Lowe's closing 50 stores !

[Ford850]

I have two towns about half hour from me that each have Lowes, Home Depot, and Menards. I usually go south and have settled on Menards 95% of the time. HD has gotten more of my business recently due to the great selection online because they ship for free or to the store for free. Last night I went north to that cluster of the 3 stores. I was in them all, and found the experience to be nearly identical to their stores when I go to the town south of me. Lowes was a ghost town, with employees avoiding eye contact and scurrying away so I had to find things on my own. HD was a little better, with a cleaner store that was better stocked and organized. One employee asked to help me. Still the store was nearly empty. Then on to Menards. Employees approached me several times asking if I needed anything. (when Menards opened, it was mandatory for employees to ask customers to assist them, and then mandatory for them to walk you to the item you were looking for rather than just say "it's in isle 9" ) The store is bright and clean. I bought a wide variety as usual, including Howes Diesel Treat, epoxy, treated lumber, 20' sticks of rebar, bacon, eyebolts and turnbuckles, dog food, and I special ordered a sheet of walnut plywood. I checked out and picked up this week's rebate form to get 11% credit on the purchase. They also have scanner stands around the store so you can price check items if they aren't marked. Oh, and they have an Ap for your phone, so you can look up items and the Ap will show you the approximate area to find it in the store. The Ap also has a built in price scanner option so you can point at bar codes and get the current price. I love that place.

My wife and I went to the other cluster of these 3 stores a couple nights ago. First Menards where we found they are wrapping up a makeover and expanding the areas. They also have new LED lighting that is extremely bright now, which is nice for my tired old eyes. This store had well over 100 cars in the parking lot as usual. Unfortunately Menards only carries trim molding in 8' and 12' lengths, and not nearly as wide as I needed so they got no sale to me. Next was Lowes, where there were less than 10 cars. Their trim area was sparse compared to what it used to be, and they didn't carry any wider trim and most was 12' or less. Too bad since this is where I bought the original trim, 10 years ago, that I was trying to somewhat match. On to HD. Maybe 20 cars, but they had a much better selection of trim, in wide widths and 16' lengths. Well stocked and organized too. They get my business this time. It is nice to have a choice of all three stores within a couple miles of each other.

 

[ultrarunner]

Options and being able to use them is a great benefit of the right location...

With the Orchard 100 store chain of Lowes now gone it is off to Home Depot more... still nothing better as far as cashiers... only the self check was open... crazy for a store the size of Home Depot to have but a single cashier.

 

[ovrszd]

Self check is marketing genius. Right up there with Menard's 11% rebate that you have to spend in their store.

 

[fried1765]

Options and being able to use them is a great benefit of the right location...

With the Orchard 100 store chain of Lowes now gone it is off to Home Depot more... still nothing better as far as cashiers... only the self check was open... crazy for a store the size of Home Depot to have but a single cashier.

I have routinely gone to both Home Depot and Lowe's as necessary.
I just had a Home Depot experience that will change that.
I am an old veteran.
Home Depot, and Lowe's both give veterans a 10% discount, ...or so I thought.

I was in Atlanta for Christmas, visiting my son and his family.
My son's natural gas water heater failed, and I offered to buy him a new one.
He preferred the Rheem brand, sold by Home Depot.
Off we went to the local HD, and at checkout, the total amount was $797 with fittings.
Discount was $50. I questioned why not $79.70, and was told the HD discount maximum is $50.
I had heard this was an issue at HD, but had not done any recent buys there for over $500.

Being curious, I stopped at Lowe's on the way home, and asked about their veteran policy.
Lowe's is 10% off EVERYTHING,...... no matter what the total.
That's it for me.
Even though I may never go over the $500 limit again, I will steer clear of HD for ALL purchases!

Home Depot supports veterans for show.
Lowe's supports veterans without limitation.

It is a matter of principle for me!

 

[Oldoak]

It is nice to have a choice of all three stores within a couple miles of each other.

Your so lucky to have all three in your area. I sure wish Menards was here in PA. They have some of the nicest stores in the midwest with great selections of merchandise like Lowes and Home Depot combined.

 

[bcp]

HD gives discounts to disabled and military retirement veterans only, except on two holidays.

Lowes gives discounts to all veterans every day.

