Advance Auto parts is closing 700 stores nationwide.

[340six]

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!

 

[barbee6043]

^^^ Where ya from boy..New Jersey!!!!?????

 

[340six]

We are a small community parts wise for them. other than repair shop sales. Most go in grab a few things, car wash soap, wax, 1-2 quarts oil since car leaks, wiper blades when it rains. Or stuff on what we think are the silly car stuff isles with what would be JC Witney type stuff for today's cars.
Guys that do their own brake jobs and such to keep the old car on the road are not upper-class guys. The stores here are in lesser hoods. One is in what looks like South Africa and the other is in what looks like South America. They are placed where they are needed. I think the economy is bad for the clientele they sell too. No one is a well-dressed middle-class guy.
This is not the 70-80s where guys hung out at the auto store cars are just not fixable to the average guy. And are making um less and less can be fixed by Average Joe

 

[408 swinger]

I have to respectfully disagree. Hang with me for a minute here....

Back when I worked at NAPA (early 90's) we were considered to be "The" go-to for OEM equivalent parts. Heck, even the Big Three dealerships called us up for parts they didn't have in-stock.

But then in the 2,000's somewhere NAPA started picking-up second, "Value" lines, to compete with the likes of O'Reilly's, Car Quest (et al.) for their walk-in business.

That sucked, but it got even worse.

Eventually NAPA (at least locally) started offering a Price Match Guarantee, and what this meant (for us) was that we had to deal with every Tom, Dick, and Harry who thought their AutoZone **** was the same as our Premium stuff. Hard to make money when you have to edju-ma-cate every damn fool who walks through the door and thinks he can turn a wrench.

And you can't argue with the people, as that's a lose/lose proposition.

In my opinion, right now we seem to be in some sort of "death spiral" and/or "race to the bottom" when it comes to auto parts, as a lot of Good People only buy based on price.

And then they come on these forums and ***** about Chinesium parts. (Please note I'm talking about people in-general here, not about anyone specific.)

And I just shake my head at the irony of it all.

I've been meaning to say this somewhere on this site for some time now, and I guess this thread is as good as any: As auto parts consumers, we all got what we deserved, and what (we thought) we wanted.

Understand completely. I actually think we DO agree. What I'm hearing you say, basically, boils down to costs. Costs for the supplier, who has to pass that to the consumer to stay in business. Yes, we all want "cost effective" parts. But, as being in business, I want the best part. I'm not in business to constantly warranty cheap azz parts. No money in that.

 

[mopowers]

They are placed where they are needed

...and where the rent happens to be cheaper.

I agree with most of what's been said. It'll be shitty if all of the brick and motar auto part stores were gone. They're great for small things that you need in a pinch - random light bulb, electric connector, qt of fluid, etc. However, we are all pretty lucky to have suck quick shipping on most stuff available through Amazon, Summit and such.

 

[gunbunny]

I don't know about where you guys are, but around here, if there's a Auto Zone or O'Reilly then there is a Advance within eyesight. The little town next to where I live has 5 parts stores, and one grocery store. Parts stores are saturated in these parts.
It was almost as if they were competing to out build one another.

 

[Dan the man]

Costs. Plain and simple. I did a water pump on a Ferd Five Hundo last week. MY COST at Napa, $142.00. MY COST at the local joint a block away(Auto Value), $182.00. For a fracking water pump!!!!! The same Gates number at **** Auto dot Cum, $82.00, plus tax and shipping. So, $108 to the door. I've been ordering from there A LOT for the last few months. Part of the shop racket is making a couple on parts. Hard to do with the local joints. And that sucks because I'm a firm believer in shop local.

If you have your own business see if they still have wants called jobber price, my dad had his business years ago and that's what we paid it was always less than what the walk in customer paid

 

[RustyRatRod]

I don't know about where you guys are, but around here, if there's a Auto Zone or O'Reilly then there is a Advance within eyesight. The little town next to where I live has 5 parts stores, and one grocery store. Parts stores are saturated in these parts.
It was almost as if they were competing to out build one another.

Yeah, they all three try to steal each other's territory. I wouldn't care if all three went out. That'd give mom and pop a chance again.

 

[Dan the man]

I know that online is usually cheaper. But once the box stores are gone then look out, the prices will go up and you'll be paying shipping charges big time. I've only bought online three times and that's because what I needed was not available in the stores, I believe in supporting my local businesses and jobs heck I've never used a self check out. I won't buy a car from a vending machine either. One thing to remember cheaper is not always better

 

[mopowers]

Yeah, they all three try to steal each other's territory.

^Exactly! It's all done very strategically.

 

[408 swinger]

If you have your own business see if they still have wants called jobber price, my dad had his business years ago and that's what we paid it was always less than what the walk in customer paid

I do get special pricing. Called "dealer". The one parts store I used to work for, they do have jobber. The company cost was usually ten percent under jobber.

 

[LocuMob]

Did Champion sell out. I know they used to be big up there in the Cities. A couple of the managers here ended up with a store there after ours closed.

Yeah, they sold out a long time ago, early 90's I think. A classmates dad was an executive with them. They had a small office as their HQ a few miles from where we lived, no giant building needed. And they sponsored the NHRA races at Brainerd for a long time, as far back as I can recall.

