this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2023
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I have seen a doc about Home Depot (not the pictured store) some time ago. Apparently the overstocked facade was a big deal because those big stores want you to think they have everything that can possibly exist in their inventory so you only always go there and make no further stops.
Of course, it's smoke and mirror and a lot of stores adopted the big warehouse style for the same reasons. Some stores have legit empty boxes filled with crap all over. If you ever went into one of those store looking for something very specific tho, it is pretty apparent that they only overstock a few profitable items and the rest is no better, or worse than smaller locally-owned shops inventory-wise. Only exception around here would be Costco, which is a.legit warehouse.
I would say that they're worse than local hardware stores. Not only is it really difficult to get help in a Home Depot, but they rarely have any even remotely specialized. Lets say you need a specialized gasket to fix your bidet. Home Depot probably doesn't have it, and if they do, they'll make you search for it for an hour, and then make you buy 12 of them for $10. The local hardware store will have a little white haired dude who knows exactly what you need, exactly where it is, will explain how to prevent it from going bad again, and will sell you one gasket for 37 cents.
At least near me, I've found ACE Hardware to still be like this, despite being a big name chain.
I think they are all locally owned though. Every ACE in my area is like this, smaller but with helpful knowledgeable staff who either take care of you or tell you where to go if they don’t have it.
ACE hardware is definitely a lot better than Home Depot.
It really depends on who is working when you go, so of the younger guys just known where stuff is, not every arcane solution ever used in home repair.