Home Depot
reviews and complaints

I have had cabinets installed by home depot, pull out of existing cabinets started november 13th. Cabinet install on november 15th finishing the next day. The following day, we began to put our kitchen back together when we noticed a puddle of water on floor under dishwasher and all along wall of new cabinets. I made several phone calls to home depot, this happened on a saturday, the leak under dishwasher was not fixed until sunday, and they claimed as well as the plumbers that it was my fault. Note that my cabinets and plumbing and appliances all were in good condition just old. I was finally told that my problem was sent to their insurance company in atlanta, ga, which is called i believe chedwick. I was given a claim number and a phone number. That following monday, i called all day and left several messages, that tuesday, i called and left several messages, nothing. So i finally got a supervisor who told me that the person i was trying to reach was infact in his office, and she was not concerned by his lack of response.

I proceed to talk to this man in charge of my claim, who really does not care, does not ask questions and tells me it is the holidays and basically nothing can be done till after thanksgiving ( thanksgiving was still three days away).

So i ask this man again what do i need to do to get an adjuster out to my house to check damages, he asked why did i want an adjuster. I am furious by this time and once again tell him how my cabinets and floor are in a damp surface, he suggested i get a fan.

So i asked if this was something that needed to be handled in a court of law? He asked what it was i wanted and replied that he had 10 days to do his paper work. How can you do paper work without first, talking to me (i had to contact him) second, how can you do paper work and file a claim without an insurance adjuster telling you the damages? I am very disappointed in both home depot and the way they handled their business. To top all of this after my install they never even sent the cabinet inspector out after job was finished, if he would have come by he would and still can see and feel all the dampness under floor, which i assume is also under the new cabinets. Beware of home depot, they do shotty work, are not conserned with customer happiness, they only want your money, they will go out of their way but once they get you to sign , you are basically on your own. Another thing, when my cabinets finally were delivered to my house they sat in my garage for almost two weeks. The installers they hired to put in my cabinets did not even live in my city, they showed up at my house ever day at 11am and worked till 5:30.

I tried once again to contact home depot and resolve this matter by calling the main headquarters. I proceeded to talk to someone, i told them if i could not get help that i would go to military law but i would like to avoid that, at that point in the conversation, they said they would no longer talk to me. I asked why they said if that is the route you are taking we no longer have business with you, i said no i have not gone to anyone yet but i will if i do not get a response today, the lady replied that she could no longer help me.

What has this country come to? I do not understand why things so simple become such major issues for many. I simply wanted new cabinets to improve the value of my home, i had shotty, sloppy work performed that our hard earned money was just flushed away, and i can not even get an adjuster out through home depot. Hey they have my money and that is all that counts.

bought 4 four solar lights at home depot berlin maryland all the stated solar panel was 9/25 x 12/45 only 2 were that size 2 were much smaller thanks carl r seal 101 channel buoy rd ocean city maryland 21842 model 555 208

I recently purchased a natural gas water heater from Home Depot. The telephone operator that processes phone orders told me the installation charge would be $200. He also said there was the "possibility of more charges to meet code". When I asked what code, he said "building code for your county". OK--so I may have to pay an extra $50 or so. When the plumber arrived, of course he found a myriad of 'code violations' requiring new parts and service. I asked him what 'code' was he referring to and who established these charges? He said the charges are "determined by Home Depot" and the code is "the State of Georgia". OK, so what does this mean? Who knows? I was then told that I had to purchase an inspection permit for $50 so that a building code inspector could come out and validate the job. Do inspectors really visit all the homes that install a hot water heater? "Yes, sir, they do".

The final upcharge was $450. I complained and the plumbing company said "Home Depot doesn't charge tax, so I will discount it $70." Doesn't charge tax? It's ridiculous that consumers have to pay $650 to install a $300 hot water Also, the plumber had all of the upcharges printed on one page---to clarify: the plumber just checked off all of the upcharges from a printed list. He knew (and Home Depot knows) exactly what the extra charges are going to be in advance. Home Depot needs to be upfront and honest about these charges when consumers call in for a job that takes no more than 1-2 hours of work because of some "code".

I recently was turned down for my check that was written for $239. It really was not Home Depot, but rather the check certification company they use. Certigy turned down my check even though they was no legitimate reason. This was very embarrassing, as there was a line of people behind me. I happened to have my debit card on me, which went right through. I have never had this problem except at Home Depot, and never at their competitor Lowes.

On Aug.2, 2007, we bought a Cadet Cub riding mower from Home Depot for $2138.92. It broke after 2 days of use, on the 4th. I called the local manager of the store who rudely told me when it's sold it's no longer their responsibility, call the factory. I placed three calls to the District Mgr. in Tampa, Omar Lopez [protected]),who had happened to be in H.D. the day I bought the mower and had sold it to me in person. He did not return any of my calls. I then called Customer Service on August 7 where a supervisor, "Ebony," told me once a mower is sold it is no longer H.D.'s responsibility and they would not accept its return. She would not give me Lopez' email or a phone number where a real person would answer. On August 8 I emailed the Cub Cadet customer service department. A very helpful woman, Katrina C., [protected])authorized repairs at Tropical Lawnmower [protected]). On August 14, Tropical picked up the mower, returning it on August 21. After 2 hours use, it broke again. They picked it up for the second time on August 22, returning it on August 25. After two hours of use it broke for the third time. I put it in dispute with Discover on August 27 and am waiting for their decision. I am concerned that since we are now in the height of hurricane season, a storm will damage this mower and they will insist that I pay for it.

