I went into a Lowes (similar to Home Depot) to see if they had a work bench like I saw in a different Lowe's a week ago. They couldn't find it and the 1 guy (there were 3 people at the desk) said I should have bought it when I saw it. ***? I happened to see it on the way out and didn't have my truck. I went out to my truck and called another Lowe's and they had no idea. Then I called Debi to ask her if she remembered which Lowe's it was. Yes, so I called that Lowe's and they said the store I was at showed 6 of them in stock and gave me a number. For some reason it's listed as a rack commercial. The legs are like racking but it's only 3ft. high with a table top. Regardless what it's called it's really frustrating when people working in a store don't know what they sell. It's very much like parts people who can't figure out what you need without the actual part number. I made sure to push the cart past their station and tell them they had it. The guy said "oh was it on clearance?" No, you had 6 in stock, it's a regular item. Learn what the hell you sell! Went to get some Hyd. Fluid at Walmart because it's $15 to $20 cheaper than anywhere else. They were lost and even after they found it in the system couldn't tell me if another store(s) had stock. So I drove to another store and the girl was also lost and couldn't tell me if another store had it. She said I could order it online. That doesn't help me much if I need it tomorrow. It's so hard to buy anything today so when you actually find someone who has a clue it makes you appreciate even more. They are few and far between.
Try my best to avoid the big box stores just for the reasons you mentioned...If one does find an employee with a "clue", they will be gone the next time your there. The plumbing dept at Home Despot is the worst, employees are good at the "deer in the headlights" look when asked a question, thats it. Ed
The Lowe’s website is shockingly accurate when looking at stock. Even tells you which isle and bay to look in. Use self-checkout and you don’t even have to make eye contact with their drones.
Seriously, I don’t like the box stores either, but our privately-owned native corporation hardware stores are worse. The play with the box store is to set up a commercial account. When you run into a issue like that, call your commercial account rep. There is some kind of incentive for the commercial guy to help you vs the 300 pound, purple haired gal wondering the plumbing dept.
This is what I call "Having to push it in one end, to pull it out the other end". It's bad even in industrial supply houses.
I have a HD Commercial account. I email or hand deliver an order with the SKU number for each item. Give them 3 days to pull the order. No call so check on the order. Oh it is ready. Go to pick it up. Check each item as I load it. All ways 2-4 mistakes on the order, wrong items, wrong quantity what ever. I gave up on the big box stores. I use a commercial plumbing supply house 20 miles away. Call my sales contact and place my order. delivered to my farm 2 days later 100% correct and the driver helps me put it up. Same with electrical. Use a local City Electric Supply. Better prices and service from both and I don't have to chase my tail all over town.
Be lucky you have a Lowe's or a Home Depot in your town, we have neither and the only options is a mom and pop hardware store and if Walmart in this town doesn't have it, welp you are SOL (***** out of luck). Nearest anything in that relation is a 8 hour round trip to get it if you need it soon since next day shipping or 2nd day shipping doesn't exist either here, be lucky if you got 3 day shipping.
The general retail employees with the rare exception tend to be damn near useless meat bags on legs. if you don’t know what it is or where it is and can’t find it on the app…good f-king luck on your scavenger hunt.
If you went to the Walmart and Lowe's I'm thinking you did, I am not suprised.
I'm sure the website is accurate. Finding the product is the problem. If you don't know what it's listed under forget it. Maybe I should have just looked under a Craftsman??? This is where it would be nice if employee's knew their products a little better or the website would show similar products that may be listed under a different category. 3ft. tall table looking thing with a flat top and 1 lower shelf seems more of work bench that a rack to me.
