Big box store pricing.

[Eigenvector]

It may have to do with the individual store itself. I've noticed that the Lowe's in Bellevue, where I used to live, carried a smattering of plumbing products that I needed. When I moved across the way I noticed that the store nearest me carried lots of plumbing, but little electrical. Overall it seems that each store carries what sells in their area rather than a single product line across all stores. I don't know about HD, I only buy Leviton switches and outlets from them - nothing else if I can help it.

[JK]

I guess they don't, since Menards does a lot of business. I always say that Menards is the Wal-Mart of home improvement. Lots of cheap chinese made garbage.

They are cheaper than HD or Lowes though. NewsGuy.Com - $19.95 Unlimited Bandwidth

[Steve Barker]

I'm just glad there's not one in my area. Just one more choice and place I'd have to go to price compare. I'd be better off if there were no Home depot close. That way, I'd just go to Lowes (where I end up every time anyway) and have it over with.

[mm]

Coming in late on this, there seem to be 2 to 4 times as many HDs as there are Lowes in Baltimore, but until last summer, the closest to me had a pair only a half mile from each other on the same street.

Yet I sometimes have to go 5 more miles to an ACE hardware. I posted here about the time I needed a square U-bolt, and iirc neither HD nor L had any, but the ACE had 7 sizes.

But it's not cheaper, afaict. Easily 20% more on a few things I know the price of. OTOH, they sell window screening by the foot or a 4 inch piece (and I trusted them not to charge too much so I don't know how much they charged, but HD and Lowes would have charge much more for a minimum of I guess 6 or 8 feet. I would go to the ACE a lot more if it were closer. OTOH, the last remaining small hardware store on this street doesn't have very much at all, and they make a living repairing lawnmowers and renting construction equipment.

[clifto]

In the Chicago area, I haven't found Menard's to be significantly better on pricing, and their selection is often limited. When I can get what I need, Menard's is okay. But having several Menard's stores within ten miles doesn't reduce the number of times I drive ten miles to get to a Lowe's or HD.

[clifto]

Sez you. Especially after having seen a show on PBS where a Wal-Mart exec admitted that their prices are often not the lowest available, I shop Wal-Mart the same way I shop Joe's Hardware; I check the price and quality before I buy anything of consequence.

It's especially bad since Mr. Sam died. Practically before he was in his grave, a quart of Pennzoil went from 97 cents to about $1.40 overnight. There wasn't any change in the price of oil, there was a change in management greed.

Ever see those cards of cheapo stuff they sell in out-of-the-way gas stations? Gizmos on a card that says, "Total value $9.57, your price ____" and the price is filled in at $1? Where the station paid about $4 for the card of 20 items? Shortly after Sam died, I saw one of these cards in a Wal-Mart store in Northlake, IL, little kits of eyeglass screws and a tiny screwdriver. It said, "Total value $8.57, your price _____" and Wal-Mart had dutifully filled in, $8.57. That's when I knew Sam was rolling in his grave.