Puckdropper wrote:


Where I think the quality/price battle is being lost is in educating
the purchaser. Menards carries 4x8 sheets of Birch-faced plywood.
One stack is priced at $30, and the other stack is priced at $40.
What's the difference?

There's nothing on the display to indicate what's different and the
guy at the store doesn't know, so how am I supposed to make an
informed decision? All I have to go on is price, and lower is better.

I don't mind paying extra for better quality, but you have to show me
where to look.


Perfect question - and the answer is supposed to lie with the store
personnel. Unfortunately... it doesn't always. But - it's the consumer who
suffers if he/she does not hold the merchandizer to a standard of offering -
and that includes educated staff on the floor.

I know that HD invests a ton of money in educating associates - they
literally provide all of the education any associate could ever need in
every department. Trust me - they do a great job of making knowledge
available, and in theory... required. If local stores don't hold associates
to those standards, then the consumer voice can be a very effective tool in
changing that. HD has teams of people that pay attention to this stuff. I
don't know about Lowe's or Mennards, but I suspect they do like things.

I took hundreds of courses when I worked at HD, and despite what anyone here
wants to say - it is very good training that goes into great detail - if you
want to pursue that level of knowledge. Not all of it is mandatory, but the
mandatory stuff should at least provide the answers to questions like you
pose above. Shameful if any store cannot answer your question.

I'd go to the store manager and I'd go to his district manager to express my
concern. If they don't respond, then simply go to the corporate feedback
channels. They really do look at this stuff. Trust me - I know they do!

--

-Mike-