I blame the computer systems a lot. We've turned to relying on them too much and often the descriptions don't match instinctively, so know one knows what they have. I'm terrified of the impending reliance on AI (we already have too much of it)... On a different but similar note I was in the ER at the hospital last Friday, and first thing they did upon my check-in was to talk to the AI in their little walkie-talkie thing to set/fill my bed. As soon as the lady said whatever she said it came back and said "I think you said blah, blah, blah" I couldn't help but laugh for the next couple minutes after the AI said that several times as it sounds like the same garbage AI that answers all customer service phone calls, that can't understand a thing, and I'm sure that won't cause any issues in the emergency room. I don't know how reliant they are to that system but it's garbage.
Speaking of buying things, fuel inj parts are getting ridiculous.!! Finding “a” part is an all day job and IF you’re lucky enough to find it.. the price has DOUBLED since February.!! NOW, the “go-to” phrase is, it’s stuck in customs.. Bosch is in Germany. Delphi is in England. Yanmar is in Japan. Zexel is in China.. In the last month, I’ve had 2 occasions where the part is “obsolete with no replacement”... And the pump isn’t that old..late 80’s maybe..Putting it THAT WAY I guess it is old.. lol
Seeing the same thing. 6+ week waits for stuff we used to be able to get within a week.
It makes no sense to buy things at a big box store or walmart, because its all cheaper, and then complain that the employee's don't know anything. Buy from a local oil supplier or industrial warehouse, and you will likely get someone who knows something, and you will pay for the knowledge.
The industrial supply houses aren’t open on the weekends when I need stuff. also a lot of them tend to have an attitude problem that I don’t care for too much.
The difference is the box stores are where you go for regular items that they display on their floors. The computers and how they're listed is part of the problem but it should be a lot easier to find things, especially when most larger items are on display. Obviously some employee's are a lot more aware of what they sell. Better training would certainly help.
Only thing I'll buy at Walmart is synthetic oil. 5L Supertech for $21 vs $75 for Mobil or Penzoil.
I spent 2 minutes at a sonic drive thru window waiting on the employee to punch in the numbers right on a calculator to make sure I got the correct change from a 9.09 bill after I gave him a 20
Unfortunately, in a lot of cases the industrial supply houses will not talk to a "civilian" customer, you have to have a company account and an EIN number.
The thing not to like is how they are slowly taking more from us. Guy at Lowes said they are going to just have water color paints so by by anything oil base, I suppose the other idiot outfit will follow suit, (homedepoo). So now R134A is no longer available here, what's next? And to think it wasn't too many years ago I could have bought it for .99 cents per can. I see it occasionally for 25 to 50 per can, but stores can't sell it.
Box stores-the first procedure is check every item you pull from a bin. Most, it's like the grocery store, your pushing your cart along and there on a shelf is a can of Tom Thumb Chili nestled in amongst the Charmin and the Quicker Picker Upper-decided they didn't want it so rather than put it back where it came from just toss it there, although the TP isle is the proper spot. People will just toss anything in any bin. Local home ranch supply is where I go, they know me, 25 years worth. The problems with bad service, lost freight, and out of stock is the norm now. You really don't want to know what's in your not so fast-fast food. We just hauled a new blend of higher salt/sugar coating for french fries to a food processor of potato products for {burger stink}. They are working overtime to get people hooked on their food--that's a real problem.
Finally found all my parts and got the ok from my customer.. Parts were shipped out Monday w the arrival today.. Got a notification from Fedx that they won’t be here till FRIDAY.!!! I paid for 2 day delivery.!! I’m not even gonna try to get my money back.. I’ll be happy with the parts..
Fedex is terrible if you bring something into Canada. Extra brokerage fee's and import fee's that I didn't get when shipped by UPS or through the mail. Got charged brokerage and import fee's a 2nd time on a replacement water pump that was a free warranty replacement.
I was testing IBC’s at my favorite Chevron distributor the other day. The warehouse was looking the best that I’ve seen it since clown world began. The Manager told me most flavors were in stock and available except all brands of 75w-90 synthetic. There is one particular index improver necessary for that lube that isn’t available anymore. You can find quarts. Especially, Valvoline. Good luck getting a drum, IBC or bulk.
