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I am not a frequent Wal-Mart shopper, last time I went into one was probably more than 6 months ago. However, when the same product in the same packaging is there a whole lot cheaper then anywhere else I get it there. And until Shell and Power Service tell me that it is different product in the same jug with the same UPC...
Also, I used to buy tools at Home Depot/Lowes, but now I go to Harbor Freight. I don't use them enough to justify spending several times more. If I need something that I will use all the time that is different. The drills, grinders, sawz alls I bought for 1/5 of the price at HF are still working years later. My Sears Craftsman chop saw broke, the Harbor Freight Chicago Electric made in Beijing still works. Same thing goes for the drill bits and blades. The alleged high quality ones at HD/Lowes don't seem to last any longer.
If I lived in the middle of nowhere and depended on my chainsaw or whatever else for survival a better quality one is in order (and probably at least one cheaper one for backup).
I'm with Stiff - rather spend the money on my kids.
I get my power tools from Alaska Industrial Hardware, Inc. All my hand tools, however, come from Sears. You cannot beat Craftsman's life-time replacement guarantee. While it is true their hand-tools are slightly more expensive, I know I will not have to buy another. There are damn few hand-tools from other companies where I can make that claim.
I recall when Japan was synonymous with cheap crap during the 1960s. By the mid-1970s Japanese quality started to significantly improve. Today, Japanese electronic products in particular are preferred over most other companies. Even though Chinese products are currently associated with crap, I suspect (and hope) that will eventually change, like it did for the Japanese.
I would argue that paying more for higher quality products will ultimately save you more money in the long run.
You have to be careful about thinking that you're buying the same products in the same packaging for a lot cheaper. You might be buying knockoffs that look pretty similar to what you're looking for -- just look at what's going on with circuit breakers. It's one thing to take the best bargain you can find on socks, but you're putting people's lives at risk if you purchase substandard circuit breakers.
I buy from local businesses as much as possible. If I pay a little more for them, I'm paying for my quality of life, my community's quality of life, and the quality of life of my children and any future grandchildren.
I've never been up there, but how is this true regarding Cabela's? I can see why many people would be eager to shop there in Alaska.
Cabela's should have no problem selling their clothes, camping gear, and other gear that is not fishing or hunting related in Alaska.
Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of Cabela's clothes are also geared toward the lower-48, being made of cotton or a cotton blend. Cotton clothes can be a death sentence in Alaska, if they get wet. Although Cabela's use to sell a nice wool-nylon blend shirt for a while. That was ideal for Alaska, but unfortunately I cannot seem to find them any longer.
Both Cabela's and Bass Pro are geared toward selling fishing and hunting gear for the lower-48. Alaska is not like the lower-48 with regard to hunting and fishing. First and foremost, Alaska does not have any pan fish (bass, crappie, blue gill, sunfish, catfish, etc., etc.). Alaskan lake fish are Lake Trout, illegal (and tiny) Northern Pike, and land-locked lakes stocked with salmon. By far the most common fish that is fished for in Alaska are salmon, and the most common placed fished are rivers, creeks, and streams.
So of all the fishing gear Cabela's and Bass Pro sell, maybe 1% to 5% of it is of use in Alaska. The same is true for their hunting gear. There are no quail, pheasant, or turkeys in Alaska, and duck and geese hunting in Alaska is not like hunting duck or geese in the lower-48.
I have nothing against either store. I regularly buy clothes and camping equipment from Cabela's, and will continue to do so. However, my hunting and fishing gear comes from local sporting good stores. I suspect that Cabela's will do better than Bass Pro in Alaska considering that Cabela's sells other products besides fishing gear.
You have to be careful about thinking that you're buying the same products in the same packaging for a lot cheaper. You might be buying knockoffs that look pretty similar to what you're looking for -- just look at what's going on with circuit breakers. It's one thing to take the best bargain you can find on socks, but you're putting people's lives at risk if you purchase substandard circuit breakers.
I buy from local businesses as much as possible. If I pay a little more for them, I'm paying for my quality of life, my community's quality of life, and the quality of life of my children and any future grandchildren.
Never thought of going to wal-mart for circuit breakers.... And what I get is in the exact same container with the same UPC code and is usually automotive stuff (oil, Ford Motorcraft filter, diesel additive). Granted, lately even the Home Depot "name" brand tools are not like they used to be either -which is why I decided to just buy the cheaper stuff for my one time projects, worse case throw it out when I am done. Heck, Harbor Freight has some warranties if you are worried and the cost is still 1/3 of a non-warrantied Home Depot item. They are local to me, as is, Northern Tools and Grainger. Until the economy crashed, I wasn't nearly as penny pinching, coupon toting as I am now either. Luckily, I have a bunch of tools from years before, so I don't do too much tool shopping. I load up on things when my local grocery store does a BOGO (Buy One Get One Free) on it too.
I have a whole bunch of craftsman and snap-on hand tools for the same reason Glitch. Plus, when torquing down an automotive nut they don't slip or break nearly as easily.
Cabela's was nice to walk through but I only spent 39.99 and that was on a larger can of bear spray. Saved about $10 over what everyone else wanted. But that was it. Price wise they are about the same as and slightly higher then their competition. Just didn't see a lot in there that I couldn't get somewhere else. Plus their location is kinda outta the say. I live on East 16th and they are out on 100th.
