Lowe’s Changes
I was building a Lowe’s online order and was issued a notice that I could only add a maximum of 10 unique items to my cart. They advised that I should split my order and place another order for the remaining items.
So, I did that, I split my order into 1) items that I’ll be paying store delivery fees on, and 2) items that will ship via ground. The first order went through without issue. The second order, which had 10 items, would not process.
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The error message said to try another payment method or to call Lowe’s. When I called Lowe’s last week I encountered a long hold time and gave up after 15 minutes. Different payment methods wouldn’t work. No fraud alert from my bank. I tried again a few minutes later without any luck. I changed my “home store.” I tried from my mobile device.
(A lot of retailers and businesses are warning about “extremely long hold times” should you need to call customer service, which makes sense. I’m guessing that a lot of people are ordering more online, and also can’t visit their local stores for returns or exchanges, leading to a surge of customer service phone calls. A lot of retailers and businesses have also eliminated or human chat options, leading to phone calls as the only option.)
I removed one of the items from my cart, adjusted the total of a different item to meet the $45 limit, and the order for 9 unique items went through and seems to have been processed without a hitch.
By unique items, that’s basically the number of different products in your order. Let’s say you want (4) of the same pipe and (2) fittings of the same kind. That’s just (2) unique items.
Home Depot Changes
I forgot to add an item to my Lowe’s order – PVC trim for a much-needed repair – and thought maybe I should add it to my Home Depot wishlist or shopping cart, since I’ll likely place an order there over the next few days.
A message appeared just now, and I don’t believe it was there two hours ago when I added something to my Home Depot cart with express delivery selected.
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The following issues need your attention:
Our store associates are working hard to serve our customers’ most critical needs while also fulfilling online orders. Because of this, and the increase in volume, we’ve adjusted our minimum to $45 for delivery from store.
Please change your fulfillment method or add more items to your order to proceed.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
Right now my order subtotal is $15, and with an estimated express delivery charge of $8.99.
From what I understand, express delivery orders are delivered straight from a store, rather than via truck freight services, UPS or FedEx, or other such delivery services.
Basically, increased volume means you must order at least $45 of merchandise to get store delivery. This makes sense to me. Let’s say you’re ordering a couple of bags of water softener salt, or air filters, or a bunch of project supplies. The $45 limit ensures that store-to-your-door fulfillment is worth the time and effort.
Plus, maybe that will cut down on orders? I waited two weeks to map out my needs exactly before placing today’s Lowe’s delivery order, to cut down on the cost but also limit the number of trips that they would need to be made out here.
With Home Depot’s express delivery starting at $9, I can definitely see people taking advantage of that lower fee to place smaller orders than they would otherwise. Or, there might just be a lot more people placing smaller orders than usual.
Either way, there’s a new limit of $45 for express delivery-from-store orders.
Update (2 hrs later): Home Depot has now marked a lot of garden center items, such as potting mix, as being of “Limited Stock,” at local stores that previously reported many dozens of units in-stock. Meaning, you can’t buy it online anymore, even with Express Delivery. The product pages now say to call stores to confirm availability. This is an observation, not a complaint, as potting mix and garden supplies are rarely essential, which should conserve manpower for delivery of construction materials.
Have You Noticed Any Other Changes?
Retailers are adapting the best they can to changing circumstances.
We’ve heard that there’s a lot of foot-traffic at home centers right now, with people browsing around because there’s no other place for them to shop at. Due to social distancing guidelines, a lot of regular shoppers aren’t heading out to home centers for non-essentials that they would normally buy or pick up there.
It’s unclear as to what’s going on with online ordering, but it seems that Lowe’s has taken the responsive measure to limit the number of unique items per order, and Home Depot now has a new minimum order amount for delivery-from-store orders.
I’ve been checking pricing and availability on certain items recently, and Lowe’s has marked a lot of items as in-store-only purchases. Home Depot will sell those items online, but with in-store pickup and express delivery as the only options.
For example, consider Miracle-Gro potting mix:
I don’t know how Home Depot or Lowe’s typically sell potting mix, as I’ve never shopped for things like this online. Back in mid-March, I noticed that neither retailer was selling seed packets online, but it could be because these items are only kept in stock at stores and not in warehouses due to their seasonality.
