Home Depot Rant #476,352,939

[Podunkadunk]

I've heard several people mention shopping at stores in their town that are locally owned. I've tried that, but it seems that unless I want to try and get there before 5pm during the week, I'm out of luck, because most of them are closed on the weekend.

My case in point, I was looking for stainless steel 4d 2" finishing nails recently. Of course Home Despot and Blowes didn't stock them. Each of the representatives that I had to pull off coffee break in the hardware section told me to try store "X" in town. This was a Saturday afternoon, around 1:30pm. I drove over, got out, walked to the door, pulled the handle and almost broke my arm...it was locked down tighter than my wife's wallet!

I told my father (who was with me), "this is why Home Despot and Blowes is putting ma and pop stores out of business". So I drove back to Home Despot and bought galvanized instead

Podunk

 

[irwin]

Good. They deserve it. From what I've heard, their CEO has run the business into the ground. He'll probably get fired and have to fall back on a little $100 million golden parachute...poor guy.
QUOTE]

I'm convinced. The reason for much of the poor service is poor oversight, unions, (I do believe unions have done great things..but they'll sic the lawyers on anyone who points out the obvious making it hard to get rid of dead wood) and top management making obscene money even when the company loses so much money it would fill a civic center..

 

[Bird]

I've heard several people mention shopping at stores in their town that are locally owned. I've tried that, but it seems that unless I want to try and get there before 5pm during the week, I'm out of luck, because most of them are closed on the weekend.

My case in point, I was looking for stainless steel 4d 2" finishing nails recently. Of course Home Despot and Blowes didn't stock them. Each of the representatives that I had to pull off coffee break in the hardware section told me to try store "X" in town. This was a Saturday afternoon, around 1:30pm. I drove over, got out, walked to the door, pulled the handle and almost broke my arm...it was locked down tighter than my wife's wallet!

I told my father (who was with me), "this is why Home Despot and Blowes is putting ma and pop stores out of business". So I drove back to Home Despot and bought galvanized instead

Podunk

Yep, that's long been a problem. Texas used to have "blue laws" that kept most businesses closed on Sunday, but now most are allowed to be open 7 days a week (there are exceptions, such as car dealers and liquor stores) but many smaller businesses don't want to be open on weekends while the big stores are, and I can understand that. I don't know what the solution would be, though.

 

[weldingisfun]

I've heard several people mention shopping at stores in their town that are locally owned. I've tried that, but it seems that unless I want to try and get there before 5pm during the week, I'm out of luck, because most of them are closed on the weekend.

My case in point, I was looking for stainless steel 4d 2" finishing nails recently. Of course Home Despot and Blowes didn't stock them. Each of the representatives that I had to pull off coffee break in the hardware section told me to try store "X" in town. This was a Saturday afternoon, around 1:30pm. I drove over, got out, walked to the door, pulled the handle and almost broke my arm...it was locked down tighter than my wife's wallet!

I told my father (who was with me), "this is why Home Despot and Blowes is putting ma and pop stores out of business". So I drove back to Home Despot and bought galvanized instead

Podunk

The mom and pop stores stay in business because of the contractors. The contractors do their buying M - F 7am - 5 pm while you are working at wherever you work.
The contractors won't put up with the bull stuff that make HD and Lowes so frustrating for the rest of us.

 

[podagrower]

So, down in my neck of the woods, they openend a brand new Lowes directly across the street from the Home Depot. The service at this particular HD was never bad, most of the people there actually seemed to care. With the new Lowes open, they had to step up a knotch.
"Would you like me rub your feet while you look at those tools, sir?" kind of stuff...
I went across the street and got
"Would sir care for a warm towel on his face while he shops?"

It will be interesting to see how this battle turns out.

 

[Bird]

The competition between Lowe's and Home Depot is interesting, to say the least. Several years ago when Waco had neither, a new Lowe's was built about 2 blocks from a McCoy's and I think they put McCoy's out of business. Later, Home Depot built a few store in sight of the Lowe's. Now Home Depot has built a new one on the other side of town and I haven't been down there since so I don't know whether it replaced the older one or is an additional store.

In Lewisville, the Home Depot and Lowe's are right across the street from each other.

In Denton, I guess Home Depot was there first, but Lowe's built a new store quite some distance from Home Depot, so Home Depot built a new store in sight of the Lowe's. The old Home Depot stood vacant for a couple of years before they found a new tenant.

And since my shopping sometimes is affected by emotion as much as logic (like most people I think, although not all will admit it ), I used to really hate to give Ace Hardware any business because of their use of John Madden for advertising and I can't tell you what I think of him. However, where I live now, we have a nearby Ace Hardware store that has an incredible inventory for the size of the building and they always have someone there ready and willing to help a customer, so it's a hard place to beat for both service and for finding things I can't find elsewhere. And they're even open on Sunday.

