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We compare HD Hawaii/mainland pricing all the time since we're back and forth a lot. What we found was that for bulky, low margin items, HD-Hawaii is a lot higher (presumably because of the shipping). This is really noticable when looking at drywall, concrete and most of the lumber. Plumbing fixtures (like faucets), appliances and tools were very close in pricing.
I have learned through many years at shopping the BORGs that prices are low for a reason and you need to shop cerfully if quality is important.
The bitter taste of poor quality reamins long after the sweetness of low pricing is forgotten.
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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quote:
Originally posted by Kahunascott
I needed 13 -10’X 1” EMT for tent poles. I went to WESCO (Local electrical supplier) and even with my contractors discount they were $9.31 ea. ($121.03) And, I went to the local guy first.
Went to Home Depot and they were $6.67 with no discount ($86.71)
I saved $34.31 just on one purchase.
I can’t support the local businesses with this type of savings at a chain store.[B)]
If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it cost when it’s free
The other place they are often cheap is Hara's in Kurtistown. They run specials on them quite often too.
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me."
-Dudley Field Malone
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me."
-Dudley Field Malone
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I wanted to buy 4 glazed doors but the pattern I wanted was not available anywhere in Hawaii. I could have had them specially made but the cost was prohibitive.
Lowes in Kona told me if I could find the doors on the mainland and paid for delivery to their warehouse in CA they would ship them to Kona for me (with their regular shipment at no cost to me). The supplier on the mainland sold the doors to Lowes at wholesale price and I paid Lowes the retail price, plus shipping on the mainland which was not that much. So Lowes only made the normal markup for the doors.
Lowes told me they would charge $300 to ship anything from Kona to Hilo. (They used to charge $100, according to our builder). I did have to go and get the doors myself, but I got what I wanted for a reasonable price and the shipping from the mainland to Hawaii was free.
It took a bit of organising as Lowes staff are not easy to deal with on the phone and hard to get a hold of but I don't think Home Depot would have offered me this service.