Bruce

=============

What I wrote above is from their websites. Store managers can make their own policies, I was told.

Bruce

 

[Diggin It]

Home Depot supports veterans for show.
Lowe's supports veterans without limitation.

It is a matter of principle for me!

I bought a ton of stuff without ever signing up. Just doesn't matter either way to me. But they DO have limits. Don't be fooled by the hype to the contrary.

 

[Diggin It]

Sometimes you have to wonder how these companies think. They sent me a $10 off $50 promo card good through January. I need some concrete blocks, so I added some to my cart. Sometimes I prefer to place an order on their website and just pick it up at the store instead of going in to shop if I only need a few things. These blocks are all out front, so I wouldn't even have had to go in other than to confirm the order pick up. The 10% discount showed. I added the Promo Card. The $10 showed but the 10% went away. I dumped the cart and cancelled the order since I rally didn't want to go to town and didn't need the blocks right away - just wanted to use the card before it expired.

Not wanting to lose the card promo value, I started shopping for things that could be shipped -- free with your account. Found a few things, added the $10 card and got the free shipping. This order is close to 40 pounds coming by FedEx Ground. I'm pretty sure that's costing them a lot more than the discount would have been on the blocks that I would have picked up. I know it's giving me a lot more value than the 10% on the blocks would have.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Your learning. Just was there today and the wife used the $10 certificate for her $60 purchase and I got the 10% military on my $1600 purchase. One of my items was on a special that saved $175 also. Just have to learn how to work the system. Sometimes I think they should just give me the stuff. I find Lowes a lot better on this stuff than HD. HD doesn't honor the military discount on web orders or on special orders.

Ron

 

[HillStreet]

In the early days I liked HD better than Lowes but have since switched. Neither is real outstanding, you pretty much need to know what you are looking for yourself.
I built a house 3 years ago and went to Lowes looking for a shower pan, or system to install as we neared having the building closed in. The man (thirty something) said he could help me when I told him what I wanted. That went south fast as he had no clue, never installed anything like that.

I said I was more interested in framing dimensions as we would start that soon. He looked on line, he read brochures, he stumbled, he stammered. I simply told him that he does not know his products and he should learn, not pretend to know. I thought he was going to cry he looked so shattered that I did not like the fact that he could not do his job. I got help elsewhere.
Next time in to that store, a new cashier was complaining about her pay. She was very large and not very presentable, yet she wanted more money. I told her she is working for a 70 some billion dollar company with thousands of stores across the country and 300,000 employees. Seek a department, work hard, get promoted, move with the company, show initiative. She thought I was a bit unsympathetic to her plight.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

In this area we only have Lowes and HD as big box stores. I go back and forth. They each have their strong points plus many weak points. Lowe is 10 miles closer so go there first. Lowes plumbing department sucks when it come to fittings. Electrical like HD their fitting stuff is short. HD is much larger stock. I am well known at Loews by many of the department heads because I am there a lot. When I really need help I always go to them. The average floor walker is useless. Like HS above many seem to just wander around and no nothing and do not seem to care about career advancement. Guess it is better than flipping burgers. So, when Lowes doesn't have it I go to HD or maybe Ace hardware. The "My Lowes program is great, military discount and streamline for returns, no receipt required. HD has a competition problem their and their special order program sucks. HD does not honor the military discount on special and on line orders like Lowes.

Ron

Ron

 

[goeduck]

There probably are not big paychecks handed out to the aisle workers at HD and Lowes so I have learned to do my research ahead of time. I have found some of them to be surprisingly knowledgeable, others, not so much. When I want expertise I go to a local Best store. I actually go there fairly often so that I am not just going when I need advice.

 

[Garandman]

Of course the Lowe’s that closed was the one closest to me.

But with 10% Veterans discount, Veterans parking and big discounts on Guardian cabinets I go to other nearby stores.

 

[Turbys_1700]

As I posted earlier we have both Home Depot and Lowes. I typically drop by Lowes because of convenience. One thing that I have noticed is the Craftsman invasion of tools at Lowes. They are everywhere.

 

[aczlan]

Next time in to that store, a new cashier was complaining about her pay. She was very large and not very presentable, yet she wanted more money. I told her she is working for a 70 some billion dollar company with thousands of stores across the country and 300,000 employees. Seek a department, work hard, get promoted, move with the company, show initiative. She thought I was a bit unsympathetic to her plight.

