Home Depot Rant

[trekkor]

I bought a microwave last year. Maybe within the one-year warranty period?

So I go to look for the the receipt. Guess what? They self destruct over time.
Yes, after a short period of time the thermal print fades until the receipt looks blank.

And...They know about it. I called the local store and got the run around.
I questioned the manager and he said he was aware of the 'problem'.

I asked him if the customer is expected to make copies of their own receipts, 'just in case'? He didn't like that.
Then I asked if the customer is supposed to be penalized for the inability of the Home Depot to provide reliable sales receipts. "I'm sorry", he says. "There's nothing I can do".


And... Their in-store customer service is awful.
I've had employees tell me that the item I want is not sold in their store.
I find it and show it to them.

This one time
I call ahead for a pallet of material.
When I get there. No pallet?!?
I find somebody to get it down for me and bring it up front.
They finally get it and bring it up while I finish getting stuff.
When I get to the check-out, IT'S GONE!!!
Where is it?!? I ask them.. "We didn't think you still wanted it"


NEVER. EVER! Get in line unless you are sure EVERY SINGLE item has a bar code on it. It's faster to leave your place in line, find another item and return to line than let their employee help you.

Oh, there's more... ( that belongs in PARF, though )


KT

[legion]

Go buy another one of the broken item with cash.

Come back with the broken item tomorrow with your new receipt and get a cash refund.

[RWebb]

or make a copy of your credit card stmt. -- go back with that

if he still refuses, tell him you will contact your state's Attorney General's Office -- then do it.

On rare occasions I will pull out a business card (to make sure the guy "has my phone number in case he would like to call"). I don't pull out the Scientist card, instead, I hand him the lawyer card.

For you, see if you have any relatives who are attorneys. If not, sometimes you can get a nasty letter sent (notice of intent to sue) for $40 to $50. May be useful if it about something fairly valuable.

Remember, they set up the system to wear you down...

[trekkor]

Remember, they set up the system to wear you down...

I'm seriously considering never shopping at Home Depot again.
Just about everything related to their store and parking lot frustrates me.



KT

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by trekkor

I bought a microwave last year. Maybe within the one-year warranty period?

So I go to look for the the receipt. Guess what? They self destruct over time.
Yes, after a short period of time the thermal print fades until the receipt looks blank.

And...They know about it. I called the local store and got the run around.
I questioned the manager and he said he was aware of the 'problem'.

I asked him if the customer is expected to make copies of their own receipts, 'just in case'? He didn't like that.
Then I asked if the customer is supposed to be penalized for the inability of the Home Depot to provide reliable sales receipts. "I'm sorry", he says. "There's nothing I can do".


And... Their in-store customer service is awful.
I've had employees tell me that the item I want is not sold in their store.
I find it and show it to them.

This one time
I call ahead for a pallet of material.
When I get there. No pallet?!?
I find somebody to get it down for me and bring it up front.
They finally get it and bring it up while I finish getting stuff.
When I get to the check-out, IT'S GONE!!!
Where is it?!? I ask them.. "We didn't think you still wanted it"


NEVER. EVER! Get in line unless you are sure EVERY SINGLE item has a bar code on it. It's faster to leave your place in line, find another item and return to line than let their employee help you.

Oh, there's more... ( that belongs in PARF, though )


KT

Just call corporate HQ.

You'll get much better results, especially if you're nice. You might even get some coupons or T-shirts.

[fireant911]

My wife and I ordered a dishwasher from the Home Depot in the style/color desired. We paid in full and were told that our dishwasher would be arriving at the store on X date. I arrived on X date to pick up our dishwasher and was informed by the staff that yes it arrived but they had sold it to another customer that morning. I was seriously PO'ed and contacted the store manager. He laughed and asked what he was supposed to do - I contacted HomeDepot.com which was no better. When our second diswasher arrived, I asked that if they could go to the trouble of indicating that this unit was actually already sold via a magic marker. In all seriousness, what has become of customer service???

[jyl]

They have an inventory control problem. I wanted to buy a Ducane stainless BBQ, none in stock at my closest HD, so they located one in another HD and arranged to have it transferred over. When the BBQ arrived I went to HD and they couldn't find it, their system said it had been received but they had no idea where it was, we searched the whole store. This happened again. The third time we located the BBQ in a third HD 1.5 hours drive away, I said have them hold it, I'm driving out there. Well, upon arrival found out that HD had no idea they were supposed to hold the BBQ, and didn't know where it was either, but we finally found it and I took it home. A $600 SKU in a box 5" high that weighs 200-300 pounds, and HD's systems can't keep track of it. This was 2 years ago, don't know if they've improved.

I also am not entirely happy with their selection of brands, what's with no Makita power tools?

That said, I do shop there because, at the end of the day, my local little hardware store only has about 1/3 of the tools, hardware, etc I need. For lumber, I find actual lumber yards even more of a hassle to deal with than HD is.

[74-911]

It's not just Home Depot. Lowe's is just as bad based on my experiences.

[fingpilot]

Unfortunately, the 'china-i-zation' of America is upon us.

I lived in Mainland China for several years, and this was exactly how it was.

You were considered 'lucky' if you actually found what you wanted and it worked when you went to use it. My only consolation was that I was the only Gaijin in Canton at the time, and if something didn't actually work, I stood a foot taller than anyone else in town, and the reciept wasn't needed. Everyone remembered me purchasing it yesterday.

[Zeke]

They don't call the place the Hose Defect for nothing.

Here's my tale. I order some wood blinds for 2 rooms, different style each room. When they get there, one room is correct, the other is wrong. Take them back and show them the order. Yep, wrong, reorder

When the 2nd shipment arrives our porch, it's the same as the first, exactly wrong. Take them back and cancel the order for the 2nd set altogether. 3 weeks later another set of the 1st room arrives correctly made. WTF? I threw them away not needing a 2nd set for the 1st room. If that's confusing to read, then you know why they can't do any special orders right.

[TimT]

They don't call the place the Home Despot for nothing.

Never though I would modify someone quote.. but I call it Home Despot, and haven't set foot one in a few years!

[gtc]

Home Depot outsources a lot of their in-store labor. Many products are restocked by employees of other companies that come into the store to take care of certain areas. Kind of stupid, but it saves HD a lot of money because the contractors don't pay their employees nearly as well as Home Depot.

[gtc]

Oh, and if you just play dumb... really dumb.... they'll usually accept whatever you're trying to return. If not, try a different store.

[Aurel]

Soon enough they will be out of business anyways. I prefer Lowes, and I don`t think there is enough business for two these days...

[trekkor]

The Home Depot 'Expo' stores already went away.

Ever been in HD during one of their total inventories?

'Blue Shirts' everywhere.


KT

[gassy]

Try having them as a client. Dealing with HQ makes dealing with their stores feel like a walk in the park.

[porsche930dude]

yea home depot can be hard to return stuff. Lowes is easy i never have a problem. If i do theres always an easy way around the system.

[kimlangley7]

Home Depot has declined in my area over the past few years... I do all my hardware shopping at Lowes now... better organization /layout of the store..

[Zeke]

When I lived in Vegas, I used to go the HD and hang out in the nursery during the summer. Best looking crant you could find for free in that town wandered in any time of day with not that much clothing on.

That's about all the place is good for and only in a town like Vegas. Around here the people who shop at the Defect are just lost. Couldn't find WallyWorld.

One good thing to say about Long Beach. The citizens shut down a Home Depot anchored shopping center that was to be built last year. I guess the people have finally figured out why there are so few real hardware stores and real nurseries (to name a few businesses) left to find quality goods and services.

[Scuba Steve]

I shop there for one thing only - 4x25 rolls of radiant barrier. But I go in, get what I want, and I'm outa there. I only get it there because it's $7/roll cheaper than anywhere else for the exact same stuff.