Home Depot can kiss my big orange ....

wsuffa

wsuffa

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Bill S.
Stop in the HD today to get a few items because it's on the way back from another errand. Takes me about 7 minutes to pick up what I need and head for the checkout. Some guy says "line starts near the back of the store". I do a quick assessment: there are 3 checkout stations open: 1 manned, 2 self-check (the other 2 self-check stations are broken). Ask someone how long they'd been in line: 20+ minutes.

When it takes longer to check out than to shop, it's not worth it.

Abandoned cart and headed for the locally-owned hardware store (5 minutes the wrong direction from Home Depot), get my items and am out in 10 minutes. Yeah, I paid a bit more, but the money stays in the community.
 
wsuffa said:
Yeah, I paid a bit more, but the money stays in the community.
Click to expand...

I don't know if its a product of old age, maturity, or having more income, but I've come to see things this way. I used to always look for the bigger better deal, and buy cheap. These days I'm willing to pay more for quality of product and service, and often avoid the big box environment.
 
murphey said:
I've learned that the local (albeit chain - Ace, True Value) hardware store usually has exactly what I'm looking for, and plenty of staff who understand exactly what I need.
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+1

The local Ace has had the same staff for years and they know and recognize me when I come in. I get prompt service that's truly helpful. I haven't noticed that they charge much more for similar items, but even if they do it's worth it for their service. That franchise store is locally owned so the owners care a bit more their customers and ensure that their employees do, too.

When I have to visit Lowes or HD once in a while, I waste time looking for someone who can help me find what I need. They are usually pretty clueless and can't provide much help besides saying "Aisle 9."
 
wsuffa said:
Stop in the HD today to get a few items because it's on the way back from another errand. Takes me about 7 minutes to pick up what I need and head for the checkout. Some guy says "line starts near the back of the store". I do a quick assessment: there are 3 checkout stations open: 1 manned, 2 self-check (the other 2 self-check stations are broken). Ask someone how long they'd been in line: 20+ minutes.

When it takes longer to check out than to shop, it's not worth it.

Abandoned cart and headed for the locally-owned hardware store (5 minutes the wrong direction from Home Depot), get my items and am out in 10 minutes. Yeah, I paid a bit more, but the money stays in the community.
Click to expand...


I had a similar experience at AutoZone not long ago. One guy working the counter, trying to look up a part on the computer for a customer. Meanwhile the line went halfway back the store. I gave up.

That's not the employee's fault,it's the fault of crappy store management that won't staff the store well enough to take care of customers.
 
Half Fast said:
I had a similar experience at AutoZone not long ago. One guy working the counter, trying to look up a part on the computer for a customer. Meanwhile the line went halfway back the store. I gave up.
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Auto stores are a whole other world when it comes to having someone experienced. When the person behind the counter has to ask you two wheel drive or four wheel drive when trying to find the right windshield wipers in their computer.

I once went into our local parts house with a rubber mount off of a "unique" piece of equipment, in the vain hope I could find something close enough to work. The kid at the counter had given up on the computer and was pouring through parts books when the old hand walked by and took one look at it and said, "Transmission mount for a 1986 Chevy pickup" and walked off. Both the kid and I had to pick up our jaws from the floor, and low and behold he was right and they even had one in stock. We would have never figured that out.
 
Home Depot sucks the worst. Lowe's is better, albeit not much. Menard's is definitely the best of the three.

Auto parts stores. Don't get me started. The worst is when you're almost done checking out and the phone rings. They are trained (OReilly is I know) that they have to answer the phone within three rings. So they sit there and look up a part for some honyok who's too lazy to get off his couch and is simply price shopping...They take 5 minutes on the phone (literally sometime) when the whole time you were 30 seconds from getting out the door. Nothing pizzes me off more.
 
murphey said:
I've learned that the local (albeit chain - Ace, True Value) hardware store usually has exactly what I'm looking for, and plenty of staff who understand exactly what I need.
Click to expand...
My experience has been the opposite unfortunately. Local hardware store is 10 minutes from the house. Big box store is 20 minutes in the opposite direction. If I go to the local hardware to pick up 3 things and they only have one or two (which is often the case), I still have to drive to the big box store where I could just get everything at once.

Also I prefer the self checkout. Checkout people in the midwest tend to be chit chatty with customers. I don't do chit chat with strangers. I just want to pay and get the eff out. I really don't care that your husband bought the same brackets for your bric-a-brac cabinet and you both just loved how well they worked.
 
I hatred shopping at HD. But sometimes it's the only game in town. All the local hardware stores around here are gone. Last good one nearby closed about four years ago.
 
texasclouds said:
I tell the kids stories about the old days when the cashier was the one swiping your credit card.
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Do you remember the mechanical ones? And getting the carbon copy from it?

upload_2020-8-26_14-38-23.png​

A few years back I was buying something in a jewelry store and their network connection was down. The young lady waiting on me was stumped. She had no way to do the transaction. Then the store manager, a gray-haired guy about my age, came over, pulled a manual machine out from under the counter, swiped my card, and completed the sale. The youngster stared, wide-eyed in amazement. It was like she'd seen her first rotary-dial phone.
 
