I hate HomeDepot!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The real contractors know that Home Depot can't compete with the mom-and-pop suppliers. Interesting fact: HD did something very interesting to keep their inventory management simplified- they required all of their suppliers to quote them prices, FOB Home Depot by the pallet. Every other major supplier buys truckloads. As a result, while HD's sale prices are awesome, the run-of-the-mill stuff is usually cheaper somewhere else where they just bought a whole truckload.
 
rabidgerbil said:
Regarding contractors, I don't know about the HD by you, but at my local HD, the contractors call ahead, and it appears that the stuff is picked and ready, and/or shipped to them. All I know is that the "contractor" desk is ALWAYS hopping in that store.
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Must be a different market in the US. HD here isn't trying to compete with the actual lumber yards (they can't because they don't offer accounts) so they're going full out to get all the general public. Again this is in Canada, Ontario specifically, maybe it's even different in other provinces (heck maybe it's different by the store, though all the HD's I and my dad have dealt with are like this).

Personally I don't mind HD, we never really had a mom&pop hardware store in my city because we have Home Hardware (chain) which has been around for decades.

I refuse to go to Walmart however which we just got last year - I've already noticed a few shops downtown closing since they opened up. Very sad.
 
I would agree that the contractor side is the busiest every time I go there. The parking lot is empty, but there always seems to be a truck backed in the garage side. I went in for Plasti-Dip my last visit, and they never heard of it, said they didn't carry it, basically thought I made it up. I had a guy look it up on his computer and he said nope. Then he said, well maybe one of our bigger stores carries it. Bigger store???? This one is the same size as the ones in Lubbock that carried everything. So I went next door to the about to be closed to HD Do-it-Center and when I asked they walked me right over to it. As I expected in a small town store they didn't have a variety, but they had it. Wal-Mart here is the same way with "maybe we have it at our bigger store!" I went there for a pressure cooker, which they don't carry but advertise on their website. Wow, a super Wally World that doesn't carry everything another Wal-Mart carries. It would piss me off the same if I went to an Outback Steak house that didn't serve the Outback special. Consistency is what people expect from a chain, not inconsistency. If I wanted a random chance I'd go to a local type store and get what they got or not, but this seems to be a reoccurring theme in my town with chains. Wal-Mart put all but one grocery store out of business in my town when they built their Super Store with 35+ checkout lanes and everything edible you could think of. Now you can't buy brussel sprouts anywhere or get them to open more than 3 lanes. They hurt everything, and that would have been ok because you could still get what you needed/wanted, but now they cut back to minimal. I have learned my lesson about any Discount Store. Discount doesn't mean the best deal, only the best price. Crap is cheap, and once you have ran off all the nice but expensive stuff you can sell your crap for more. Or, better yet completely lie to everyone by buying a big/good name business like Toro, and then use inferior parts and engines until people quit buying them. They get you on the name, and the name ain't the same name as before.
 
i've talked to local contractors here in BC and they won't deal with lowes for one reason or 'nother. personally i don't like lowes either i hate walking all over hell just for a couple of parts and their prices ain't all that hot anyway. i'd rather deal with my mom/pop hw shop been here for 60+years in the same spot or if they are closed i''l go to menards
 
I still can't believe you "have" to give them your number to complete a sale
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More and more places require a phone number, and the person at the register is just following their training. It is stupid, but I've decided it's not worth fighting. I just make one up at random.

Rick
 
bradsul said:
I refuse to go to Walmart however which we just got last year - I've already noticed a few shops downtown closing since they opened up. Very sad.
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Get ready, it will get worse. The next comment isn't steered to anyone here, but...... Wal-Mart stores are good for bringing out the trash of the town. I shop there when I have to at 1 or 2 in the morning to avoid them. I don't mean this to make me sound uppity or anything, but these people don't even buy stuff they just hang out. I am in and out in 15 minutes when I go that late, the last time I went during the day it was an hour minimal for dog food, laundry soap, and two coolers for my friends MT and HLT I made him (in my signature). 15 minutes was waiting in line to pay. Using the self-checkout lane actually takes longer because you have to have a manager OK you buying super glue or paint. Our bank, when we owned one, refused their account which sounded great on the surface. The bank next door picked up their account and had to hire another person (their expense) to Tally and take care of all the money coming in. This money then turned right around and was transfered before end of business day to Arkansas leaving the bank with no interest. The only thing Wal-Mart leaves is a petty cash fund of $100,000 for the bank to make money off of. How many people in my town have multiple accounts of $100,000??? Enough to not warrant Wal-Mart's business and hire another person to take care of their accounts. This bank is kicking itself and has since told Wal-Mart the money has to stay until they have the manpower to send it to Arkansas. So, they still don't make money, but they don't have to pay someone just for Wal-Mart.
 
rickylr said:
More and more places require a phone number, and the person at the register is just following their training. It is stupid, but I've decided it's not worth fighting. I just make one up at random.

