I swear local retail has NEVER supported me.

First this is NOT a money issue. I am happy to pay and always have been happy to pay more money for the convenience of buying local.

My problem is even long before Internet buying became the normal local retail RARELY if ever carried the products I want, provided any kind good customer service or provided any kind of accurate accounting of products on the shelf.

I get that retail sells to the lowest common denominator and I get I am not that guy but don’t give me the buy local speech if you cannot provide product or service desired.

This isn’t a gun thing. It’s a tool, clothing, hobby, electronics/computer, gun, etc. thing. Just today I wanted to quickly run out and grab something. I check the stores website, it shows stock, I can use it etc. I run out. NO STOCK. Our systems just aren’t that accurate. So let me get this straight we can send a man to the moon on the equivalent of a 5.25 floppy disc or create a friggin space plane that basically runs on a low end 386 but your NATIONAL CHAIN cannot have a POS system that can effectively add and and subtract.

I try to shop at local gun stores but I am past wanting to see some company’s version of a Glock 19 as the ONLY firearm sold. I would also occasionally like to buy you know GOOD AMMO not whatever reloaded “holler points” you got cheap. It’s not that I won’t pay for it I WILL!!! (This isn’t a current unpleasantness rant as I realize inventory is a totally different animal now. I am talking normal times)

If I need a need receiver maybe stock a few higher end models instead of a sea of $100 mass market stereos etc.

At any rate I would LOVE to patronize local retail but God Dammit they don’t want me as a customer and haven’t for most of my life.

Sigh rant over. Hallelujah Holy Shit, where’s the Tylenol.

Local does not equal a free pass to my wallet either.

Last week I stopped by the local music store - an oxymoron in the 21st century if there ever was one - because I wanted a particular CD (yeah, shaddup I still like them) and was sure they would have it. Why was I so sure? Because I've been a customer of theirs since 1987 and they've always had a killer selection.

"Hi, gotta ask you to put a mask on please, we have some by the front door there."

Turned to the GF as we were reaching for the free masks and said "Wanna just leave because fuck this place?" And out the door we went.

i like to support local businesses when they can present a reasonable option. with retailers i often ask them if they can get what i want (and is available online). sometimes they can, sometimes not.

I support local businesses to the extent I can reasonably do so. Sadly, since their product selection is generally geared toward the greatest common denominator and/or their pricing is outrageous, I must too often resort to shopping on the 'net.

Yep, when I try to shop locally for clothes, whatever, what I usually find is they're out of my size, selection is slim to none, etc.

Not well stocked and the people running the departments couldn't care less what my problems are. That's if you can even find someone to 'help'. lol

Customer service is dead, brick and mortar retail is nearly dead.

I'm not sure what local even means anymore. Almost everything is part of a chain. In fact your LGS might just be one of the few exceptions.

I've already mentioned this on the board, but since there is a topic just made for the comment I'll do it again.

My LGS/Indoor Range has a squad membership thing where you can have yourself and up to 9 others in a squad and you get unlimited range time, free handgun rentals and 10% off on everything they sell including guns.

I've run a squad there for around 7-1/2 years. I am on a first name basis with the Membership Manager, Marketing Manager and the LGS/Range General Manager.

I've purchased several guns and other things there over the years, as have most of the members of the squad.

As a result of this, my squad members and I are left strictly alone while shooting in the range unless one of us does something blatantly unsafe, which has never happened. We're also allowed to CCW in the store/range, on a kind of a wink and a nod basis. We're also allowed as many squad members as we want, and I currently have 17 where 10 is the alleged limit.

And the last thing that happened as a result of our long term relationship was that Mrs. Flash asked the General Manager if he could notify her if he got any .22 WMR in for the store.

Walked in a couple of weeks ago and he called us over to the counter, pulled up two 500 packs of .22WRM and said he held them for us and we could buy any or all of it, but he wanted to keep one box for his mother.

Mrs. Flash bought the other 950 rounds, and he only charged her $15.57/box, which is not bad these days.

Long term relationships have their benefits.

Yea, hard to support local when they don't have anything you want.

Dealing with this now, trying to find some steps and a bed cover for a new pickup. Checking all the stores listed on the manufactures website.

None of them have inventory online, so I have to call each one, when I finally get a salesman, it is 10% more than what is listed on the manufacture website, and they have to order it in. They order it from the same company I'd just order it from online. Might as well just buy it online myself...

Holds true for a lot of things nowadays. Hard to shop local when the local shop is just ordering it online always.

quote:

Originally posted by RogB:
I'm not sure what local even means anymore. Almost everything is part of a chain. In fact your LGS might just be one of the few exceptions.

