Been a while since I have been to our local Fastenal but.......

I was at the hardware store today looking for some M3 bolts that they did not have.
When I asked for suggestions on where to find them he told me not at Fastenal. They will not sell to the public anymore.

Anyone else hear this????
 
The fastenal rep is here talking to me now and said they are still selling to the public so I could be a local branch decision.
 
Heard that rumor too, but bought some saw blades there a couple weeks ago with no problems. Use them for shipping a few times, last time just before Christmas and didn't have any issues.
 
No problem. Three weeks ago I needed some special bolts. As another said you can bet it is local. Could have just been a stupid counter person.
 
I walked into a Fastenal in Youngstown Oh, there was a note on the door that said commercial accounts only. I asked the guy at the desk and he said no problem, the sign was to keep out undesirables.

So those of you that have been declined, maybe you are undesirable ?????

Rich
 
Fartenal wouldn?t sell me any thing. One day I got on line and made an account, then I could order anything online and in store. If I don?t give them my account number, then they can?t get me any thing.
 
My local Fastenal went corporate sales only some time last year. They never had what I needed anyway.
AaronSEIA
 
Since they told me they would not take cash I have not been back so don't know if they will sell to public or not. I was told at the time they quit taking cash, that they were not supposed to split up packages for customers either. Can not say about any of it since that time.
 
When I was in St. Peter they were starting to hang that sign. I was in there daily and they were helpful. They said if the front door isn?t open come in the back. It sounded like the policy was trying to discourage Uncle Elmer from walking in looking for 3 pop-rivets to fix his 1965 screen door. Policy is also shifting to order on-line and pick up at the store or delivery. St. Peter was dedicating a corner to just that.
I was in Richmond a couple weeks ago and asked this very question. That manager said they?d be fools to quit. Richmond has a couple large accounts, but also a good base of light industry that might change needs seasonally or by project.
So while the corporate policy may be moving that direction it appears there is some bend there at the manager?s discretion.
 
The store in Front Royal Virginia was anything but helpful. The guys at the counter could not be bothered to walk over and show me where some stainless fasteners I was looking for were. There were three clerks and I was the only customer. When I found them the price they quoted was double what I paid elsewhere. That kind of service and pricing was what I got three times. I'm a contractor and was looking for a full case, not three rivets. I didn't buy them and the store has since gone away and it isn't missed by me or any of the other guys I know in the business.
 
I know the prices are cheaper if you work for a company that has an account there. Their shipping rates for large items seem to be pretty competitive with UPS and FedEx as well.
 
Have not been to the local one in several years. At that time they were encouraging a person to set up a farm account and things would be cheaper/ easier. Made it sound like a very easy process.

I?m more of a beer drinker and they seem more like a Champaign business so I don?t know the current situation, I hear mixed things about like this thread says both different ways.....

Paul
 
I had a young painted girl at the counter tell me she couldn?t break a full box of 2-1/2? screws. She also couldn?t find a rotary burr for me. I told her to put the screws back and walked out. I came back after lunch and had better luck with someone who understood supply and demand.
 
My experience with the Fastenal in Mexico, Missouri is they WILL sell to the public.
However, you can't buy just one item. The bolts I needed came in packs of 25, washers, nuts all in 25 packs. DOUG
 
Similar sign on local store but I went in anyway. They were very helpful and got me what I wanted.

Paul
 
If they don't want to sell to you, go to www.mcmaster.com and see if they have the items you need.

If they do, they will be on your doorstep in a day or two with NO drama.
 
Sounds like a Plumbers Supply Co. located south of me. They only sold to "Contractors". Go in, ask for something, give them a name, any name (Jiimmys Leaky Pipe Plumbing) they write it up, you pay for it, out the door you go.
 
Sign says commercial accounts only. I went on in. Small town. Good folks. Spent 45 minutes helping me match up a weird bolt... Had to buy the whole pack...of 5. Go on in.
 
I had the same trouble at our local Fastenal store so I ordered online from Mc Master-Carr and got it in two days,also resupplied my stainless bolts and nuts at the same time so it's there loss plus a lot of fastenal's bolts are now Chinese.
 
No, I've used them quite a bit at work for various things and on my own for things at home. Mainly for convenience and they were excellent to deal with every time. One of their reps would deliver my orders personally, they are close by.

We do have at least 2 fastener supply houses locally, one that has been in business a very long time and is great at solving technical issues and or fastening problems I have encountered at work. McMaster Carr is also great, in this area, I can order up to 6PM, I do it by phone, they send me an order acknowledgement via e-mail literally right after I hang up with the sales person. It's usually delivered by 11AM the next day, but no later than 3PM during the busy season for UPS. Some fasteners you don't want to buy high quantities from them, better to go to a supply house, but they stock quite a bit. I've done probably over $50k of business with them at work, for all kinds of things, drill bits, taps, fasteners, materials for pistol and rifle lockers and a myriad of other assorted items we incorporate into our products.
 
If they don't get that virus under control in China things might dry up coming from there sounds like it's getting pretty scary.
 
McMaster Carr is fantastic if you need something fast, or very specific. You also pay 2-3x what other places will charge for the same item. One of our tooling shops here at work use them all the time. They could save (many) tens of thousands of dollars by using other sources and stocking certain items.
 

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