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Old 07-11-2013, 05:07 AM
 
Location: North Port
697 posts, read 1,169,866 times
Reputation: 170

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Ok, wife and I get in the pool a few nights ago. While in the pool, the pool light goes out. OK, hey, I got a degree in electronics plus my Military job deals with electronics. Piece of cake. I check the transformer...all good. 120 VAC switched, with 12 VAC out to conduit at pool. So, go to pull light out of pool to change bulb. Guess what? The contractors who installed it, cut the wire too short. I was able to,loosen clamp in conduit box and pull enough wire out to get light about 2 inches above waterline. Take front clamp and lens off. Yup, bulbs blown...but the epoxy at bottom is leaking.....letting water inside. So, now I need a new lamp assembly. Oh great, more money and another run to a pool retailer. All this and I'm leaving for Fort Sill, OK today and the wife WANTS a pool light (you married guys get my drift).

Ok, so I figure I'm going to go green like I did in the house and get a LED Multi color light assembly. I get my lamp assembly part number and using the Internet ... google, not TamRE....I find the proper Pentair LED lamp assembly. Amazon has it for $470...guess what..I'm a prime member and cold get it in two days wit FREE shipping. Guess what...I need it today! Ok, so I call a pool retailer that has a distribution site across the street. They have it and will walk over and get it for me. Guess what THEIR MSRP retail price is?....go ahead...guess.....aw c'mon ... Give it a try. What?....your thinking 20-30% more than Amazon?....so was I. That wild be about $650 at most. WRONG!....they wanted $1299! OMG, I was wondering if that came with fries. Needless to say, I drive down there (remember I needed it today). I show him the online pricing...after 20 minutes of negotiating, advising him I would prefer to support local brink and mortar establishments....but $800 over Internet price is a "little" ridiculous. He finally comes down to $780.

Oh well, guess that's the way the dollar .. I mean $780 dollars roll.

So, hope I didn't bore anyone with my vent. Some business owners wonder why Amazon or Internet has taken off. I cold love with 20-30% or so..but 100-110 %?
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Old 07-11-2013, 05:25 AM
 
Location: Port Charlotte, FL - Dallas, PA
5,172 posts, read 4,943,999 times
Reputation: 5087
You must be wrong. Our state leaders want an internet sales tax because it's the "no tax" on internet sales that makes local businesses unable to compete with Amazon and the like. They seem to ignore the exuberant prices some brick-and-mortar stores charge that come into play.
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Old 07-11-2013, 06:15 AM
 
Location: Punta Gorda Isles
180 posts, read 450,542 times
Reputation: 108
Default High prices

After moving here from California, I found prices to be very high and selection very poor....for almost everything. I've never seen anywhere in the US that has so little competition for groceries. (I find that baffling and I'll bet the folks at Publix realize that, too.) Groceries are a good example but the same holds true almost 'across the board'.

I've gotten to know my UPS driver better than I know some of my relatives!
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Old 07-11-2013, 06:25 AM
 
Location: Punta Gorda and Maryland
6,103 posts, read 15,088,066 times
Reputation: 1257
I think my wife would get by with a flashlight for a couple days. ;-)
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Old 07-11-2013, 06:33 AM
 
Location: Lemon Bay, Englewood, FL
3,179 posts, read 6,001,502 times
Reputation: 1170
Wow, so you paid over $300 MORE just to have it that day, all because your wife "wanted" it now?!?!?!? I would've put my foot down and said DEAL WITH IT HONEY. And yes, I am married, and my wife would kill me if I needlessly wasted money like that. Glad you were able to talk them down a bit though.
When we built our pool just over 2yrs ago, the multicolor LED light option was a $550 upgrade (we didn't go for it), so yeah, the place you went is a total ripoff. Please list their name so I know to never patronize them.
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Old 07-11-2013, 06:45 AM
 
Location: North Port, FL
137 posts, read 331,233 times
Reputation: 88
as for food price comparisons....I usually shop at the Publix and Toledo and Price. But one day a couple weeks ago I found myself at the Cocoplum plaza on 41 and stopped in the Publix there. I noted that the prices on selected items were less at that Publix vs. the one at Toledo-Price. This is because the Publix at Cocoplum is less than 1 mile from the Walmart, whereas the one at Toledo-Price has no competition right nearby. So competition is good because it means lower prices for us as consumers. And where there is no immediate competition, be prepared for price gouging. Same is true for the gas stations on Toledo which are much more expensive than the gas stations on 41.
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Old 07-11-2013, 08:15 AM
 
Location: North Port
697 posts, read 1,169,866 times
Reputation: 170
Quote:
Originally Posted by Harbor Hopper View Post
Wow, so you paid over $300 MORE just to have it that day, all because your wife "wanted" it now?!?!?!? I would've put my foot down and said DEAL WITH IT HONEY. And yes, I am married, and my wife would kill me if I needlessly wasted money like that. Glad you were able to talk them down a bit though.
When we built our pool just over 2yrs ago, the multicolor LED light option was a $550 upgrade (we didn't go for it), so yeah, the place you went is a total ripoff. Please list their name so I know to never patronize them.
Pinch-A-Penny off Enterprise. I called Leslie and Sparkle Brite. Both of them did not have it and told me they had to order it. Pinch-A-Penny was the only one that said their distributor was across the street and they had many if them in stock.

What can I say Harbor Hopper, it was a small price to pay for her and my son to be happy. Trust me, Amazon loves me and if it wasn't for the urgency, I would have told Pinch to pound sand.
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Old 07-11-2013, 08:35 AM
 
Location: Punta Gorda Isles
180 posts, read 450,542 times
Reputation: 108
Default I'm getting pretty good at it

I make it a point to never, ever tell another man how to deal with his wife. After 18 years, I'm still learning how to deal with my own but.......so far, so good.
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Old 07-11-2013, 08:43 AM
 
Location: Lemon Bay, Englewood, FL
3,179 posts, read 6,001,502 times
Reputation: 1170
I just can't imagine someone not being able to deal with not having a stinkin pool light for a few days. Amazing.
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Old 07-11-2013, 08:45 AM
 
Location: Lemon Bay, Englewood, FL
3,179 posts, read 6,001,502 times
Reputation: 1170
Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckycheese View Post
I make it a point to never, ever tell another man how to deal with his wife.
I didn't, but good for you!
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