Many times I will find something I want on Amazon then google the manufacturer and buy it from them directly. Many times it's cheaper, sometimes it's just a few dollars more but I'll still order direct.
Depends on the item, I find that Home Depot for tools, hardware & various wholegoods, most the time beat's Amazon. And some Mfg's will sell direct if they dont have dealers to support, and then it's usually suggested retail. Some pick up shipping some dont. Before the advent of discount, club and box stores small mom and pop, won over customers usually by superb service in some cases. However, many of the mom and pops also couldn't inventory much and if they did it wasn't unusual for them to increase their margins by inflating price. The old department store category like Wards, Sears & Pennies along with some hardware chains didn't effect mom and pop so much as they could compete, but when discounters like KMart, Target then Walmart, moved in it changed things in a big way. Then Home Depot, Lowe's, Sam's, & Costco really changed the markets & segments. Good, better, best segments. Tremendous competition drives prices down for consumers and Companies like Costco operate on approx. 4% margins for whole goods, limited SKU's, seasonal inventory. Walmart has made in tough on mom pop but so have clubs & big box hardware stores. The sales & Service dealers now carry whole goods as a compliment to service but usually at list price. Their profit and higher margins are in service and parts.
and UPS will deliver it, which is pro union, which is pro middle class Fuck Republican, Fuck Democrat. Pro labor is the way to go
