Jeeper G.

AutoZone seems to be all over the place, which is nice if you have one of their batteries and need to replace it under warranty.

The store employees are not always that knowledgeable about vehicle repairs and very few are ASE certified for parts or anything else. That said, if you shop regularly and get to know the staff, there are some really good ones.

At AutoZone on Palm & Base Line in Highland, the tall, red bearded parts guy Grayson is really good, and I'd give him 6*'s. He has ASE and it shows. He knows parts and cars and has steered me right on my repair work. One time I brought in a part to match up to a new one, and he looked it up on the computer. The part in stock did not match. I was perplexed. He looked at my vehicle and immediately determined the engine had been swapped in from a newer Jeep...must have been done by the prior owner. Anyway, he recognized the engine and keyed the different year into the computer and sure enough, my part matched!! This sure answered a lot of questions I had on getting things like plugs to match up...I had assumed then prior owner used the wrong one, but it turns out they were right for the engine.

Duluth Trading Buck Naked underwear and Long Tail tee shirts are really well made, and if you can get the on sale, they are a great deal.

The warranty and exchange policy look really good until you read the fine print, and it becomes obvious they were designed to discourage use.

Why is this critical? For online shopping, consistency in sizes is important. For example, I wear a large shirt in most brands and styles, yet a purchase of a large from Duluth resulted in a shirt that was way too big. So now I know, at Duluth, I order a medium....and now have a large tent of a shirt hanging in my closet because a return costs me.

Known in the Amature Radio arena as HRO for Ham Radio Outlet, this is a small chain of networked stores that specializes in everything Amature (Ham) radio.

HRO has a great catalog, and fulfills orders from one or more of its stores depending on stock and location.

I have ordered on line, over the phone, and bought right at the store. Customer service is outstanding, so when I need something but don't know much about what to buy, I go to the store or call in. EVERYONE working at the stores is an experienced and licensed Amature Radio operator and will take the time to steer you to just what you need.

My only little beef is the shipping charge added to small orders... it's still less than the cost of gas to drive to a store, but I suppose I have been spoiled by Prime.

Homestead Iron is the place to go for well-made, heirloom quality garden hand tools. If you have an urban, suburban, or even rural small garden, these hand tools will serve you well. The tools are well thought out and extremely well made. Most tools are under 18" in length, perfect for raised beds. They also make some longer tools like hoes with 60" handles.

These are not the cheap box store tools that bend and you throw away...these tools are tough.

The tools do require some minimal care, and if cared for properly, your grandkids will likely be able to hand them down to their kids someday.

Customer service is really good...these folks read their email and get back to you.

Amazon is innovation at its best. The product line is expansive and the customer service is excellent. Amazon has definitely simplified my life.

I never liked to "shop", but if course had to for necessities and gifts and such. Amazon lets me get my buying done without the crowds and waste of time. it

I own at least 15 Buck Knives, 10 of them being from the custom shop or limited editions. Each knife, whether a stock item or custom, is well made and reflects Buck quality and American Craftsman ship.

Customer service at Buck is amazing...when you call, you are not dealing with a Bot or a person in a foreign land, you are talking to a Buck Employee right here in the USA.