Lowes

[Roger Jensen]

Last week at Lowes while asking for assistance to buy a 14.4-volt DeWalt battery a "Tool" person advised me to wait until the 30th of Sept, as there was a two for one sale that day only! I returned on the 30th to buy 2 batteries. In the checkout line the clerk advise that I needed a coupon that had been mailed out, I didn't have one. The sign clearly posted in the tool section said nothing of that, nor did your salesperson when telling me to wait and return on the 30th.

I went to the customer service center and spoke with a "manager". After a brief conversation we walked down to the tool section where he looked at the sign, then he offered that the sale was not for the general public, only for contractors! He refused to honor the word of your tool sales person or honor the sign as posted in the tool section. This particular manager didn' t help matters in the least and was in fact somewhat belligerent and argumentative. He certainly did not want to see my side of this matter as a customer, in the least. He did offer to discount additional battery were I to buy two, but that is not what the posted sign or sales personnel said! I would expect he is new at his job, and hopefully will not last long at it.

I have always been treated fairly in Lowes stores in the past. While I am certain their intent was to offer only to contractors, their advertisements for the event should have been posted in the contractor's area, and not for the general public in the tool section. Additionally sale personnel in the tool department should know better than to be passing it off as a one-day sale item. The sign does say it is a one day contractor sale, however we all know sales event often carry labels that do not offer validity, I merely saw it as a name for the event. As I often have seen DeWalt service reps in Lowes I truly felt this was to be such an event.

As you can well discern I am ticked over this! I don't like being made to look foolish or treated in any store as anything less than a valued customer. While I would like to say I will not go back I am sure that will not be the case, however I take every opportunity that comes up to not go back.

Roger Jensen

[Bob S.]

Roger,

Call the Customer Rep at HQ and tell them what happened. I had a problem of a similar nature and what's good for a Contractor - applies to the general public as well (try the word discrimination). As long as they publicly advertised it as a sale, they can't have two prices for the same item for different people.

Bob S.

[Leslie Gossett]

Why should a contractor get special attention over any other paying customer. I spend a lot (too much) money at the borgs and should receive the same treatment as any contractor.

Leslie Gossett

[Morgans]

Perhaps because some contractors spend $50,00 to $200,000 or more per year with them, year after year?

I live 30 minutes from where Lowes was born. They used to give a contractor's discount on almost every thing in the store. I almost NEVER went anywhere else.

Then they went nation wide. That practice stopped. Too Bad. Now, even though I still think Lowes is better than most other places, I don't shop there exclusively any more.

So your dollars and cents spent there don't measure up. Sorry.

[Leslie Gossett]

Good thing there isn't a Lowes near me. I would have to boycott it.

[Mike Zuchick]

-- In His Name, be Blessed,

How long do you think Lowes would surive without Mr. John Q. Public. I had the same situation with Sam's Club. I demanded a refund on my Membership Fees and walked out. These BORGs needs to realize who butters their bread and it ain't the contractors.

God Bless,

Mike

PS. Before you reply, remove 'remove-this-before-you-email' from my Email Address please..

[Nova]

I don't know about that.

I stopped in Home Depot on the way to work this morning. The contractor ahead of me in line put $28,000 on his tab this morning. That's a lot more butter than I normally spread.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA

[Morgans]

The whole world runs on discounts for bulk purchases. How do you think the Borgs get their prices so low? Bulk!

Some of (most of) the small mom and pop companies still give the discounts. They get some of my business now.

I knew there would be flames, but that IS the way I fell about it. To each his own.

[Charlie Self]

Mike Zuchick responds:

Maybe. Maybe not. I've seen large local building supply companies survive very, very well doing 95% of their selling to contractors. Open early. Close early. Give discounts. Pay special attention to quality. Be on the ball with delivery times.

For kicks, price your auto parts at a professional auto parts store. Then get a local mechanic to price the same parts at the same place.

Charlie Self

"Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft." Theodore Roosevelt

[Mark]

Sorry, you're dead wrong.

A business can charge different prices to different people as much as they please so long as the differences aren't specifically related to the "protected groups" (sex, religion, ad nauseam).

