fastenal

[moresmoke]

The flip side is that Grainger that used to require commercial accounts and minimums has become incredibly easy to buy from. Place your order online, give them about an hour if in stock, then walk in the local branch to pick up your purchase. Or items that need to be ordered get free freight to the branch.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Well when they quit taking cash for anything I quit going. I pay cash for parts like that . I figured if they want me to charge or credit card foe a .50 item they have a problem. I also told them they are saying they don't want my business. Not that I spent a lot of money there for bolts but when you could not find it elsewhere they would sometimes have it. They were always pricey compared to some of the other places locally too.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Never found Grainger to be much in the way of having much about everything I needed I had to order in. Found Grainger to be pricey too.

 

[JOCCO]

Years ago I had bad experience with grainger. High prices, bad service, minimum order, out of stock. Never did much with them.

 

[Gambles]

About six months ago, I purchased a tricycle front end for an antique tractor from a seller hundreds I’d miles away. The seller shipped it by Fastenal to my local store. (All you know they ship items, correct?) It was heavy enough that it needed to be loaded on to my truck by forklift, but the store had only one employee working there and she had just started that day and she had no forklift training.
I jumped on the forklift and loaded it as she watched. I thanked her and left. As far as I know, the store is still open.

 

[flying belgian]

About six months ago, I purchased a tricycle front end for an antique tractor from a seller hundreds I’d miles away. The seller shipped it by Fastenal to my local store. (All you know they ship items, correct?) It was heavy enough that it needed to be loaded on to my truck by forklift, but the store had only one employee working there and she had just started that day and she had no forklift training.
I jumped on the forklift and loaded it as she watched. I thanked her and left. As far as I know, the store is still open.

Why would you put that first day employee in in such a predicament. She can't and won't physically stop you but you broke every liability rule in the book. What if something would have went wrong.

 

[Gambles]

Why would you put that first day employee in in such a predicament. She can't and won't physically stop you but you broke every liability rule in the book. What if something would have went wrong.

It was what it was. She had no clue when anyone would be back. I live a half hour away from the store and I specifically came to that town to pick up the part and nothing else. What would you have me do, go home and come back when somebody was there? I would say that was the fault of the store, not mine.

 

[flying belgian]

It was what it was. She had no clue when anyone would be back. I live a half hour away from the store and I specifically came to that town to pick up the part and nothing else. What would you have me do, go home and come back when somebody was there? I would say that was the fault of the store, not mine.

I don't have the answer but have you forgotten what its like first day on a new job? It ain't no fun. And then to have you come in and break all the liability rules. Its done now. But when boss got back and ask ,, where is that tractor part? He came and got it ,, How did you load it? With the forklift,, I told you you cannot run forklift until training. The customer drove it. OH MY GOD, I'M AFRAID WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LET YOU GO. I just know I wouldn't have put that girl in that position.

 

[Gambles]

I don't have the answer but

Yep. You have all the answers except the one I asked.

 

[DoubleO7]

Yep. You have all the answers except the one I asked.

The answer is that employee could have legally held that part until a qualified hi-lo operator that was also an employee showed up to do it.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

They have remodeled the local one here. As of last week I can still walk in and get stuff. It seems they have some different policy store by store. I actually get the delivery order stuff that’s planned ahead in a box full from a different location than where I go get the individual I need it now part. Both stores have RADICALLY different policies. If the monthly order one was 40 miles closer I’d be at that one for both.

 

[shaun wallace]

The local one for me has sign on door, says commercial accounts only. Has box like amazon to pickup your order. Have shipped with them a few times before the stupidness.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

allthe stores within 150 miles from me are gone their is a place you can pick things out of a locker 40 miles from me but no more walking in and buying stuff off the shelf

"No walk-ins" has been the case for a while now.

The few times I've been in a Fastenal, there was NOBODY else there. The guy was never out front, not at the counter, not in the office behind the counter. I had to wait for him to come up from the back. Clearly he had not seen a walk-in customer in quite a while. Nice enough guy. First time I went there he was happy to sell me two #7 drill bits, but if the only walk-in you get all afternoon comes in and buys two #7 drill bits, that doesn't even pay the light bill! You need a fairly constant stream of walk-ins to make the service profitable.

In this day and age, if one aspect of your business is making up for the shortfall of another aspect, you have to eliminate the aspect that is creating the shortfall and concentrate on what makes money. Even if it means making a few customers upset. The bulk of their money is clearly made on the commercial customers with their delivery service.

 

[Pembroke]

we have a couple in KY I know of. I've been walking right in and purchasing bolt ,nuts etc. for several times over the years. They always ask if I have an account, I say no and they move on taking my money. Good place to do business with.

 

[TerryfromSWIowa]

Ours stared out no walk in but had to change to stay open. If parts are in stock and bulk you can buy by the piece ordered parts have to be bought in a a package quantity though.

 

[DoubleO7]

Fastenal also sells heavily using vending machines.
A big cabinet stocked with what the commercial/factory customer regularly uses.
Then the customer utilizes it like a tool/stockroom on a need now/pay now basis.
Data on what is being used goes over the net back to the local Fastenal outlet so that the next delivery is compiled to replenish what has been consumed out of the vending machine.
Delivery frequency can be adjusted to insure there is adequate stock in the machine.

 

[SkipperII]

When I need large, odd, or grade 8, I still go to the local Fastenal warehouse. They haven't told me to get out, yet. They don't have the open displays, like they used to, (so I can't free graze), but have been very good at getting what I need.

 

[Duner Wi]

Fastenal (FAST) has been a success for it shareholders.
If you would have purchased $1,000.00 if stock at IPO you would be multimillionaire now had you let it ride.
Fastenal Co
$82.15

up136,816.67% from IPO

 

[Loosehandle]

Fastenal (FAST) has been a success for it shareholders.
If you would have purchased $1,000.00 if stock at IPO you would be multimillionaire now had you let it ride.
Fastenal Co
$82.15

up136,816.67% from IPO

And if you invested $800 in Coke a Cola Consolidated in 1987 you would also be a millionaire it was $10 now it's $1,284 not including dividends.

 

[Watthour]

And if you invested $800 in Coke a Cola Consolidated in 1987 you would also be a millionaire it was $10 now it's $1,284 not including dividends.

...And Coca-Cola Enterprises does dividend reinvestment, so the longer you hang in there the more shares you accumulate.