Well now I know what a index improver is. Probably won't hold my breath waiting for someone to ask me though. Joe H
Man, if Fedex makes a delivery only a few days late in rural SC, count yourself lucky!
It gets better. I saw the same shelf unit I bought at Lowes in a Rona on clearance for $111.00. $39.00 cheaper is a good deal. Rona and Lowe's are sister companies and are going to merge. They both have exclusive rights to Craftsman products. I took a pic. of shelf with the lower price tag. I talked to the manager at Rona and she agreed it was worth going to Lowe's to see if they would match the price and give me back the $39 instead of buying another shelf to actually return it for a refund. Went to Lowe's and nope their "policy" won't let them just refund the difference. I drove back to the Rona and bought another shelf for the lower price. Unknown to me at the time, the original receipt fell out of my pocket when I took my wallet out. Rona said the store I bought it at might be able to reprint a receipt. I called the Lowe's where I bought it and they said they couldn't reprint a cash receipt with their new system. They said they could give a store credit for the lowest price it has sold for in the last 6 month's. I called another Lowe's that was closer and they said they would give a store credit so I went there and got a full credit for the $149.00 price. Then the girl who was very nice said because Lowe's is a sister store is why they can't just give the difference in price. If I had bought the same product at Home Depot, Canadian Tire or any other store they could just give the difference in price back! I would think it would make more sense to be able to refund the difference with a sister store. What a stupid policy. You'll match price with a different store and give a refund of the difference but not with your sister store. Seems stupid that I had to buy another shelf to return and get my money back in order to get the lower price. I think sometimes you can make exceptions to what the "policy" is. We need to buy some blinds and stuff so will use the store credit but what a bunch of BS. The manager at Rona agreed with me.
Pay the minimum expect the minimum. Pay peanuts expect monkeys. I dont expect that employee making minimum wage and getting **** on by people all day to give a crap about the product i want and i do not know the proper name for. Our local hardware store the old guys working in the back make $29 a hour and know what they are doing. I have no problem going there and paying a little more when i have stupid questions and they know the answer.
I've had no better luck, many times worse from the suppliers then the big box stores. I pretty much avoid going to one electrical wholesaler. I went in asking for main service feed cable for 200 amp, guy brings it up and says price I said no that's not right I know it's not that cheap, he goes on and on and says yes it is finally I said fine bring it out. Cuts it brings it out and know instantly it's wrong it's some 1/2" cable, they still refused to do anything because it's cut cable. Go into another wholesaler say exact same thing and they get it right no problem. I prefer the box stores in that I can get go get what I need and not bother with employees most of the time, and there is so many little things I wouldn't know where to get elsewhere anyway. It's just frustrating when the website says they have stock but you go there and they don't. I do find the majority of the employees put in the effort to find things in a situation like that though, you just can't expect them to be knowledgeable about most things.
Oil distributor for the shop has 5 gal and 55 gal at all times.
We don't have overnight or 2nd day delivery here, I don't even think they can get it here in 3 days from next town over. Mail gets here 3 days a week at most as I have said before, Columbus Day was on the 10th, nope no mail running on one of the 3 days they were supposed to show up so got to wait till Wednesday. Monday Wednesday and Friday is the days mail "might" get here.
I just don't go anywhere anymore expecting to find much of anything I was after. But I always keep at least two options in mind. That way I'm not let down-but sometimes it's better to be a pessimist rather than a optimist, less anxiety that way.
I’ll have to check that out. I know of a oil field customer that ordered 40 drums of 75w-90 and was allocated 7. Sometimes it works like that. Aeroshell 6 was unattainable over the summer, but I found six cases in Medford Oregon at a helicopter place.
I have not had big problems lately. But my shop is stuffed to the gills with all the oil and filters and fluids I use on a regular basis and I keep it that way. If it takes a while to get something it is no matter. I figure it's better to keep the money tied up in stuff than in paper dollars that are evaporating, anyway. However, it makes me wonder if we will ever go back to normal. Back in the day I used to just keep what I needed like everybody did. My suppliers deliver within hours of placing the order, but now that is subject to availability. I would like to go back to having the shop for working on stuff instead of stacks of stuff I might need someday.