My advice: buy nails and WD40 at H.D. if you must, but otherwise, go to Lowe's or your local hardware store.

This is a letter recently that I wrote to Home Depot:

To Whom It May Concern:

This afternoon I tried to return a new Husky Powerwasher 1800 psi to your Gloucester, Virginia store. It was purchased on June 16, 2007, with Check Number 5675, along with other items that totaled $326.88. The serial number on the power washer is ____, Item Number 18005. Included with the total purchase on the 16th was a floor model upright freezer, SKU 453-946.

On June 17, 2007, I purchased an LG Refrigerator for $2,199 (special pricing), along with the ice line, delivery, etc., for a total of $2,374.45.

The following is a description of some of the mishaps that have occurred during my interactions with Home Depot.

First, my husband and I brought the freezer home on the 17th using our own trailer. We brought it into our garage, moved the food in the old freezer into the new, and put the old freezer on the trailer to take to the local land fill on the following Monday a.m. The new freezer started running; by the way, it also had been running when we bought it at the store.

About midnight, when I took our dog outside, I happened to open the freezer and realized that the food inside was thawing. Upon calling my husband downstairs, we brought the thirty-year-old freezer back into the garage, once more transferred the food, and started up the old freezer. Later I plugged in the new freezer; it would not freeze ice or anything else.

The store personnel suggested that I get the local approved repair person to the house to see if the freezer could be repaired. I called the manufacturer to get a list of approved repair companies. On the 26th, I was able to get someone to the house. The owner of Briggs Appliance had been on vacation earlier, and the other approved repair service refused to repair any appliance that had not been purchased from them. While he was very nice (Mr. Briggs), the repair person said that the freezer was not worth repairing, that it was leaking coolant.

To give the salesperson credit, he did come to collect the freezer, so that we did not have to take it back to the store ourselves.

I made arrangements to have the LG refrigerator delivered on June 25, 2007, making sure that I remained in my home office all day long. When the delivery men arrived and I had showed them where the refrigerator was to go, the driver requested that I come outside to the truck. The corner of the refrigerator was bashed in severely, along with the packing being damaged. My husband arrived home about that time and said that whoever loaded that appliance knew when it was loaded that it was damaged unless the damage occurred on the truck.

The delivery person gave me a damaged products card (MS# ____) and said that I had to call the company to make arrangements for another appliance to be delivered another day that I could not leave the house. The damaged appliance was hauled away. The new refrigerator was finally delivered about a week later; it's a beautiful appliance.

There was a special that was running at the time on energy saving for which I applied on July 4, 2007, via http://homedepot.onlinerrebates.com/confirminfo.aspx. I was to receive a $200.00 gift card for purchase of the LG refrigerator. That has not arrived at the time of this letter (Promotion Number 52907).

I was also to receive a return of the delivery charge as part of a promotion. That check has arrived (Promotion Number 84923).

As I had guests in my home and my husband was preparing for a lengthy stay in Africa, I did not have reason to use the Husky Powerwasher until on or about July 20, 2007. The power washer that I purchased on the 16th of June would not build pressure. I did not return it at the time; I thought that I would let my husband try to operate it when he returned. He came back from Zimbabwe on the 8th and tried the power washer this a.m. It will not build pressure.

Please note the following, when we purchased it, the box that the washer came in was nearly disintegrated, but it was the last one on the shelf, and I wanted that particular model. When I did install all of the hoses the first time, I noted that the water plug had already been removed. Is it possible that someone else had purchased this washer and also returned it?

Prior to returning the power washer today, I looked for the sales receipt and could not find it. As you can imagine, I have lots of paper work: sales receipts for the refrigerator and freezer, multiple customer invoices, bill of lading, online rebate forms, the paperwork from the appliance repairman, card from the damaged refrigerator, pick-up confirmation for the freezer, warrantee materials, manuals, and more. It is my fault that I cannot find the sales receipt for the power washer, but, at this point, I hope that you can see that such confusion is possible.

When my husband and I brought the power washer today to the returns desk, the young woman at the desk said that she could not take the washer back, as I did not have a receipt and the sale occurred more than 30 days ago. I asked for the manager, who was short with me, said that she could not do something that Georgia would not permit her to do, and walked away. I admit that I was upset when I spoke with her, but she would not let me finish a sentence and try to share with her some of what is in this letter.

It should be noted that at the returns desk at that time was the exact same model of power washer that someone else had returned today (the 12th). Is it possible that these power washers are defective?

I was told that I would need to send the washer back and pay $35.00 to have it looked at. If the washer was still under warrantee, my money would be returned. If there was further cost, I would be called about the charges. At this point my frustration with Home Depot is about to the maximum. Remember, this is a new washer does not have the first minute of powerwashing timed on it, yet, and I'm paying for a repair!

There was no discussion of I am sorry by the store, an even return for a washer that works, may I see the check that you wrote, or any other amenity.

