And they want me to shop locally....

FunnyCamper wrote:
I live more out in the sticks.

we don't have 'great local owned' stores here. they are on the small side, not having great inventory. I tell ya the internet is for me :). I love the variety available, which is just not in my area without me having to drive far for the 'good stores' and waste entire day shopping and most times still don't like what is around.

the world is changing. every part of it :) for good or bad? who knows.

Me too. I shop local when I can but, often there is nothing local anymore. Even before the internet people started driving 50-70 miles to the larger towns around here to do there shopping. All the local stores closed down and a lot of our towns are full of empty buildings. The internet has been a god send for me. Amazon gets a lot of my business not because I love it or nothing, just because it's the only option I have.

Except for groceries, most of our shopping is done on the internet. First reason is I can locate what meets my requirement without driving to several stores and wasting half a day. Second reason is they deliver to my house. If I order through a local sticks and bricks that no longer keeps inventory, they have to order, deliver to there location where I have to go to pick up. Third reason is internet suppliers have much better product information available to the customer. At a store all the product info is in the blister pack folded up.
Cheaper???maybe so as I can readily check competitors, But that is just a plus not a driver

2oldman wrote:

winnietrey wrote:
I think it very cheese ball however when people go to the local guy, get 20 min of free advice, have no intention of buying from him in the first place, then go order it elsewhere. That is just plain cheap!

It is.

Some snowbirds on here report that they stock up at Walmart before coming to Quartzsite...some even drive to Parker. I always feel that part of the experience of any place is trying the local stores. So it costs a little more, so what? Don't be a cheap tourist!

nothing wrong with stocking up on essentials that are less costly before heading to a tourist trap. the tourist trap area is for souveniers and other things you can't get elsewhere. I would rather save my money for something different to purchase from that area.

cheap tourist??? many don't have mucho bucks. some of my travels, it is all I can do to pay for the site and to get there. from then on I penny pinch :) Everyone has to do what they can do on their income to find the balance for themselves.

I hate that 'cheap' word big time. it implies so much when it isn't so. If I could throw dollars around like they free for the taking I would :).

I live more out in the sticks.

we don't have 'great local owned' stores here. they are on the small side, not having great inventory. I tell ya the internet is for me :). I love the variety available, which is just not in my area without me having to drive far for the 'good stores' and waste entire day shopping and most times still don't like what is around.

the world is changing. every part of it :) for good or bad? who knows.

Amazon is also paying a lower price to its suppliers as they are ordering in much larger volumes. Same applies to Wal-Mart though this company also strong arms its suppliers to reduce prices which is why corners are often cut and name brand manufacturers will make special items for sale through Wal-Mart and other big box discounters.

A merchant will pay $5.00 or an item and then pay another $0.50 or more to have it shipped to them. They will receive it in and check that it is OK and then store it until a customer decides to buy it. The $5 item needs to be sold for $10 for the merchant to stay in business and at the end of the year they expect to make $1 on that $10 sale in actual profit and net income. If the item does not sell then they have to absorb the $6 cost for the item and its storage and that comes out of their pocket.

If someone is selling as a merchant on Amazon they are avoiding the costs of a building and of employees and all the related costs of insurance and taxes. In a lot of ways for many products it is a more cost effective way to get manufactured goods from the factory to the consumer.

The local merchant is often providing these items as a service to its customers who want to get it "today" and want to be able to pick it up and if there is a problem take it back to the store.

Would you want to have a Norcold fridge dropped off at your house and install it in your RV or for that matter find that it was damaged at the warehouse or in transit and have to repack it and strap it down and arrange for shipment back to the seller?

winnietrey wrote:
I think it very cheese ball however when people go to the local guy, get 20 min of free advice, have no intention of buying from him in the first place, then go order it elsewhere. That is just plain cheap!

It is.

Some snowbirds on here report that they stock up at Walmart before coming to Quartzsite...some even drive to Parker. I always feel that part of the experience of any place is trying the local stores. So it costs a little more, so what? Don't be a cheap tourist!

Folks are always going to shop for the lowest price.. And for obvious reasons the local guy may not be able to match the online price.

I think it very cheese ball however when people go to the local guy, get 20 min of free advice, have no intention of buying from him in the first place, then go order it elsewhere. That is just plain cheap!

GordonThree wrote:

garyhaupt wrote:
I have need of an older style A/C cover. On-line I find new at $130.00 from Amazon and used for $40 thru an E Bay seller. Here at home..I am just off the phone to the local RV dealer/robber...$240.00 for new.


Gary Haupt

Same thing around here ... if I'm lucky enough to find something locally, rv related or otherwise, it has a generous "local advantage tax"' (mark-up) applied to the price.

I understand the local shopkeep has to keep a roof over his head and pay his employees the king's minimum wage but crazy mark-up like the one you describe drive folks away.

If your RV dealer is paying his employees minimum you better not have a service work done at that place.

Adding to this..I found the part alrighty, but will wait till spring to order it. I am about to put the rig away for winter and the cost of getting that shroud sent here, northern BC, is akin to picking up the soap in jail.

I'll have it sent to a US address and that'll be that.




Gary Haupt

Water-Bug wrote:
I don't go out of my way to patronize local mom and pop's. I haven't bought any bug whips recently either.

If you can kill bugs with a whip, man you are good.:S