This Bass Pro thing, I got my doubts about. As Glitch said we don't have bass here. I've been in a number of Bass Pro shops just to window shop. And they do carry more then just fishing stuff. I thought they were both similar in product selection though Cabelas does seem to have more in the firearms area. The main thing that they will have going for them is their location. It's right next door to JBER, that's a big draw.
Never thought of going to wal-mart for circuit breakers.... And what I get is in the exact same container with the same UPC code and is usually automotive stuff (oil, Ford Motorcraft filter, diesel additive). Granted, lately even the Home Depot "name" brand tools are not like they used to be either -which is why I decided to just buy the cheaper stuff for my one time projects, worse case throw it out when I am done. Heck, Harbor Freight has some warranties if you are worried and the cost is still 1/3 of a non-warrantied Home Depot item. They are local to me, as is, Northern Tools and Grainger. Until the economy crashed, I wasn't nearly as penny pinching, coupon toting as I am now either. Luckily, I have a bunch of tools from years before, so I don't do too much tool shopping. I load up on things when my local grocery store does a BOGO (Buy One Get One Free) on it too.
I have a whole bunch of craftsman and snap-on hand tools for the same reason Glitch. Plus, when torquing down an automotive nut they don't slip or break nearly as easily.
I agree with you about Home Depot and Lowe's. Both are overpriced for what they sell. I will only buy something from Home Depot or Lowe's if I cannot find it at Alaska Industrial Hardware, or Spenards Builder Supply.
I tend to avoid sales such as "Buy One Get One Free" because it usually is a scam. Carr's (a.k.a. Safeway) is noted for such scams. They raise the price of their other products, while lowering the price on a few select products. If you do not buy the right products on the right days, you could end up spending 20% more.
When we go shopping, unless I absolutely need it - all I try to buy is the BOGO stuff... Since it changes twice a week, I can usually get everything I want for BOGO. My "savings" is around 40%-50% of the bill, I also bring coupons which they take in addition to the BOGO. it is why I stock up when it hits BOGO. For example, I like Almonds, but they are expensive, so I wait until it hits BOGO and then I buy a "case" of them. I also make sure that they didn't jack up the price for one (and this store doesn't) As with all retail places, they have their loss leaders, expecting you to come in a buy something they marked up drastically. They also occasionally do a, "buy a $50 gas card and get $10 off." So $50 worth of gas for $40... I buy as many of those as I can when they do that sale. You can only buy one for every $50 in groceries you buy though - hence the catch. The last time we drove to AK, it was every $25 worth of groceries and I started stocking up early, by the time we left I had $1200 worth of fuel cards to use at Shell, BP, Texaco, and Exxon. We used them all by the time I got back home. So a $240 savings. Of course, they don't work in Canada as the shell stations in Canada don't take US gift cards.
Doesn't safeway have a fuel program too?
No Alaska Industrial Supply or Spenards here. Ace and Tru Value though.
Mainly - I was curious as to why Cabelas would be packed, since there is this spirit of "buy Alaskan" - YET a national chain comes in and opens its doors to a waiting large group of people. Including Wally World.
When we go shopping, unless I absolutely need it - all I try to buy is the BOGO stuff... Since it changes twice a week, I can usually get everything I want for BOGO. My "savings" is around 40%-50% of the bill, I also bring coupons which they take in addition to the BOGO. it is why I stock up when it hits BOGO. For example, I like Almonds, but they are expensive, so I wait until it hits BOGO and then I buy a "case" of them. I also make sure that they didn't jack up the price for one (and this store doesn't) As with all retail places, they have their loss leaders, expecting you to come in a buy something they marked up drastically.
That is precisely what I was calling a "scam" in my prior post. As long as you are careful, you can make out pretty good, but as you say, you have to buy what is on sale, whether you want it or not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dakster
They also occasionally do a, "buy a $50 gas card and get $10 off." So $50 worth of gas for $40... I buy as many of those as I can when they do that sale. You can only buy one for every $50 in groceries you buy though - hence the catch. The last time we drove to AK, it was every $25 worth of groceries and I started stocking up early, by the time we left I had $1200 worth of fuel cards to use at Shell, BP, Texaco, and Exxon. We used them all by the time I got back home. So a $240 savings. Of course, they don't work in Canada as the shell stations in Canada don't take US gift cards.
Doesn't safeway have a fuel program too?
I usually buy my gas from Costco when I am in Anchorage, if I can. Safeway and other grocery stores do have discount gas prices as well, but I do not buy enough from these stores to make it worth the effort.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dakster
No Alaska Industrial Supply or Spenards here. Ace and Tru Value though.
Both AIH and Spenard's are locally owned.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dakster
Mainly - I was curious as to why Cabelas would be packed, since there is this spirit of "buy Alaskan" - YET a national chain comes in and opens its doors to a waiting large group of people. Including Wally World.
A great many Alaskans buy from Cabela's, including myself. It is one of the few places where I can find water-proof shoes and boots in size 14EEEE.
If the Cabela's store sells the same products at a price that is cheaper than it would cost to order from their catalog and have it shipped, then they should do very well in Alaska. If there is not much difference in price, then there is no incentive for someone to spend money on the gas to drive into Anchorage to buy the same product they can have delivered to their door from their catalog.
I think most Alaskans would prefer to buy locally, but the reality is that there are damn few products manufactured in Alaska. Personally, I go out of my way to buy local produce, eggs, and dairy products, rather than buy the Washington State produce, eggs, and dairy products that dominate Alaskan grocery stores. I consider them to be better quality and fresher.
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