At this point, I do not know what the answer is for my frustration with my experiences with Home Depot or how that such a situation can be ameliorated, but I have seldom been so upset by a corporation, especially, after having spent several thousand dollars with your company. I know that my business will not make or break your company, but as soon as I get my power washer back, I will not do business with Home Depot, again, nor would I recommend your corporation to anyone else. My experiences with Home Depot since June 16, 2007, for the most part, have not been pleasant.

Regards,
Linda

Home Depot
Hampton Point, Hillsborough, NC

In late June 2007 we purchased a dishwasher, followed by stove two months later. "HBI Home Delivery" is the company that Home Depot and Lowes (in this area that I know of) contract to deliver their appliance sales and never have I seen a delivery company so inflexible to customer needs.

HBI delivery would call the night before to inform us what time they were delivering, which we quickly noticed was 3-7 Tuesdays and Friday. Like many people we have busy work schedules making us unavailable so we asked for a morning delivery, which we never got. Finally after only a month our dishwasher was delivered, not in the morning of course, but rather 3-7 after my wife took time off work.

Thinking the first delivery problem was a flook we purchased a stove from Home Depot and of course, ran in to similar difficulties. We informed HBI Home delivery that we were unavailable in the evening due to work schedules that couldn't be changed but would be happy to be present in the morning. Again they told us to reschedule for the next delivery date and they would see what they could do. After rescheduling two times HBI finally told us that due to their route we could only get deliveries in the late afternoon and they would not alter it. I called Home Depot in Hillsborough and they did little to help, stating that unfortunately that's just the way it is.

Luckly we received this stove in only a week and a half due to HBI forgetting to take us off the schedule after we canceled and the truck was so late that they arrived at 9pm when we were home.

This is the worst case of customer service that I've ever experienced and I will never purchase another appliance from Home Depot due to the poor customer service they've provided in both my communication with the Hillsborough store and via HBI that they contract for deliveries. I would like to see Home Depot provide some good customer service, until they do, I'll make sure to inform others so they don't make the same mistake I did in purchasing an appliance from such a place.

I purchased my wicker set at Target 2 years ago I have taken very good care of my furniture wrapping it every winter. This year when I took in out I noticed that the plastic resin is popping off an splitting I am very disappointed I thought I would have this set for years to come since it was about $500.00 I feel that this set should be replaced If you think about it it has only been outside for the months of June, July and aug a total of 6 months in the last 2 years I have tried to find a phone number or an address for Hampton Bay but have not been able to find any information on them.

Be prepared for a long wait for blinds when shopping for blinds at the Expo Design Center owned by Home Depot. I have three windows with arches that I wanted to have honeycomb blinds put on. The installer came out to measure and do the templates for the arches. I placed the order for the blinds. Three weeks later, they called to tell me that the blinds I ordered don't come in the size I needed for the arches. I picked out a new fabric and asked them again to order them. I was told they would arrive three weeks later. On the Wednesday of the week they were due to arrive, I called the store to find out if they had arrived. They indicated the blinds were still being fabricated, but would arrive in approximately 2 weeks. Two days later I received another phone call saying that UPS lost our templates for the arches and that the installer would have to come out to redo them and basically start all over. Needless to say, I AM NOT HAPPY! They can blame Hunter Douglas and UPS all they want, but I ordered blinds for my other windows from an online company I have used before and they were here in less than 2 weeks.

I purchased a Hampton Bay Callaway UU ceiling fan, Model: 526062 on April 27, 2007. The fan was purchased online from Home Depot The Vendor # is: 219030 and the UPC # is: [protected] (Tex. White. This fan came with a remote that controlled the light on the fan as well as the speed on the fan, et., al., It was installed by an electrician and it did work for little over a month or so, but just tonight June 8, 2007, about 9pm the fan blades and the light failed to go on, even though the remote worked telling me that something is drastically wrong. I see in the manual that came with this fan that it was made in Taiwan and just maybe the person who put the fan together didn't inspect the product before it went out for shipment. I am totally disgusted with Hampton Bay as well as Home Depot for carry such an inferior product. In the manual it states: that I have a Lifetime Limited Warranty on this product and if this is not settled to my satisfaction, then IU will turn it over to the proper authorities.

Home Depot, Casa Grande Arizona, just this past weekend I went to Home Depot and I needed some assistance with looking for a part, when I did find someone to help me, before I could even explain what I needed and was looking for I was immediately given the answer “No”, and every question that I asked after that the answer was “No”. This was the straw that broke the camels back, just about every time that I have been at home depot and needed assistance I am treated very rudely and never get the assistance that you normally get when you go to a Lowes or a Wal-Mart. The worst part is if you have to go to Home Deport and god-forbid you have to ask fro help at the customer service desk, the people that are up there are so very rude, now not everyone that works there is rude or unwilling to help but the majority of them are. It is sad to see when you are shopping there and people get so frustrated that they just leave there stuff there and walk away. The sad thing is that my husband and I have received gift cards from Home Depot, and we are willing to go to Lowes and pay out of out pockets to purchase items just because the customer service is better there than home depot. I hope that if you are in the Casa Grande area, and have to go to a Home Improvement store do not choose Home Depot, our you will leave with nothing but frustration. Until their customer service acts like a customer service should I will not be going there and I will be suggesting to everyone I know and anyone who reads this not to go there as well.

Sincerely,
Very unhappy Customer.

My experience with Home Depot has helped me see that you really don't care about your customers. Therefore, in hopes that someone at Home Depot's corporate offices will read this I am writing this summary of my recent experience.

