Local Shops… A Better Deal!

You need to fix a faucet that just broke in the bathroom… or maybe the washing machine just decided it’s life was over… what’s the first thing you think?  “Come on… let’s go to the local Big Box store and replace the broken part or appliance!”  I’ll bet you’ve done that a hundred times just this last year.  I understand… so did I.  But is it really the smartest move?  Think about it for just a minute.  There certainly a lot of reasons to visit that local Big Box place.  They advertise all the time, they claim to have a GREAT selection… they’ve got great service… in short, they have it all under one roof.  Or do they?

While Big Box stores are… well BIG!  Sometimes the advantage to you ends right there.  And honestly, what do the people who work there really have at stake with you?  They are just a tiny cog in a gigantic wheel.  Most aren’t even paid a survivable wage.  They really don’t care whether you’re satisfied with the product or service at all!  Because at 5:00pm they go home and that BIG BOX store isn’t even a fleeting thought!  Generally you’ve got a collection of underpaid, under trained individuals doing their best to just get through another day.  And that teenager you saw in the appliance department telling you all about washing machines hasn’t even turned one on in her entire life!  And didn’t you see her waiting tables at the local restaurant last week?

On the other hand, a locally owned appliance store or hardware store has a lot more to offer.  These are usually people who live in the community just like you do.  You’ll run into them at the grocery store.  You’ll see them at church.  Your kids go to school with their kids and they sponsor the local Boy Scouts or Little League team.  While that’s important to the community… more importantly many of them have been at this business for years.  It’s the way they make their living and support their families.  It’s not just some job they took because they needed something to do other than sleep on the sofa!  As a result, when you ask their advice about the best part to fix that faucet… or the best washer to replace the broken one in your laundry room… they are bringing a wealth of knowledge along with years of experience to the table.  And THAT is worth your attention.

Here’s another thing you may not know about the BIG BOX stores.  Many of them “floor plan” their major appliances by establishing a partnership with the manufacturer.  Therefore, pricing is not really up to the store… it’s controlled electronically by the manufacturer.  Look closely at the price tag on the washing machine or refrigerator.  It’s actually an LED screen and it’s connected by wifi to the manufacturer.  So the pricing is set by the manufacturer… not the BIG BOX store.  Didn’t you always wonder why no matter which one you went to the pricing was within just a couple dollars of the other one?  I wondered that too and so I found out why!

And how about service?  After all… the BIG BOX guys are everywhere!  Well they may be “everywhere” but they don’t actually do the service.  Remember that deal they have with “floor planning” the large appliances in the first place?  Well that goes for service too.  The manufacturers have deals with various repairmen who are sub-contracted to do the work.  So in reality, all the large stores do is act as brokers for the appliance.  They have no vested interest in anything other than taking your money and moving on to the next customer.  Don’t believe it?  Try negotiating!

So the next time you have a large purchase… or even a small one… don’t forget about your local stores.  These guys are your neighbors and friends.  They have a vested interest in the community as well as a vested interest in the good word you’ll be spreading about their business!