 

[EddieWalker]

I avoid the big box stores whenever possible... part of it might be due to my van being broken into twice while shopping at HD and the other big reason is that it just takes too much time to get in and out.

I have 2 Orchard Supply Stores that I frequent often... although the selection has changed since the merger with Sears/K-mart...

I also will go out of my way to shop at an Old Time family owned hardware store because I get great service...

I second Tom_H in recommending Grainger... I can order a case of light bulbs on a Thursday afternoon and they will be delivered the next morning...

I used to go to the Orchard Supply over Home Depot all the time in San Leandro. I figured Orchard was charging me a few cents more for most items, but there was never a line there, I could park real close to the entrance, there was always somebody there to answer a question or help me find something and they had a good selection. After Sears bought them, the tools included Craftsman brand stuff, which I thought was a good thing. I like Orchard and wish we had one here.

While at the Home Depot on San Leandro, I ran into a guy who was doing an inspection of the store. That was his job, he travels from store to store and reports on what he finds or observes. We talked a little, and I told him about some of the issues that I had with the store and why I rarely shop there anymore. He agreed with me and said that it was the worse run Hope Depot that he's ever been in.

Sorry to hear about your van getting broken into. I forgot about that aspect of shoping in that area. I would park in places that I thought it was less likely to happen anywhere I went shoping. Living here, I leave tools in the back of my truck while shoping, and don't even think twice about it.

Eddie

 

[MossRoad]

I've heard several people mention shopping at stores in their town that are locally owned. I've tried that, but it seems that unless I want to try and get there before 5pm during the week, I'm out of luck, because most of them are closed on the weekend....

Podunk

Our little stores are usually open on Saturday's until noon... or two, or four depending on business.

 

[ultrarunner]

Sorry to hear about your van getting broken into. I forgot about that aspect of shoping in that area. I would park in places that I thought it was less likely to happen anywhere I went shoping. Living here, I leave tools in the back of my truck while shoping, and don't even think twice about it. Eddie

I can't imagine what it would be to work somewhere where I didn't have to worry about things "Walking Away"

I've had to replace the door locks on my Van twice already because they wore out from being used too often...

I used to use a pick-up but not being able to lock things up got to be too much of a liability... I carried my string trimmer to my pick-up from the side of a house I was working on, turned around to lock the gate and the trimmer was gone... I was never more that 40 feet away and only had my back turned the time to walk back to close the gate...

Home Depot was 12 Noon on Sunday and I was parked in the first space nearest the front doors... several people heard and saw the guy break-in and the alarm sounded... he was so quick darting through the lot with my sawzall that no one could catch him...

 

[Skyco]

One curious thing I've noticed comparing Home Depot and Lowes- I'm in the car a lot so naturally need to use a restroom occasionally and tend to note where the clean ones are in the areas I frequent. Home Depot restrooms are the nastiest, way worse than Lowes. Wonder why that is?

Of course a clean restroom is preferable and I just have to browse a little and usually buy something....

 

[rcrcomputing]

On another note, my wife won't hardly step in Lowe's because they make here listen to mexican on the automated phone when you call there.

Oklahoma legislature just voted down the "english language" law. Of course, once again, it won't stand. Terril will take it to a vote of the people like he always does and people overwhelmingly support English as the language..

He riles up some folks, but all he does it take things to a vote of the people.. Imagine doing what the people want.. What a novel idea..

 

[MarkV]

Times sure have changed from when I started in the building industry. For years I would pick up the phone and call Bud, the salesman that always handled my account, tell him what I needed and when I would have someone pick it up. It would be ready on the dock with someone to load it. Larger orders were always delivered the next day like clock work. Then the box stores ran that yard out of business along with two others in town. Now the remaining yard is so busy you need to get on a list for deliveries and hope to get it that week. For smaller pick up items they are not much better than the box stores because of low staffing to keep the overhead down so they can compete with the box stores.

I predict it is going to get worst with the home building and remodeling industry at a low. The independent stores aren’t moving enough volume to make it though the industry slump where the box stores cut employs and services to wait it out. Once the independent yards are gone the big boys will have the monopoly they have been working towards. Once you control the market you control the prices and we all lose.

MarkV

 

[EddieWalker]

I predict it is going to get worst with the home building and remodeling industry at a low.

I can only speak for my area, but house prices are holding there numbers, they are taking longer to sell. Time on the market is now measured in months, and the buyers have become allot more picky. That's to be expected with a large number of homes to pick from.

For me, as a remodeler/handyman type contractor, it's a booming market. I have realtors that I work with in fixing up homes for sale by either doing those things the homeowners always put off, or never thought was important. Now that they want to sell the house, making it as attractive as possible is very important.

Then there are those who were planning on selling and buying a new house. They have changed their minds, and are fixing up the house they have. My last client said that they know what they have in this house and don't want to start all over with a new one.