1. On May 5, 2007 I purchased a riding lawn mower at Home Depot in Sandusky, Ohio. When I purchased the mower I also rented a truck from Home Depot to transport the mower back to my home (about 15 miles from the store). Your employees loaded the mower on the rental truck, and thanked me. I had, however, not even paid for the lawn mower. Realizing this, I went back into the store, told the woman at the customer service desk that your employees loaded the lawn mower on the truck and I had not paid for it. I told her that I could have driven away with the mower, but I didn't. I told her I wanted to pay for the mower. I waited for 15 to 20 minutes until she located the employee how handled the transaction (the man who loaded the lawn mower on the truck). I paid the for the mower (a little over $1000.00).

2. My next door neighbor had purchased the same lawn mower a few days before I did (one of the reason why I decided to purchase this particular lawn mower). While he purchased the same model as I did, the store employee loaded the next higher model on the truck my neighbor rented to take the lawn mower back to his house. When my neighbor informed him they put the wrong lawn mower on the truck, and the one they loaded on the truck was $200.00 more than the one he paid for, the employee told him - "It's OK. Our mistake, just go ahead and take it."

3. I've since used my lawn mower a total of four time. When I tried to use it on Thursday, June 7, 2007, a part must have come loose from the mower, because the deck was hanging to the ground on one side. Thursday June 7, 2007 happened to be 3 days after the Home Depot 30-day refund policy expired. I called the Sandusky store and told them that I wanted this lawn mower fixed. I had only used it 4 times and paid $1000.00 for it (I could have gotten it free had I chosen to be dishonest). The employee told me to call the company that manufactured the mower and that there was nothing Home Depot could do about it. I told him I didn't buy the lawnmower from the manufacturer, I bought it from Home Depot. He said it didn't matter, I now had no other course of action but to call the manufacturer. I asked him if that was the only thing he could tell me, and he said yes. I then asked his name. He said (QUOTE) "I'm not going to give you my name." I pressed him for his name and he said "Dave". I then asked for his supervisor who told me basically the same thing.

4. After going through the same waste of time with the customer service department, I asked to speak the store manager. He was busy at the time, so I gave him my phone number to call me back. About 20 minutes later, he called me back and told me his name was Miguel. I explained the situation and he told me that I had to bring the lawn mower in and they would send it out for repair. I told him I was not renting a truck at my expense to take the mower to the store and then rent another truck at my expense to pick it up when repairs were complete. The exchange became heated after a time. He finally agreed to have someone pick up the mower and take it back to Home Depot and then bring it back to me when repairs were completed. But he indicated it would cost me a "Diagnostic Fee" of $30.00 and that if the repair service (not the manufacturer) determined that anything that was found wrong with the mower was "the customer's fault" that I'd have to pay for repairs. The exchange got heated because I had only used the mower 4 times to do what the mower was designed to do - mow grass and I had no assurances the repair facility was going to be honest. Miguel asked "Are you done, yet?" and then proceeded to say "Look, dude!" (quote). At this point I stopped him and said "What did you say? Did you call me 'dude'?". He said, "Sir, madam, Mr., Mrs...it doesn't matter...". I told him I thought this was rude and unprofessional and told him I would contact the corporate office of Home Depot and find someone who cared about Home Depot customers. After that, he hung up on me.

This is when I learned that no one at Home Depot cares about its customers.

My next step was calling the Home Depot Customer Service toll-free number. I spoke to an associate who told be basically there was nothing I could do because a 30-day refund policy means 30-days. I was 3 or 4 days over the 30 days and that's Home Depot policy and that's that. I asked to speak to her supervisor.

I was transferred to a lady name "Betty" - supposedly a customer service supervisor. After a discussion with Betty and seeing this was going nowhere, I finally agreed to the arrangement "Betty" proposed. Since I had no desire to and, in fact, refused to ever call "Miguel" (the Sandusky, Ohio store manager) again - Betty told me she would contact the Sandusky Home Depot store and arrange for them to pick up the lawn mower, take it back to Home Depot, send it out for repair and then bring it back to me when repairs were completed. She said for my inconvenience she would issue a $10.00 Home Deport card for my trouble. I agreed to this, because I could see that I wasn't going to get anywhere with anyone at Home Depot and wasn't going to be able to exchange the lawn mower.

Betty explained that she would call me back later in the day with a confirmation number for the Home Depot $10.00 gift card and we would make arrangements for the pickup of the lawn mower. I explained that I was going to be out-of-town the rest of that day (Thursday 6/7/2007 and all day on Friday 6/8/2007). I told her any day next week would be find. I gave "Betty" my cell phone number and told her to contact me anytime that day (Thursday). She never called back on Thursday, nor did she call the next day. My cell phone was on the entire time and I received many other calls, but none from Betty or Home Depot.

It really appears to me that no one at Home Depot really cares about customers so I really don't expect more than a cursory reply to this message. But I will find a way to get this message to the CEO of the company and any other corporate officer I can find. I am not going to drop this and I will post this information in newsletters and on blogs and on customer complaint sites until someone at Home Depot acknowledges me and my problem.