If you want to order this potting mix online, you can at Home Depot but cannot at Lowe’s, and perhaps that’s why Home Depot’s Express Delivery service is seeing high demand?
Update: Home Depot has marked a lot of garden center items, such as potting mix, as being of “Limited Stock,” at local stores that previously reported many dozens of units in-stock. Meaning, you can’t buy it online anymore, even with Express Delivery.
Lowe’s has some other items, such as empty spray bottles, marked as in store only, and I can’t tell if this is a new or existing policy on those items.
It seems that Home Depot and Lowe’s are being inundated with online orders, and I’m sure they’re not the only ones.
What other changes have you observed?
As mentioned in the other post, I received emails from seed companies that they’re temporarily halting orders. A fabric bag and case maker suspended orders last month due to reduced staff, but they are now making and shipping cloth face masks. That’s not the same as the other changes we’re talking about here, but it seemed worth mentioning.
Flotsam
I have used order and pick up in store or pick up in store locker at Home Depot and it works well. In and out and free shipping.
Planegrain
Noticed a lot of vegetable seed varieties are sold out. That’s at leading seed company’s. Safe planting dates for my area is Memorial Day, so perhaps some varieties may still be available in time. Running out of time for plants that need to be started indoors though. I’ve been looking at some grow bulbs/ lights, i might try them. Just no idea which ones.
Stuart
In case it helps, I’ve been trying Feit ($40 via Amazon) and GE ($50 via Amazon) 2′ grow lights. The Feit seems okay, but I like the GE better as it’s brighter and its design is less of an eyesore due to the shielded reflector. I have less than a week experience with both.
I have them on a 16 hour schedule using newly purchased Kasa smart outlets ($25 via Amazon).
Scott Machovec
I have had good luck with the “Unifun 45w led grow lights” sold by Amazon for $22 each along with a “TanTan Smart Plug” for programmable on/off. Buy enough light panels to cover the plan area of your plants and suspend them from above with a frame made from 1/2 pvc pipe and fittings. I replace the vertical posts with longer ones when the plant get bigger. You want the light really close to the plants – within inch or 2. Consider an oscillating fan to keep the plants cooler, circulate the air, and help the stems get stronger. The lights are bright enough to get the plants started and get them some light on rainy/cloudy days when they cant go outside. They are not bright enough to grow tomatos indoors for sure. I have started tomatos, basil, zuccinni and squash for a number of years this way. For Alabama -Start seeds in jiffy pods on Feb 15, once germinated, add the light and fan, move to 4 inch pots once have true leaves, plant in ground about April 01.
Donald
Lowes does not charge for on line deliveries
Stuart
Yes, they do. Ground shipping and delivery is different. 5′ lengths of 3/4″ CPVC pipe? Delivery fees. Drainage pipe? Delivery fees. Cedar boards? Delivery fees. Certain fasteners such as a size of stainless steel deck screw I was looking at? Delivery fees.
If you look at a listing for say a plastic tool box, it’ll say “shipping & delivery available.” Those are different services. Shipping refers to ground shipping with delivery by a typical carrier such as FedEx. Delivery refers to store deliveries (or similar) where a truck will schedule a delivery for drop-off. A lot of products default to shipping (free on $45+), but a lot of others – the types you’d typically drive to the store to pick up – are only available for delivery. There are now products only available for “in store only” purchasing, and I don’t remember seeing that before, where not even in-store pickup is an option.
Adam
Not going to name my state, but sort of wishing their was a coup to remove the governer like there always was on “24” for the president.
I say this because he/she decided gardening supplies are non-essential, that also includes bug spray, though they did encourage walking. Can’t buy vegetable seed/plants but you can liquor or pot (and arguably you need the nutrients shops open if you are going to continue to grow the neccesary medical herb).
Just seems super frustrating that (for many) they will be starting a garden because of what is going on, but now they can’t? I can’t imagine back during other outbreaks, the farmers were told to not plant. I mean it’s not like we rely on vegetables for food.
