I can’t be picky about issues when I buy stuff for work-I need to get what the customer wants, and get my tools for the best price-I work for/with a small contractor, not a big company.
The nearest Lowe’s is over 40 miles away. I have samples from other tile suppliers, but Home Depot has plenty of open stock tile that my customers like and I can get it delivered fast with no extra charge to a jobsite out here because the nearest one is in the nearest town of any size-about 6000 people.
I’m surprised that more people don’t remember mail order from Sears-I knew city people that ordered by mail because what they wanted was always available that way, when the store could be out of stock.
My grandparents were SEARS Catalog people. So although my mother nor I were mail order buyers...it was in the family.
I love looking at mail order catalogs, it beats the pushy salesmen/women any day of the week. I just hate to have to return things, I am a try on before buying person.
I do see your point.
At one point you could buy an entire house from the Sears catalog.
Some assembly required.
Of course, you had to go to the local train depot to pick it up.