On Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:03:37 -0400, aemeijers
wrote:


Closest thing I've seen to a correct answer in this thread. That is the
way it worked when I was a wee boy- for regular customers, raw stock in
resalable condition was taken back with no fee, and special order stuff
was a 10 or 15 per cent restock charge, which I have absolutely no
heartburn with. Makes me do my homework up front. IMHO, tools and such,
and 'decor' frou-frou, should only be returnable if defective. (My
sister proudly told me she buys BIL's clothes that way online- shotgun
purchase on styles and sizes, and returns half of it.) I dearly wish
there WAS a ma'n'pa traditional lumberyard near here. The only survivors
had to morph into boutique door and window shops, or custom trim mills.
Rest of them went belly up when the chains moved in.

It's all related to the automobile, and also to the two-car family.
People got used to driving farther for things they want, and a store
with little service can be cheaper to run, lower prices are possible,
or at least a bigger selection of parts.

Although the ACE hardware I like is only a fifth the size of an HD.
Much space is saved because it doesn't have lumber or many building
matterials, it doesn't have home appliances, etc. just hardware and
things pretty close to that. (It does have phone, cable, and some
other electronic accessories.)

--
aem sends...