John
Big difference between your tiny home garden and farmers planting. Feed stores are still putting out seed. Farmers will still be planting. Take off the tin foil hat and get a grip.
Stuart
He’s frustrated, and while the notion that farmers are in the same boat as consumers/hobbyists/small growers in not being able to get seeds might be wrong, there’s no need to be snippy.
Jeff A
John is frustrated. The false advertising by the media has him on alert. Adam should be able to buy his seeds. John doesn’t understand how a single cough can stay in the air for hours. Leaving plenty of time to get the virus when u follow the same path as everyone else. John doesn’t understand a single cough can go over store aisles. He probably wears a mask that’s not properly fitted. Wears his gloves while paying but never wipes down his wallet. Opens his door with gloves but then his spouse who stays home doesn’t. He probably buys essential lottery tickets while buying candy and snacks while increasing his chances of death by being obese. Oh and waiting in line outside like cattle going through a maze won’t allow everyone to walk through the same infected air on a clear non windy day. Get a grip and allow Adam to buy a pack of seeds where he can decide if the risk is worth it. People seriously need to lighten up. Most of the stuff being done is about image of safety. Unless, UNLESS you never left home once. P.s. did u wipe down all the grocery’s you pay for John? From the machine cleaners missing a spot, to the person loading the boxes, to the truck driver delivering to the store, to the receiver checking over the load, to the people breaking it down by aisle, to the workers stocking it, to the facers presenting the shelves, to the cashiers ringing it up and to you unloading it at home. I would say John doesn’t realize once numbers of already infected come in, he should not care what others decide to do.
Stuart
Being frustrated is not a good reason to be snide towards others.
Here’s the problem – at places like Home Depot and Lowe’s, there are so many people that aren’t following social distancing recommendations, shelter at home guidelines, or “hey we’re in a pandemic” common sense.
Families shouldn’t be shopping at Target right now, or taking trips to Home Depot “just to look around” and because “the mall is closed.”
NCD
You’re a real ray of sunshine now aren’t you. A real treat.
Adam
I actually do farm larger than back in yard. Just changed oil in my JD and Kubotas, and they are far from a riding lawn mower. I buy a lot of pre-planted vegetables, and the nurseries I usually go to can no longer do business. Some large ag places are shipping seed and such, but MANY farmers are no super large scale, and as a result are caught in between.
Tin foil wide brimmed hat staying on… 😀
Right now local straw growers, and buyers are in a bad situation, because the yearly auction for straw was cancelled.
Stuart
Thanks for the clarification!
I wouldn’t have realized that smaller scale farmers would be affected in the same capacity as hobbyists.
mattd
I would be OK with people buying garden supplies if they were ONLY doing food bearing gardens, but that is NOT the case. The people buying supplies for plants they can eat are the minority. The great majority of people shopping for garden supplies are buying flowers, many of which are POISONOUS for humans to eat. So blame all of those people for the closures, not the government or the stores. These people lack any self control and so harsher rules had to be put in place, I for one would love to see the same restrictions Michigan has go nationwide.
Tom
In California, lotto tix are considered essential
Matt
Sounds like Michigan to me, haha.
She’s ordered garden centers to be closed at places like Lowe’s and Meijer. With people staying at home and going out for groceries, what’s picking up some mulch or top soil going to prevent? Not to mention the supplies that the stores already have that are just going to sit there?
Covid-19 is a serious matter and shouldn’t be taken lightly. I’ve know someone on the verge of coma and ventilator but thankfully she’s now home after over a week in critical care.
Garden centers being closed isn’t going to change anything except hurt retailers and hurt homeowners wanting to get things done at home.
Grace
In the state of Florida, walkin customers and on line pick up customers for Lowe’s are buying anythi g and everything
ESPECIALLY putting soil. Lowes is doing it’s very best to keep up with the demands of customers being at home, but going out to shop in a situation that puts people at risk. Essentials are not: ceiling fans, dusters, plants, paint etc. But people are at home and want to get stuff done, so they are out buying at an unusual rate for a time when they should be limiting their time in public. I see this every day.
Bruce
I am an employee of Lowe’s and it is disgusting that the employees are being put at risk. Yes while people have time to do projects at home now these waves of customers contain DIYs that do not know what they are doing and get very close in your face trying to explain their project or giving you their phone.