Thomas Smith

I purchased a remote control Hampton Bay ceiling fan with lights in 2004 to go into a newly built seasonal sunroom. After the 1st year of use, the fan would only go to the medium and slow speeds. Now it does not operate any of the fan at all. I made several calls. It is made by a company called "Redington" for Home Depot. They wanted $25 to send me the new receiver I needed to install to correct the problem. The fan was used very little and if they can't stand behind their product, I would say Buyer Beware!

Boy have I had challenges with Home Depot...

Biggest Challenge #1: I purchased a garden window (Milgard) from Home Depot that cost $1,100. I was promised the window in 10 days and I scheduled my contractors who were on site doing other remodels to install it 1 week after the due date to account for potential shipping challenges. After 2 weeks I called to check on the order and I was told it would be delivered in two days (directly from Milgard). When it didn't come, I called HD and was promised a call back on the status. Another two days later after no phone call, I called back and was told the window was on back order (this is now the day before my contractors were to install it. The reason for the back order turned out being a call to HD from Milgard verifying the order which was never returned. It was when I called the first time that HD found the error, didn't tell me about it even though they knew at that time that it wouldn't be delivered as scheduled and as promised when I called.

My contractor gave me a special price for installation because they were already on the job site. The delay meant they would have to pull off another job to complete the install and the next time slot for them was in 5 weeks. The cost would be an additional $300 (new price of $650 - old price of $300). They had a new delivery date of 2 weeks, however I asked them to hold the window for 5 weeks so it's not sitting in my garage as I waited for my contractors. They said that wouldn't be a challenge.

2 weeks later, Milgard shows up on the job with the window. I asked that they take it back and I even called HD and they said there was no way they could do that. I was forced to take delivery and store it myself. I called Customer Service and asked to have someone call me on this. No call. I called the store and asked for a manager to call me. No call. I called Customer Service and was promised a $100 gift card. Never came (it's been 3 months). 2 months ago we purchased carpet (challenge #2) and called customer service about this and the $100. No call back. I finally got in touch with the Presidents Office (don't ask me how). I was promised a call back. No call after two weeks. Called Customer Service. No call back. Finally got in touch with someone who promised to get to the bottom of this. He got the person from the President's Office to call me. The promise is now for a $300 HD gift card (this has been 1 1/2 weeks and nothing.)

Big Challenge #2: Carpet... I ordered carpet for my children's 2 bedrooms. I was told that they would be available at the same time (about 10 days) and they would be installed on the same trip. 2 weeks went by and I called. I was told one of the carpets was on Back Order and wouldn't be in for another 3 weeks. They were waiting for that one to come in before they scheduled the install. They never called me to tell me - they were just going to wait (5 weeks) to call and install. I asked them to install the first carpet that's in and install the second carpet when it comes in. Took a couple of supervisors but they agreed.

A week after they I was promised the second carpet I call. Found out the carpet was in but they were waiting the carpet from the first bedroom. When I told them the first bedroom carpet was already installed, they scheduled the install of the 2nd bedroom. On the day of the install, found out that the measure was done wrong - they didn't measure the closet even though it was clearly marked that the closet was to be included. That meant another trip by the measure people, another delay in receiving the carpet from the manufacture, and another trip to install.

It doesn't end there: On the due date I called to check on the order. I was then given the news that it would be another 4 weeks to get the carpet in. More calls to Customer Service, to the store, to Home Services, to the Presidents Office. After three days of frustration, I was told that the date was written in wrong. The carpet had been received by the installers on the date promised. Even when they don't mess up, they've got to mess up.

I went to store 0206 and was mistreated AGAIN. I have left the store frustrated with your lack of service many times before. Your store is very close to my home and for 25 or more years, I have shopped there for big items (A. C. units, ceiling fans, bathroom and kitchen appliances, fencing roofing materials, paint, floor and bathroom tiles etc.) and small items (like a drill, a saw, screw drivers, nails etc). I am attaching a receipt for the last big item, a gasoline-powered generator.

Your lack of interest in serving customers TURNS THEM AWAY AND THE RESULT IS THAT YOU LOOSE MONEY. Yesterday, I arrived at the store around 8:10AM and went to check out the double doors. I then went to the area that has several types of generators. I asked one of your employees for information and was told to go to “Hardware” and find help there. That person recommended that I ask someone at the desk by the area next to the generators to call for help. I then waited by the generators for almost 9 minutes and walked over to ask the lady to call again. She did, and as I was getting tired of waiting (for about 10 minutes this time) I asked someone else and, he told me that I should go to another desk, by the store’s entrance.

There was no one sitting at the desk, but there was a young woman inflating balloons and I asked her to call someone. I looked at my watch and it was almost 10 min to 9. I waited a few minutes and I asked her to call again. Finally, a young man, (whom I had seen pass by before) sat at the desk and he said something like “what do you need” in a tone that I did not like. I told him that I had waited so long that it would have been nice if he had looked at me and said something like “I will be with you as soon and I can” when he passed by before. His answer was “What do you need” as if he was annoyed. I decided to ignore the negative attitude and told him what I wanted. He then said that the person in charge of that item was at a meeting and gave me a telephone number. I left the store at 9:05AM without the information.

