Charging Treestuff for your time

[evo]

Back before everything went on the internet I used to order fro a tool supplier, mills cutters etc. Good old "order desk please". After I got burned by the desk order screen saying in stock, I drive across the city, sorry we were wrong I took to SOP " the computer might be wrong. I can wait, can you physically go check the shelf before I commit to driving over to pick it up? Set it aside behind the pickup desk". Saved about 5 trips. But one time a new inside sales girl insisted in stock, pretended to check said yes and I got burnt.

More recently I was sourcing some hard to get part and an online site claimed to have it with "call for availability". For the life of me I couldn't get the guy to commit yes or no in stock. Red flag, avoid, Typical take order, charge your card make you wait possibly until a refund. I think they're called drop shippers, middle man their way in and order it to your address,

Anyone old enough to have mail order stories like when Sears catalogue had v8 short blocks? That'd be a doozie to straighten out!

Try living on an island! Fan belts went out on the truck, no printed numbers legible. 6 hours and going to ALL the auto part stores across the 65 mile long banana island came back with three belts that were a ‘maybe’ fit. The truck takes two belts for the fan/alt the two store that had something that could possibly work, only had one on the shelf.
The employee called the ‘competitor’ to check to see if they had the match. They said they did. I went there and they didn’t..
I like buying local and sometimes you just have to do it in person. But unfortunately I resort to online shipped as much as I can for reasons like this

 

[flushcut]

Mcmaster has it going on, they almost always have an order to me the following day.

What is this company you speak of? McMaster-Carr?

 

[surveyor]

yep

 

[flushcut]

I have never been disappointed by them.

 

[The Green One]

I have never been disappointed by them.

Me either. GREAT company!

 

[27RMT0N]

I ordered an ARB winch bumper for my F350 from Bumpersuperstore.com over two months ago now, which cost $2,500. They charged me at that time, but didn't give an ETA for arrival. After a month of being told 'soon' and getting the run-around a few times, I finally called them again and they said "Oh, they didn't tell you? Those are built to order and often take months to arrive!" Really? I ordered the winch at the same time not knowing the bumper timeline (or lack there of) and now it is well past the window to return if I find out it won't fit within the bumper...

For day-to-day use items like I think evo said, I also keep a large stock of items as a backup on hand in the shop: new-in-box big shot, rope puller, hand saws, chainsaws, chain, ropes, etc. Hell, that is also part of why I have two chip trucks and two chippers: no downtime if one needs service. Of course I realize not everyone has that luxury, but since I have the space and because logistics and ordering online can be harder and slower in my sort of remote location, it makes a big difference when it comes to keeping things running smoothly.