Lowes has not protected its employees. Masks and gloves are still issues. Employees have urged mgmt for doing online only and delivery.
Carts are quickly sprayed down at night so that cart gets used repeatedly through the day. I have seen days when you could not keep carts in the store. Think about the potential for viruses on the carts. Yet I see daily, kids riding around and playing in the carts. Look at Costco and follow their lead on what they have done cleaning carts.
We have have many associates that have gone out with fevers or high risk. Again customers do not realize how many gallons of paint got handed off. What merchandise came back to the stores unsanitized —-
Last, mulch is not a necessity. Lowe’s went out of their way to keep their Spring sale going while Home depot and Menards cancelled theirs for the protection of employees and customers.
I do not make much money but to be put in a risk that I can bring this home to my family is not worth it when my employer is not protecting me and only looking at sales.
Last, this week there was a big shakeup with the Lowes Corp HR quitting and walking out. I’m sure it had some to do with not protecting workers. Sales are at a top for the CEO but at who’s cost.
Stuart
I’m sorry to hear that.
Hopefully things turn around at your store and you and your colleagues will be and feel better protected.
I couldn’t find the email, but I was notified by Home Depot that their Spring Black Friday sales event was cancelled to avoid encouraging visits to stores for non-essential purposes, and later read reports that Lowe’s were still ongoing, although I haven’t seen any active promotions for it online or elsewhere yet.
Drewmcdan1
I got the flyer for Lowes Spring Black Friday sale via mail. Up until the day before it went into effect, Lowes website was showing two flyers, one for Craftsman stuff and one for Patio stuff. The day the flyer went into effect, Lowes removed all of the flyers from their website. Was wondering if Lowes was going to honor the sale prices. Haven’t gone to either store, put was going to wait until literally a rainy day because I need a couple of items that are not lawn and garden related. My wife is on NextDoor and she saw both local stores were swamped, mainly in the lawn and garden area.
Chris I
Corporate executives are insulated. They don’t give a F about their employees. Never have, never will.
Adam
Executives unfortunately have a boss, and unfortunately that is the stock holders. Which ironically, are you and me Joe schmoe often, but also large investors who have a (beginning of the story) Grinch sized heart.
I’m sure if the CEO of my insurance company had diabetes, getting my insulin would be a lot easier.
Jeff A
Bruce…..dont work. You didn’t say you couldn’t self quarantine? Don’t tell me others who work are not doing this at lowes.
David
I haven’t been out to HD in a couple weeks but I read on another forum the following:
“Went to Home Depot for weed killer and Terro. Lots of big spending contractors turned around when HD streamlined the entrance to one area and announced no cash.”
FYI…. The poster was from NYS.
fred
NY, NJ, CT and bits of PA and MA were in our business area when I was working. I always had mixed emotions about those “contractors” that dealt only in cash. Some were also those that employed the guys standing around in some HD parking lots hoping to shape up for a day’s labor. I’m afraid that many of those folks are hurting right now – and while I not a fan of that sort of cash business – I can empathize with the extraordinary hardships they and others (e.g. the poor, homeless et al.) are now enduring.
What seems to be coming out from all of this is that many Americans are not used to enduring anything approaching hardship. For my part, having lived nearly “four score” – and never having the need to struggle – I count my blessings – and have stepped up my efforts to support my local hospital’s hard-pressed healthcare workers – through their COVID-19 relief fund. I suggest that if you have the means to do so and want to feel that you are doing something – take a look at ways that you can help the COVID efforts in your area. It may not be a substitution for busying yourself with gardening or home projects – but it should make you feel like you are doing something positive.
Planegrain
I don’t get the cash business? These people are doing something wrong business wise? Or they just don’t want their steps to be retraced, not standing behind their poor workmanship?
Frank D
Cash business typically means: no receipts, no invoice, no warranty on workmanship, no permit, guys carry no insurance, do not pay workmans comp, everybody is an independent contractor, etc … and nothing is declared to uncle sam.
Jeff A
Second that.