This morning I called the number and was REFERRED TO THE STORE. I called back, and asked to talk about a complaint and was given ANOTHER number. Although the person I spoke to seemed to care about my frustration, and offered me a coupon, I decided to write you and tell you that you can keep it as I am going to do my best not to visit your store anymore and tell my friends why. Between Tru Value, Everglades Lumber and a Door Store I can do my shopping. THE SERVICE AT HOME DEPOT HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT THE COMMENTS I HEAR ARE ALL NEGATIVE. YOU ARE SHOWING YOUR LACK OF APPRECIATION FOR CUSTOMERS THAT (IN MY CASE) SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AT YOUR STORE. YOU DO NOT DESERVE MY HARD EARNED MONEY. Livia Garcia, Miami, Florida

Dispute with Home Depot regarding payment for Defective Merchandise. Sub: Request for Cancellation of PO. I do believe that only a few bad apples among many Home Depot employees are the causes of many poor service complaints.

The Asst. Store Manager at a store created a problem for me. But the “Customer Care Center of Atlanta” could not prevail on him. That was their JOB.

Chronology of events:

I placed an order for an out –of –stock (they call it a special order) toilet system at Home Depot in Paramus on 3/22/2007. I picked up those items from Home Depot at Paramus on 4/02/2007.

As my bathroom remodeled was to come for work the week of 4/23/2007, I partially opened the toilet bowl box on 22nd April ( Sunday) and found a broken chip. On 23rd April I took that box to the store to get a replacement. They opened the whole box there and saw a bigger broken piece. The bowl is unusable. The Asst Store Manager Mr. Gautam Wadha first said that any return for special orders had to be within 48 hours. I was not aware of any such rules. [Maybe, he made it up.] Finally, he said that he could re-order the item but I could not pick it up at the store. I have to have it delivered to my house and any further breakage I will have to deal with the shipper. He said I had to pay $ 50 for the delivery. I protested , then agreed. The clerk while processing the order said the delivery charge would be $ 65 per the computer program. I balked to pay for delivery for an item which costs $ 143 and which I could pick up. But Mr. Wadha was insistent on that $ 65. I wanted to talk with the store manager, also wanted to know the name of the district/regional manager. He said he was the BOSS. Finally, he gave me the Atlanta’s Customer Care Center number .

I called Atlanta at [protected] the same day at 2.15 pm . Got John (X 78340). He said that he would take care of it and asked me to call him back at 5 pm. I did call that extension twice and left a message. After several calls to that extension on 24th morning and leaving messages, I called the customer care number and started the process again. This time I got Jacquice (X 78318). She said Carl was working on it and the case no was 4409725. Nothing was resolved. She would get back to me definitely. She did call me back in the afternoon. She did talk with the store manager Mr. Steve Whitman. Store’s position did not change. Atlanta office could not do anything. She said that I have to deal with the store manager directly.

I took all three packages back to the store but was unable to meet the real store manager Mr. Whitman. The same Mr. Wadha met me. I told him as I could not use the system, so I wanted to return the set. This time he said I have to pay re-stocking charges for the other two items and he would not take the broken item back nor would he give me any credit.

That exhausted my patience. I told him that

[ 1 ] I am not going to pay for a defective merchandise.
[ 2 ] I am going to stop payment with my credit card
[ 3 ] I am going to buy a similar product from a different store.
[ 4 ] I am not going to come back to this store.
[ 5 ] He should arrange to pick up the items from my house. I am not going to that store anymore.

P.S. I have put a stop on my credit card. I have already purchased a toilet bowl system from another store and installed it.

I purchased a silver birch just under a year ago. I left the tag on the tree so as that it could be identified just in case it didnt grow. Unfortunately it didnt survive. I tried to get a replacement this week May 2007 but was refused because I didnt have the receipt. I would like to point out on the huge signs in the stores it states" All live plants guaranteed for up to one year."Not a mention nor an inkling about keeping the receipt. Not only have they lost a 10,000 dollar a year customer but I will tell this story to everyone I meet.This IS Misrepresentation and False Advertising!

This is a copy of the letter I sent to Home Depot:

To whom it may Concern,

Concern... Isn’t that a leap of faith, to assume that someone may actually be concerned, because that would imply that someone actually cared. But what the heck, stranger things have happened. I’d like to buy a BBQ Grill, you sell them, one would think this should be simple. But obviously it hasn’t been or I wouldn’t be writing this letter.

Here is my story.

Earlier in April I bought a Grill from K-mart, when I went to assemble it I realized I wanted no part in putting together all of those parts, so I returned it and went shopping again.

My wife and I went to the Home Depot in Lakewood, NJ on Monday 23 April 07; we found 2 grills we were very interested in. These Grills had been on display outside the store so we went in to find someone who could help us. I had also been approved over the phone for a Home Depot Credit Card, so we went to the Customer Service Desk to have the card “turned on” and get help for the Grills. The person at the Desk sent us to the cashier over seeing the self-checkout area, telling us she would have the key to un-lock the Grills. The cashier’s response was to mockingly ask us why we would ask her. Now I have to admit that asking a cashier for a key to grills instead of someone in seasonal seemed a bit strange but that is what we were told to do. Once we told her the Service Desk sent us to her she lost the mocking tone and did try to help us. She paged a person from seasonal 4 different times asking them to call her on her line, each time she did this the Service desk echoed her request so really the announcement went out 8 times. After waiting about 15 minutes we gave up and left. We told the cashier she could tell the person from seasonal that “they had won; they didn’t have to help anyone today”.

