Stores that help vs. Stores that don't

[YurtGirl]

These days most of us know the importance of buying local and hopefully we practice that whenever possible. At the same time, most of us rely at least a bit on large corporate stores to affordably bring in items that are useful and somewhat necessary. Here in Hawaii, at least on the Big Island, this can be especially, mind numbingly frustrating.

I compiled two lists:
'YES LIST' = Big box stores that give a rip about their customers and so they provide the service of bringing in things that they offer online but don't carry or currently have in stock.

'NO LIST' = Big box stores that don't give a rip about their Hawaii customers, and force them to pay exorbitant shipping costs if they need to order something that the local store does not have or keep in stock. This is so that they don't have to do the relatively simple leg work of figuring out how to combine their bulk order shipments with custom orders. (ps, usually the people ordering stocked items for these stores are all on the mainland and COMPLETELY out of touch with what should be brought in here. i.e., metals that rust in less than six months, particle board items, etc)

The only stores on the 'YES List' so far are: Home Depot. Lowes. Sears. Props to them!

The 'NO List' includes: Walmart, Target, Costco, JCPenney. Boo to them.

Anyone else know of any helpful stores we can add to the 'YES list'? Or ones we can add to the 'NO LIST' so we can save some of our precious time?

Melissa Fletcher
___________________________
"Make yurts, not war" Bill Coperthwaite, 1973

[YurtGirl]

ps, I know that these stores that I'm applauding also bring in junk and that their stock orderers are on the mainland for the most part... BUT, at least we can do our own research to bring in what we want and they don't penalize for that. Can't have it all...

Melissa Fletcher
___________________________
"Make yurts, not war" Bill Coperthwaite, 1973

[lquade]

i want to add the ace hardware in keaau. they are always helpful and i have ordered many things online to take advantage of the free ship-to-store.

[riverwolf]

I take exception with Home Depot (Hilo) on your list.
Having shopped at over 18 different H.Depot stores in 8 different states, I find the Hilo store the worst one of them all.
Not trying to start an arguement just my personal observation.
The former H.R. Dept. and current Store Manager at the Hilo location are the least professional representatives I have ever observed or experienced.
I try my best not to spend my money or my clients money there.
I do agree about the Lowes store in Kona though.




riverwolf

[Lin W]

Not exactly a big box store, but Garden Exchange was very helpful when I wanted to purchase a brush mower from a mainland company, brought it in to their store and saved me considerable $.






Today is the oldest you've ever been and the youngest you'll ever be, enjoy this day!

[Cagary]

I think the Home Depot in Hilo is a fantastic place to shop. I've never had to deal with the store manager, but my experience with the people who work in the various departments in the store have always been positive.

Does anyone remember when there wasn't a Home Depot in Hilo? I'm not here to bad mouth the hardware stores that were in Hilo before H D arrived nor the ones that are still here, but to have such a wonderful one stop shop place like H D in Hilo is a Godsend.

Walmart. So many people just love to hate it. I don't know what time they open in the morning, but I was driving past Walmart on my way to H D the other morning, and I looked at the parking lot. It wasn't even 8 in the morning and it was PACKED! They must be doing something right.

One more thing. ALL the stores on your both lists employ lots of Hilo residents. Yes, it would be nice if these employees were paid more, but don't we all love the low prices at places like Walmart? And if you think the prices aren't low enough, get out a map and check out the fact that Hawaii is in the middle of the Pacific thousands of miles from where most things are manufactured.

By all means buy local whenever possible, especially food.

[YurtGirl]

Home Depot isn't perfect, and I've definitely had my MAJOR frustrations with them, but in the end they have always gone above and beyond and made it right. I had to be firm with them, and granted we give them a lot of business in our business, but Amari, the manager, did right by us. I went to Lowes to pick something up the other day... I suspected that some container had popped open and they were all breathing in the fumes or something! lol. Every last one of them seemed completely stoned and unable to help efficiently. In then end I didn't purchase a significant amount of what I was planning on, because I kept getting responses like, 'you'll have to look that up online' (and the product was right in front of me, and hello, I wasn't at a computer...) and 'oh that's a code 44'... (Um... am I supposed to know what that means???)

Cagary, I get that we are a remote location. And I get that these places employ people. That isn't my point here. My point is that, although we are a remote location, we can ship to the mainland and others can ship to us from the mainland for a fraction of the cost of what most of these companies are trying to charge for shipping. Point 1. Point 2, when a store advertises things online, and they have major bulk shipments coming in every few weeks, it is nearly inexcusable that they don't figure out a way to include the items that they advertise in with their bulk orders, thereby saving their customers money and major hassle (they are profiting on the online sales... and for what? They often don't even handle the merchandise or help to order it). The kind of shipping I'm describing isn't rocket science, it is a simple formula that many good companies have taken the time to figure out and make work. Especially on a remote island.

People hate Walmart for a lot of reasons. Personally, I hate them because they took jobs from Americans, my families business for one, not to mention a lot of other hard working companies, and gave that business to China, even when it meant the downfall of most wood turning companies in the North East. It's personal at that point. Shop there if you want, I avoid it. But yes, their marketing and business model is obviously sound!

Melissa Fletcher
___________________________
"Make yurts, not war" Bill Coperthwaite, 1973

[dayna]

I can't bring myself to go into WalMart. I just can't. If I could go in there I would shop there due to the low prices.

I shop at Home Depot for a lot of stuff, and when we've had problems they've ALWAYS fixed them. And we've had problems.... I do like HPM, their prices are good and they load up the truck for us. Home Depot folks tend to come by when we are 90% done loading the stuff ourselves....

I think I've only been in Target once. I don't see myself going back in there.

I make my husband go to WalMart if we have to have something from there. I just can't do it. Toooooo many people crammed into too small of a space. WalMart is the stuff my nightmares are made of.

Dayna

www.E-Z-Caps.com

[Nalu]

I have to say that I am pro- Target. I have no affiliation whatsoever with them, however, they are generous with their donations to education, and they donate all their clearance merchandise to help out Goodwill and their programs. I have had horrible experiences at Sears, and never go there for anything. For building materials Honsador and Argus have both shown exceptional customer service and would be my first go to stores. I do not shop at Walmart at all. Just my 2 cents..

[bananahead]

FWIW, I was in Home Depot yesterday for 20 minutes, I was asked if I needed help at least 3 times.. and I dont look like some lost "fresh off da boat" fool either....aloha

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save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha