Home Depot vs. Rona

I love shopping at home improvement stores. It's my toy store, there is not much I like better than perusing through aisles fittings, fixtures, and raw materials that are just waiting to be used for some project. Becky can attest, we will go to Home Depot and window shop (and no I don't mean shopping for windows!). Even Keira looks dejected when she sees that big orange sign, she knows we're going in and won't be coming back for awhile.

So why do I like Home Depot versus Rona? Why pick the orange over the blue? Pick the American chain over the Canadian chain? Well, it all comes down to their websites.

Home Depot's website is useful, it'll tell me what they have (for the few times I'm not sure they have what I need), with pictures, details, sizing, pricing and reviews. There website is easy to use, straight forward, doesn't ask me if I want to see the French versus English version, and gets me what I want quick. Rona's website? None of the above, they don't even list their products, or didn't until very recently. Say I want an Impact Driver (because if Mike Holmes has one, I need one!) Rona lists 9, Home Depot has a category just for the selection. So who am I going to choose?

And know what, it's not even just that, not only is Home Depot helpful on the web (and doesn't ask me for my Postal Code twice, or even once), but they tend to extend that quality into the store. I mean really, when you go into just about any big block store and ask for a 1/4 NPT nipple you are going to get snickers from all the 17 year old high school boys working there, but at least in Home Depot you can find someone to ask. I can't tell you how many times I've been in a Rona looking for 4-40 machine screws in a quantity with more than 8 per package and can't find anyone, not one helpful person. And yes, contrary to what you say, 4" ABS pipe can be used for more than plumbing, I'm sorry you can't imagine that far.

So I'm sad to say, even though I'm a proud Canadian, I'm going to keep shopping from the boys in Atlanta, and drive that extra mile past Rona.