Robbed blind...

[Travlr]

There was an outfit that opened stores in SD a while back called, The Mercantile, but it didn't last long. I liked what they carried and the prices were fairly decent, but it must not have made any money because it closed.

 

[Twisted]

I almost opened a feed store once and was working with a couple of manufactures for wholesale supplies, one being Purina. To get the Purina logo put on the building and carry their line, I couldn't carry any other brands. I could however buy Purina wholesale from a middle man and stock whatever other brands I wanted. I suspect this is why Purina and other brands are higher in stores with a large brand selection than at the local mom and pop feed store.

 

[EasTex]

I get fencing supplies (t-post, cattle panels, barb wire, wood post) and mineral block from TSC. I get cubes, corn, loose minerals at the local feed store.

 

[Brute 23]

I was always disappointed in TSC and even their name is fake. i'd hate to know I had to keep a tractor going with stuff from them. Maybe an innertube...
TSC is trying to make up the loss of customers by raising the prices across the board. Fewer customers each store but charge each existing customer more = about the same revenue stream they had with lots more customers back when.
They got it backwards..

Then too, after the free govt $$ ran out and labor got tight, they (and everyone else) had to raise the wages they were paying, which also factored in.

But, TSC has never been about ( a Carl Sandburg reference here) 'luring he farm boys' in. Always been about hobby people and the on I was familiar with back East Texas, it was 90% horse people.

Atwoods used to be a lot better but they have gotten pretty bad too. They sold lots of crap. Clothes, knicknacks, even furniture at times.

A new cropped up over in Killeen.
Murdochs "Farm and Ranch Supply". From somewhere up NW. Only went in it once, to look around. A TSC clone imo.
The picture says it all.

View attachment 41374


One of their 'deals' a 10x10 'calving pen' with a dinky little head gate. $5000.

View attachment 41380

There are a lot of similarities between the two but Murdocks has a lot more stuff and a gun/hunting section. They are pretty handy for misc stuff... not feed or any thing like that.

For all the trash talking on TSC I will say I was looking for a certain very hard to find vac and TSC actually had some. I bought them online and picked them up. You have to watch the dates but I got 150 doses between 2 stores.

 

[BFE]

TSC is just like any other store. Some things are overpriced, some are reasonable. I bought some wrangler flannel pearl snaps there for $20 apiece, that's a 35-40 dollar shirt anywhere you go. I like their Ridgecut boots for $85 as opposed to $140 Mucks. Their fence supplies are competitive. You can't depend on them for stocking much in the way of feed, outside of chicken or sweet feed.

I agree, they seem to be more focused on what I call the town farmer. They're the ones with stupid money to spend.

 

[Stonewall Joe]

I buy mineral at TSC because they're 50 miles away where we grocery shop and go conduct most other business. Next closest "feed store" is 120+ miles away in the opposite direction and sells the same thing for the same price or more.

If you add the price of the trip and the time how do they compare? TSC has a convenience factor, what you want is there, you are there, it's a net cheaper price many times. If that bothers consumers too much they will stop going, instead they are growing

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

If you add the price of the trip and the time how do they compare? TSC has a convenience factor, what you want is there, you are there, it's a net cheaper price many times. If that bothers consumers too much they will stop going, instead they are growing

TSC is the closest source of anything farm related. For mineral they are comparable to any other place I've checked and they are 70+ miles closer. They also have no problem ordering me a pallet and loading it on the truck.

 

[Travlr]

TSC is just like any other store. Some things are overpriced, some are reasonable. I bought some wrangler flannel pearl snaps there for $20 apiece, that's a 35-40 dollar shirt anywhere you go. I like their Ridgecut boots for $85 as opposed to $140 Mucks. Their fence supplies are competitive. You can't depend on them for stocking much in the way of feed, outside of chicken or sweet feed.

I agree, they seem to be more focused on what I call the town farmer. They're the ones with stupid money to spend.

When I built my new shop I put in a bolt bin. The bolts at TSC were lower priced than anywhere... but the nuts and washers were quite a bit higher. If someone's coming in for a few bolts, who's going to really notice that the nuts and washers are higher? But filling a bolt bin it was worth going to Ace for the nuts and washers at the lower price.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

My TSC has nuts, bolt, and washer all by the pound. Same price for all of it...

 

[Hereford2]

I buy the Generic Calf Manna at tsc and occasionally dog food if they have a sale on it. They used to sell the cheapest heat lamp bulbs I could find anywhere. But I haven't bought any for a while.

 

[jltrent]

I wonder sometimes if it is the manufacturer, middleman or retailer that has caused the biggest price inflation on everything. Probably a combination of all but I believe the retailer has added the most. A lot of people blame the farmer for higher meat prices, but the middleman sure jacks up the price in a short time.

