Who else has had a problem with HOME DEPOT?

[Planogirl]

And only go in there to get my Lime Green Mickey Heads, thats IT! We went to Lowes and got GREAT service there.

Funny but my experience is just the opposite. Don't even get me started on what a mess Lowe's is.

 

[Chicago526]

My DH has had it up to *here* with all of them. The only store he likes is Ace Hardware, and unfortunatly they don't sell lumber, so he has to go to one of the three Big Box home improvement stores in our area for anything other than the basics, Lowes, HD and Menard's. Depending on what he needs, he may have to go to all three to get everything. Menards has better lumber, Lowes has a better selection on some items, and HD on others.

We've never had any of them do work for us or install anything, nor have we ordered online so I can't comment there.

 

[ericamanda01]

HD has terrible customer service! Years ago my mother had a problem with them and has refused to return to their store. They treated her so badly that I too wouldn't shop there. Well not that long ago they had fans on sale so DH and went just to pick up a fan. I was shocked that just picking up a fan we would encounter rude employees. We bought the fan and I vowed never to return! Lowes will get all my money!

 

[beachbunny]

Obi Wan: Just where is Home Depot's customer service located? And how do I get ahold of a live body without waiting 30-40 minutes?

I called today Home Depot's customer service department to voice my complaint about the manager. The wait was 30 minutes. When I finally got a live body, it sounded like I was speaking to someone in India who didn't quite understand english. I swear, he repeated every single thing I said - twice! And for his answers, it sounded like he was like he was reading from a book. When I asked to speak to his manager (so I could get something other than the cookie cutter response), he said I'm not authorized to do that. What? Oh yes, and just to start speaking to me, he had to have my first name, last name, address and telephone number. I started to give him my personal information but once I figured this was going to be 20 questions, I declinded.

 

[RitaZ.]

I would be banging out a letter to Home Depots Corporate Offices about that manager, I'll tell you that!!

It won't do any good. I made several calls and also wrote a letter to their corporate offices without any results.

We had to replace our front door, we decided to go with HD because I couldn't find anyone else to do the work. We paid for the entire order in early January. I can't tell you how many problems we had, all due to HD's mistakes. I called their corporate offices soooo many times and it didn't do any good. I was told numerous times that they would return my call, they never did. There is one HD employee at the store that took pity on us and is the only one that helped us. We were powerless and at their mercy.

Our front door was finally installed last Thursday, I thought it would never happen. This was the one and only time that we've used their "professional" installation services. Never again!!!! There is a serious problem with their management, that's where the disconnect comes from. Never again!!!!

 

[pajamommy]

I am afraid of Home Depot. Really. I am petrified everytime I enter that store! Hate it! Must be genetic, as my kids hate it too!

 

[beachbunny]

Confusing Update: Not only is my patio furniture set on sale on the internet, it is also on sale in the catalog from which I special ordered it in-store. So therefore I should get the catalog price, right? That's not what Home Depot says. Since I purchased it in-store, I only get a discount if the manufacturer has it on sale and since the manufacturer does not have it on sale.... What?

 

[RitaZ.]

Confusing Update: Not only is my patio furniture set on sale on the internet, it is also on sale in the catalog from which I special ordered it in-store. So therefore I should get the catalog price, right? That's not what Home Depot says. Since I purchased it in-store, I only get a discount if the manufacturer has it on sale and since the manufacturer does not have it on sale.... What?

What?

You said the order has been delayed. I take it that you don't have it yet. Is that right? If so, I would cancel the order, then order it for the lower price.

 

[GalDisney]

<<Having said that, it is very common for B&M (brick-and-mortar) stores to match only the prices of other, local B&M stores. Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, etc., none of them match even their own Internet pricing. >>>
You are wrong about Sears. I work for Sears and I often have to price match what is on the web site vs. in the store.

 

[RitaZ.]

Having said that, it is very common for B&M (brick-and-mortar) stores to match only the prices of other, local B&M stores. Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, etc., none of them match even their own Internet pricing. The costs of doing business via Internet are so much lower, that the prices can be lower.

Circuit City matched their online price on a Hello Kitty tv I purchased for my DD.

 

[Ms Marigny]

Oh yeah, we're having serious problems with Home Depot as well...
We measured and paid in full for formica countertops in May. We asked them how long it would take for them to come in, and they said 2-3 weeks. Three weeks went by and no countertops, so we called them for an update- they said we needed to call the subcontractor for info because once the order if paid for, it is out of their hands and we would be dealing solely with the subcontracor. Okayyyy, so we call the subcontractor- they said the order isn't in the computer and they have no record of it! So, after arguing with them a bit, they say "oh yeah, we see it now in the system- it is going to take another four weeks". Grrr, whatever, so five weeks go by, still no countertops. We call them again and they say it is going to be another four weeks because we ordered "special order" countertops. I had no knowledge that these were "special order" countertops, they are just plain old formica, and I think they are full of bull. So, we go in person to Home Depot to complain, since they are the ones who took our money and hired these subcontractor clowns, and of course, they could totally care less and said if we wanted countertops so fast, we shouldn't have ordered "special order" ones because those take 3-4 months! I said no one ever said they were special order, they just told us when we ordered them that it would be 2-3 weeks! She said "well, someone gave you the wrong info, sorry about that" and that was it. I just get the feeling that they have no clue what is going on there, that no one is trained properly, and that they have lousy customer service!

 

[bicker]

Circuit City refused to match price for Monster cables. I had to order them on the website to get the Internet price.