Half Fast said:
I had a similar experience at AutoZone not long ago. One guy working the counter, trying to look up a part on the computer for a customer. Meanwhile the line went halfway back the store. I gave up.

That's not the employee's fault,it's the fault of crappy store management that won't staff the store well enough to take care of customers.
Click to expand...
That’s almost every Oreillys. If there are more than two cars in the parking lot, I don’t go in.
 
midwestpa24 said:
I don't know if its a product of old age, maturity, or having more income, but I've come to see things this way. I used to always look for the bigger better deal, and buy cheap. These days I'm willing to pay more for quality of product and service, and often avoid the big box environment.
Click to expand...

It's usually a function of having more money. And less time. Time to shop, time to fix and/or replace, etc.
 
Boone said:
That’s almost every Oreillys. If there are more than two cars in the parking lot, I don’t go in.
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And half the time they tell you, "We don't have it, but I can order it."

I have to restrain myself from saying, "Look, pal, I can type on a computer and order it just as easily as you can, I'll have it delivered to my door, and it'll cost less than you'll charge. I give local brick & mortar stores business, and pay a higher price, in exchange for service. If you can't provide the service, I'll buy on line and I'll have no reason to care whether your store goes out of business."
 
I love the new Home Depot self checkouts. They're not perfect but much closer to what a store should have that deals in large bulky items.

My town has 4 small hardware/lumber stores. If I don't want to go to the big city I have to remember which of the 4 local stores sells which items I need.
 
Half Fast said:
Do you remember the mechanical ones? And getting the carbon copy from it?


A few years back I was buying something in a jewelry store and their network connection was down. The young lady waiting on me was stumped. She had no way to do the transaction. Then the store manager, a gray-haired guy about my age, came over, pulled a manual machine out from under the counter, swiped my card, and completed the sale. The youngster stared, wide-eyed in amazement. It was like she'd seen her first rotary-dial phone.
Click to expand...

Remember? We used one in Idaho last month when buying some 100LL. o_O
 
Half Fast said:
And half the time they tell you, "We don't have it, but I can order it.
Click to expand...
That Pi$$es even more. I looked up Lowes and found they had the tiller attachment I needed. The Internet says they have it in store. I drive to Mt Vernon Wa. (50 miles) just to find it was not stocked in this store. The manager says we can order it, then I stood there while I ordered from Amazon. free delivery.
 
Boone said:
That’s almost every Oreillys. If there are more than two cars in the parking lot, I don’t go in.
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I've given up on our local O'Riellys.

Tired of paying a $5-$7 premium for some piddly item I could have next day from Amazon cheaper.

Especially since half the time their website says they have in stock, but their inventory is messed up, they have to order it, and I'll have to find time to drive back there to pick it up.

Just had one of their clerks complaining to me that they hated one of their vendors, because they have too many parts he has to keep in stock. I wanted to remind him that their market niche was to actually stock repair parts for cars, because cars are actually made of many parts...
 
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As far as Lowes & Home Depot, it depends on the store. The two nearest my house are very different: Home Depot you're pretty much on your own. That usually suits me as I pretty much know what I'm doing and what I'm looking for. Or I'm designing in my head as I go because I'm building something odd (ever designed a giant Jack-In-The-Box handle for a a dace prop big enough for dancers to hop out of? The plumbing aisle person isn't going to be much help.). Lowes is staffed with knowledgeable people who are around when you need them (and even proactive!).

When we remodeled my mother in law's house to prep it for sale, we spent considerable time in the Lowes & Home Depot near her house (same city, different side of town). It was just the opposite.

Your mileage may vary.
 
timwinters said:
Home Depot sucks the worst. Lowe's is better, albeit not much. Menard's is definitely the best of the three.

Auto parts stores. Don't get me started. The worst is when you're almost done checking out and the phone rings. They are trained (OReilly is I know) that they have to answer the phone within three rings. So they sit there and look up a part for some honyok who's too lazy to get off his couch and is simply price shopping...They take 5 minutes on the phone (literally sometime) when the whole time you were 30 seconds from getting out the door. Nothing pizzes me off more.
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I was in a motorcycle shop yesterday right when the place opened. The one guy at the counter barely had time for me because he was so busy on the phone.
I'm standing there with my wallet in my hand, and you're answering the phone? I'm not coming back EVER.
 
Self checkout aisles......less employees......the answer to the demand for higher minimum wage.

Last time I changed the oil and filters (in my 3 vehicles) I went online and selected what I needed, then 3 hours later I drove to the local CarQuest, called them on the phone and they brought everything out and put it in the back of my truck. I never got out of the cab.

I could get used to service like that.....
 
Tom-D said:
That Pi$$es even more. I looked up Lowes and found they had the tiller attachment I needed. The Internet says they have it in store. I drive to Mt Vernon Wa. (50 miles) just to find it was not stocked in this store. The manager says we can order it, then I stood there while I ordered from Amazon. free delivery.
Click to expand...
I usually check stock online before I go to a big box. If I'm there and I can't find it, I ask. If they then tell me they don't have it, I pull out my phone and show them the item number and the number that are showing in the store. That usually leads to head scratching and paging someone with more knowledge who knows exactly were the item in question is hiding.
 
texasclouds said: ↑
I tell the kids stories about the old days when the cashier was the one swiping your credit card.

