Another store chain to exit Canada | GTAMotorcycle.com

Another store chain to exit Canada

Chris-CJ

Chris-CJ

Well-known member
And then there were three....
Home Depot
Home Hardware
Rona

retail-insider.com

Lowe’s Sells Canadian Division to US Private Equity Firm, RONA Name to Replace Lowe’s

The sale indicates the failure of Lowe's in Canada following its acquisition of RONA, according to experts.
retail-insider.com retail-insider.com

The Canadian retail space is a tough sell!
As consumers, the loss in choice is to our disadvantage, the list is lengthy.
Bike shops
Bike brands (Suzuki?)
Mid-range retail stores (Target, Zellers, many others)
Mobility Service Providers (Shaw?)
.... etc
 
Chris-CJ said:
And then there were three....
Home Depot
Home Hardware
Rona

retail-insider.com

Lowe’s Sells Canadian Division to US Private Equity Firm, RONA Name to Replace Lowe’s

The sale indicates the failure of Lowe's in Canada following its acquisition of RONA, according to experts.
retail-insider.com retail-insider.com

The Canadian retail space is a tough sell!
As consumers, the loss in choice is to our disadvantage, the list is lengthy.
Bike shops
Bike brands (Suzuki?)
Mid-range retail stores (Target, Zellers, many others)
Mobility Service Providers (Shaw?)
.... etc
Click to expand...
It's even worse considering how many billions lowes spent to buy Rona now selling the whole thing for 400 million. The fact that it is worth billions to them to get out of the retail space in Canada says something.

Sent from the future
 
Scuba Steve said:
It's even worse considering how many billions lowes spent to buy Rona now selling the whole thing for 400 million. The fact that it is worth billions to them to get out of the retail space in Canada says something.

Sent from the future
Click to expand...
And they already bankrupted Rona once and then kept them around. Lots of suspicious activity around that whole transaction. It was a good time to replenish stock for nail guns though. They rarely go on sale and were 50% off. If the pattern repeats, you need to pay attention as many things in the Rona bankruptcy sale were 50% off and still more expensive than HD. Not sure if they marked up to mark down or if they always had crazy prices.
 
The contractor rewards for Lowes is much better than HD, but there are not enough stores, the website isn't as good, and the fact that some Rona stores are franchised while others are corporate is a PITA for returns. Buy something in Calgary HD, return it in Fredericton if need be. Definitely not the case with Lowes/Rona. I don't look at prices tbh since everyone will price match everyone else.
 
Look at how Canadian we still are (from the article)

rona-stores.jpeg.webp
 
Watch for some streamlining, maybe a return to value pricing. HD prices are nutty in Canada, there is room for a lower cost high value competitor. Not for a me-to alternative.

When I'm up north, I use BMR, they remind me if the old Rona. Smaller selection, good-better-best options.
 
I’ve never been a fan of Canadian Lowes stores , and HD has a habit of hiring what I consider unemployable people .
But box giants are all we will have going forward .
Lowes Canada was very hard to deal with , Rona had separate buying groups and even being Quebec based were easier to work with . HD rotated through buyers like **** through a duck .
Will make for some interesting days going forward .


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
 
As someone who delivers to both HD and Lowes, without going into a ton of details, I can say that I enjoy Lowes a lot more.

As someone who has shopped at both stores, I can also say that I enjoy Lowes more. A lot more. We've spent probably 10K there in the last 6-8 years on reno supplies and such.

I delivered to the Oshawa store today and asked the receiver there what she thinks is going to happen...she really didn't know exactly but suspected they would be rebranded as Rona and continue on.

However already it seems some of the cost-cutting has begun - they're farming out their freight to lowest bidder carriers, and since I work for a company that is far from the cheapest, we've already seen some of the freight drop off..... Not the first time this has happened however when we lose a customer only to get them back a month or three later when customers start "getting what they paid for" and all their freight arrives days late, is smashed, or just outright lost....and we get them back as customers again. But I have my doubts this time with an investment company now giving the directions - we know profits will matter above all else.
 
PrivatePilot said:
As someone who delivers to both HD and Lowes, without going into a ton of details, I can say that I enjoy Lowes a lot more.

As someone who has shopped at both stores, I can also say that I enjoy Lowes more. A lot more. We've spent probably 10K there in the last 6-8 years on reno supplies and such.

I delivered to the Oshawa store today and asked the receiver there what she thinks is going to happen...she really didn't know exactly but suspected they would be rebranded as Rona and continue on.

However already it seems some of the cost-cutting has begun - they're farming out their freight to lowest bidder carriers, and since I work for a company that is far from the cheapest, we've already seen some of the freight drop off..... Not the first time this has happened however when we lose a customer only to get them back a month or three later when customers start "getting what they paid for" and all their freight arrives days late, is smashed, or just outright lost....and we get them back as customers again. But I have my doubts this time with an investment company now giving the directions - we know profits will matter above all else.
Click to expand...
They switched to YRC the experts in damaged freight?

Sent from the future
 
Private equity firms have one goal…profit. Nothing else matters.

Slash costs, remove items that aren’t selling, fire staff, push for higher pricing and margins with short term profit being the goal.

Then sell off the assets, make your money and move onto the next target.

Rinse and repeat.
 
I am not sure why not as many people took on the Lowes brand here in Canada.

