Amazed at Box Store Apathy (long)

[Doug Kanter]

Oh, I know. I'm doing it alone (divorced). It's satisfying, but a pain in the ass sometimes. I spent 2 years in an apartment after the separation. I told a number of friends "Gotta get outta this apartment ASAP. I need a garden again, and I enjoy working on a house". Be careful. Sometimes you get what you asked for. Like this week: What should've been a 20 minute faucet washer replacement, for a total of 50 cents plus the little package of packing cord, has turned into a nightmare because the previous owner stripped half the fittings. Luckily, I have a plumbing store from heaven about 10 minutes away, where they always have all the answers, and every part known to man, even for really old houses. But still...I was planning on being a slob on the couch tomorrow. I guess not.

[raven]

What it does, if done well, is _save_ a lot of cash. Not as bovious, but rewarding finacially none the less.

John

[CyBrShRk]

Actually the HD and Lowe's in my area (South Jersey) pay WAY more than minimum wage. I don't know if that's the case elsewhere in the country. My wife worked there part-time years ago and I was surprised how much they paid...actually jealous because back then I worked for Channel Home Center and REALLY got paid minimum wage!

[Dan Lanciani]

In article , [e-mail] (louie) writes: | Unfortunately, for me and probably many others who continue to feed | stores like HD, the only saving grace of these stores are the hours. I | can go in there after work hours and get what I need for that evening | or weekend project. Many local hardware stores have closed by the time | I can get there.

Another feature of home centers is that they are actually willing to sell to us. We had a local place (open only to 5 of course) that had a pretty good selection of plumbing, electrical, and some general building supplies. The prices weren't great, but it was local business. They had a change of management and became "trades only." I went in one day to get a faucet stem and was told that I needed to be accompanied by a licensed plumber with an account. Now some years later I hear they have reconsidered and are willing to deal with the general public for some (non-professional?) items, but I just don't have the urge to beg them to take my money...

Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com

[Doug Kanter]

Look at it from their point of view: You could poke your eye out with a faucet stem if you didn't have a licensed PROFESSIONAL there with you to keep you safe. :-)

[Norminn]

clipped

I had the same problem waiting for someone to help me try on shoes at Walmart :o) Pleading? I would go somewhere that I don't need to plead to be waited on.

They say you get what you pay for. The box stores have replaced an awful lot of nice small businesses, where you could get free advice with your purchase. I know of one old hardware store that has almost everything and staff who know how to use the products they sell. Most knowledgeable folks with special skill use their skill to make maximum income - why would they want to work at the box store they can't compete with? You gonna do your banking at the Walmart bank?

[ameijers]

Oh, I can see the stores point of view- the non-pro customers, if they are a small portion of the total business, can be a royal pain in the ass. They need a lot more hand-holding, and generate a lot more returns. Pros come in with a list, know exactly what they need, and if they screw up and buy the wrong thing, don't cry about the restocking charges. If there are big-boxes in town that cater to the amatuers, dealing with civilians just may not be worth the hassle.

aem sends...

[Keith]

Sure, and that's their perogative. OTOH, several "trades" stores I've gone to seem to rather like the homeowners business (money is money). I go in with a list and a wad of cash (and try not to be a PITA). I have a suspicion that these cash deals are, umm, off the books. ;-)

[ameijers]

Chuckle- BTDT. I grew up in the business, and can still sort of look and act like a tradesman, as long as they can't see I didn't drive up in a beat up pickup truck, and they don't mind that I don't have a illegible PO on a clipboard to present. When I need something weird (aka, not available at big-box) bad enough to take off work and find a day-shift-ony 'trade-only' store, I try real hard to have the brand and part number, or the old one, or a sample, or whatever, to match. When they offer to scribble out a receipt, I just tell them that I'm not getting reimbursed, and they don't insist. Their accounting is their problem.

After years of driving trucks out of supply house with 10k worth of material, and just signing for it, it sure was a rude shock to have to start actually paying cash money for supplies..... :^(

aem sends...

[Ed]

It must be a store specific thing. In our area, our local Lowes has a very informed and helpful flooring in general and tile in specific crew managing that department while just across the street, the same department in HD has brainless idiots. Must be the reason why I always see a crowd at the Lowes Flooring Department buying and hardly anyone at the same department at HD. Which shows that it does get all sorted out in the long run, ie, our local Lowes gets all the flooring business just because of that and the unknowing that do wonder into HD's flooring department will soon or later be doing all their business at Lowes.

Ref: Lowes and HD located at Exit 7, I-81, Bristol Virginia.

Regards, Ed

[thetiler]

Before I made this post I went to their website to complain (Lowes.com), but found that I had to fill in *all* the required fields (name, address, phone, e-mail etc.) in order to complain.

I'm not interested in giving them all that information, just to complain. It is just another example of their arrogance.

The chances of the borg stores listening to customer feedback are about the same as the Bucs winning the super bowl this year. (p.s. the bucs just lost to Washington)

thetiler

[cornytheclown]

I remember when home shithole first started how they were supposd to have people who had actually worked in the trades manning the aisles...now we know if a tradesman goes to home depot...unless is old or disabled...then he or she is worthless or lazy anyway.

Ive actually seen a home depot employee go off on a couple of customers one time, I think he was drunk or something cause he was cursing...talking about asshole customers....I got another HD employee who then ran and got a manager or some supervisory person and they removed that boy from the floor.

I help people quite a bit when in HD or lowes, especially older folks...makes me feel good to actually be able to help someone even though it is taking up my time and Im not getting paid to do it like the HD/lowes employees.

I give correct accurate information too...

Anyhow...what you are descibing is not limited to HD/Lowes....its an infection that is rapidly spreading across america.....its called fat lazy and ignorant american worker syndrome.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

No, i t is a way that they can eliminate the BS from a few people that would send hundreds of forms a day for fun. . Fill in the blanks with an X and it will work.

[Doug Kanter]

When you bitch, they send you coupons. Pretty big ones, too.

[coorslte]

true....a couple of years ago at a local large electronics store, I was looking at a Notebook PC. I know computers but this particular PC had a connector (or buss) that I didn't recognize. I asked an employee who looked at the label and began reading it to me....I almost exploded with laughter but let him finish reading. I then asked him to go find someone knowledgeable who could help me because I didn't need help reading. The department manager came over and apologized, got my question and proceded to read the label a 2nd time to me. This time, I asked him if he could get the manual for me on this display model, looked up the answer I needed and made sure the Manager and the employee knew the answer for the next poor soul who asked.

[Ed]

And the real shame of it all is that most employers don't give a rat's ass that their employees don't give a rat's ass either....

Regards, Ed

[Goedjn]

Why should they care? You're buying the stuff anyway. And while most people WANT expertise, the available evidence shows that given the choice between paying $9.00 for a widget from someone who knows something about it, and $8.00 for the same widget from someone who doesn't, most people choose the latter, and then bitch about it.