Jim
Now that the government is providing free money to small businesses and independent contractors, dealing in cash and not reporting your full income on your 1099 will now limit you on what you can receive during this crisis. Those who deal in 100% cash will have zero documented proof to obtain any of the bailout monies. It’s just something they will have to deal with.
Diamond Dave
Spring Summer Garden Season is ordered way in advance and the Home Depot by me is overly full of plants, soil, pesticides, yard supplies, etc. however they don’t have the garden area open for business as the usual. They have all entrances and exits blocked and monitored with Security Guards along with a line of people waiting to get in. They only let a certain amount of people in the store at a time. This is a huge Percentage of their business this time of year and especially on the West Coast. I would imagine the losses are staggering and going to continue to pile up. Sad.
Jeff
Agree. Even in grocery stores we book all product tree months out except for fresh stuff…..perimeter. We just booked Halloween candy. Can’t guarentee sale prices because major companies buy spots in ads and allow you to buy cheaper for that timeframe down the road. The next time you bitch at ur local store company’s about raising prices. Remember that the demand has screwed it over for a couple of months until P&G, Kraft/Heinz and very few others build up inventories and offer promotional money. Such a monopoly on food anymore they have no reason to keep it cheap or lose market share. Just because a product doesn’t say Kraft/Heinz, coke, Pepsi doesn’t mean they don’t own it. You would be surprised how much of our food production is owned by so few.
Tom D
Menards has banned children from the store – but I haven’t been there in weeks.
I will be going to the local Ace sometime today to get meat – they’ve never been very crowded.
Of course, living in a town where every person could fit in the Walmart and probably still be six feet apart helps.
Chris
Man…I don’t have a Menards around me, but I would go shopping in a place where kids are banned. Our home depot’s overhead announcements ask parents to not allow kids to ride in carts or climb stuff and yet…IT NEVER FAILS TO HAPPEN. I don’t blame the kids, I blame the idiots in charge of them. 🙂
Chris I
They’re idiots because they let their kids ride in a shopping cart?
Adam
They are idiots/weren’t thinking for bringing their kids out in a time like this (if they did have a choice). What group of people shares germs more than anyone? Kids can’t keep their hands off of anything no matter how much you tell them. They will pick up used chewing gum off the floor.
I get some may not be able to get a sitter, but minimizing kids in a store is a HUGE help. What store would you rather ship in, one that had kids running around touching everything, or the one that had adults minimally touching things?
I believe this is why schools were shut down so quickly..
Stuart
Schools were closed because kids tend to be in closer contact with each other than adults, and so germs spread more easily.
Colleges too – there you have students in classrooms and living together.
Don Julio
Online ordering for certain chemicals (think HAZMAT) and flammable liquids is always restricted.
Some weeks ago, suddenly high demand items like masks, nitrile gloves, toilet paper, hand sanitizers, etc. became in store purchases only to prevent hoarding and profiteering.
Now items like mulch are being similarly restricted, because while online shopping and delivery is an understandable customer demand, brick and mortar stores aren’t set up to meet such a sudden shift in demand even when normally staffed, and we aren’t normally staffed right now.
High risk associates are on generous leave, sick calls are more common, and many new hires are no shows.
I know I banged this drum on another thread, but all of these businesses are trying their best to adapt. Frustrating for everyone, I realize.
JR3 Home Performance
I was disappointed in my local home depot and local residents in upstate NY yesterday A place where cases are quickly on the rise. This was my first visit in weeks as I’m trying to do my part. I made it a quick, deliberate, and large purchase. I wore a respirator the whole time as well. Employees were certainly not practicing caution. They were getting well within 6ft of people and only a couple of them had anything over their faces. I saw employees joking around with a customer that was mimicking a home made mask on his face. I also saw customers just kinda meandering through out of boredom I guess. Many were cashing out with just 1-2 items. I believe it’s our patriotic duty to be as careful as possible to limit the spread. It’s our health, health system, economy…our international strength in jeopardy. Why are some people so incapable of Seeing the larger picture? Or understanding this is different than anything we have experienced in our lives. It requires thinking and being different. Thanks for letting me rant for a minute about the foolish behavior of fellow citizens.
