We’re all only human and mistakes happen. I recently wrote about an order for perforated drainage pipe that left me with 100 feet of uncut pipe I can’t use. (That pipe has since been donated to an irrigation and drainage company). It seems that my bad luck with pipe orders continues, as there was also a mix-up with my recent Home Depot order.
I ordered (4) 2-foot sections of Charlotte pipe CPVC water supply pipes earlier this month.
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9 days later, I received the above shipment, with a Delta water faucet and a whole house-worth of almond-colored outlet and light switch cover plates.
I’m not at all happy about this, and it turns out it’s the 2nd such mix-up in my last 6 Home Depot online orders. One of those other orders resulted in a product utterly destroyed by insufficient packaging and rough shipping, but that’s more the supplier’s fault.
The first mix-up resulted in my being sent a smartphone case instead of a Ryobi hammer.
With this mix-up, it’s a water faucet and electrical device covers instead of 2-foot pipe sections.
While I am extremely frustrated, mistakes do happen. Now, with online fulfillment centers very over-burdened due to COVID-19 social distancing and a huge surge in demand, I am thankful they’re even taking and shipping orders.
Maybe a label printer jammed or something similar, and the error was mechanical in nature? Or maybe this is all part of Skynet’s slow and steady takeover plan.
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After a length hold time, I spoke with a Home Depot agent who set up a return and the reorder. It’ll be another 10 days before my order is expected to arrive. She waived the shipping fees on the replacement order, since the total cost was lower than the $45 threshold, and could have upgraded the shipping speed if needed, but since I can stand the wait I declined.
The UPS pickup for the return package was supposed to be yesterday. I found a label wedged under a separate delivery, and will probably have to venture off to the UPS store later today before I head off to the supermarket for a 2-week perishable food resupply. That’s an added frustration, but there’s not much I can do about it.
Maybe I can wait for the next UPS delivery and ask the driver to take the packages, but they’re all heavily worked these days too, and perhaps it’ll be easier to social distance at a drop-off location.
Someone out there received my package of 4 CPVC pipes, but I can’t tell if I received their order and they received mine, or if this mix-up involved a larger group of people who all received the wrong order.
If there’s a simple human error, the labels on two boxes could be switched. But is it possible that a machine error or combination of mistakes resulted in a several people – or more – all receiving the wrong packages? I don’t know enough about how orders are fulfilled to do more than guess.
Yes, I’m frustrated that it’ll likely be 3 weeks between when I placed my order and I receive the items I paid for – *knock on wood* baring any other unforeseen complications.
But, here’s the part that really confuses and amuses me: the return shipping label is headed to Home Depot’s return center in Indiana, but is addressed to Charlotte Pipe and Foundry. Does this mean they’re going to send it back to Chartlotte Pipe?
It greatly amuses me to imagine the expressions and reactions someone at Charlotte Pipe would make as they receive a box of outlet covers and sink faucet as a return.
I know this is probably not how it will all work out, but I figure it’s better to be amused at how I imagine it’ll play out than to allow myself to feel frustrated at the inconvenience.
And hey – it could be worse. Unless the mix-up resulted in the same order being filled twice, someone out there received my 2-foot pipes or something else instead of a box of almond-colored outlet and light switch covers and Delta faucet.
This type of mix-up can happen with any retailer. For now, I’m chalking it up to bad luck that this happened with 2 of my last 6 Home Depot online orders, with the incidents timed ~6 months apart.
Amazon Germany once sent me a cheap humidity monitor instead of a Knipex tool mini wire stripping tool. Amazon once sent me a Knipex cable cutter instead of Knipex diagonal cutters, but that seemed like a “picking” or inventory placement error. Ah, and once a long time ago, Amazon sent me the wrong letter/number drill bits than the one I ordered.
It seems rare for an entire shipment to be different like this, but I’m sure weirder things have happened and will happen in the future.
