Lowes.. going the way of Home Depot

LouisanaJeeper · 03-24-08, 10:00

Home Depot is pretty terrible around me. 1-2 cashiers and 10 automated self checkouts, a parking lot full of day laborers and poor customer disservice.

Lowes has been pretty good. Now I see they are replacing half the checkouts with self checkouts....

Time to look for a new hardware store.

BigJimZ28 · 03-24-08, 10:03

why.... I like the self checkouts
and it helps keeps prices down

Setec Astronomy · 03-24-08, 10:10

It doesn't keep the prices down, it keeps the bonus up for the CFO. I guess the ultimate for the bean-counters would be a store with no staff--wouldn't that be great for the customers? We'd all be lined up at some information kiosk trying to get information out of the balky MS operating system....good times!

LouisanaJeeper · 03-24-08, 10:12

try buying a 2x4 or bag of cement with the self checkout

BigJimZ28 · 03-24-08, 10:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisanaJeeper

try buying a 2x4 or bag of cement with the self checkout

I have the Lumber has a UPC stapled on one end

just pull it off and scan!

also they have a hand held scaner
if you can't hold up the bag

jetset4me · 03-25-08, 02:04

Just love those scanners. Went to Albertson's and bought a loaf of French bread and a 20 oz Pepsi and it rang up for almost $18.00. It took about 15 minutes to straighten out but I got the items for free after that.

ptaylor_9849 · 03-25-08, 02:28

I like self checkout. It means I don't have to explain things to the person behind the counter. I never ask advice anymore in either of the two home center type stores. I spend more time explaining what I need only to then have the pimple faced teenager look at me and say "Dude, I have no idea". But then again, I guess I could ask the guy in his mid 50's who works in the tile dept. He rides his bicycle to work because of his 3rd drunk driving conviction. You're better off knowing exactly what you want BEFORE you step into most any store these days. I guess that's why they call it MINIMUM wage. All you get is the bare minimum.

Patrick

DieselMDX · 03-25-08, 03:22

I REFUSE to use self check out I might be a jerk but I expect them to take my payment and bag my purchase up

gmblack3a · 03-25-08, 06:02

They have built a few Ace Hardware stores around here. The prices are higher then HD or Lowes, but those guys know just about everything. So if I am not sure what I need, I go to Ace.

weekendwarrior · 03-25-08, 06:18

The only advantage to Lowe's in this area is that the stores are typically cleaner than Home Depot stores. Whenever I need something special, or are unsure as to exactly what I need, I go to a local, family owned hardware store near my house.

I use to buy pine needles and straw at Lowe's and Home Depot. They keep these products in semi trailers outside the store, locked up. It got to where when I would buy this, I would easily spend 30 minutes just waiting for someone to come unlock the trialers - and I would often have to go back inside the store looking for someone to come help me. I typically buy @30 bales of pine needles at a time, and the big box stores are cheaper than the garden centers. Now, I have just given up on Lowe's and Home Depot for pine needles, and I pay the local garden center more per bale for them, and since they are 4 miles away, I can call them, and for $10 they deliver them to me within a half hour.

raadkins16 · 03-25-08, 06:27

I guess it really depends on the Lowes or Home Depot you go to or have in your area. I always go to Lowes about a half mile from my house and have been building a shed over the past few months and really got a lot of help from the staff there. A few of them did not know some answers to the questions I had, but they always referred me to the knowledgable lumber guy, paint guy, etc and got the question answered. Maybe I just got lucky and have decent people at my nearest Lowes? They also have no self checkout and almost every register open when I am there. If there is more than two customers in line you hear over the intercom for additional cashier assistance and open up a lane near the return area. Not too bad IMO.

Setec Astronomy · 03-25-08, 06:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by raadkins16

I guess it really depends on the Lowes or Home Depot you go to or have in your area. I always go to Lowes about a half mile from my house and have been building a shed over the past few months and really got a lot of help from the staff there. A few of them did not know some answers to the questions I had, but they always referred me to the knowledgable lumber guy, paint guy, etc and got the question answered. Maybe I just got lucky and have decent people at my nearest Lowes? They also have no self checkout and almost every register open when I am there. If there is more than two customers in line you hear over the intercom for additional cashier assistance and open up a lane near the return area. Not too bad IMO.

How long have they been open? It seems like when they open a new store they staff it up right (knowledgable help, plenty of cashiers) but as time goes on, either from attrition or some sort of dastardly plan, they go downhill.