Goodbye, Home Depot

TigerMike said:
.........But, honestly, in this day and age, everything already costs so damned much, I'm willing to give up something (customer service), if it keeps prices lower for me. With inflation these days, I simply don't have the money to pay a premium for better service alone...
Click to expand...
You gotta do what you gotta do, and I respect that many have to save as much as possible these days.



In my area the neighborhood hardware store closed for about a year. I really missed not having their selection of small hardware, service, and advice when they closed. Thankfully they reopened last year and I made a conscious decision to support them with both my large and small purchases. When it came time to replace my lawn mower and then then my gas grill I bought them from my local hardware store instead of going to Lowes or HD for a better price. Yes, I paid more than I would have at Lowes or HD, but it was worth it to support a neighborhood business. You don't really miss them until they're gone.
 
Setec, your intial entry above described my local HD to a tee. It's an extra 10 miles to Lowes, (HD is 1 mile from me), but it's worth the trip. I still rely heavily on the Westlake Ace hardware store when I'm in a hurry, but I too hesitate to hit HD first. It's a shame. They could be just as good if they wanted to.
 
Im not gonna read 4 pages but I will say this. I worked at HD and HAAAAATED it. I was a cashier, which sucks in general, but the customers were complete asses. The majority of them would just talk on their cell phones. I eventually just started giving anything they had on the bottom rack of the cart to them from free just to get them out of my face faster.



But I quit that sh!t fast. Now my gripe with the HD is that they have NO "associates" in any of the isles. You go into plumbing and there is not one person even close to your isle. I know its a big place, but they really need to invest in more customer service. And train those monkeys!



I would much rather go to Lowe's, but the closest HD is 5 miles away and the closest Lowes is 20-25 miles away...not gonna do that.
 
"But I quit that sh!t fast. Now my gripe with the HD is that they have NO "associates" in any of the isles. You go into plumbing and there is not one person even close to your isle. I know its a big place, but they really need to invest in more customer service. And train those monkeys!" - iDetail



Last fall, my wife and I were at HD, and were looking for a special plumbing part. I couldn't find it, so I started to leave. My wife started fussing that I needed to ask an associate for help. Just to pacify her, I found an associate, and explained what I needed. For the next 15 minutes, the associate began to pull every part out of the drawers other than what I needed. I thanked them and left. I then explained to my wife on the way to the car that what just happened was the exact reason I never ask anyone for help at those stores. I then went to the local hardware store (which is where I should have gone to start with), and got my part.



I hate to make false assumptions regarding people's knowledge based on age, but when you see a 19 year old associate on the department's cell phone - and you can tell he is talking to his buddy about social stuff, I just don't have any confidence that he can answer questions I may have about the project I am working on.
 
I do have to say that I had a good customer service experience at Lowe's last night. Went to get a new trimmer and where they were supposed to be stocked was empty, and it was hard to see what was stocked above. So I rang the little buzzer and a guy came to help. We went over and he looked, but couldn't locate one either. Then he got on the phone to the back and asked if there were any on the truck that had just been unloaded. Happened to be that there were! He ran back and got one for me and I was good to go. I thanked him profusely for helping me.



...and I was walking out the door, I realized that what he did should be (and use to be) the norm. How many times have you heard 'If it's not on the shelf, I guess we don't have any'?
 
I agree, the Lowes here is really good. Only down side to the one here is it's way across on the other side of town, about 17 miles away. I only go there if I happen to be on that side and need something. Other than that, it's the Home Depot that I go to which is improving but not as good as Lowes. IMO. Now if Lowes would just hire some of the girls at HOOTERS, then I will make the extra trip over there even if I don't need anything. :chuckle:
 
I've always thought Lowe's was a better place to shop, but there's a Home Depot everywhere you go, so convenience is a factor too. BTW does one have better prices than the other?
 
Good choice. Home Depot really is an absolutely terrible place. I will drive the extra distance to go to Lowe's which has:



1) A LOGICAL order to product placement.