Jeff
Sorry but see my rant above. This will have a little higher death percentage compared to the flu size. Once we discover who’se already infected. Only thing that makes it scarier is the media and ventilators being involved. Which means induced comas making tubes go down easier. Polar vortex used to be a cold blast. Cyclone bomb used to be the formation or a good setup of a cold blast with high winds and possibly a storm moving across the jet stream that could turn into a blizzard. Once you understand the media needs hype and words to influence the better everyone is. End of the world pandemic was coming in Y2k, 2003 sars, 2009 swine flu, 2014 ebola and so on. I remember those years selling out of certain items. Only difference is social media is stronger than ever. Allowing media and people to turn the dial to 11
Stuart
Just because some things are over-hyped, that doesn’t mean this is.
This isn’t just about ventilators being scary, it’s about hospitals being overwhelmed, people being contagious without knowing they’re infected, and symptoms taking several days to appear, at the least.
fred
We may well suffer more deaths from Influenza this season that we do from COVID-19 – but the rate seems to be different. Flu season seems to start in the early Fall and end in late Spring. With this COVID-19 epidemic – we are but weeks (not months) into the big uptick of deaths – and were are quickly approaching bad-Flu season numbers. And – that’s with all the lockdowns, social distancing and hygiene we are attempting to use to stop the spread. Imagine that most of the yearly automobile accident deaths all somehow occurred within the same month on the NY Thruway and NJ Turnpike – how would we ever think the same about driving. But even that would not have anywhere near the same impact that COVID-19 is having on NY and NJ hospitals. I agree that our news media – particularly TV report on and hype lots of frivolous things – much of it not newsworthy IMO – but nearly 800 COVID-19 deaths per day in NY, and the doctors and nurses risking their own health trying to save them is not one of those things.
Jim Felt
Look at both voting participation and some folks idea of fact based reporting.
Or watch Jimmy Kimmel ask people on the street what country “America” left after the Boston Tea Party.
Hilarity ensued.
But hey. It was fun while we didn’t “need“ to grow up.
The book “Childhood’s End” comes to mind.
Zac
While I can see Lowes initial logic, when your doing a really large truck delivery the only thing the 10 item limit does it hurt everyone. I have a large order coming up with about 16 different items, many of them in 100+ quantities. I was planning on having it delivered for the 25 fee for pros with their card, but can only order 10 different items. There’s no way I’m paying two delivery fees for two orders that can fit on a truck. So now I’m faced with do I do that, or have all the smaller items for store pickup where now I’m going out in public.
I understand it for traditional deliveries, but not when it comes to truck deliveries.
Trippy
Never ordered online and picked up before. The Home depot locker thing is nice.
Jim Felt
Yes. I much prefer it to waiting to have someone find it for me.
Amazon with their ubiquitous Lockers has again changed our collective shopping paradigm.
fred
There has been some speculation that the current state of affairs will put another “nail in the coffin” for malls and bricks and mortar stores. The logic is that many who had done no or minimal online shopping are now doing much more to avoid the need for being out and about. Then – now acclimated to the concept – they will have been weaned off of in-person shopping.
I’m not enough of a sociologist/student-of-human-behavior – to make a prediction. When and if people feel comfortable again with crowds – will the local mall be place to stroll around again? What about movie theaters, concerts and sporting events? My wife and like Broadway shows and the Opera. Performances that I had booked have been refunded back to my credit card. We are not inclined to do any advanced future booking – until things settle well down and/or we are vaccinated.
Meanwhile the several different folks who are working as shoppers at our local supermarkets – have managed to find the drive to my house – leaving what they can find from my orders out front. I think that they are doing a great thing – I guess working mostly on tips – so I try to be generous.
Andy
The Home Depot by me is not doing deliveries from store to non professional accounts. I’d love to be building a fence this week, but not bad enough to go into the store.
Tomonthebeach
Anybody who shops as often as I do has heard a continual chorus of employee gripes about their computer system. I have heard cartfuls from checkout ladies, earsful from salespeople , and this article makes clear, Lowes needs to fire his head of IT like last year. Employee gripes – all legitimate as best I can observe – do not project a positive image to customers. It probably does not too much for employee morale and sales enthusiasm either.