Small business, anybody else notice ? (Page 1/1)
MidEngineManiac JUL 14, 10:06 AM
It seems very few of them want to answer pricing questions anymore.

There are a few things I am shopping for and need for next week, and I am TRYING to support local...

BUT, ya get these people on the phone and ask simply "how much is *whatever*" and all they want to do is beat around the bush and try to get ya into the shop.

FUK YA !!!!

If I wanted to spend a day running around playing games, I wouldn't be phoning with the question, now would I ? 4 different places locally I cant get an straight answer to what a "Y" stand will cost me. I know they are under $40 on Amazon and have my answer in 5 seconds...

so GUESS who is getting my money. So much for supporting local.

And these people wonder why they are struggling.
TheDigitalAlchemist JUL 14, 11:19 AM
A few reasons why I would do things local...


- their attitude - Treat customer nice? Good. Treat them "crappy"? last time I'll go there. A few places I went to, they were so bad with their customers, I thought it was a gag.

-They have the thing in stock, and I can't wait for Amazon.

Had a key made in a pinch at a kiosk. Didn't work on the lock (it was a copy of a copy of a copy...). Sent them an email, they refunded it same day. Send me a coupon for the next time.

I'm willing to spend a little more if the experience of me going there is positive. Like a pet store. or a hobby store, or coffee shop or some other place. I don't expect "leave it to beaver" interactions, but its nice to leave a store not feeling crappy.

Maybe they don't want you to find it for cheaper online. But they should be able to tell you the price of something, and if they have it in stock, especially with gas being so high and such...

Sucks that one day SOON, we will miss the crappiest service person. The CVS Automated checkout machine is now at the local grocery. they got rid of all the checkout folks except for 1 per shift. Last time I went to an auto place, the folk (singular) behind the counter didn't know anything about anything. their system was down and they had no idea where anything was in the store or in the inventory in the back. ok that one I can understand more, but its just not great. Also seeing all the bare shelves. not great.
MidEngineManiac JUL 14, 12:22 PM
What it is, is they want to try and up-sell.

Go in looking for a $20 temporary-use utility part and walk out with $100 top-of-the-line.

I'm not interested in playing. BTDT enough with Filament suppliers until I settled on Overture for PETG and IIID Max for PLA+.
maryjane JUL 14, 01:02 PM
I was at a local hardware store yesterday looking for a cable tracer. They had one, and only the one brand. Salesman candidly told me he didn't think it would do what I wanted, then looked on the device's website, read the reviews and handed it to me, saying "I just learned something".

I've rarely over the course of nearly 60 decades had any problems with local stores or vendors.

olejoedad JUL 14, 01:12 PM
Spending your cash locally strengthens your community by letting the money circulate in the local economy.
Spending on Amazon weakens your local economy.

Once the local brick and mortar retailers are gone, I don't want to hear you gripe about your property taxes when they go up.

You may think you're saving money, but in the long run, are you really?
MidEngineManiac JUL 14, 01:19 PM
It's not even the money. I really dont care if it's $30 or $50. In the long run/big picture that makes very little difference. Important on a day-to-day basis, but not that big a deal long-run.

It's the convenience. The question of how long do I have to be away from keeping an eye the printers, to work on job #2.

Right now I am on day 2 of a 30-hour print job. All the pieces together are about 10 days. AND, if it fails I don't have enough filament on hand to start fresh on that piece. I have to wait on Amazon. If there is a glitch and I am here there is a pretty good chance I can fix it and save the print. If I am running around in-person shopping and the same thing happens, it's a total loss.

I already have a 30-gallon barrel 3/4 full of total losses from the past few years.

I just wanna know how much and when can you get it to me.

[This message has been edited by MidEngineManiac (edited 07-14-2022).]

ls3mach JUL 14, 03:35 PM

quote
Originally posted by maryjane:

I was at a local hardware store yesterday looking for a cable tracer. They had one, and only the one brand. Salesman candidly told me he didn't think it would do what I wanted, then looked on the device's website, read the reviews and handed it to me, saying "I just learned something".

I've rarely over the course of nearly 60 decades had any problems with local stores or vendors.



When you say cable tracer. Do you mean "toner" or something else?



quote
Originally posted by MidEngineManiac:


If I wanted to spend a day running around playing games, I wouldn't be phoning with the question, now would I ? 4 different places locally I cant get an straight answer to what a "Y" stand will cost me. I know they are under $40 on Amazon and have my answer in 5 seconds...



You cost more money to deal with than you are worth. I have no idea what you are buying and it is irrelevant.

I bet if I search really hard I find a thread where you ***** about people on the phone getting preferred treatment while you took the time to shop in the store.

$40 is nothing. Your questions cost time. You've now wasted 4 shops times and have spent $0.


quote
Originally posted by maryjane:

I was at a local hardware store yesterday looking for a cable tracer. They had one, and only the one brand. Salesman candidly told me he didn't think it would do what I wanted, then looked on the device's website, read the reviews and handed it to me, saying "I just learned something".

I've rarely over the course of nearly 60 decades had any problems with local stores or vendors.



When you say cable tracer. Do you mean "toner" or something else?

Your lack of preparation constitutes an emergency on no one's part but your own. I've bet you've told that to dozens of people.

[This message has been edited by ls3mach (edited 07-14-2022).]

maryjane JUL 15, 01:38 PM

quote
Originally posted by ls3mach:


When you say cable tracer. Do you mean "toner" or something else?

Your lack of preparation constitutes an emergency on no one's part but your own. I've bet you've told that to dozens of people.




If that was referring to me, I don't recall ever saying it more than once.

Cable tracer..like this one.
MidEngineManiac JUL 15, 02:00 PM

quote
Originally posted by ls3mach:

You cost more money to deal with than you are worth. I have no idea what you are buying and it is irrelevant.

I bet if I search really hard I find a thread where you ***** about people on the phone getting preferred treatment while you took the time to shop in the store.

$40 is nothing. Your questions cost time. You've now wasted 4 shops times and have spent $0.




40 bucks or 40 cents....the amount is irrelevant.

WHAT IS THE PRICE ????

Dont want to answer that simple question that every-single-one of us 400 million shoppers in North America has...want to play games ? Even a variety store has the courtesy to put a price sticker on items.

Then fuk ya. Good-bye, I aint playing those "what's it worth to you" games. I can go elsewhere and I am the guy holding the dollars you are in business to get.

What's it worth to me ???....the best price I can find online or elsewhere for the same thing from somebody else. With an up-front answer in 30 seconds or less.

THATS what it's worth.
THATS what you are competing with.

Step up the game.

[This message has been edited by MidEngineManiac (edited 07-15-2022).]

ls3mach JUL 15, 02:15 PM

quote
Originally posted by maryjane:


If that was referring to me, I don't recall ever saying it more than once.

Cable tracer..like this one.






It wasn't. It was for Mike. I think I heard him say something like that before when he rants. I am guilty of exactly what he is pissed about...on both sides of the coin.

Yeah, that is what I figured you meant. The old school one my buddy uses has TONS more connections than the cheapo I bought, but he has been doing low voltage for probably 3 decades. Those things are crazy handy the 3 times normal people seem to need them in their life.