 

[bird dog]

If you add the price of the trip and the time how do they compare? TSC has a convenience factor, what you want is there, you are there, it's a net cheaper price many times. If that bothers consumers too much they will stop going, instead they are growing

Plus they are open on Sunday.

 

[Brute 23]

Plus they are open on Sunday.

... And until 8 or 9pm.

 

[gcreekrch]

When I built my new shop I put in a bolt bin. The bolts at TSC were lower priced than anywhere... but the nuts and washers were quite a bit higher. If someone's coming in for a few bolts, who's going to really notice that the nuts and washers are higher? But filling a bolt bin it was worth going to Ace for the nuts and washers at the lower price.

You just reminded me of an old joke……

 

[Travlr]

You just reminded me of an old joke……

Oh no... and you're going to leave us hanging?

 

[gcreekrch]

Oh no... and you're going to leave us hanging?

I have to, it has some unwelcome language that is part of the joke but the punch line contains the words 'nuts are so high'.

 

[BFE]

I have to, it has some unwelcome language that is part of the joke but the punch line contains the words 'nuts are so high'.

Tell it in a PM. Include me please!

 

[StrojanHerefords]

I went to Tractor Supply to buy a generator, it said that it was in stock but I get to the store and the two scrawny girls in the store say that they don't have it in stock. Neither one of the girls could lift a sack of feed much less a generator.

 

[Stonewall Joe]

I wonder sometimes if it is the manufacturer, middleman or retailer that has caused the biggest price inflation on everything. Probably a combination of all but I believe the retailer has added the most. A lot of people blame the farmer for higher meat prices, but the middleman sure jacks up the price in a short time.

Every business has to raise prices by margins as costs go up. It is a bit of a snowball effect. Everything you buy has been on a truck multiple times, every trip raining the price from raw goods to the manufacturer to delivery to the retailer. If my price goes up by 10%, to maintain your margin your price will go up exponentially higher. Most of these retailers are also publicly traded. If they don't make predicted margins their stock will take a big hit affecting every employee's retirement, profit sharing etc. These retailers are not old time local feed stores. Most of them went broke because of the competition and failure to maintain a profit. Look at lumber yards and home depot and lowes

 

[greybeard]

If they don't make predicted margins their stock will take a big hit affecting every employee's retirement, profit sharing etc. These retailers are not old time local feed stores. Most of them went broke because of the competition and failure to maintain a profit. Look at lumber yards and home depot and lowes

They are following the Walmart business plan.
"Drive out the competition and we and our shareholders will be all that is left."

Profit, at all costs.


Ferengi, a most unsavory denizon.. Rules of Acquisition...that many businesses adhere to.

1. Once you have their money, never give it back

2. You can't cheat an honest customer, but it never hurts to try

3. Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to

4. Sex and profit are the two things that never last long enough

5. If you can't break a contract, bend it

6. Never let family or friends stand in the way of opportunity

7. Always keep you ears open

8. Keep count of your change

9. Instinct plus opportunity equals profit

10. A dead customer can't buy as much as a live one

11. Gold isn't the only thing that shines

12. Anything worth selling is worth selling twice

13. Anything worth doing is worth doing for a lot of money

14. Anything stolen is pure profit

15. Acting stupid is often smart

16. A deal is a deal ... until a better one comes along

17. A bargain usually isn't

18. A business without excessive profit is no business at all

19. Don't lie too soon after a promotion

20. When the customer is sweating, turn up the heat

21. Never place friend ship before profit

22. Wise men can hear profit in the wind

23. Never take the last coin, but be sure to get the rest

24. Never ask when you can take

25. Fear makes a good business partner

26. The vast majority of the rich in this country did not inherit their wealth; they stole it

27. The most beautiful thing about a tree is what you do with it after you cut it down

28. Morality is always defined by those in power

29. When someone says "It's not the money," they're lying

30. Talk is cheap; everything else costs money

31. Never make fun of a fellow employee's mother

32. Be careful what you sell. It may do exactly what the customer expects

33. It never hurts to suck up to the boss

34. War is good for business

35. Peace is good for business

36. Too many customers can't laugh at their disappointment anymore

37. You can always buy back a lost reputation

38. Free advertising is cheap

39. Praise is cheap. Heap it generously on all users but laugh privately

40. If you see profit on a journey, take it

41. Money talks, but having a lots of it gets more attention

42. Only negotiate when you are certain to profit

43. Caressing an ear is often more forceful than pointing a weapon

44. Never argue with a loaded calculator

45. Profit has limits. Loss has none