When it comes to your plumbing supplies, it’s always a great idea to try and go local, for a huge variety of reasons, such as searching for local plumbing services in fontana. Whether you’re keen on helping your local community, you know, supporting the high street, smaller local stores and your nearby economy, helping stimulate local jobs. Or, if you’re much more into something more tangible such as more convenient store, getting the parts and fittings that you need the first time round or much more helpful knowledgeable staff, then local is the way to go.
By dodging huge online companies, and big franchises you also dodge the hassle of talking to people whose entire job is a million miles away from the plumbing supplies their store carries, and their knowledge can sometimes reflect that. Have you ever tried to return something to an uncommunicative online company? It’s possibly the most frustrating thing in modern life! That’s why you should always try to go local.
We spoke to Bristol based BBS Plumb, looking at the key reasons they believe buying local when it comes to plumbing supplies is so important.
No more incorrect parts turning up on the day you need them
When you order online, you’re often ordering blind. Sure there might be a couple pictures of the best part in the batch, taken under highly flattering lighting, in a professional studio, but you really have no idea as to the actual quality, look and feel of the part or fitting that you’re ordering. It’s impossible to gauge size and shape from just photos, and this is sometimes going to result in accidentally ordering the incorrect parts, which can be a massive waste of time. Going to a local supplier means you can properly investigate and study the parts being provided, so you can check they’re up to spec and right for the job you’re doing.
Easy returns, easy exchanges, easier overall
A local plumbing supplier or hardware store is always going to be a lot easier to return incorrect or faulty parts to, compared to an online supplier. There’s no messing around with postage, and no waiting to receive the right part. As well as this, there’s no back and forth of email trying to guarantee a refund. All this amounts to less time wasted, and allows you to get the job done quicker and to a better standard. Time spent trying to sort things long distance is always frustrating, and there’s always the risk of getting ripped-off, or being sent an equally-useless replacement part. That’s why you should use a local supplier, and save yourself a whole bundle of time and effort.
Local smaller suppliers know what they’re selling
How many times have you found yourself awkwardly ordering something online with no real idea whether it’s suitable or correct? With so many niche or unusual parts out there, with limited information and spec on them, you can never really be 100% whether you’re buying the correct thing. Even with reviews, too few sites offer a proper, reliable guarantee. This is where buying local is very different. You can talk to an experienced, knowledgeable and helpful clerk, explain what you need the part for, and they’ll probably point you in the direction of a more suitable part and save you a load of trouble. Local suppliers will often give very useful guidance and help, which you otherwise would’ve gone without, potentially making costly, time-wasting mistakes.
The high street still needs our help
The fact is, the internet has not often helped the high street, and regardless of your attitude to going shopping, and it would definitely be a sad and tragic thing to see the British high street begin to disappear completely. Supporting your local businesses also helps your local area grow and develop, and provides jobs in the community. Supporting your local community and high street is an amazing by-product of making the most of your local plumbing and hardware suppliers. As well as this, they’re local! Meaning its two minutes up the road, so it’s easier for you, anyway.