No rhyme or reason regarding availability of parts. One week, it’s a particular filter and next week, it’s an impossible to locate U-joint.
Once you do find it then the price variance comes into play.
Now I’m running into: “ obsolete with no replacement”.!!!! I guess these guys just HAVE TO buy a new tractor.??
That is so true, Truck Shop. Most commonly used parts were very competitive amongst venders and brands. Now, I notice huge variations, for the same item.
“Now I’m running into: “ obsolete with no replacement”.!!!! Is fuel injection going to become the Achilles heal, or main challenge of keeping old engines running?
There's many ways of keeping a fuel injector engine running such as mega squirt or speeduino replacement ecu's
We had an international bucket truck from the electrical utility come in to the shop for an engine oil leak. I put it on the hoist and found they had broken the left side motor mount off the steel flywheel housing, The oil fill/dipstick tube had broken and was leaking oil quite badly. The transmission bell-housing was broken as well. It was down for seven weeks waiting for parts.
Maybe we are lucky down here though our AIH is pretty decent and the only real option for better quality tools. Sometimes they rake you over the coals and some times it's been on the shelf long enough it's cheaper than on the internet. Our home depot is ok their online inventory is really nice, not 100% accurate though if it shows out online it's not worth driving to the store if they show it online and you can find a younger kid who likes running the forklift they'll grab it for you. I don't know how many times I've searched an item while in the store to figure out where it's at instead of tracking down the same blue haired gal. AIH also shows inventory though their website is a lot more clunky. I needed a piece of metal roof the other day, look on home depot web site, they didn't have the right stuff. Go to 1 of 2 local lumber yards thinking it probably had to come from one of the 2. Show the 19 year old kid at the desk a picture of my roof expecting nothing, he says I'm pretty sure it's this, asks the older guy to confirm it was the right stuff. Helps me load my pound of screws, go out to the yard, 1 guy points me in the right direction, another pops out of a shack to help me load and I was in and out in under 5 minutes with a matching piece of metal. The kid gave me a little faith in a humanity there might be future "hardware men" in development. Pretty sure I'll save the extra 8 minutes of driving and use the local lumber yard a lot more.
“There's many ways of keeping a fuel injector engine running such as mega squirt or speeduino replacement ecu's” mega squirt? I think I watched a documentary about that.
The True Value at the Talkeetna cutoff is awesome. Anchorage Ace Hardware is great. Both locally owned. Some say Fastenal doesn’t fasten anything very well, but they treat me good and I buy from them across the state multiple locations. BNS pulled some dirty , evil , stuff during Covid. AIH lost all my commercial business.
You mean fastensome? Yeah Ive never messed with megasquirt but tons have, it's the 2nd cheapest ECU because of it's diy and the speeduino is the cheapest, speeduino can do diesels I think too
These retail outlets are forced to hire whatever mouth-breather shows up for the interview. Look around a bit, go find the old grouchy b*****d waking the aisles, he can help. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time with these idiots.
A month ago I pulled the head off a Maxxfarce 10 and sent it to a machine shop for injector sleeves. They replaced the sleeves and three valves and touched up the seats. It took another week to get the parts to put it back together. Once together it would fire but refused to start. I removed the DPF and it fired up. The customer had a baked DPF on the shelf and brought it to us. Its still outside waiting for the clamps and seals and the rear support band. Maybe next week. Last week a Maxxfarce 7 came in with a bad oil and coolant leak I pulled the turbos and font cover/coolant module off. The hood has to come off the rad has to come out strip both sides of the engine, remove the panel on the firewall and the passenger seat What a horrible engine to work on. If you miss something putting it back together you have to take half the engine apart to get at it. My memory is not what it used to be. I'm hoping we are not waiting several weeks for parts again.