I go in search of a couple of 3/8 X 2" bolts with nuts to finish a little project I'm working on and go into the local Autozone and a couple of others in my search for a couple of about the most common bolt size in the world.  Good grief, I search around the stores and they got all this crap in packs but nothing in the size I needed.
I remember when the parts houses had trays and bins full of Dorman stuff.  I asked the guys behind the counter and I get the 1000 yard stare.  The mouth starts moving and no words come out, the dude finally tells me that all they now carry is the crap out on the aisle.  I was told to go check out Lowes or Home Depot which is ten miles away.  
I finally found the things I needed at Lowes but, was wondering when did the auto parts places quit selling nuts and bolts.  
Heaven forbid I would need a grade 8 bolt or something metric.

There is no money to be made in hardware, especially the loose "Dorman" stuff.
When I worked at Home Depot we wasted at least 8 hours a day fucking with that shit.

Autozone stores sell only things that make a lot of money, little mumdame BS stuff that makes them only pennies, well.........
If you want a grade 8, you will need to go a real automotive parts places or to a salvage yard and take one from a wrecked car.

I found some of the stuff in the packs.  I go to the autozone my mom works at so most the time they even turst me to pull my own parts.

It seems all the bolts and stuff never sold, they just walked off.


I had to get a replacement bolt for my Impala after I cut the bent one.  Took 5 sawzall blades to get halfway through it.

There must be a Home Depot near by. These giant stores are killing the small business everywhere, no Lumber Yards, no Hardware Stores, no Nurseries, no Paint Stores, etc, etc.

Autozone became a joke when they started paying dumbass (jesse james) to be their spokesperson (notice I didn't say man) and had more matchbox cars on the walls then stuff you actually need.

It's all about money.  The only thing most chain stores will carry nowdays is car polish and bling items.  They sell that stuff quick, and it pretty much works on any car.  They can usually get anything for a specific car delivered the next day, so they don't tie up millions in inventory sitting in the stores waiting to be sold.  A far smaller amount sits in the distribution wharehouse, and since it serves many stores, it moves much faster.

By not stocking at the store:

You save millions in inventory not being sold.

You save millions being stolen by customers.

You save millions being stolen by employees.

You make more profit on stuff you actually stock (there's not much profit on a bolt).

It may not serve the needs of the customer exactly, but often it's the only way to stay profitable when you're serving a "non-niche" market (i.e. the general public).

Ross

I had 1 nut snap when taking a tire off the TA.  I had to go to 2 autozones to get a Wheelstud and Nut.

1st shown they had 15 in stock, none on the shelf though.
Same at the 2nd one, I finally found the last stud and 1 bolt that was close enough.
They shown 25 in stock

I can understand them not having them really I expect 10 walk off for every one sold.  

I find Autozone normally has most of what I need, they didnt have a rebuild but instock for a 351 Windsor but they could have it in a few days.

If you need something, you've got get it from Autozone's Superstores, not at a corner one. I think Autozone has got a one Superstore in about a 20 mile radius. But as always, I would call first.

Go to an independently owned and operated hadware or auto parts store. They may be higher than some of those autozones or warehouse places, but you will get better service and will most likely get what you need the first time. The big guy shuts down the little guy way too often these days. People are starting to feel the real effect of this.........................."All we have is on the shelf"; "We only restock that item once a week"; "I remember a little hardware store where you could get those, but it closed down"; etc, etc.

Lowes has a decent automotive fastener section in the hardware section including grade 8 fasteners.

They also have the plastic stays for body and interior use and the threaded clips.

Quoted: If you need something, you've got get it from Autozone's Superstores, not at a corner one. I think Autozone has got a one Superstore in about a 20 mile radius. But as always, I would call first.

Around here they have the normaly stores and the city hub store, I normally go to the hub store its close and they know me.

I also get 20% off nearly anything in stock.

If you need fasteners, and QUALITY fasteners, go to an ACE or OSH.  They have a large selection of all kinds of bolts, nuts, etc, and also grade 8 stuff IIRC.  Home Depot can sizzle my dizzle.  I'll stay away from that hell hole if at all possible.

If time is not an issue you might try McMaster-Carr

CW

Go to a farm supply store.  TSC, Big R, Atwoods, QF&F, etc.  They will have fasteners by the pound, typically a huge savings in cost and a shorter checkout line compared to Lowes or Home Despot.  Almost every one is well stocked with Gr5 & the basics in Gr8.  Sometimes they will have metric 8.8 by the pound if you are lucky.  And you will feel better giving them your money than at the big box stores.

Ace, TrueValue, Sears HDWE, it depends on the store.  Usually they have the plastic bins, but the restocking isn't always up to date.

Autozone is the last place I would go for hardware, although they do have a lot of nuts behind the counter.  "year, make, and model" no matter what question you ask them.

Quoted: It's all about money.  The only thing most chain stores will carry nowdays is car polish and bling items.  They sell that stuff quick, and it pretty much works on any car.  They can usually get anything for a specific car delivered the next day, so they don't tie up millions in inventory sitting in the stores waiting to be sold.  A far smaller amount sits in the distribution wharehouse, and since it serves many stores, it moves much faster. By not stocking at the store: You save millions in inventory not being sold. You save millions being stolen by customers. You save millions being stolen by employees. You make more profit on stuff you actually stock (there's not much profit on a bolt). It may not serve the needs of the customer exactly, but often it's the only way to stay profitable when you're serving a "non-niche" market (i.e. the general public). Ross

This makes sense to me as a business owner.

I was at an auto parts store recently purchasing a battery for the wife's car and it was taking a long time to get to the dude at the counter.  They seemed to only have two guys on the counter and one seemed to be tied up with what the other guy said was a large commercial account.  The guy in front of me tied up the second parts guy with some kind of crap for his '48 Willy's jeep.  Now there are ten guys in line mumbling and hopping from foot to foot trying to keep their cool.  Finally the guy with the old Jeep gives up and leaves.  He just couldn't understand why a big chain store has to contact a manufacturer in order to get a (insert part here) for a vehicle that has not been in production for over 50 years.  
Anyway, things got moving and I got my battery shortly thereafter.  The parts dude was obviously flustered and made a comment about being tied up for hours by customers wanting parts for automobiles that have not been around since WWII.  He said something about why take all the time hunting for crap that he knows isn't even available when he could have sold a thousand dollars worth of parts in that amount of time and didn't sell squat.  
I guess it's kind of like my ten cent nuts and bolts.  Why spend 30 minutes time hunting down a chicken shit nut or bolt when you can be selling starters, brakes etc.  I guess these guys must work on commission.

they dont bring in the $$$$ as much as other stuff