lowe's wrong chain saw in box

[rocco611]

I thought I purchased a Craftman s205 chainsaw , but when I got home there was a troy built chainsaw in the box. also it had a damaged primer bulb. I took the troybuilt saw back to lowe's in the craftsman box I recieved it in along with the receipt. The manager looked up the troybuilt model # said the troybuilt saw was a home depot exclusive , and that no way did that saw come in that box from this store. I asked them to check another box. they brought one to the counter. unsnapped the case looked inside the closed the case quickly then told me they would not take back the saw. they didnt let me look inside the case. also the they said the saw I had fuel and oil residue in it, they said they cannot take back power equipment with fuel or oil residue . do new saws get tested before shipping? if so a saw new in the box that had been tested would not be returnable ? Anyway that was my only bad experience with lowes. not sure I will shop there again though

 

[scaredychicken]

theft ? fraudulent return ?

my guess

 

[RandyT]

I think somebody purchased a new Craftsman saw, put their old Troybilt saw in the case and then returned it and somebody wasn't paying attention and it ended back on the shelf and you unfortunately purchased it. And also most stores will not let you return products that gas has been put into. Has to do with state and federal fire codes.

 

[nbking]

Nowadays you have to open the box in the store for any high priced items. I worked at Lowe's for 3 years, it happened so much. People would purchase something, return it within a couple days. Most of the time it appeared it hadn't been open. The return desk wouldn't open it, back in the department no one would check, just back on the shelf. Pretty crappy
Power equipment was the worst, people would buy a lawnmower, use it for a couple days, return it as broken (mowed their field) grass still sticking out the bag. Had a dewalt bandit, would buy the cheap 20volt drill, and the XR drill, put the cheap one in the expensive box and return it. Or just put an old burned out corded one back in, and return it. Gotta open It in the store

 

[rocco611]

the troybuilt saw in the box was new as near as I could tell . other than some residue in the tanks. not any liquid but a film.

 

[rocco611]

I had no Idea it was that bad with returns. I got the impressing from the return desk staff that they thought I was a criminal.

 

[grsthegreat]

if its boxed, expensive item at any store, i open it at the check out stand to verify its all there. my wifes motto with home depot and lowes...."if there are 2 parts or more...something will be missing". and alot of people are scum. i wanted some new spark plugs for chain saw. went to lowes and looked on shelf....on every rack there were empty blister packs hanging. people cant afford $3.99 for a sparkplug and steel them. oh brother.

 

[scaredychicken]

basically a criminal upgrade

 

[hosspuller]

Had this happen to me at Walmart years ago, bought a CD player. Box had an old cassette player in it. Walmart took it back. These days, one has to open the box to check before paying for it. It's a side effect of generous return policies. There's always someone that will take advantage of the system.

 

[KennyG]

Didn't know this was happening with power tools, but open blister packs are common. Also, shoe boxes with old shoes. That doesn't even require the return process. They put on the new ones and walk out.

 

[5030]

Amazon is guilty of it (open box, defective, used item inside) as well. Bought a new Timex watch from Amazon, sold and shipped by Amazon, and when it arrived, the watch inside was obviously a return shipped back out to me...lol The winding stem was missing and the watch was stuffed in the box. It went back again and I bought one at Kohls online, same price and new. Back during the Covid lockdown.

 

[2manyrocks]

I'm guessing the store guy realized that the saw in the box wasn't what it was supposed to be when he opened another new box and then he thought you were the one trying to return a used Troy Bilt saw while keeping the new Craftsman that was supposed to be in the box.

The aggravating thing is the store should have checked the box and caught this when the used saw was returned to them so neither they nor another customer would get stuck like this.

 

[orezok]

The real criminal is the return clerk. “Hey… not my problem, I still get paid on Friday!”

 

[JJT]

Go back to the store, calmly explain the situation and ask for a manager. They will make this right, don't leave until they do. Keep your cool, take a deep breath, stay calm.

