I didn't think this would turn into old grumpy crab fest. Get off my lawn.

I think some of you NEED to get out. Get some sunshine and a big breath of beautiful Mother Nature.

I like to buy local when I can. However, this doesn't make up for the fact that a lot of local business owners are just poor businessmen. If they don't keep a good stock/inventory of the items they have, don't provide good service, etc. I will buy the item online. I also see a lot of chains that have the same issues. Try buying more than one nice set of King size sheets in the same color/style at Bed Bath Beyond (good luck). etc.

Just remembered another one from Thursday. I shoot with my squad Thursdays and afterward we go to Wendy's and have coffee and shoot the feces.

The lady who works there always seems glad to see me, welcomes me back and gives me 2 large coffee and charges me for 1 large coffee.

Being a regular can help.

Like anything... It depends. Shit selection and shit service won't get business whether local or a chain.

I've been to LGS that are just awesome, and some that suck. Same for hobby shops. You get some that love what they do and do it well.

I credit my love of guns with my first experience at my LGS where I used to live.

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:

I didn't think this would turn into old grumpy crab fest.

You're new here?

Hhahaha He needs to watch Grumpy Old Men again.

I usually buy locally when I can but being in a super small town our selection is limited, although the stores do do their best to carry even odd-ball items.

I always get a chuckle when they don't have something and say, "We can order it for you and it'll be here Tuesday." Hell, I can order it and it'll be here tomorrow!

I live in a major metropolitan area and have every resource imaginable within easy driving distance.

But when some online seller has something for HALF with free shipping, all bets are off.

Too bad.

The problem seems to be finding local stores worth supporting and worthy of support.

You're an asshole, treat your customers like shit and your prices are 10% higher than everyone else, and 45% higher than online... sorry, no. The fact that you're closer is not enough.

I called a local welding place for something I needed to finish a product this weekend. I fully expected to pay at least $50-$75 more than online because it was local retail, but I was willing to so because I need it quick and I like to support local shops like this, because there aren't that many left. I called the store, just to double check the store hours since their website hadn't been updated in over a year (sill showing covid panic parking lot pick up only). They guy came off as a real ass on the phone. Decided I didn't need him in my life in person. Put the job off a few more days, ordered online, saved a wad of cash, no asshole.

As the owner of a local pet store I can assure you that without local support we wouldn’t exist. As a result providing an excellent customer experience with every transaction we survive.

We can’t carry every product. We can’t compete on price alone.

We thrive because we are taking great care of our customers.

Perfect example. In my line of work we have customers that will say “I can get the same thing (well kinda sorta) from J&P Cycles cheaper.”

That is a somewhat true statement but for example yesterday a customer came in with a vague idea to make his Softail fit him better. We tried a demonstrator seat, still not the fix needed. My next suggestion was a set of pullback handlebar risers. Catalog while it lists the length as 6” it does not state the distance closer to the rider that they are. I have a used set at home that I offered to bring in so he can see how much closer to the rider they will actually bring the bars back.

See if one of J&P’s people will do that, dig in their personal parts at home for a customer.

Honestly, I'll be far more disappointed if Amazon goes out of business than some local store. I support Amazon and other online retailers over local.

Groceries, we shop Publix, a regional FL based chain, others are cheaper, and we occasionally hit Trader Joes for the diversity, Wal-Mart Grocery for a few things Publix doesn't carry.

Quality gets me every time- quality of product and quality of service.

The business that has that gets my money. If a local place has both and a national chain has them, too, I also don't mind paying a bit more for local.

When I owned a Harley FXDL. I needed a much needed part or accessory, which local dealer didn't have in stock,so was ordered and I had to prepay.

Then, sometimes I had to call them to inquire if part/accessory came in. Then, had to go to dealership and fetch said item.

OR, order same part/accessory from an out of state HD dealer (Zanotti) who offered mail order items at 20-30% discount, plus free shipping right to my front door.

But, if I wanted bright Chinese made crap for my Harley, the local dealer had that shit in stock.

Just went through this yesterday. Needed a new pair of running shoes. The ones I use now are jamming up some of my toes so off I go to the outlet mall. I hit the major sneaker mfr’s and none of them had large sizes, I mean none. I wear a 13-14 depending on the shoe. That outlet mall used to be relatively slow on a weekday in the middle of a work day, or at like 7-8pm. Not anymore. It was so busy, you couldn’t pay me to go there on a weekend or during holiday season. They could be giving shit away free and I wouldn’t go. I hit Adidas, Puma, and some store that carries all brands. Prices were high, staff was almost invisible, they wouldn’t let you try on a shirt. I said fuck this. Went home, broke out the tablet, about 10-15 minutes and I have new shoes, for an excellent price, in my size, and the color I want, arriving tomorrow. And I bought 2 pair because I found another vintage pair of Adidas for doing errands, and the pair I was after for my hikes with the k9. I can try them on without having to deal with the traffic, all those mother fucking people and if I don’t like the shits I can send them back for a refund.
They also closed the mall close to my parts and traffic is too much of bitch here now to drive 20 miles.

My last go to for local shopping was clothing, since I could try it on. For the last 15 months, trying on is not allowed because Covid and all. So, I mostly shop the internet now for everything but guns.

Now the lady at the Wendy's has started giving us free fries in the morning occasionally. Love it.

I really can't think of what I've recently bought online that I could have bought locally or from a mom and pop store. I needed two five qt. jugs of Castrol synthetic oil. Who sells those other than Wal-Mart, a few car parts chains or Amazon? Oil and air filters for BMWs, usually made by Mann or Mahle? Online or dealer. Schaller tuning pegs for a guitar I'm building? No one sells those except online. Wife just got me a new MacBook - Costco. Where else? Apple Store, Best Buy, other big box retailers?

A few years back I needed a couple of 5lb Olympic style weight plates (son was working on his Bench Press). I spent an entire afternoon driving to 3 different national sporting goods chains who said they had them in stock, but none did. Went home and ordered off of Amazon. I had them two days later. Shopping now is either local mom and pop or online. I avoid the national chains altogether. I think they are most in jeopardy of going away, as the don't offer quality service and no one wants to drive someplace and not find the products they want.