 

[DartGT55]

I know that online is usually cheaper. But once the box stores are gone then look out, the prices will go up and you'll be paying shipping charges big time. I've only bought online three times and that's because what I needed was not available in the stores, I believe in supporting my local businesses and jobs heck I've never used a self check out. I won't buy a car from a vending machine either. One thing to remember cheaper is not always better

And the prices of shipping is so outrageous if you’ve ever tracked where it go’s it seems to go to about 8 places before it hits your nearby post office WHY???

 

[Brooks James]

Online shopping might be some of it

Mostly online for me, it's easy to compare prices, press a button and have it delivered to your door

 

[ProjectBazza]

Yeah, they sold out a long time ago, early 90's I think. A classmates dad was an executive with them. They had a small office as their HQ a few miles from where we lived, no giant building needed. And they sponsored the NHRA races at Brainerd for a long time, as far back as I can recall.

If you will recall I worked at Neil's Champion Auto on Hwy 7 and Mtka Blvd in the mid 80's, and I think I still have some promo items from back then (BB caps, matchbox cars, mugs, BIR plaques, etc). Just don't know where exactly...

 

[LocuMob]

If you will recall I worked at Neil's Champion Auto on Hwy 7 and Mtka Blvd in the mid 80's, and I think I still have some promo items from back then (BB caps, matchbox cars, mugs, BIR plaques, etc). Just don't know where exactly...

Where they meet in Minneapolis? Otherwise those roads run mostly parallel.

I knew you were from somewhere close to where I grew up.

 

[PROSTOCKTOM]

Advanced Auto has over 6500 locations, so trimming off the bottom underperforming 10% of those stores has to be an overall win-win for the corporation.

This is what the new CEO of Edelbrock did when he took over. He cut the 400 lowest selling items of the inventory.

Tom

 

[ProjectBazza]

Where they meet in Minneapolis? Otherwise those roads run mostly parallel.

I knew you were from somewhere close to where I grew up.

****! Make that 101 and Mtka Blvd! (I should really be paying more attention to my job I guess....)

If memory serves the garage across the street was called Ty Abel's, and where Neil's was is now Snuffy's Malt Shop.

I grew-up north of Ridgedale, on Plymouth Road, and I still refer to 394 as Hwy 12.

 

[LocuMob]

****! Make that 101 and Mtka Blvd! (I should really be paying more attention to my job I guess....)

If memory serves the garage across the street was called Ty Abel's, and where Neil's was is now Snuffy's Malt Shop.

View attachment 1716327814

I grew-up north of Ridgedale, on Plymouth Road, and I still refer to 394 as Hwy 12.

My friend worked at the gas station just east of the Champion, most of the time they just walked over for parts.

I grew up near Glen Lake, and yeah, it will always be 12 to me too.

The HQ was just to the east of the picture, a little past (and still in) the trees.

 

[dibbons]

Here in Mexico the Oreilly's are buying up other stores and one can find an Autozone in every town. Where I live I find recently d two more Autozone stores just opened, we now have no less than five (and they are rather close together)! Seems like overkill to me.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I do get special pricing. Called "dealer". The one parts store I used to work for, they do have jobber. The company cost was usually ten percent under jobber.

I have a commercial cash account with O'Reilly. The discount it offers is pitiful. And I get the same as all their commercial accounts, cash or charge. It's ridiculous and it gets smaller every year.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Here in Mexico the Oreilly's are buying up other stores and one can find an Autozone in every town. Where I live I find recently d two more Autozone stores just opened, we now have no less than five (and they are rather close together)! Seems like overkill to me.

That's Oreilly's claim to fame. Acquisitions.

 

[NoCar340]

Advanced Auto has over 6500 locations, so trimming off the bottom underperforming 10% of those stores has to be an overall win-win for the corporation.

This is what the new CEO of Edelbrock did when he took over. He cut the 400 lowest selling items of the inventory.

Tom

5,905 total per Fortune, including corporate (Advance) and independents (CarQuest).

It may be "trimming the fat" but their stock has plummeted in past year by more than 30%, which indicates a larger problem than could be blamed on just 12.3% of their stores. Their goal of building the easiest possible computer system to enable hiring lowest-common-denominator staff is backfiring. The first training lesson seems to be "Do not ask if they want fries with that."

 

[ProjectBazza]

My friend worked at the gas station just east of the Champion, most of the time they just walked over for parts.

I grew up near Glen Lake, and yeah, it will always be 12 to me too.

The HQ was just to the east of the picture, a little past (and still in) the trees.

Yeah, I remember the building. And I remember Neil Fischman (Fischbach?), the owner, walking over there every now and then.

If you ever saw a '71 SBC powered Vega in the lot back then, that was mine.

 

[Dan the man]

Mostly online for me, it's easy to compare prices, press a button and have it delivered to your door

I can understand that and it makes sense. But my thought is what's going to happen if the box stores close up? It's been on TV that some pharmacies are losing business to home delivery of people's medications. My question is how many jobs will be lost because of this. One major online company is already talking about using automation which too will eliminate some job's. So in the long run are we really saving money? Is convenience going to have a major impact on our overall economy? The economy is at least 80% consumer driven.