Rick
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LOL, I do too when I have to. It is always someone I am pissed at or time and temperature, lol. I used to give my old bosses number when I lived in Lubbock.
 
rickylr said:
More and more places require a phone number, and the person at the register is just following their training. It is stupid, but I've decided it's not worth fighting. I just make one up at random.
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It's postal codes up here. Everybody wants your postal code even on cash purchases. I don't have a problem giving that out since they can't sell it to a telemarketer and I start getting calls. Anybody that asks for a phone number gets a 'no'.
 
That makes so much more sense than a phone number for marketing. They only want your number so they can sell it, but a postal code lets them know their shoppers location which is all they need. I am going to ask next time I am asked if I am not allowed to purchase things without a phone number and see what they say. I will ask if I need to make one up and if they have a phone book.
 
Am I the only one that doesn't really have a problem with HD or Menards? I am just about done with finishing my basement and found just about everything I needed with no problem. I find the "old guys" offer advice when asked, but have no problem just telling you where to find something.

Perhaps it's just the market - we have a good amount of retired construction-type guys that work at our big box stores for extra cash and to get out of the house.
 
I can't stant the local mom-and-pop operations around here. Most of them are geared more towards contractors than DIY-types; I mean, they close up early on Saturday and are closed all day on Sunday, not very freakin' convenient. But, I'm usually not going there looking for advice, so knowing that the people at The Depot are all basically clueless doesn't bother me.

What I do hate about HD is that the quality of the lumber is pretty piss-poor. I need to find a better local place to buy that stuff.
 
Normally, I just give "555-5555". Either they put it in, or else they have to get confrontational with a customer. Lose-lose for them.

My Radio Shack experience:
I had this one bozo come right out and tell me re: 555-5555, "That's not a real number, that's fake". I said, "No it's not." He said, "Yes it is." I said, "So what are you going to do about it?" He said, "Well, I can't sell you this stuff without a phone number." I said, "Can I use your phone number then?" He said "No." Then I told him I was a cop and asked if I could use 911. He said no again, but only after thinking about it for a minute. I asked him if I could make up a fake number. He said he needs the real phone number. I asked him if he would know the difference and he said probably not. Ok, so finally I say, "1-900-666-1234". He told me he can't use 900 numbers. I said, "Sounds like you live a very sheltered life".

Finally, after annoying the hell out of all the customers behind me, I walked out and bought my stuff elsewhere. The more I thought about it, I really didn't want Radio Shack's low-quality garbage anyway.
 
I've never really had a problem with Home Depot. I can find help most of the time (with the exceptions being acceptable-- when its busy as hell it's harder to find help and that's true at EVERY store-- even mom and pop). The help I get meets my expectations: they know their stock and are able to give reasonable amounts of advice on both standard and non-standard uses of products (again-- within reason: the 16 year old kid at my local hardware store is just as useless in this regard as the 16 year old kid at HD).

Both Hd and the mom and pop have always walked me to the things I've asked for, not jsut pointed me there. Neither ask me for my personal information on a transaction.


My local HD has at least one actual professional-- either retired or working a second job for extra cash/during off season-- in each department. If you're lucky you can cathc them-- they are always willing to discuss creative work arounds to problems capped with the 'that ain't legal but it would probably work--- the parts are right there'.
 
Am I the only one that doesn't really have a problem with HD or Menards?
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Never heard of Menards, but I've no problem with HD -- but could be because I have no expectation of expert (or semi-expert) help when I go in.

Years ago (when computers were fairly scarce and the internet just a twinkle in Al Gore's eyes) I used to enjoy listening to the guys at Radio Shack explain computers to customers. I'd drop by while at the mall just for that purpose; most had no clue, but no hesitation either.

As to HD, I rarely ask where something is because I like to wander when in HD or Lowes. My interaction with the "help" there is limited.

Rick
 
I've never had a problem telling a cashier "I'd prefer not to" when asked for my phone number... :confused: Radio Shack is infamous for being total *****ebags when it comes to collecting personal information, but even there, I've never had someone tell me they couldn't complete a sale without it.