>

[Henry St.Pierre]

Charlie Self wrote:

I usually get the contractors discount at most lumberyards and both "BORGS". Why, because I'm a contractor, small scale, but a contractor. I go to the contractors checkout (BORGS) and present one of my business cards (if the cashier doesn't know me) and pay by credit card. The discount isn't that much on the quantities I buy, but every bit helps. If I was one of their "registered contractors" the discount would be greater, but at my volume ... I have rarely had a problem and a quick chat with the dept. manager usually solved that. It is stupid to advertise a special sale for contractors in the general tool area for all to see. Most of us see "SALE" and that's all she wrote. I'm still able to do most of my own work on my Truck and cars (ones not on warranty). I do it mainly because I feel I'm the only mechanic I can trust and because I can (brag about it to the ones that can't). I always buy parts from a professional auto parts store (NAPA usually) and get the trade price. I call the store and ask if they have the part in stock, then ask my price. They then give me the list price and net price. I thank them and say i'll send a man down or I'll be there to pick it up. Just went through that putting a fuel pump in the truck. Just filled it (34 gal. tank). Good thing I had six gas cans. The pump listed for $145 and netted $91; However the sending unit (broke one the very corroded fittings removing it) listed, Chevvy dealer item only, for $340 and I got it for $260 (still in tears). For the good price you have to know the system (walk the walk, talk the talk). BTW it was snowing today (Jewett in the Catskills). Gotta start waxing the skis. Regards, Hank

[Secret Squirrel]

Actually what you get is A trade price not THE trade price. I'm not sure what NAPA's policy but I spent several years working for a large parts chain my area some time back. We had 4 different price lists for commercial customers as well as retail. Which book you bought out of depended entirely on the volume you presented. The best customers got as much as 30% off, the gas station that made an occasional order got 5. Most got somewhere in between.

[Henry St.Pierre]

I was pretty much aware of that, but didn't know the details. With the volume of auto parts I buy, I'm happy with any discount. I rally did wince at the price of the sending unit though. Hank

[Roger Jensen]

A couple things to add:

I emailed Lowes regarding the above on the 30th, no reply to date and I don't expect one. Lowes would never make is in this town (Abilene, Texas) without the homeowner as a prime buyer. Look at their whole system, they focus marketing to the general public, not contractors. True, contractors spend a lot of money, but the lion's share of Lowes profits come from home owners. I don't mind them giving a break to contractors, BUT DON'T rub it in my face by posting the sale bill in the general area. Then shove me off like a second rate individual unable to read a sale bill. The vast majority of major builder/ contractors here choose an old and well established "Lumber Yard". The prices are often better, but the quality and service are vastly superior to Lowes. The contractors shopping at Lowes are more often the fixer up type, building fences, smaller projects etc....

I have spent many thousands of dollars at Lowes in the past, they are convenient and I prefer them to Home Depot. I will continue to shop there but will be aware to not always expect to be treated as I would like. There are many fine employees at Lowes, it is not a bad store, just that I had a bad experience with a manager that failed in customer care. And, as I elevated this to a higher level it may just be a reflection of Lowes overall management concept.

Roger Jensen Abilene, Texas

[Leslie Gossett]

what low prices?

[Leslie Gossett]

[Leslie Gossett]

Personally I prefer to buy my wares at commercial and industrial suppliers. They are easier to deal with and the service is 1k times better. Unfortunately they have that 8am to 5pm mentality.

[Charlie Self]

Every commercial contractor's supply I've ever seen also sells to the general public, but most of the GP ain't smart enough to bother with them.

Charlie Self

"Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft." Theodore Roosevelt

[Jay Windley]

I've never had any supplier refuse me service or charge me a different price because I wasn't a contractor. However, some have enforced minimum order quantities or similar restrictions.

[Phil Anderson]

Back when there was the frenzy over Bessey K-Body clamps on sale at Sears, I went to Lowes for a price match. I even brought in one of the clamps with me so they would know it was the same one. The tool department manager refused to match because the Sears ad didn't have the model number listed. I e-mailed customer service from the Web site. Within a few days, I had a response and they were looking into it. A couple days later, I had a call from the same tool department manager. He would be happy to sell me those clamps at the Sears price, less 10%.