TIL: Plumbing supply stores have very fair prices.

I like that Online you can find just about anything. Most of the online outfits have multiple locations to draw from and can ship form one close top you and you will get it in 2 days or less. (unless you live in a remote part of the country). I prefer the local supply house because of your observation about pick up same day and easy returns. My problem was that the local warehouses near me were all 40 minutes away (1H 20M roundtrip) so it was easier to order from online supplier when at the customers house and tell them it would be there the next day after the part was delivered to my shop. I could then go the the next service call and make more $$$ in stead of driving for over an hour and debating with the customer about the time that I was traveling for only them to get paid for at the prevailing rate. Never a fun conversation.

I did have a Taxi Cap company that was located near the supply houses that would pick up parts from them and deliver it to the customer's location. So I would give my customers a choice. Tomorrow repair for $$ or today repair for $$$. If they choose to pay extra for today (the cost of the taxi ride) then I would order the part and call a cab. Then I would go to the next repair call and make some money while waiting for the part to arrive. Return to the customer after the part was delivered and finish the call. Everybody happy.

Today you can call an Uber to do this

In the Uber instructions to the driver, just say type in: Pick up package from location A and deliver to location B

I purchase as much as I can from the local supply houses. If they have to order I generally go on line. It takes an extra day for ABCO and Sids to deliver.

Except for oddities like compression tanks, Supplyhouse.com is really one stop shopping. Recommended.

I have found that purchasing online is only lower prices for small, or lighter weight parts vs the local supply house. Physically larger or heavier items are always cheaper locally. Line sets cheaper online, line set ducting much cheaper locally. Boilers and mini-splits aren't even close online. I only have a 20 minute drive to my most used local supply house so that helps. I do love ordering online for an upcoming job and not having to spend any time picking things up. I am too small to benefit from the local supply house delivery services. On the other hand, my favorite online site definitely has more common parts inventory (for example thermostats or pex plumbing fittings) to order from than my local supply house.

supplyhouse.com im lucky there close order by 1 o clock usually here next day. the last 20 boiler drains i ordered for tommorrow were half price compared to the local plumbing supply and ive recently been having very bad luck with them not being able fill an order properly.