"Keith" wrote in message
news (snip)

Oh, I can see the stores point of view- the non-pro customers, if they
are a
small portion of the total business, can be a royal pain in the ass.
They
need a lot more hand-holding, and generate a lot more returns. Pros come
in
with a list, know exactly what they need, and if they screw up and buy
the
wrong thing, don't cry about the restocking charges. If there are
big-boxes
in town that cater to the amatuers, dealing with civilians just may not
be
worth the hassle.

Sure, and that's their perogative. OTOH, several "trades" stores I've
gone to seem to rather like the homeowners business (money is money). I
go in with a list and a wad of cash (and try not to be a PITA). I have a
suspicion that these cash deals are, umm, off the books. ;-)

Chuckle- BTDT. I grew up in the business, and can still sort of look and act
like a tradesman, as long as they can't see I didn't drive up in a beat up
pickup truck, and they don't mind that I don't have a illegible PO on a
clipboard to present. When I need something weird (aka, not available at
big-box) bad enough to take off work and find a day-shift-ony 'trade-only'
store, I try real hard to have the brand and part number, or the old one, or
a sample, or whatever, to match. When they offer to scribble out a receipt,
I just tell them that I'm not getting reimbursed, and they don't insist.
Their accounting is their problem.

After years of driving trucks out of supply house with 10k worth of
material, and just signing for it, it sure was a rude shock to have to start
actually paying cash money for supplies..... :^(

aem sends...