2) People who actually work there.

3) People who remember that there are these pesky things called customers walking around.

4) People who respect their fellow man and don't engage in incredibly shocking displays of extreme unprofessionalism and an extremely alarming lack of basic courtesy and not even a notion of "customer service."
 
i avoid both HD and lowes w/ the same passion that i avoid the mall.



i go to my local hardware store, a bit more expensive but the old guys are always there to help, crack me up in the process and most guys know my name.



i go to my local lumber supply place for lumber and such. gave up long ago on lumber at HD and lowes, their selection is the worst - absolute worst.



i go to my local garden supply shop, much better selection and higher quality.



the only time i go to HD / lowes is for tools. granted they carry the worst quality stuff but the local tool shop is priced way too high b/c they cater to professionals and carry the higher end products.
 
haper said:
granted they carry the worst quality stuff but the local tool shop is priced way too high b/c they cater to professionals and carry the higher end products.
Click to expand...



I didn't realize DeWalt/Hitachi/Bosch/Makita/Milwaukee were the worst quality tools you can buy. So if those names are all crap... enlighten me as to what the local tool shop carries that is miles ahead of some of the top names in the industry?
 
I wish HD would just go out of business already. They do not deserve to be in business or take up space on this Earth.
 
paul34 said:
I wish HD would just go out of business already. They do not deserve to be in business or take up space on this Earth.
Click to expand...



that reminds me, i have a GC for around $100. hopefully they won't go out of business before i get to spend it... :scared:
 
Guess I'm bored this morning and looking up old threads, thought I would do a U-turn on this one. The Lowes that I was so proud of at the beginning of this thread has deteriorated, as predicted by some earlier in the thread. In the meantime, my closest HD, which used to have an Expo attached (I used to walk around in the Expo for amusement, to see the decadent excess...the showers that looked like Seven of Nine's regeneration station, and the $4,000 stainless steel barbeques), well, they closed the Expo and expanded the HD into the extra space.



It's now cleaner, better lit, bigger selection of some things, and holy crap, they have people who insist on helping you and know what they're talking about! Not only that, but they have cashiers! I still can't bring my friend Jr. in there...I was talking to her and she didn't answer so I turned around and she was down the aisle having an asthma attack...oh well. The only down side was the tool dept. didn't seem to be as good as before, unless I was in the wrong place (or I'm thinking of Lowe's....)
 
My closest HD, now a "Super Store" (after expanding into the former Expo next door, as described above) continues to amaze me. I was in there over the weekend to get some water-softener salt, and wasn't quite sure if I remembered where it was, so there was an employee walking along and I asked to make sure I was going the right way. He said yes, it's down on the end of this aisle, and started walking down there with me. I thought he was just going that way, or wanted to make sure I found it, but when we got there (I was wheeling a shopping cart) he started putting his gloves on and said "how many do you want?". I assured him I had it, but he stood there and watched me load the bags just to make sure. Holy crap! When was the last time an employee anywhere volunteered to load heavy stuff into your shopping cart?
 
i just went to my local HD a few weeks ago and it still looks the same (dirty) LOL. i still have my gift card and still don't know what i want to buy as i already have a ridgid wet/dry vac, extension cords, etc. anyone want to buy a $96.90 gift card for $75 (no expiration date)? :D
 
Well I had a similar experience at my HD yesterday. I purchased a flood/security light from HD and a bulb went out. So I went back to pick up some bulbs and decided to poke around and see what ever. So I'm walking staring down isle when an employee stops and ask me what I'm looking for. So I said I'm looking for decorative door hangers for the bathroom door. He said oh follow me and proceeded to walk to the area and point out where every thing was.

Now at Lowes they have asked me before if I needed something while walking around aimlessly, but most just point to a section and that's it. The guy at HD walked me over and pointed to where the products started and ended, then asked if I needed anything else he'd be 2 isle down. Now that is customer service in my book.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top