Did "Home Depot" Drive Business Out of Town ?

Did "Home Depot" Drive Business Out of Town?

When a Home Depot came to my town they had a lot of selection. Not necessarily a lot of some of it, but they had it. A lot of old established stores went out of business. Lighting, hardware, tools, etc. Some may say, "Good. If they can't compete they should go out of business." Maybe. Maybe not. I guess that depends on your perspective.

The thing is sometimes I had to drive all over town to get everything I needed, but usually I could get it. The same day and be working on my project that evening. I'm not talking about esoteric specialty stuff. Just what I consider everyday skilled handyman hardware.

Home Depot came to town and I could get just about everything at Home Depot. People who don't have as broad of interest, trade, or skill set probably could get everything they needed in one spot. Then those other business started to close down and many that survived changed their business entirely.

The Home Depot started raising prices and reducing selection. Items they didn't sell as many of they reduced inventory or even totally eliminated. They very much embraced the turn rate or margin model of doing business. If they can't make money on it every single day screw that product. Let people get it somewhere else.

In some product lines I admit they still have a decent selection, but in others they have filled in the space with more of the products next to them that have a higher turn rate or a higher profit margin.

For example: More than once I needed a simple plumbing fitting. It exists. The manufacturers make it. Its not expensive on-line, but I could sure use it today so I'm willing to pay Home Depot's price. They only stock one and it sold yesterday, or they don't stock it at all. I feel for the poor customer service floor people who have to try to explain to me I can buy 8 parts for 8.95 to 12.95 each to do the job of one part I can buy on-line for 3.95. I'd pay 12.95 for the part today... if they had it, but its pretty hard to pay that times 8 for a cludge work around. When Home Depot first opened they stocked that part. I know I bought them there before.

After some version of my example happens time and time again I give up. At least now I can check their website instead of going to the store and listening to the failed contractor who is now a clerk explain to me I am an idiot because he doesn't know what I am talking about. Well I can check the website, if I don't mind them showing 150 unrelated products instead of just showing they don't have what I am looking for.

I go online and go to Ebay, Amazon, MSCDirect, MacMaster Carr, Bolt Depot, Lightning Stainless, Rogue Systems Inc, etc etc etc... In the time I would have wasted at Home Depot on parts they don't stock any more I can check 20 or 30 online sources and get exactly what I want and almost always a lot cheaper than Home Depot. The thing is I would have bought it right here in town and paid more for it if I could.

Ok, in a big city or metro area with a couple million people or more there may be more options. More other businesses that survived or specialized in certain product lines. Its a lot harder to drive all over town in a big city to get everything you need in a normal work day. Yes. I think Home Depot drove a lot of business out of town.