Why do both do-it-yourself landscapers and pros count on Online Stone Solutions as their trusted partner? It’s because of the variety of attractive stones that we offer, and the unparalleled service, convenience, and value, which retailers simply can’t touch.
But we’re not always the best solution – most of the time, but not always. As a trusted partner, OSS always looks out for our customers’ best interest, even if it means sending their business elsewhere. In fact, we’re frequently asked by our customers, “When does it make more sense to go to my local store instead of ordering stones online from OSS?”
What we tell our customers, and will tell you now, is that there are five scenarios where you are better off buying your material directly from your local stone retailer:
1. The product you’re seeking is quarried at a location that’s close to your home or job site
Remember, the cost of shipping material is can be higher than the cost of the stones themselves. If you are in close proximity to the lanscaping store, you can save a good amount of money by purchasing your material straight from your local vendor.
2. Your quantities are relatively small
Landscape stone ordered from Online Stone Solutions will be shipped and delivered to your home or job site in pallets that range from 2200 lbs to 3000 lbs. Not everyone, however, needs a full pallet. If you require smaller quantities–for example, a 50- or 75-lb bag of rocks–you’re better off going to your local retail yard.
3. Short time-frame
We typically require five to ten days to process your order and ship it. If you’re working on a shorter time frame–say you or your client needs the product within a couple business days–then your best bet is to see what the local landscaping supply store has in stock.
4. You have time on your hands
Going to your local vendor can be an adventure if you have time to kill and don’t mind getting your clothes dirty and dusty. One drawback is that your local shop does not have the wide selection of stones that OSS has, and you may find yourself driving all over town from store to store.
5. Large-scale projects
Commercial projects (like office parks) and institutional projects (like colleges and universities) usually require several truckloads of material to be transported to the job site. These types of projects require a completely different approach to shipping material. Typically delivering material loose in bulk (in dump trucks) directly from the quarry is much more efficient for these larger scale projects.
One caveat: Coordinating the logistics of a large-scale project can be headache-inducing. Our sister company, Decorative Stone Solutions, specializes in servicing large-scale projects that require quarry-direct shipments of larger amounts of stone. Let us do the leg work for you!
Reviewing next steps
- Determine the size of the project and how much landscape rock you’ll need to complete it.
- Determine where you’re getting your product from – online or by visiting your local landscaping supply store. Purchasing your stones online via OSS gives you the widest selection and best value, but the local stone vendors, as we’ve seen, also has its advantages.