Why do we keep driving to far away stores that are understocked, understaffed and don't care?

[dragoneggs]

Do you have a Fastenal branch near you? Pretty handy store for nuts and bolts.

We have a local chain store for misc fasteners and other high quality consumables. Tacoma Screw. One of the few local hardware stores I will miss if they go bye bye. Another... McLendon's is pretty good, just a little farther to go. I know this doesn't help others not in the Puget Sound area but worth the mention.

 

[dragoneggs]

One hybrid option we have started using is finding the stuff on Amazon then going directly to the manufacturer's website and order direct.

I do this ocassionally when I can confirm delivery time at the OEM site or call them.

 

[JasperFrank]

I live 15 miles from the second largest city in Oregon. Eugene has about 177K in the city limits and about 360K in the Eugene/Springfield metro area.
And for some reason, I find it almost impossible to buy anything I need from local retail stores.
Some recent examples:

12 inch tires for my '93 Festiva Car. Pretty much any part. Nope.
3 way, Ivory, decora light switch. Nope.
4 inch septic tank to drain line coupling. Nope.
New spare wheel rim for a 2017 Hyundai Accent. Nope
4 cell AA battery carrier. Nope.
Any part on my Jen-aire down draft electric range/oven. Nope.
12 inch R1 tractor tires. Nope.
1 TB SSD hard drive. The entire city was out of these
DSL modem with WiFi.... I kid you not, in a metro area with 350,000 people. Not a one for sale.
Stainless upholstery staples. Nope.
Anything to do with electronic, board level computer parts. Nope.
Bi-folding, Louvered real wood doors. Nope.
Any kind of stained glass supplies. All those stores closed.
Open face motorcycle helmet. Nope. Snap on replacement face shields. No.
Tires for a 1980 SR500 motorcycle. They can order those! But they will not install them on a Bike that old. I was actually happy when this place went out of business.
The local New Holland dealer, carries in stock, zero, parts for my '87 1220 tractor. They can order any part at almost exactly a double mark up.
Left handed scissors..... Nope
New Battery packs for an older Makita cordless drill. Nope.
USA Flag lapel pin. Had to drive 40 miles to a Truck Stop Store on I5.
A boat captain's hat. None for sale, at any boat retail store in Eugene of which there is one remaining..
Everything becomes a quest to find at a retail store: At least it is for me.
I've given up.

I just find it online now and order it to be delivered. Usually less expensive than me driving into town and back, using my car and my gas.

Not quite sure why we have cities/centers of commerce any more. They were a good idea, in the past. With the internet, and delivery services like UPS and USPS, that seems to be changing. Maybe we don't need cities any more.

 

[ultrarunner]

One problem with home delivery is rampant porch pirates with almost no prosecution...

Maybe not an issue but as frequent as weekly with license plate, vehicle and perps clear as day on video...

 

[Jstpssng]

Around here Aubuchon is doing the same thing...buying up a lot of mom & pop hardware stores, closing them and opening one of their stores. Selection is OK, in fact sometimes I've found things there that neither Lowe's or HD had. Staff is usually friendly, and for the most part fairly knowledgeable, from what I understand most of the help from the stores they buy out are offered jobs at the new store. Prices are kind of high, but it balances out somewhat by the fact that they're half the distance than Lowes/HD.

I've been doing business with Aubuchon for years... that's who I was referring to in a previous comment about how they are trying to get people to order online...

 

[JasperFrank]

We don't have the porch pirate problem here. That's a suburb thingy. To steal something off my porch, they would first be photographed by all the cameras we have up this "No Outlet Road," and they would have to spend a great amount of time and gas, just driving around to find a good mark. It isn't cost effective for them. And if they did manage, to get away with the goods, is a bearing set for a 20 year old washing machine really valuable to them?

 

[jyoutz]

We don't have the porch pirate problem here. That's a suburb thingy. To steal something off my porch, they would first be photographed by all the cameras we have up this "No Outlet Road," and they would have to spend a great amount of time and gas, just driving around to find a good mark. It isn't cost effective for them. And if they did manage, to get away with the goods, is a bearing set for a 20 year old washing machine really valuable to them?

Same where I live. No porch pirates, no snoopers, nobody comes here unless they are invited.

 

[ultrarunner]

We don't have the porch pirate problem here. That's a suburb thingy. To steal something off my porch, they would first be photographed by all the cameras we have up this "No Outlet Road," and they would have to spend a great amount of time and gas, just driving around to find a good mark. It isn't cost effective for them. And if they did manage, to get away with the goods, is a bearing set for a 20 year old washing machine really valuable to them?

City, Suburbs, Rural Farm, Cams, Signs matter not when perps follow delivery trucks and know the chance of prosecution is virtually nil…

I’m at the end of dead end that gets hit every week… passed the hat and installed license plate cams coming and going plus pole mounted cams, eve cams and ring…

District Attorney has said not time or resources to prosecute groceries, Amazon, etc which seldom valued above $950.00

Holiday time is prime season…

 

[deserteagle71]

One problem with home delivery is rampant porch pirates with almost no prosecution...

Maybe not an issue but as frequent as weekly with license plate, vehicle and perps clear as day on video...

Porch pirates work in areas where the public road runs right next to houses. Where I live the public road is a LONG way from my house - one of the reasons I chose to build where I did. No one comes up my driveway unless they are invited.

And out here in rural Nevada the Sheriff and DA have no problem arresting and charging thieves, burglars, etc.

 

[grsthegreat]

never seen a porch pirate hit out here. too rural, too many nozy neighbors. one time someone texted me to be on the look out for a red car seen pulling into peoples driveways..was the census taker.