 

[ljjhouser]

It is unfortunate that many stores do not assume the responsibility to stop theft. Many just think it is the cost of doing business and add it to what they charge the customer. I would find out how to esclate that to corporate or up. Many times they realize you are not the thief going to all that trouble. Otherwise, I would never shop there again and check boxes I buy.

Small business retailers often realize that a happy customer tells one other friend. An unhappy customer tells 14 friends.

 

[stephenh]

Bought, or was buying, a top-name gas grill from HD. $$$ Noticed the box seemed to have been re-taped shut. I wanted to open that box and check to see if all was ok. There were many parts, and I would have to do this out in the aisle. Clerk didn't want to let me, called his manager, who reluctantly agreed to allow it. I pulled out all the parts. All the hardware [many fasterners, etc.] loose in the box, the plastic bags all torn open. Couple of major parts missing. Owners manual obviously dirty and crumpled, someone had obviously started assembly then stopped and brought it back for refund. Manager said, no way can we sell this, we'll order you one [only one they had in stock of that model]. I have gotten to where I almost always open the box of whatever thing I'm buying to see whether it's all there.

 

[sd455dan]

Nowadays you have to open the box in the store for any high priced items. I worked at Lowe's for 3 years, it happened so much. People would purchase something, return it within a couple days. Most of the time it appeared it hadn't been open. The return desk wouldn't open it, back in the department no one would check, just back on the shelf. Pretty crappy
Power equipment was the worst, people would buy a lawnmower, use it for a couple days, return it as broken (mowed their field) grass still sticking out the bag. Had a dewalt bandit, would buy the cheap 20volt drill, and the XR drill, put the cheap one in the expensive box and return it. Or just put an old burned out corded one back in, and return it. Gotta open It in the store

Wife bought a 40 volt Ryobi self propelled electric mower at Home depot yesterday. Gets it home starts assembly and notices both arms(the handle) are broken (These new electrics are mainly Plastic.) She heads back to HD with the "new" mower and the assistant says I doubt it was broken in the box like that...
Wife says get another one and lets see.

They proceed to open 8 brand new mower boxes. 7 of 8 had broken handles/arms and out of 9 counting the original one she took back and were totally unusable they were so damaged.
Manager is called at that point and says somebody is in trouble for accepting damaged boxes. I have to wonder if the shipper stacked something like a unit of lumber on top of the boxes since they were all compressed in the same way. Since the handle was the longest piece it took the brunt of the force.

 

[2manyrocks]

Wife bought a 40 volt Ryobi self propelled electric mower at Home depot yesterday. Gets it home starts assembly and notices both arms(the handle) are broken (These new electrics are mainly Plastic.) She heads back to HD with the "new" mower and the assistant says I doubt it was broken in the box like that...
Wife says get another one and lets see.

They proceed to open 8 brand new mower boxes. 7 of 8 had broken handles/arms and out of 9 counting the original one she took back and were totally unusable they were so damaged.
Manager is called at that point and says somebody is in trouble for accepting damaged boxes. I have to wonder if the shipper stacked something like a unit of lumber on top of the boxes since they were all compressed in the same way. Since the handle was the longest piece it took the brunt of the force.

That could have easily gone the other way if they hadn't looked at the other boxes and found so many broken.

I recently bought a Ryobi 40v self propelled mower. Those plastic knobs they are using don't look like they are going to last very long, IMO.

Kudos to your wife.

 

[sea2summit]

Many just think it is the cost of doing business and add it to what they charge the customer.

Where else will the money to cover the cost come from? I guarantee they put a lot of thought into how much to deter/protect/prosecute vs let go. It’s sometimes cheaper to let it happen which is better for the customer.

 

[sd455dan]

That could have easily gone the other way if they hadn't looked at the other boxes and found so many broken.

I recently bought a Ryobi 40v self propelled mower. Those plastic knobs they are using don't look like they are going to last very long, IMO.

Kudos to your wife.

I agree.
I did not want to criticize the new Ryobi she chose. But I think after storing it through a few really cold winters and some time in the sun plus use on rough ground, it is just a matter of time until the control handle breaks.