And they want me to shop locally....

I rarely buy anything other than groceries or landscaping plants in a store any more. All on-line. Mostly on Amazon as there are many 3rd party sellers on there. With Amazon Prime, most everything is shipped second day and now with USPS delivery on Sunday, all the better.
I'm saving a ton of money on gas as well as wear and tear on the car, not to mention my time.

This is the future of retail sales. Local businesses are going to have to reinvent themselves or find that they are going the way of the livery and pony express.

So, what would make me want to go into a store to buy stuff? Well, let's see what the retailers are asking of us consumers; loyalty. Yea, they want US to be loyal to the small businesses in our communities but where's their loyalty to their customers? How about LEARNING your products?? I hate going into a store and the sales staff knows less than I do on the products and worse, couldn't care less. I end up going on youtube to get my advice on how to do stuff. I go to forums like this one to get feedback and experiential advice mostly because I sure can't get it from Mom and Pop RV retailers in my area.
If a local dealer could show even a modicum of interest in me, the guy with the money in his wallet, and my problems and interests and be concerned about how to help me instead of how much he can get away with charging, then their business would stand a chance.

Water-Bug wrote:

PastorCharlie wrote:
A few years back our local stores were advertising to buy local and support the local tax base.....I ask them why when I went into their stores to buy local I find that they were buying from China. They do not even buy from American.

Because of their low volumes, they already pay more wholesale for a product than an online mega-marketer. If they only sold American made products, their prices would be 4X the online Chinese competition.

Think you missed the irony of the post.

I prefer to buy locally, but even after an hour drive to a store, I get told "We can order it for you...." I can order it myself, and get it shipped to my door, instead of making another two hour round trip drive.

AND, my state thinks people order on line to save on taxes. The tax difference still doesn't make up for the difference in prices, and getting things faster than the stores can get things in.

There is nothing better than hearing from a sales person that "That's cheaper than I can buy it." So then you tell them, "Buy it from here, then I will buy it from you" they NEVER will.

There isn't much you can do when you try to give a business money, and they just won't take it.

PastorCharlie wrote:
A few years back our local stores were advertising to buy local and support the local tax base.....I ask them why when I went into their stores to buy local I find that they were buying from China. They do not even buy from American.

Because of their low volumes, they already pay more wholesale for a product than an online mega-marketer. If they only sold American made products, their prices would be 4X the online Chinese competition.

A few years back our local stores were advertising to buy local and support the local tax base.....I ask them why when I went into their stores to buy local I find that they were buying from China. They do not even buy from American.

camperforlife wrote:
I live close to a VERY LARGE dealer that used to have some of the highest prices around in their giant parts store. They finally got the picture and dramatically dropped their prices and are in line with Amazon or other online retailers. Its pretty nice to walk in and buy local for a change.

For a lot of the retailers it's come down to make a little or make nothing.

Tom N wrote:


Ask your local dealer to "work" with you. Tell him what you stated here and that you'd like to support your local dealer, if he can make that possible.

ROTFL !!..:R

~

Where I live there is a RV parts/service center called Discount RV that is about the same price as Ebay if not cheeper on some items A little higher on others. They have a well stocked store with friendly knowledgeable people. It's about a 20 min drive.

I agree the stores that don't change with the times will go out of business. It's just the natural evolution of things from down town stores to malls to big box stores to on line shopping.

I like to shop local when I can. But will not pay through the nose to do so.

I work in wholesale distribution, we see this all the time. Don't blame the sticks and bricks retailer, we can't supply parts for what Amazon quotes so how can he/she meet their prices? One of Gary's problems stems from the fact he lives in Canada. Right off the bat we are currently enjoying a 13% differential on the dollar, prices in Canadian dollars keep rising. Then there is freight and brokerage again in a devalued dollar. It bloody hurts.:M
A friend owns a Stihl dealership. He recently quoted a customer 41 dollars on a part, the guy told him to stuff it in less than polite terms. He could get it online for 25. A few weeks later the customer returned and apologized, the part cost him 71 bucks delivered to his door.

It's the wave of the future. Wait until our grandkids with all their online skills become consumers if they aren't already. They will want to order on line and get same day delivery from a drone.

I got tired of going from store to store in the U.S. looking for stuff and comparing prices and putting up with some punks guff. My last event was at Lowe's when I told the young guy I didn't understand. He said, "just what don't you get?".

People like cheap and no matter what they say about buying local and minimum wage we all shop at Walmart, Costco, Sam's and on line to get the best price. Customer service is so bad these days I dread going into the stores.

Here in Mexico the times are a changing too and we shop on line from Mexican versions of Ebay and Amazon.