 

[Laurajean1014]

NOT my favorite store. I loathe going in there.

 

[lovmy2girls]

We bought a washer there, on our HOme Depot card. We paid off the card. After 1 year, and 3 water seals later, Maytag said we could get another washer from Home Depot or get our money back. The product was defective as per Maytag themselves, as well as the repair men that had to keep coming to fix it.

Well, Home Depot did not have a washer that we wanted. We wanted a Kenmore. Home Depot does not sell Kenmore, or any other brand that we wanted.

We asked for our money back, so we could go to Sears and get a Kenmore. They would only give us store credit because it was bought on our Home Depot CArd. We told them, and they understood, that the card was paid off, we paid in our money, and did not want store credit, but cash to go somewhere else. NO WAY. They said "Its not our policy to do this" We also understood this, and can see how in some cases, people charging, then asking for cash could get carried away with this. But could they look at our case on an individual basis here, and realize we are not doing this. NO WAY We also know that stores like Home Depot can do what they want to do. Customer Service is customer service.

They refused. My hubby still hates Home Depot today.

 

[beachbunny]

Update: I haven't received my patio set yet and won't until some time in August. But I can't cancel the order and order the set on sale because pursuant to the fine print on the contract Home Depot will charge me a restocking fee if I cancel - it would almost be a wash at that point and I may have to wait even longer for delivery.

I've been dealing with a customer service rep in the store who said that if we can get WRITTEN confirmation that the patio set is on sale in the catalog then they MIGHT price match since I purchased it FROM THE CATALOG. And how might I go about doing that I asked her? So I gave her the 1-800 number from the catalog to confirm the price for herself. She and another customer service rep have tried to get a live body by dialing this number and none have succeeded - it has not been TWO DAYS - how bad is it when a Home Depot employee can't reach their own customer service department??? I believe the sale ends Sunday. Right now, I feel like screaming!

 

[jipsy]

This is why I do my best NOT to shop at these places, including Wal Mart. All of the big box stores have put so many of the little guys out of business and then they treat you like crap.

I would suggest to all of you to shop LOCAL businesses.

 

[AllyandJack]

They are insanely overpriced for installation services. I bought flooring that was $3.99/sq ft. They wanted $4.99/sq ft to install it. DH told them no thanks and we spent many weekends working our tails off doing it ourselves. Garage door openers....$64. each. They wanted $75. each to install them. Again, DH and I did it ourselves. The best was when they came out to give us an estimate for a fence. They said it was going to be over $12,000. We figured out that the materials would only cost close to $5,000 and the rest was installation. Are you kidding?!?

 

[bicker]

The local businesses are no great deals either. They charge even more than Home Depot and Lowes. They say is it because they cannot complete with the buying power. Well, I guess I can believe that, but should I deliberately spend more, without getting better service?

 

[Hygiene99]

Update: I haven't received my patio set yet and won't until some time in August. But I can't cancel the order and order the set on sale because pursuant to the fine print on the contract Home Depot will charge me a restocking fee if I cancel - it would almost be a wash at that point and I may have to wait even longer for delivery.

I've been dealing with a customer service rep in the store who said that if we can get WRITTEN confirmation that the patio set is on sale in the catalog then they MIGHT price match since I purchased it FROM THE CATALOG. And how might I go about doing that I asked her? So I gave her the 1-800 number from the catalog to confirm the price for herself. She and another customer service rep have tried to get a live body by dialing this number and none have succeeded - it has not been TWO DAYS - how bad is it when a Home Depot employee can't reach their own customer service department??? I believe the sale ends Sunday. Right now, I feel like screaming!

Restocking Fee
Are you kidding. item has not shipped , even if it had it has been delayed & delayed.
Does it say anything about that fee on you slip ?

So they, sit there with your money, and you have no where to sit !!

 

[jipsy]

I have gotten much better service at local businesses than I do at the Home Depots of the world. If I don't get good service with a local business, I just don't shop there anymore either; there are local businesses and restaurants I won't go to for the same reasons. However, I find that the majority of the time the service I receive and the personal satisfaction I get by shopping local is 100 times better.

Yes I will pay more for local business every day of the week. It helps keep my community alive and it doesn't make sense to pay less at Home Cheapo and not get what you pay for, in quality but especially service. Also, by shopping locally I reduce my impulse purchasing because the amount of items carried by local businesses is much smaller. Any time I have to go to the Wal-Marts of the world, I end up walking out with 10 times the amount of stuff I went in there to buy.

Recently my farm supply store, locally owned, went out of business because the owners retired and no one bought the store from them. This meant I could either buy my farm supplies at a big box store which is 30 minutes away or find another local store. After trying several local farm supply stores, I find myself shopping at the one I like the most, which is 35 minutes away. They know me by name now, they know what brands I like without asking, they make recommendations on new products because they know what kind of livestock I have, and they are willing to order anything I want if they don't have it in stock. If I don't like something, they return it no questions asked and give me a refund in cash, no matter how I paid. Yes, I drive 5 minutes further and pay a little more, but it's definitely worth it.

However, recently the hardware store has begun carrying some of the farm supplies I need, so I try to support him when possible. Unfortunately his hours don't mesh with mine, but he is open on Saturday so I try to shop with him on that day when I can. The local hardware store is less expensive than Home Cheapo in the long run for me, because he's five minutes from my house whereas Home Cheapo is 30 minutes away, the parking lot situation there is awful also.

I am a huge believer in supporting your local businesses over chain stores/restaurants.