From there we went across the street to Lowes, they had one person in seasonal that could tell us about grills and there were at least 3 people in line in front of us, we went home.

On Tuesday 24 April 07, I decided to give you, Home Depot, another chance. I took my lunch hour and shot over to the Home Depot in West Long Branch, NJ. I looked at the grills outside; found 2 I was interested in. I went inside to the Service Desk and ask them to find me someone who could help me. In less than 5 minutes a young man named Chris showed up, he was excellent. He knew what he was talking about, and he was HAPPY to help me. In less then 15 minutes I decided on a Blue Ember, 3 Burner model with Rotisserie set (SKU 312-354) for $449.00, I bought the delivery service for $65.00, with Tax my total bill was $545.43. Now I realize $500.00+ sale is no big deal to you, but a $500.00+ purchase IS a big deal to me. Chris sent me to the Contractor Desk (aka Pro Desk), why I would be sent to the Pro Desk to activate my HD Credit Card, set up delivery and pay for the BBQ grill instead of seasonal, I didn’t understand; but I am a cooperative person so I went. I was in a good mood, I was a bit confused by the Pro Desk angle but ok with it, I had been helped by a guy who knew what he was talking about and was HAPPY to help me. I was going to be able to activate the CC, pay for the grill, and set up delivery all in one stop. Again Good Customer Service; The West Long Branch Store was kick’n the Lakewood Store’s butt when it came to Customer Service. The language barrier at the Pro Desk was a bit trying but we got by.

I left the store and went back to work, all seemed right with my world. I was a little concerned that I had signed for the Grill to be dropped off even if I wasn’t home. I signed because the guy at the Pro Desk assured me they would bring the Grill into my back yard. But when I read what I signed; I saw that I had agreed to have them leave it at the end of my Driveway. I pointed out to him that what I had signed and what he said were two different things. Again he assured me they would put it in my backyard. Because of his difficulty with English I wasn’t sure he understood my concern and I had even less confidence he could read what I had just signed. My concern was that if the Grill was dropped at the bottom of my driveway at 8am by the time I got home at 5:30pm it would be in someone else’s backyard. So I took the day off from work and waited for the delivery. It would have been nice to have been able to work half a day at least; but that would mean someone would have had to tell me if I had a morning or afternoon drop off, but all anyone would say was “any time between 8am and 5pm”. So home I stayed.

Sometime after 2:00 pm On Wednesday 25 April 07, I called the store, I worked my way through the phone menu and selected “Deliveries” I sat on hold for more then 12 minutes waiting for some one to answer the phone. I gave up and called back. This time I hit “0” and got the Service Desk, they put me on hold and with in a few minutes someone picked up. He told me that he was waiting for the Delivery Truck, I have to tell you this was a revelation for me, I had no idea Home Depot contracted out this service. It was obvious that he was quite bothered to be talking to me but I did manage to learn that the truck should be at Home Depot any minute. The Truck was expected at 2:30 and it was now about 2:35 and when the truck left to make its delivery run my Grill was going to be on it, no problem, I should see them before 5:00.

Between 4:30 and 5:15 I placed 3 calls. 1st Call on hold 13 minutes NO ONE picks up. 2nd call I’m on 6+ minutes and NO ONE picks up. 3rd Call someone picks up in few minutes. I am irritated and aggravated by now but I am still calm. I once worked in a call center doing Customer Service, I know my only hope at a positive solution is to get the employee to give a damn about me and try and get their help. I know I have to kiss their butt, I understand this. I understand that being nice to them gives me a much better shot then screaming at them.

I explain to the person who I am, why I am calling and that I want to know if the delivery has even left the store. He put me on hold telling he needed to check on something and he’d be right back. 15 minutes later I hung up and called back.

Now I’m angry but still hold my cool. I have lost a day’s pay, spent something like an hour total on hold with this store, I don’t have a grill and I still don’t know what is going on. I call the store back and get a person named Mike. Mike answered the phone he barely got out of his mouth that Home Depot installs windows and doors when I started talking. I started off with “DO NOT Transfer me and DO NOT put me on hold. My name is Steve Mansfield and I should have had a Grill delivered today. I have called the store 3 times in the last 45 minutes only to spend most of that time on hold and I still don’t have any answers. Put the manager on the F##King phone”. Mike hung up on me. After an entire afternoon of being ignored or lied too, I finally snapped and used one of George Carlin’s 7 Dirty words you can’t say on TV. I would like to point out I did not call Mike any names nor did I call the manager any names. I used the foul language in reference to the phone. Apparently your company has a policy to hang up on customers, who become irate and use foul language; might I suggest here that you create a company policy encouraging the employees to treat the customer with some respect so we don’t become irate in the first place (just a thought).

So I started pulling myself together to drive the half hour to the store with the expectation I was going to get arrested. Since a grown man had never heard the “F” word before and was so deeply offended by it that he had to hang up on me to protect his sensitive ears, I felt it was my duty as a man to go and enlighten him. My intent was to go and stand on his desk while I gave him a full demonstration of what in means to “Curse like a Sailor”. I had been driven so far around the bend that the idea of being arrested and charged with assault seemed like a good plan.

Fortunately for me and whoever would have been behind the desk at the store, my wife spun me down and I stayed home.