I dunno. We've a local, one-off tool store. Competitive pricing, pretty decent selection, and I always get good service. Have another one-off tool store about 45 minutes away. Have a local hardware store that has a better selection on some stuff than even HD or Lowe's (I get my propane refills there), and a local/regional hardware store chain. Have a local "chain" of lawn and snow stores, plus two additional one-off stores close by. Have a couple one-off auto-supply stores, a one-off electrical supply place (got a good deal on a killer label-maker there), and two or three one-off plumbing supply places, too.

My policy: I shop the smallest, most local, most specialized store I can, first. Then the chains/big-box stores with a local presence. Then on-line.

quote:

Originally posted by RogB:
I'm not sure what local even means anymore. Almost everything is part of a chain. In fact your LGS might just be one of the few exceptions.

I agree, when I think "local" I think of an independent shop or store.
I don't have any particular loyalty or need to support a Walmart, Target other big box stores.
But even those independents need to compete at some level whether it is availability, price, service, whatever.
Online even affects me at an commercial level too.
There are many times I can get a computer product cheaper, faster and no shipping charges online than from my distributor which some are local and some are not.
I would prefer to buy from them but they need to compete too.
Bottom line business is business but I would like to be loyal if I can.
YMMV

Local sellers have to deliver. If they do, I might be willing to pay a touch more for the better customer service.

But if they don't have stock or don't give decent service, I'll be happy to order from Midway USA or Amazon.

Other than the convenience of local, why would I pay more money for the same Chinesium product? I wish more local sold made in the USA products as it'd set them apart from the big box stores and on-line.

I also include franchises in local and about the only one I frequent is Ace Hardware. Their lawn and garden section actually has made in Houston products which sets it apart from the big box stores. Well, that and it's 1/7 the distance.

I deal with local retail when I need some advice and help. I will pay more for that. The money then goes back into the local economy. There are a variety of local hardware stores that have competent staff. I will however confess to buying almost all of my ammo and guns online. Was much cheaper and much better selection.

Local? Depends.

My local fun store had Hydrashock 9mm and Cor-Bon .45 DPX at $30 a box.

They also had a $10 transfer fee for a pistol I bought that was 4,770 miles away.

I’m happy to buy local if they have anything I’m looking for.

Frequently they don’t.

Shopping local over a national chain is a two-way street. The national chain could care less if you shop with them or, not, they've got acres of shelf space and can carry every size and color that you need; they'll offer all sorts of promotions and there's plenty of people who have zero morals about where they go to spend their money. For every informed and helpful employee, you'll have 10+ who are there to simply stock a shelf and sweep a floor.

The local guy, clearly can't compete with the big box guy so, they need to offer better service and expertise. If you go into a local shop and expect it to compete with the big-box store item for item, you're missing the point. However, it kills me every time when I do want to shop local but, come to find out that the store is barely functioning and simply a jobs program rather than a resource for the community. The owners and/or buyers aren't modern, they haven't invested in any modern ERP or, POS system, the complexity of promotions and utilizing marketing funds is overwhelming for them and visual merchandising is an after thought. Why is a liquor store open 7-days a week, from 7am - 12 am? How much electricity and payroll is being used in those early hours versus, how much business is actually being generated then?

Gun shops are the worst, most shops are under capitalized from the start thus, they need to purchase their merchandise from distributors which screws the LGS on margins. The employees are hired because they're a geek about guns or, they want to walk around all day with a gun on their hip and finger-fuck the merchandise. Visual merchandising, salesmanship, organizing paperwork, verbal skills, all are shit and very little motivation or, initiative to improve, either from the employee or, from ownership/management.

quote:

Why is a liquor store open 7-days a week, from 7am - 12 am? How much electricity and payroll is being used in those early hours versus, how much business is actually being generated then?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The same reason casinos are open. Alcoholics are not picky about the time of day to buy alcohol. BTW hours differ immensely by state.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
Local sellers have to deliver. If they do, I might be willing to pay a touch more for the better customer service.

But if they don't have stock or don't give decent service, I'll be happy to order from Midway USA or Amazon.

Yep. For myself, I like to give local stores the chance at my business first. The chance. If they don’t stock what I want or am looking for, I ask if they can get it at a competitive price. If they can’t, they don’t get my business. If they have what I want, and at a higher price than I can get it online, I’ll usually ask if they can price match. If they can’t, I may still give them the business if it’s within reason as not everyone has Amazon’s buying power, but if it’s so far apart as to be paying a premium to buy locally, I buy the item online. I think that’s fair enough.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Other than the convenience of local, why would I pay more money for the same Chinesium product?
I wish more local sold made in the USA products as it'd set them apart from the big box stores and on-line.

Good point, in general I have more loyalty to a US-made vs a foreign-made than I do for a local vs online merchant.
Especially when it comes to the Chicom products where I loathe but in many cases have no choice.
And yes I buy from Harbor Freight but not thrilled at the thought.

I support whoever gives me the best price and service......PERIOD!