Of course, I think I've spent a total of $10 in Radio Shacks over the past five years...
 
the_bird said:
... Radio Shack is infamous for being total *****ebags when it comes to collecting personal information, ...
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They dropped their phone # policy about a year ago, finally bowing to public pressure/ridicule. I went in to get speaker wire a couple months ago and it was the same as if I was buying a pack of gum from 7/11.
 
the_bird said:
I've never had a problem telling a cashier "I'd prefer not to" when asked for my phone number... :confused: Radio Shack is infamous for being total *****ebags when it comes to collecting personal information, but even there, I've never had someone tell me they couldn't complete a sale without it.
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I just say "I don't give out my phone number". I rarely have a problem with that response anywhere I go.
 
When asked for my phone # at these places, I use (local area code) 328-7448. If you look at the letters on a phone pad 328-7448 spells EAT-S**T I'm sure most of you can figure out the 2 letters in the middle...
 
I've been giving out the # (local area code) 588-2300. You might better recognize it in empire jingle format.
 
rickylr said:
Never heard of Menards,
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It's a medium sized place similar to Home Depot based in the northern midwest. They are really popular with the 'buy one get one free' and the 'free or nearly free after rebate' set--- they run those promotions all the time.

http://www.menards.com/storeLocator.do

In my experience they have more gadgets than most places and they do a great deal of business in the lawn and holiday decoration department. You can also get a 4 pound box of short or broken pretzle sticks for about $4 (if you get there fast enough-- those pallets of pretzles disappear fast).

However, their staff is the least knowledgable (with the exception of their paint section). They have some of the worse lumber around here. Never seen such a large collection of warped boards and short cut drywall.

Chains might 'pride' themselves on being consistent across the county but that's a myth in my experience. Stores (whether they be hardware, resturants or clothing stores-- whatever) vary market to market, depending on the hiring pool, local businesses and other factors.

Even McDonald's are different in my experience. Clean and well managed in one location, dirty with horrible service in others.
 
I refuse to go to Lowe's unless there is no where else I can get what I need. The two Lowe's I've been to around here have rude and clueless workers, although they're massive they never seem to have what I want, and (most importantly) they're owned by Wal*mart.
 
There was an error printed in the Detroit Free Press. Someone reading the paper would have initially thought they had the facts. If they never saw the retraction they'd continue to spread the rumor. Here was the retraction they issued:

Getting it straight
November 14, 2004
In Sunday's The Way We Live section, Georgea Kovanis' shopping column incorrectly said that Lowe's is owned by Wal-Mart. The home improvement chain has no connection to Wal-Mart.
 
Ok, new this thread would keep coming in handy, except, this is my last time to the Home Depot in my town. Forever!!!!!!!!! Went in today to get some Reflectix...... they have never heard of it. Ask them where water heater covering material might be...... they don't carry it. Maybe we carry it at our larger store is all I heard. WTF??? I'm 100% now on my 6 visits to my local HD for not getting everything on my list that they say is carried by HD. That is not a chain that is a chain sized store half filled with crap like Rubbermaid storage containers. Never again will I waste my time even calling ahead to hear, oh yeah we carry that (because that F*&ker checked the same website I did before I called and drove there to find out they do carry it, just at a larger store)!!!!!!!!!! A-Holes!!!!!!!!! So, I guess I close this thread.... Thank God, because I am an idiot/glutten for punishment if I let these guys do it again to me.
 
Write a letter to corporate. You'll get a manager to call you and appologize up and down. But eventually the should get enough complaints to take some kind of action.

I've done it many times.
 
PeteOz77 said:
Fool me once, shame on you.. fool me twice, shame on ME :D
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I'm at the kick me in the balls again please stage!!!! No more!!!! Letters or complaints when something is ran so poorly only do one thing, make everyone that reads them laugh. "F" them, I am the silent customer that causes them the most harm, I tell everyone I know.
 
What do you expect? They're just retail people. I go to Home Depot over Lowe's though.. I couldn't find an employee in Lowe's if my life depended on it (outside of the registers). Luckily I have a local place called Elliott's here in Dallas and the employees know their stuff forwards and backwards.
 