My current waiting list is into mid August. I have clients that want to get on the list that I'm seeing this week. I'm spending thousands of dollars a week at the box stores and from what I can tell, there are allot of others doing the exact same thing.

I'm actually worried what might happen if the economy picks up and people start buying houses again. I guess I can always go back into building spec homes.

Eddie

 

[RobertN]

use of John Madden for advertising and I can't tell you what I think of him.

I know, it is tough for a Texan to talk about a real and true football great that is not a Dallas Cowboy But it is true, great player, awesome coach, and gifted commentator. I wish the Raiders would bring him back, even if only a consulting coach. Then maybe they'd win again like the old days with Madden, Stabler, Guy, Upshaw...

 

[Charlesaf3]

We've still got a lot of independents up here. But yeah, they are geared towards contractors, and for little lots like $500 (from their perspective) they may or may not be interested. Most of the time the retail guy takes 5 times the time for a tiny percent of the profit.

Doesn't mean you shouldn't go there, just trying to explain the business.

Ultrarunner, where are you that is so bad? I leave stuff in the back of my pickup in Boston all the time, no issues. I expect if I left a trimmer out for days I'd lose it, but what you are describing sounds crazy to me.

 

[N80]

Doesn't mean you shouldn't go there, just trying to explain the business.

I've got no problem with that, if a lumber yard doesn't want $500 worth of business that's their prerogative. But if that's the case, they shouldn't whine about the HD and Lowes putting them out of business.

As far as Sunday sales, well, I'm an old fashioned guy. I do my best not to 'shop' on Sunday and I have nothing but admiration for someone who is willing to close on Sunday whether is for the benefit of the employees, religious reasons or both.

And I don't really buy it that a business can't survive without being open on Sunday. Two names come to mind Chik-fil-a and B&H. Chik-fil-a does not open on Sunday and I dare say they are doing well. B&H is one of the biggest camera retailers around and is run by Jews that are strict Sabbatarians. They close on Saturday and all Jewish holidays....and there are tons of those. On the Jewish holidays, you can't even place an order on the web site...at least it isn't processed that day. B&H is extremely successful.

Ultrarunner, where are you that is so bad? I leave stuff in the back of my pickup in Boston all the time, no issues. I expect if I left a trimmer out for days I'd lose it, but what you are describing sounds crazy to me.

I've been hearing about this more and more. Seems like theft in these big box parking lots is becoming a trend. Just the other day a friend had the ball and receiver hitch stolen off of his truck in a Lowes parking lot. Might not seem like a big deal but have you priced those things? They aren't cheap. And all you have to do is slide the pin out. He now has locking ones on his truck but they cost even more and are a PITB to deal with if you have to change them often.

And if you think about it, those places are prime for that sort of theft. Most of the time when I go in one, I'm headed for my place with all sorts of tools and stuff in the back. And no one is going to notice someone casually taking stuff out of the back of a pick up. I've started leaving someone in the truck.

 

[Charlesaf3]

George, makes sense about big box parking lots, but it still strikes me as really sad. I wouldn't have thought those things went on in your neck of the woods, but I guess that's idealizing on my part.

I agree with you that $500 should be enough, and for the guys I deal with it would be. My order will still get filled first, as I do closer to $500 a day - yours may get delivered the next day. For pickup you'd still get helped when you drove up.

Most of the places that deal mainly with pros are closed on weekends - they get very little business those days, the retail isn't enough to pay the guys generally.

 

[dmccarty]

We have had trucks and trailors taken from the big box store parking lots. They find the truck/trailors later but the tools, the big money, are all gone.

I have been approached twice over the years in the parking lots from guys selling stuff. One was selling a Dewalt Circular saw and the other brand new in the box wall/ceiling mount speakers. All just freshly stolen from the job site...

Later,
Dan

 

[Western]

As far as theft, I think this is the tip of the iceburg, as the economy suffers weak minds will turn to theft. "weak" may be a little strong, maybe I should say "desperate" dunno..

I've had good and bad trips to HD and Lowes, I take it either way, make my diss satisfaction or satisfaction known and thank God I'm not the CEO of either. Of course I would'nt mind the pay, a couple of 100 million for a crappy job sound fun.
If most of us contractors worked like them we would be out of work.

 

[riptides]

I've been hearing about this more and more. Seems like theft in these big box parking lots is becoming a trend. Just the other day a friend had the ball and receiver hitch stolen off of his truck in a Lowes parking lot. Might not seem like a big deal but have you priced those things? They aren't cheap. And all you have to do is slide the pin out. He now has locking ones on his truck but they cost even more and are a PITB to deal with if you have to change them often.

Locking hitches,
locking gas/diesel caps,
locking lugs and
locking doors.

I never tank up anymore. Why bother. if they wanna siphon, they will need to work at mine.