Half Fast said:
Do you remember the mechanical ones? And getting the carbon copy from it?

upload_2020-8-26_14-38-23-png.89186



Does anyone remember this? Or am I now going too far into the past?
good-bad-cash-l.jpg
 
Yep, the Ace stores around here are pretty good. We have a couple of other independents that are great - one down near where my Mom used to live was renowned. But that's way out of the way.

timwinters said:
Home Depot sucks the worst. Lowe's is better, albeit not much. Menard's is definitely the best of the three.

Auto parts stores. Don't get me started. The worst is when you're almost done checking out and the phone rings. They are trained (OReilly is I know) that they have to answer the phone within three rings. So they sit there and look up a part for some honyok who's too lazy to get off his couch and is simply price shopping...They take 5 minutes on the phone (literally sometime) when the whole time you were 30 seconds from getting out the door. Nothing pizzes me off more.
Click to expand...

We have only a few Lowe's in the area near me, and it's way out of the way to go to one. I count 4 HDs within 5 miles of my house. The Ace is about 4 miles, but was a bit out of the way today. Still was well worth it.

I'm lucky on the auto parts stores - a good friend runs one of the Napa stores near me. Always get great service.

eman1200 said:
wait, your 'big orange' what?!?
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Use your imagination.
 
jsstevens said:
... because I'm building something odd (ever designed a giant Jack-In-The-Box handle for a a dace prop big enough for dancers to hop out of? The plumbing aisle person isn't going to be much help.)...
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I presume you've been consulting for Thee Dollhouse?
 
The other day while going thru the self check out line I cut my finger on the receipt while pulling it out of the selfcheck out stand. Now my finger is infected. I am filing a workman's comp claim. I am will not be holding my breath waiting on my sick pay
 
Half Fast said:
And half the time they tell you, "We don't have it, but I can order it."
Click to expand...

A while back during a tire swap I noticed the motorcycle needed new front brake pads, and I had time that morning to do the job if the dealer had the parts. I didn't figure I needed to call, as the bike I ride is the manufacturer's largest selling model, by a large margin. Surely they stock brake pads for the biggest seller. I drive over, and the parts guy says no, we don't stock those. What?????? Said he could have them in 3-4 days. Walked out and ordered them from BeemerBoneyard, much better price, same delivery time.

eman1200 said:
oh, and self checkout rules. beep, beep, pay, done. SEEYA.
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Unless, like me, you usually get stuck behind someone who checks out a glacial pace, and then after finally beeping all the stuff in their cart, takes 5min to figure out what button to push to pay and where to stick the credit card. ARGH!!!! Just shoot me now...

There is no win in checking out, unless you can do it from the comfort of your couch and the goods magically appear at your door.
 
I buy from our local hardware store..I know the owner...I know where everything is...I don't mind paying a little more for the convenience..

Oh..thay have popcorn !:)
 
wayne said:
Remember? We used one in Idaho last month when buying some 100LL. o_O
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Thirty-five years ago, those machines taught me the habit of always writing a "$" in front of the left-most digit of the credit card slip.

On a trip passing through Backwater, Mississippi, I bought some item. After I left, the shop owner apparently re-swiped the slip through his machine and put a "1" in front of the total, adding ten bucks to the charge. Somehow, out of many charges on my statement, I happened to notice it and I still had my receipt. I called the credit card company (probably AmEx back then) and got it cleared. But I bet that SOB pulled that stunt on fifty people a day and got away with it.
 
Half Fast said:
I presume you've been consulting for Thee Dollhouse?
Click to expand...

My daughter is a Dance Studio Director (and now owner). As one of my co-worker's explained it I'm "One of THOSE dads." I build props. So, no.
 
Half Fast said:
Do you remember the mechanical ones? And getting the carbon copy from it?


A few years back I was buying something in a jewelry store and their network connection was down. The young lady waiting on me was stumped. She had no way to do the transaction. Then the store manager, a gray-haired guy about my age, came over, pulled a manual machine out from under the counter, swiped my card, and completed the sale. The youngster stared, wide-eyed in amazement. It was like she'd seen her first rotary-dial phone.
Click to expand...

upload_2020-8-26_14-38-23-png.89186


Idaho Self checkout...
Used one recently at a Local airport. Pump your Gas, open the mailbox, use the calculator attached to the mailbox to calculate the amount due. Fill at the slip and run you card though the machine. drop the slip in the back of the mailbox.
Now I may need to go get a photo of this self checkout station:)

Brian
 
wayne said:
Remember? We used one in Idaho last month when buying some 100LL. o_O
Click to expand...

Did you get to peak in the hanger at the Fun-Cat? Ag-Cat with hopper removed and bench seat installed. Has been known to find itself on floats from time to time.

Brian
 
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