Hopleaf said:
What do you expect? They're just retail people. I go to Home Depot over Lowe's though.. I couldn't find an employee in Lowe's if my life depended on it (outside of the registers). Luckily I have a local place called Elliott's here in Dallas and the employees know their stuff forwards and backwards.
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I think it depends on the area in which you live, around here (PGH area) it seems that the folks at Lowes are much more knowledgable about the products they sell than the HD employees. I prefer Lowes over HD, they always have more product available than HD and are extemely helpful.

When I went to Lowes to get my parts for my mini-mash cooler the guy asked me to bring in the cooler when I was done so that if another homebrewer came into the store looking for the same thing he could show them exactly what they needed and where all the parts were located.
 
Lowes sponsors Jimmy Johnson so they are evil.

Home Depot sponsors Tony Stewart so they are evil.

I don't have much choice but go to mom and pop shops.... :cross:
 
fermenator said:
I think it depends on the area in which you live, around here (PGH area) it seems that the folks at Lowes are much more knowledgable about the products they sell than the HD employees. I prefer Lowes over HD, they always have more product available than HD and are extemely helpful.

When I went to Lowes to get my parts for my mini-mash cooler the guy asked me to bring in the cooler when I was done so that if another homebrewer came into the store looking for the same thing he could show them exactly what they needed and where all the parts were located.
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That's what I'm talking about.......:ban:
 
What I am looking for dictates where I go to shop. The each seem to have their strong and weak points. When I go I know what I need and would rather wander the aisle for 5-10 minutes looking for something before I ask someone there for help. I have found a couple people there that know what they are doing so if I get really stuck I will seek one of them out to ask for help.
 
Years ago, when I was looking into purchasing a Directv system (back in the day when nobody installed them) I called Radio Shack to find out the position of the satellite so I could make sure I had a clear line of site to it (I had some southern exposure, mostly clear toward the southwest, but wanted to find out the corordinates for the compass just to make sure before I plucked down the bucks.... I told the guy what I wanted, he said that he was pretty sure it would work, because the signal comes mostly from "above". I ended up finding out it would work from somewhere else and bought the system there.... this was during Radio shacks "You got questions....we got answers" commercials. Maybe they got answers, maybe not the right answers though.

As far as zipcodes go, I just give them my old one from kansas. They usually just give me a strange look and I just say I'm from out of town. Now as far as your zip code when using a credit card, I believe the computer system checks to make sure the card zip it's issued to and the one you give match a a security measure (not sure what good that does... ya got my name on the card, and ya can look my addy up in the phone book..not much of a stretch).

One thing I hate 'bout HD is that they don't carry everything I need. I needed to replace part of a run of 3/8 pvc pipe that was damaged in a warehouse for their ice machine. Guy ran into it with a forklift. All I wanted was some 3/8 pvc and 2 slip couplers (mind you, I already quoted the repair). Guess what? no 3/8 pvc or couplers. Asked if they had 3/8 to 1/2 adapters and I could just adapt a piece of 1/2 inch in. Nope. I tried to find something to adapt 3/8 pvc to anything.... copper tube....nope. Finally went to a True value and loe and behold!!! 3/8 pvc and fittings!!!! Needless to say, I didn't make anything on that job after all the running around.

Allan
 
Radarbrew said:
My general rule. Ask the old guy. They know where the "doohickey" is and how to hook it up to the "thingamajig". Even better, if you have a Mom and Pop store, go there. They are fighting to keep the biz running, and will twist an ankle trying to help you.
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I've found that, at least in my area, the "old guy" is usually the worst to ask. He is either in the early onset of dementia or full of crap. Everytime I've "asked the old guy" I've wasted at least a good 30 minutes trying to find a part with him that I could have found easier by myself, or listened to a lecture about how he was in construction for 20 years and knows everything and has never heard of what I'm looking for. I usually either find it 2 minutes later approx 20 steps from them, or ask google (he never lets me down).
 
howlinowl said:
Years ago, when I was looking into purchasing a Directv system (back in the day when nobody installed them) I called Radio Shack to find out the position of the satellite so I could make sure I had a clear line of site to it (I had some southern exposure, mostly clear toward the southwest, but wanted to find out the corordinates for the compass just to make sure before I plucked down the bucks.... I told the guy what I wanted, he said that he was pretty sure it would work, because the signal comes mostly from "above". I ended up finding out it would work from somewhere else and bought the system there.... this was during Radio shacks "You got questions....we got answers" commercials. Maybe they got answers, maybe not the right answers though.
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I believe most if not all satellite feeds come from the middle of Texas. I forget what the exact angle up is to the satellite.
 

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