Reading through some tool sites online for a few years now, I get the impression that people in the USA have a greater love for Lowes than HD. There is a greater divide between Lowes shoppers and HD shoppers. Some will not step into the competitors even if their life depended on it.

Here, I feel that people are impartial to brand loyalty between the 2.

I shop at both and don't hate or love one or the other. HD is normally my go to as I am more familiar with their stores.

Yesterday for example, needed to go to both. I needed some black pipe gas fitting and a yellow 1/4 turn valve for a has line. Went to HD, grabbed the fittings, I asked for the valve as I couldn't find it anywhere. Ask the associate "sorry, we don't carry that" Surprised me, drove down the street, walked into Lowes and picked one up.
 
Home Hardware seems to favor small towns and the one we have in Lakefield offers good prices and great service.

Never really liked Rona, poor service at the one in Lakefield (now out of business) and the one in Mississauga.

I'm not happy Home Depot will have less competition.

Was their last week looking for shopvac filters. Base 2 pack was $43 and fine dust 2 pack was $50. Took $50 pack and at self serve it rang up at $60. Store employee and I went back to bin and label said $50, so she gave it to me at that price + another $10 off for the hassle. Today, that $50 2 pack is $70............... Looked at the standard $43 2 pack and it is now listed at $50.

Then looked at the US price and numerically, without currency translation, they are about half the cost of the old CAN price. Someone is getting screwed.......

CAN Site



US Site

www.homedepot.com

RIDGID General Debris Pleated Paper Wet Dry Vacuum Shop Vac Filter Replacement for Most 5-16 Gallon RIDGID Shop Vacs (2-Pack) VF4200 - The Home Depot

Have a RIDGID wet dry vacuum filter on hand whenever the job calls for it with this 2-count, pleated paper filter value pack -- buy more and save more. The filtration system captures everyday dirt and
www.homedepot.com

www.homedepot.com

RIDGID Fine Dust Pleated Paper Wet Dry Vacuum Shop Vac Filter Replacement for Most 5-16 Gallon RIDGID Shop Vacs (2-Pack) VF5200 - The Home Depot

Have a RIDGID wet dry vacuum filter on hand whenever the job calls for it with this 2-count, pleated paper filter value pack -- buy more and save more. The filtration system captures fine dust and traps
www.homedepot.com
 
ReSTored said:
Home Hardware seems to favor small towns and the one we have in Lakefield offers good prices and great service.

Never really liked Rona, poor service at the one in Lakefield (now out of business) and the one in Mississauga.

I'm not happy Home Depot will have less competition.

Was their last week looking for shopvac filters. Base 2 pack was $43 and fine dust 2 pack was $50. Took $50 pack and at self serve it rang up at $60. Store employee and I went back to bin and label said $50, so she gave it to me at that price + another $10 off for the hassle. Today, that $50 2 pack is $70............... Looked at the standard $43 2 pack and it is now listed at $50.

Then looked at the US price and numerically, without currency translation, they are about half the cost of the old CAN price. Someone is getting screwed.......

CAN Site



US Site

www.homedepot.com

RIDGID General Debris Pleated Paper Wet Dry Vacuum Shop Vac Filter Replacement for Most 5-16 Gallon RIDGID Shop Vacs (2-Pack) VF4200 - The Home Depot

Have a RIDGID wet dry vacuum filter on hand whenever the job calls for it with this 2-count, pleated paper filter value pack -- buy more and save more. The filtration system captures everyday dirt and
www.homedepot.com

www.homedepot.com

RIDGID Fine Dust Pleated Paper Wet Dry Vacuum Shop Vac Filter Replacement for Most 5-16 Gallon RIDGID Shop Vacs (2-Pack) VF5200 - The Home Depot

Have a RIDGID wet dry vacuum filter on hand whenever the job calls for it with this 2-count, pleated paper filter value pack -- buy more and save more. The filtration system captures fine dust and traps
www.homedepot.com
Click to expand...
Seems to vary greatly from store to store. I've been to many Home Hardware stores that never have what I need in stock (simple not specific supplies) that I had all but stopped going to them. Finally found a newer one that I now go to that's quite good.
Been to a Rona in Durham that was decent, had what I needed and good customer service. The 2 Rona's closer to me are both terrible and I've stopped going there.
Both HD's close to me have always been excellent and their associates know their stuff and have been helpful.
 
I have found home hardware less than useless everytime I try and use them, oh you want trex boards that person went home at 3 and will back next Thursday. Until then we can't give a price or help.

Sent from the future
 
Scuba Steve said:
I have found home hardware less than useless everytime I try and use them, oh you want trex boards that person went home at 3 and will back next Thursday. Until then we can't give a price or help.

Sent from the future
Click to expand...
My favorite is when Hh website shows in stock and then you go to pick some up and it is special order only with a four figure minimum, three figure shipping charge and 8+ week lead time.

They also have issues with returns. They can only be processed at the original store. Pisses people off when you pretend to be a chain but operate as independents.

I have bought one thing at HH in the past decade as I couldnt get it anywhere else. I dont see that pattern changing any time soon.
 
It seems like the HH caters to the local crowd in smaller towns. People that operate on a less urgent time frame and know how the HH operate.

They are well aware that they may need to wait xx amount of time for a small item and factor that into their projects.
 
I find this a lot of stores, Back when i was looking for a tent I found doing a google search and following the links most times gave a real cheap price . Call the store to confirm and yep sure enough not in stock
 
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