The funny thing (according to a friend of mine who worked at Lowe's) is that to work in a different department, pretty much all they have to do is say that they are interested in trying the other department and they will move them over there as soon as there is a space. He said that they were very flexible on letting you change departments.

Aaron Z

 

[goeduck]

The funny thing (according to a friend of mine who worked at Lowe's) is that to work in a different department, pretty much all they have to do is say that they are interested in trying the other department and they will move them over there as soon as there is a space. He said that they were very flexible on letting you change departments.

Aaron Z

That would be one way to learn the entire store. And one way to avoid having to know anything :laughing:

 

[atsah]

I get better prices from my local mom and pop hardware store than Lowes, or HD.

Me also. I have been to Lowes and HD and like neither one of them. They sell a lot of junk.. I can drive 10 minutes and not have to go through a truck load of lumber to find 5 straight boards.

 

[ultrarunner]

In this area we only have Lowes and HD as big box stores. I go back and forth. They each have their strong points plus many weak points. Lowe is 10 miles closer so go there first. Lowes plumbing department sucks when it come to fittings. Electrical like HD their fitting stuff is short. HD is much larger stock. I am well known at Loews by many of the department heads because I am there a lot. When I really need help I always go to them. The average floor walker is useless. Like HS above many seem to just wander around and no nothing and do not seem to care about career advancement. Guess it is better than flipping burgers. So, when Lowes doesn't have it I go to HD or maybe Ace hardware. The "My Lowes program is great, military discount and streamline for returns, no receipt required. HD has a competition problem their and their special order program sucks. HD does not honor the military discount on special and on line orders like Lowes.

Ron

Ron

I have found the caliber of any South Sound Lowes/Home Depot to be far superior to any here in the SF Bay Area... also the morale in the SF Bay Area tends to be very low.

In the Olympia/Lacey stores there are actually employees that have worked in the trades... generally older but still very knowledgeable.

Made the acquaintance of several and not having to work outside and crawl under houses is a benefit of warehouse work.

 

[Oaktree]

I said I was more interested in framing dimensions as we would start that soon. He looked on line, he read brochures, he stumbled, he stammered. I simply told him that he does not know his products and he should learn, not pretend to know. I thought he was going to cry he looked so shattered that I did not like the fact that he could not do his job. I got help elsewhere.
Next time in to that store, a new cashier was complaining about her pay. She was very large and not very presentable, yet she wanted more money. I told her she is working for a 70 some billion dollar company with thousands of stores across the country and 300,000 employees. Seek a department, work hard, get promoted, move with the company, show initiative. She thought I was a bit unsympathetic to her plight.

Yeah. A few years ago I was looking to replace a toilet. Was at either Lowes or HD (forget which), asked the guy in the plumbing dept. about the relative merits of one over the other. After some hemming and hawing, he admitted that his knowledge of toilets was limited to how to use one. :irked:

And these are the ones pushing to raise the minimum wage! Want more pay but aren't willing to make the effort to learn some skills that might actually make them attractive to an employer.

In this area we only have Lowes and HD as big box stores. I go back and forth. They each have their strong points plus many weak points. Lowe is 10 miles closer so go there first. Lowes plumbing department sucks when it come to fittings. Electrical like HD their fitting stuff is short. HD is much larger stock.

Here the two are literally right next door to one another, so if one doesn't have what you're looking for it's easy to shop the competition. Our Lowes has better finish lumber, but HD has a better selection of plywood. Plumbing/electrical are about the same, but each has items the other doesn't. One thing I noticed is that at least with beige outlets, switches, etc. they're a different shade in one store vs the other, and it's quite noticeable if you get an outlet at one and the switchplate from the other.

 

[2manyrocks]

It seems to me that a few years ago, Lowes and HD ran competitive deals from Black Friday through Christmas, but in the past couple of years, Lowes has not had as many deals, IMO. I bought several promotional sale items at HD late last year, but I don't recall buying any promotional deals at Lowes during the same time period.

Our local Lowes has plywood stacked on lower racks where it's easier to reach, but HD seems to be thriving locally.