She called back and got Mike again, actually this is when we learned his name was Mike. He almost hung up on her just because she was my wife, thank God he didn’t. He explained that he had just come back from Lunch and I was his first call. It wasn’t his fault; he hadn’t spoken to me before, and I had no right to be mad at him. What the idiot didn’t seem to understand, I wasn’t mad at him, I was mad at Home Depot and when he answered the phone, he became Home Depot. Mike sent her to a “Manager” named John, she barely got the words “waiting all day for a delivery” when he put her on hold. Now do you understand why the first words out of my mouth to Mike were “Do Not put me on hold” it seems to be a favorite past time there. In a few minutes another “Manager” named Steve Picked up.

It turns out the truck was still not there, he should be there any minute. Steve told my wife that they have been having a lot of problems with this company, my response was a very angry “not my F###ing problem, put the Damn Grill on one of the Home Depot trucks and have someone drive it to me”. He told my wife that if we had paid for delivery he would wave the charge but since “free delivery” was included there wasn’t anything he could do. Apparently there was/is a promo going on that if I had spent enough money I would get free delivery. And apparently I had spent enough money, which is why Steve thought I got free delivery.

So which company policy is that? “Caveat emptor” any buyer that does not know to ask for Promo doesn’t get it? Oddly enough I’m not all that upset by this, I understand that your purpose is to separate me from as much of my money as possible every chance you get. It seems a bit “Used Car Salesman” but we customers shouldn’t have any higher expectations then that.

Steve tells my wife that if the delivery company doesn’t get there in 20 minutes he’ll load it up on a Home Depot Truck and send someone to us (Yeah Right) and he was refunding the delivery charge.
We called back in about 30 minutes. The mystery truck had arrived; our grill was on it and it was on its way to us. The driver had 4 deliveries to make but we would be first. We called back about an hour later letting him know we still hadn’t seen the truck. Steve asked that we call when the truck got there, he was going to “do something” for us (yeah right). We called Steve back every 45 minutes or so to make sure he knew we still didn’t have the grill. At one point he asked what more we wanted him to do. My wife explained that we wanted him to call the driver and find out where he was. Steve said he couldn’t do that; the driver didn’t have a cell phone. Sure…. The illegal alien delivering my Grill is the only one in the country that doesn’t have a cell phone. If I had not been so absolutely torqued I would have asked him how the driver was going to call me from the road 30 minutes before he arrived if he didn’t have a cell phone.

At about 9:30 pm my wife called the store for a last time, she told Steve to cancel the order and refund our money. He said he would, I asked him (through my wife) what I should do when the grill showed up; he said I should refuse delivery. I explained that I was not going to be home the next day to “refuse” delivery. He told my wife the driver was going to be there some time that night. My response was to laugh and tell him I would not be responsible for that Grill when it showed up the next day and sat at the end of my driveway.

So the next morning, Thursday 26 April 07 at about 8:00 am, I get a phone call from Carlos, he is on his cell phone (imagine that). He wants to know if he can drop off the grill at about 8:30. I kid you not, here is his phone number 201-481-XXXX. I told him I canceled my order when he never showed up. His response: “But why, didn’t Home Depot call you and re-schedule? My truck broke down yesterday I had to rent a new one” I said, no they didn’t, I was told you where going to deliver the Grill last night, no matter how late.” Carlos: “But I didn’t pick them up until 5:30 it was too late to do the delivery”
I told Carlos I had canceled the order and been refunded my money and he should take the Grill back to the store.

You realize if my job started at 8:00 am instead of 9:00 am, my wife would have found a Grill in our driveway when she got home. Assuming of course, that no one else had stolen the Grill.
At lunchtime my wife went to the West Long Branch store to get the receipt for the refund. She spoke to the “Store Manager” or at least some young guy that said he was. She explained what had happened, and that we would be cutting up out Home Depot Credit Card when it came. The “Store Manager’s” response was “OK”. So my wife left.

Do not tell me the delivery company failed you so it is not Home Depot’s fault. I did not contract with “One Truck Carlos” delivery service; I contracted with a Multi-Million Dollar, International Corporation, the largest Home Center retailer in the Country. You contracted with a rinky-dink one truck delivery company who are so new to the country they are still wiping the Rio Grand off their ###.
What could you have done different? Here is a short list.

1. Do your own deliveries
2. Contract with a delivery company that has more the one truck
3. If Carlos’ one truck breaks down, loan or rent him one of yours
4. Tell the customer the truth. If someone had called me in the morning to tell me the delivery had to be canceled, I would have been mad, but at least I could have gone to work for half a day. With a little stroking and some give backs I could have been saved as a customer.
5. Pick up the phone when I call. This was the part the really TICKED ME OFF. Sitting on hold listing to your ads tell me how wonderful you customer service is for 10 and 15 minutes at a time really wears on ones nerves.
6. Train your people that when they get an irate caller maybe the should try and figure out why they are irate instead of hanging up on the call at the first excuse and inflaming the situation even more. Mike hanging up on me was the last insult and indignation I was prepared to take. Acting as if I had no reason to be irate after losing a day’s pay and spending the afternoon being lied to or ignored. I couldn’t have been more offended or insulted if I had been slapped or spit on.

Your customers are not simply Credit Card Cash Cows being lead to slaughter; we are people that have an expectation of being treated with at least a minimal level of respect and dignity.

Respectfully
Steve Mansfield