday. Didn't phase the clerk at all. Just handed over the 50 cents and smiled. How many people don't catch this "error" and are overcharged???? Probably enough that they don't make the mistake of correcting it. I was tempted to notify the State Department of Consumer Protection, but knowing from past experience, they wouldn't follow up on only one complaint.
The State of CT Attorney General is always announcing on TV that he is investigating something, but you never hear the results of the investigation. I have since learned that the payment of a small fine makes the investigation go away, and they can still keep the profits of the overcharge. Politicians, a crooks crook!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

chim · Jun 2, 2004

The local Weis Market (supermarket chain here in PA) has a policy of refunding the entire amount for an item that rings incorrectly. A few months ago, I stopped for a bag of dog food. When I got to the truck, I told Wifey it cost more than I though we usually paid. DUH, I got the wrong brand. The bag looked familiar to me and I grabbed the wrong one.

I went back in with the bag, and when I went to the pet food aisle, noticed the bag I bought should have been "$1 off" with the club card. They took the bag back, refunded the total amount, and I got the right stuff. Walked out with what I should have gotten in the first place and nearly $2 more in my pocket than I originally had. Can't grip about that, but you gotta watch 'em....................chim

Golfgar4 · Jun 2, 2004

( Lowes seems to be putting its new stores in towns that don't have a HD, while bypassing those that do. )

We had a Home Depot built in our town about 3 years ago. Now we have a Lowes Millwork plant getting started, and we're supposed to also get a Lowes distribution center AND a Lowes Box Store.

I'm a happy camper. I've always like Lowes better than HD. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MikePA · Jun 2, 2004

There's a HD a few miles further up the same road Lowe's is on, so there's some competition. While I prefer shopping at Lowe's, next time I will check HD's price on 4" x 4" x 8's.

AndyM · Jun 2, 2004

There's a HD a few miles further up the same road Lowe's is on, so there's some competition. While I prefer shopping at Lowe's, next time I will check HD's price on 4" x 4" x 8's. 

Being in southern Pa, I'm sure you have 84 Lumber or Carter Lumber near you somewhere. I've found prices for some things are actually LOWER than Home Depot or Lowe's. Most people (including myself) figure the price will be lower at the big box store, but that's not always true. I don't go to 84 Lumber as often, but Carter Lumber's service is much better than the box stores! The quality of the lumber is better than the box stores too!

The only disadvantage I see of shopping at the lumberyard is not seeing the items you're buying until after they're paid for, when you drive out back to the lumberyard to be loaded. Carter Lumber has always been good about sorting out the bad pieces as they load though. I guess it's not a disadvantage, if you look at the fact that you're not pushing a heavy cart full of lumber through a crowded box store!

JDgreen227 · Jun 2, 2004

Just my 2 cents worth....I buy a lot of treated lumber and on the west side of Lansing, Michigan are a Home Depot, Lowes, and Menards, within a few miles of each other. Lowes seems to have the best treated lumber although the prices are the same between the three stores. When I built a 10X16 deck last summer I had the materials delivered from a local lumber supplier, whose name, by courtesy, will remain unpublished. About a quarter of what was delivered was such poor quality I had the supplier pick it up and give me a refund, then I went to Lowes to pick out GOOD material.

Sure, I saved a few dollars by buying their inferior material and didn't have to handle the 16 foot long beams and deck boards, but it wasn't worth it.....this year I'm doing another deck, and I am selecting and picking up the lumber myself. There is a Carter near our home, but I have had several negative experiences with their treated lumber also.

Poppa · Jun 2, 2004

( I'm sure you have 84 Lumber or Carter Lumber near you somewhere. I've found prices for some things are actually LOWER than Home Depot or Lowe's. Most people (including myself) figure the price will be lower at the big box store, but that's not always true.
)

I actually found the same thing a couple years ago when I was installing a deck. Needed a couple boxes of lag bolts. HD didn't have enough of the right size so I decided to go to ACE. Figured I would get ripped off from the little store. Price turned out to be half what HD was charging. I was so amazed I actually asked the manager if the price was right and then told him why after he confirmed it. He smiled. After that I started checking since they are right across the street from each other. Power tools were the only thing HD was cheaper on on a regular basis and not very much. Also, a drill might be a couple bucks cheaper but the darn bits were more expensive and often ate up the price difference.

Mike

MikePA · Jun 3, 2004

Yep, we have both 84 Lumber and Carters in the area. Never tried Carters, but 84 Lumber prices were usually higher than the box stores. I'll have to compare.

 if you look at the fact that you're not pushing a heavy cart full of lumber through a crowded box store! 
The nice thing about the Lowe's is that the stack of 4" x 4" x 8' PTs is outside on the front sidewalk (under roof), at the end of the store. So, it's easy for me to back my truck up and load 'em myself. Also lets me pick the straight ones, although, I've bought almost 100 so far and have only found 1 or 2 that were so crooked I left them in the stack.

AndyM · Jun 3, 2004

Yep, we have both 84 Lumber and Carters in the area. Never tried Carters, but 84 Lumber prices were usually higher than the box stores. I'll have to compare. 

I've been buying lots of 4 inch PVC drain pipe, and the price at Carter Lumber is almost $2.00 less than the box stores! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif ($3.69 versus $5 something). I shop on price first, but if there's only a few cents difference, I give my business to Carter Lumber (two locations, six miles in each direction) first, before driving to the box stores (20 miles away, 40 mile round trip). Any savings I would have gotten from the box stores would have been eaten up in gasoline anyway, and I can get back to work on my project faster if I'm in the middle of something and I have to stop to buy something! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif The ACE Hardware store six miles away gets a lot of business from me also when I need something in a hurry!

I've learned a lot of which types of items are cheaper at Lowe's and Home Depot and what's cheaper at Carter Lumber or 84 Lumber.

It pays to compare first! Just because it comes from a big box doesn't mean it's always cheaper! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Junkman · Jun 3, 2004

My local lumber yard is cheaper than all the box stores, delivers for free, always picks good lumber, and takes back any excess or if a bad piece gets into the mix. 30 day billing with a 2% discount if you pay the statement in 10 days. Couldn't ask for more or a better place to do business with. Second generation family owned operation. Just delivered 3 Andersen window replacement sash for defective ones that I purchased almost 20 years ago. Andersen replaced under warranty and they delivered them for no charge.

slowrev · Jun 3, 2004

Mike,
I just drove about 100 4-5 inch round PT posts last week @ 4.65 each. Bought from a local wood treating company. Lowes was too high. Driving those suckers is the only way to go /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

MikePA · Jun 3, 2004

Driving those suckers is the only way to go 
Amen! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Gary_in_Indiana · Jun 3, 2004

Junkman,

I'm as green as my tractor with envy over a place like that. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Sounds like you've got it made. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I have a Lowe's and HD literally next door to one another here and tend to prefer the Lowe's (for no real reason, I guess). Sure wish I had an outfit like you do, though. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bird · Jun 3, 2004

( I have a Lowe's and HD literally next door to one another )

And we have them right across the street from each other (I don't know which one was there first). /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

JDgreen227 · Jun 4, 2004

Junkman,

Don't rub it in, I would LOVE to have a lumber supplier like you describe. The one I mentioned caters mostly to the professional building trade and not the homeowner so I'm sure the majority of their customers are not concerned about the appearance and/or quality of the materials they sell.

Junkman · Jun 4, 2004

They still have one bad quality about them. They insist on getting paid !!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif