[RoxnDox]

I work part time at a local Ace Hardware - a National chain but all individually owned - and we do have areas where we simply cannot compete with the Big Box stores. On the other hand, we do things they can’t or won’t…. Want to buy one bolt? Us. Want a couple hundred? Them. Want a drill bit? Us. Want a fancy handheld power tool? Them. Etc.

We have a LOT of customers who come in to look for their whatever first, before going to the big stores or ordering online. Just to support the local store…

[c.a.m]

I work part time at a local Ace Hardware - a National chain but all individually owned - and we do have areas where we simply cannot compete with the Big Box stores. On the other hand, we do things they can’t or won’t…. Want to buy one bolt? Us. Want a couple hundred? Them. Want a drill bit? Us. Want a fancy handheld power tool? Them. Etc.We have a LOT of customers who come in to look for their whatever first, before going to the big stores or ordering online. Just to support the local store…

In Canada, there is a similar chain -- Home Hardware, with some 1100 independently-owned stores. The stores are typically a lot smaller than Canadian Tire (or Lowe's or Home Depot), and don't carry the same breadth of items, but they're easy to access, carry the essentials, and the staff go out of their way to help. In many instances, the stores are located in smaller towns where the big guys can't operate efficiently. They're located in cities, also, where they offer a business that's complementary to the others.

I'll usually go to my local Home Hardware first. During one of our COVID lockdowns (essential shopping only), they set up a phone-in or email order process, with outdoor in-person pickup, that worked really well.


- Craig

[BigMackCam]

I'm going to be the dissenting, unpopular voice on this subject, I fear

I'm old enough to have used and benefitted from bricks 'n' mortar stores for a range of products.

I remember:

- excitedly walking in to browse when out doing other shopping
- driving or getting the bus to particularly good stores several towns away
- being able to view, try and compare several models of equipment
- being able to test items I was buying before walking out of the store with them
- getting to know the owner and staff, and building relationships with them over time
- receiving advice from the store owner or staff when I asked for it
- having an actual person to talk to face-to-face when my product developed a suspected fault
- having an actual person to represent me with the manufacturer in remedying my problem

I also remember:

- having to wait until the weekend or a day off from work before I could visit retailers
- having to telephone multiple stores to see if they stocked (or had stock of) a particular product I needed
- spending money on petrol or diesel and parking, or public transport
- having a fairly limited choice of products to view, try and buy compared to what was broadly available
- sometimes making do and buying what was available rather than precisely what I wanted
- occasionally, upon my arrival, watching another customer walk out of the store with the last stock of the item I'd come in to buy
- waiting weeks for "special order" products, and re-visiting the store on my next free weekend or day off to try and/or buy them
- visiting another retailer a week or two later to find I could have bought the same product for GBP £50 less (three days salary after tax, back then)
- receiving advice from the store owner or staff when I didn't ask for it
- being up-sold or cross-sold on products when I didn't ask for it, want it or need it
- occasionally having my choices critiqued by staff who often didn't know what they were talking about
- having to make another trip to the store if my product failed or needed servicing
- having to make another trip to collect my product when work on it was completed
- having to make yet another trip if the repair or service hadn't fixed the problem despite brief in-store testing

At 52 years old, I've fully embraced online shopping for many products, including photographic equipment.

What I like:

- having all the product information and advice I could need from multiple review sites and forums (whether I choose to depend on it is up to me)
- having access to every product I could possibly want or need through a multitude of online retailers
- being able to see prices and stock status for the same product across multiple retailers quickly and easily
- being able to browse and shop at any time of the day or night, weekdays and weekends, whenever I have a few minutes to spare
- not being up-sold or cross-sold... I buy and receive exactly what I want, nobody questions it
- ordering the products I want, sometimes via multiple retailers, in just a few clicks and a few short minutes
- having my products delivered in a few days at low cost, often free, without leaving the house or spending money on fuel or public transport
- if I change my mind or the product isn't suitable, being able to return it under "distance selling" regulations in my country
- a short 10 - 15 minute walk to my local post office if I need to return an item or send it for repair or service
- when the product is fixed, having it delivered to my door

What I dislike:

- not being able to handle and try equipment
- not being able to test the equipment I'm buying to check it works
- not developing face-to-face relationships

Whilst I miss browsing the bricks 'n' mortar stores of old, and they were undoubtedly great for society in terms of local employment and high street activity, for me - as a customer - it's a case of "nostalgia ain't what it used to be". On balance, I feel better served by online shopping. The choice is much wider, pricing is more competitive, and I find it much more convenient. One has to pick and choose who to buy from, as post-sales service is hugely variable - but that was the case with bricks 'n' mortar stores too. Depending on the products I'm looking to buy, I'll narrow my choice of online retailers accordingly to those who I feel can provide the best backup if a problem arises.

I'll continue to enjoy my local high street shops when I want to buy groceries, household consumables, some DIY materials, hardware and homeware products... have keys cut or my shoes re-soling... buy clothes where sizing and fit are particularly critical... go for a meal or drinks with friends (pre-pandemic )... plus a few other specifics and incidentals. For most everything else, I'm happy enough online.

... and it seems I'm not alone. The success of ecommerce depends on both retailers and customers, and it seems many of the latter are very happy to buy online. I can't speak to their reasons, but I suspect I've listed at least a few of them above.

EDIT: The one bricks 'n' mortar store I really do miss is the record shop I use to visit as a kid. Every time I got pocket money from my parents, I'd walk the mile into town and spend ages browsing the all the LPs, looking at the artwork, listening to the songs the owner had playing, chatting to him... He got me to try so many different kinds of music and was in no small way responsible for my still varied and eclectic tastes in music...

[c.a.m]

I'll continue to enjoy my local high street shops when I want to buy groceries, household consumables, some DIY materials and homeware products... have keys cut or my shoes re-soling... buy clothes where sizing and fit are are particularly critical... go for a meal or drinks with friends (pre-pandemic )... plus a few other specifics and incidentals. For most everything else, I'm happy enough online....

and it seems I'm not alone. The success of ecommerce depends on both retailers and customers, and it seems many of the latter are very happy to buy online. I can't speak to their reasons, but I suspect I've listed at least a few of them above.

I think I'm sort of like you. My wife and I are not voracious consumers, but we appreciate value-for-money and ease of access to the goods and services that we need. Online retailers offer an efficient alternative to running around town or spending time on the telephone looking for the best deal on a particular product.

Case in point: one of our power toothbrushes failed recently and I decided that it was not repairable. I thought, no problem, it's a common item so I'll just pop over to the local drug store/pharmacy/chemist's. No go -- there was no stock in three of the nearby stores, except for really cheap or really expensive models. Came back home, looked it up on Amazon, click-click-click ordered. Delivered the following day at 40% lower price than the drugstore.

Bookstores. I used to enjoy browsing in a bookstore, and I like real, physical books. We still have a few shops in Ottawa, mainly chain stores. But I appreciate shopping online even more -- I can read reviews of a book, perhaps glance inside with a preview, and save a bit of money. I did pop into our local bookshop several days ago to pick up a photo magazine (Digital Camera World -- glad that the UK publishers are still active!).

Clothing. I don't think I've ever purchased a clothing article online.

Automobile service. We used the same local independent service garage for decades, until the service manager retired. New management is not quite the same in terms of advice, customer care, after-service follow-up, etc. That's more a reflection on personalities rather than the overall shop.

Cameras. Our local camera shops don't stock Pentax. They used to, and I bought a number or items from the nearby store. I bought my K-3 Mark III from an online retailer (also has a B&M shop in southern Ontario).

One final example. We wanted to get some new kitchenware (aluminum baking sheets). I really preferred to see and handle the options. A local shop carried several brands, and the staff person was quite helpful. They also do online business.

Edit: (to your edit). Oh yeah, records. Surprisingly, Ottawa has several vibrant record/CD shops, selling Used items mainly but also some new vinyl. I really enjoy browsing the stacks, looking for whatever and nothing in particular.


- Craig

[BigMackCam]

One final example. We wanted to get some new kitchenware (aluminum baking sheets). I really preferred to see and handle the options. A local shop carried several brands, and the staff person was quite helpful. They also do online business.

We're lucky to have a store in my town that stocks a huge range of general purpose items - hardware, electricals, tools, kitchen and general homewares, textiles, stationery, some limited clothing and footwear, fishing gear and lots more - at prices that are usually slightly less, about the same, or only very slightly more expensive than the most competitive online retailers. On good weather days, it's within easy walking distance... when the weather's inclement, it's 5 - 10 minutes' drive and parking time. Whenever I can, I'll use that store in preference to online alternatives - because I can examine the products, get them the same day for around the same price, and I like to support the store. About the only issue is that it's so packed with stuff from floor to ceiling, at times it can be difficult to locate the product I want, and even the staff have problems finding things on occasion On that note, the staff are great too... They're friendly and chatty in a very local way, and if the shop doesn't stock or have stock of an item I want, they'll happily tell me which store in my town does. They've even called up other shops for me to check if they sell the item I'm looking for. That's great customer service, and thoroughly deserves my patronage...

[RobA_Oz]

We're lucky to have a store in my town that stocks a huge range of general purpose items - hardware, electricals, tools, kitchen and general homewares, textiles, stationery, some limited clothing and footwear, fishing gear and lots more - at prices that are usually slightly less, about the same, or only very slightly more expensive than the most competitive online retailers. On good weather days, it's within easy walking distance... when the weather's inclement, it's 5 - 10 minutes' drive and parking time. Whenever I can, I'll use that store in preference to online alternatives - because I can examine the products, get them the same day for around the same price, and I like to support the store. About the only issue is that it's so packed with stuff from floor to ceiling, at times it can be difficult to locate the product I want, and even the staff have problems finding things on occasion On that note, the staff are great too... They're friendly and chatty in a very local way, and if the shop doesn't stock or have stock of an item I want, they'll happily tell me which store in my town does. They've even called up other shops for me to check if they sell the item I'm looking for. That's great customer service, and thoroughly deserves my patronage...

It must be good to have that sort of service still existing locally. There are several specialist trade places left operating in my town, but they’ve largely been elbowed out by large general traders, that are owned nationally or internationally. In a sense, it’s good that some big stores are still doing well, but they have to be very big in order to carry the range of stock needed to allow convenience and price to match that of online traders, and they employ local people, of course. “Click and collect” has become something of a thing here, too, for everything from groceries to hardware.

[MarkJerling]

Like @BigMackCam I'm enjoying buying many products via online shopping.

But there's one thing online shopping can't do: Servicing and maintenance. As example: While I can buy most everything I need for my cycling hobby online, I can't have the bike "fitted" for me, nor can I have the bike serviced online. For that, I need a bike shop. In our town, there are two good bike shops. Their owners have learnt that, unlike years past, where sales was the big income, now servicing is the big industry.

I suspect so it will go with many other types of products. Unfortunately, because of the throw-away society we live in, it's getting harder and harder to repair stuff, or find parts to repair stuff, or be able to get into products to even attempt a repair. New bushes for the electric drill? Heck no - buy another. Which is pretty sad in my view.

As a positive, I had a lovely chat with a refrigeration company owner the other day at the supermarket where I was picking up our weekly online grocery shopping order. I explained my totally irrational need to have my 1938 General Electric 110V refrigerator repaired and he said he'd be happy to look at it, provided I was happy to wait until he's not busy. I am, of course, happy to wait.

I need to get someone to look at one of my 1930's radios too. Where to find a valve radio expert in this day and age?

[RoxnDox]

@MarkJerling - you’d like our store(s), I’m sure. We are full of not only complete products, but lots of bits and pieces and parts. We’re happy to sell you one left handed square head bolt if that’s what you need. And we do have carbon motor brushes

[carlb]

I try to consume as little as possible so my visits to a Brick and Mortar shop to buy anything are (thankfully.....if you listen to my wife) few and far between! However, if I do go to a shop I'm not looking for an "experience"....I just want to buy what I need and get out of there and get back to doing something else that I'd rather be doing. I usually have a good idea of what I want before I set foot inside the place anyway.

While I appreciate that knowledgeable staff can be a great help with relevant information and advice, they seem to be getting harder and harder to find (how often have you asked for info about an item and the sales assistant picks up the box and reads the bumph on the outside - thanks very much mate but I know how to read ). I think they had me in mind when they invented online shopping - it suits me down to the ground.

[MarkJerling]

@MarkJerling - you’d like our store(s), I’m sure. We are full of not only complete products, but lots of bits and pieces and parts. We’re happy to sell you one left handed square head bolt if that’s what you need. And we do have carbon motor brushes

Nice one Jim. Such stores are in short supply nearly anywhere now.

I have fond memories of Kismet Supply Store at 60 Park Road, Wynberg, Cape Town, where you could get anything from food, to car parts, bicycle parts and spares, to anything plumbing and drainage related, building supplies, hardware and paint, and on nearly every day, Sundays and Christmas included. Apart from Fridays, it's open every day from 08:00 to 20:30 (to 17:00 on weekends and public holidays) but on Fridays they have a long lunch break to satisfy their religious requirements. The same owner has been running the business since 1957.

[Just1MoreDave]

My favorite hardware store purchase story: We had just bought our first house, with a sliding glass door in back. It wasn't sliding great so I took it out and found these roller assemblies on the bottom. OK, I don't know exactly what to call it but I need this thing or some bearings to make it better. So I take one thing to the hardware store. As soon as I walk into the door, the guy sees what's in my hand, says "follow me", goes over, gets two of the right assembly and rings them up. I hardly had time to say anything except "looks OK to me."

I remember department stores with valve testers and the smell of a dedicated radio/TV repair shop.

[The Squirrel Mafia]

I miss the brick & mortar experience, particularly record stores. They're just about all gone. Amoeba Music in Hollywood is one of the very few left that is relatively close to me, but it's still about 25 minutes away on the freeway without traffic, which is a rarity. It usually ends up being more like a 45 minute trip to get there. Then there's the parking situation. I'm not big a fan of Hollywood.

Best Buy is the closest thing we have to a brick & mortar store, but they don't carry anything Pentax. They have most of the Canikon DSLR & Mirrorless gear. Same with Sony. Whenever I go to get something, I usually swing by the camera section to see what mirrorless bodies they have on display, but it still doesn't feel like a brick & mortar store.

[Wheatfield]

I work part time at a local Ace Hardware - a National chain but all individually owned - and we do have areas where we simply cannot compete with the Big Box stores. On the other hand, we do things they can’t or won’t…. Want to buy one bolt? Us. Want a couple hundred? Them. Want a drill bit? Us. Want a fancy handheld power tool? Them. Etc.

We have a LOT of customers who come in to look for their whatever first, before going to the big stores or ordering online. Just to support the local store…

I work for one of those big box home improvement stores. There is a small locally owned hardware store not far from us. They don't try to compete with us head to head. They shop us on a regular basis and stock what we don't.
That's how to stay alive next door to a mega store.

[bobD]

I need to get someone to look at one of my 1930's radios too. Where to find a valve radio expert in this day and age?

Perhaps these clubs close to you whose members would have had that knowledge or they will put you in touch with someone..
https://www.nzart.org.nz/contact/branches/46
https://www.nzart.org.nz/contact/branches/82

[Michael Piziak]

I work for one of those big box home improvement stores. There is a small locally owned hardware store not far from us. They don't try to compete with us head to head. They shop us on a regular basis and stock what we don't.
That's how to stay alive next door to a mega store.

Although Kroger is a major company, I notice that they have some specialty items that Walmart grocery doesn't carry.
For example, Sushi.

It's certainly a way that small mom and pop stores, like hardware stores, can make a niche for themselves and compete with big box stores.

---------- Post added 03-16-22 at 07:48 PM ----------

I miss the brick & mortar experience, particularly record stores. They're just about all gone. Amoeba Music in Hollywood is one of the very few left that is relatively close to me, but it's still about 25 minutes away on the freeway without traffic, which is a rarity. It usually ends up being more like a 45 minute trip to get there. Then there's the parking situation. I'm not big a fan of Hollywood.

Best Buy is the closest thing we have to a brick & mortar store, but they don't carry anything Pentax. They have most of the Canikon DSLR & Mirrorless gear. Same with Sony. Whenever I go to get something, I usually swing by the camera section to see what mirrorless bodies they have on display, but it still doesn't feel like a brick & mortar store.

With the retro crowd seeking out vinyl, some vinyl record stores have popped up here and there.
Then I see Walmart sells more vinyl, at my location, than they sell CD's....
Darn Walmart won't even let these small vinyl record stores have the vinyl niche all to themselves