Advance Auto parts is closing 700 stores nationwide.
I never took offense to someone saying our (CarQuest) prices were high, they were. I did work with them on the pricing, until corporate locked us out of looking up our cost, and adding the minimum percent profit they wanted. We sold a lot at that minimum number while we could.
I worked the majority of my time there for lower wages than I might have made elsewhere, but I loved that job. A new manager who didn't know squat about parts, he couldn't even look them up correctly, ruined it and I knew I was done when he showed up. Now I just hang my head when they ask me "what vehicle" when I simply ask for 3/8" rubber fuel hose.
Last trip I ever made to the Oreilly's auto parts store was close, so my wife and went there since close by. 1st thought was those working there could have been a brake or lunch. The only other person is on the phone when we walked in. after 5-8 min. she says what ya need. I tell her I needed a foot of 1/4 inch fuel line, And a spark plug for a lawn mower someone gave us.
I had the old plug part # and said I need 1/4 inch fuel vapor and this # plug if you do not have that brand I can do a cross over myself. She says we get the part # since we have been giving out wring parts and have many returns.
We must know the vehicle. Told her Murry Lawn mower no way it is going to be in the computer. Can I just have the Spark Plug and Fuel Line??????? She walks away, we hear her still on the phone. Yea Mom someone came in don't know what they need again! I am going to make them wait, so can talk maybe they will leave since they don't know what they need I hate that.
5 Min later I still hear her talking to her mom about BS.
So my wife calls out did ya find the fuel line? we will just clean the plug we have but need the line.
Then she says working on a phone order your next. Later she says without a car year and make for the car we can't look up the line.
The guy finally gets off brake {i guess he was on brake} he says same thing and call someone on his cell phone and talks in Spanish.
At this point I ask can I look? So she says to her mom hold on I gotta look for a part. Tells me go get it ya self. So, I cut one foot 1/4 inch line off the roll with my pocketknife walk to the plugs grab one. Girl has nails so long she has to use a Pen to type to ring the 2 parts up. Then goes back to bull-shittin on phone. I should have just drove home and got the line and plug. 2 others did come in looked around and walked out the door with something the stole while we were there the 2 employees did not care.
Looked like most of the sales come from internet shop orders and the little trucks delivered it.
I normally would have just walked out, but my wife was with me who said it was the principle of it and said were waiting. As she knew they had the fuel line unless the roll was out!