Running out of light bulbs? Don’t want to face the traffic and congestion at Home Depot? A new business partnership for Canadian consumers will get that light bulb into your kitchen faster than you can say Dome Heapo. Home Depot has 87 stores in Canada, and the company announced this week that it has partnered with Grocery Gateway, a company which describes itself as “Canada’s leading consumer direct online service.” Grocery Gateway “picks, packs and delivers” groceries and other household items. According to the agreement Grocery Gateway will now add to its deliveries in the Greater Toronto Area and Southern Ontario more than 200 home improvement products, ranging from light bulbs to hand tools, to carbon monoxide detectors and clothes hangers — all ordered from the Grocery Gateway website. Home Depot says this agreement reaches out to “the person who needs a few smaller items; one who might not travel to a superstore for a roll of tape or a screwdriver”. Grocery Gateway sees adding Home Depot products to its list as a logical move. “Selling home improvement products also makes sense for our customers,” said GG. “Our goal has always been to provide our customers with more free time. If we can take a trip to Home Depot off their list, along with trips to the grocery store… then we’re doing our job.” Canada shoppers will have to place a minimum order of $60, and in most cases, pay a delivery fee. Grocery Gateway also owns Gateway Delivery, which makes deliveries for Staples/Business Depot.
I have a way to take a trip to Home Depot off your busy schedule: stop shopping there. Instead, call up your locally-owned home improvement store, and buy your building supplies there. Avoid the traffic nightmare, and the huge maze at the big box store, while keeping more of your money invested locally. If you want to keep competition alive, invest your money in local businesses — and cross a trip to Home Depot off your list.