What’s the lesson here? I probably shouldn’t order any more pipes via mail order anymore – who knows what’ll happen next if these things happen in threes…
For now, I’m just going to keep imagining the face of someone at the pipe company eventually receiving this box of stuff as returns.
What kind of online order mix-ups have you experienced?
Andrew
Depots in store ordering pickup is a hassle to compared to Lowes, especially as an employee picking up materials bought online.
fred
My experience with the local HD and local Lowes is just the opposite. The HD is head and shoulders above the Lowes – in terms of speed and helpfulness of the staff. Maybe its relates to the store managers and the culture that they foster.
Andrew
Was only talking about order pickup. Service varies so much from store to store I don’t even count it. I have had good and bad at both and frankly if you go to a big box seeking advice you’re in trouble.
fred
I was talking about order pickup as well. The folks at my local Lowes seem to take forever to find your order (always cited as being in the back) and seem a bit nasty about having to look for it. Once in a while someone will say “sorry that it took so long” – but this happened enough times that I cringe when it seems that only Lowes has something I need to order.
Ihate everything
Yes, it is going back to that vendor, because they are the ones that sent it to you. Also, if going to a UPS dropoff is too much of an inconvenience you can always call home depot back and they will send UPS out again to pick it up.
ross
More likely, it’s the idiot customers’ that come in to the store……………….
George
Had three recent incorrect orders with HD at Newark, Delaware. store.
The order numbers assigned to the on line product was wrong!
More recently I have yet to be notified that a large order was sitting at warehouse since ,April 2, 2020.
Just cancelled same the $1300.00 order. Poor customer Service.
Christine Ingram
Thank you so much we at the homedepot are over whelmed with the amount of online orders that are pickup curbside. Please have patience as this is new to us as well.
Smitch
HD Stores and HD-online are NOT one and the same companies; in fact the two are direct competitors.
That said; is it fair that in store workers are forced to provide customer service for products that were purchased through their online competition? Maybe this will help explain why in store employees have such poor attitudes with online customers.
mattd
My experience is the opposite. HD lockers and having a storage area at the desk has meant That the only wait I have had has been the line to get to a cashier. the last 2 times I had a pickup at lowes I had to wait almost 10 mins for them to find someone to go to their receiving area in the back and find my stuff and bring it up.
Ryan Stewart
It’s the same old story, Depot doesn’t schedule enough people to run efficiently. So be prepared to wait or give them a notice you’ll be there at X o’clock.
AJ
They are also under staff due to the circumstances currently. Many associates took time off so they wouldn’t bring home the virus. You also have to think about how many people are ordering compared to the the few staff that hired for that position only. They are I one of the few select stores that are allowed to be opened so everyone is shopping and ordering there not to mention those that come out for that “essential” vanity, or top soil, etc when they were told to stay home unless you need essential items. Helping too many customers in top of stocking the shelves since it’s a working warehouse, can’t keep up with supply and demand. Also, when your order is ready it sends you an email so it’s there when you show up
Pam
You can go inside the store and purchase four – 2 foot lengths of CPVC pipe.
Jason Stromberg
The point is not to gather in places, or make trips into stores, to help slow the spread of the virus.
DC
I have great experience with HD’s order pickup. For over 10 years I’ve been commenting about putting the customer service/order pickup/returns in a part of the store that’s not near the entrance and main aisle. They finally moved it. Pick up speed is light years faster at HD than Lowes where they are slow. After 10 minutes processing your order, go in the back for another 10 minutes and bring out an incorrect item only to go back and argue with the puller.
John Valentine
Home Depot is doing a TERRIBLE job right now. I have been waiting for a package shipped in April. I’ve had things delivered from China in less time during the same time frame!! Currently on hold with their online order customer service 34 minutes with no answer. They shut off all other forms of communication because you know “Covid.” So basically they have shut down all support. Really doing a terrible job at life right now!
Jimmie
If you stack and glue enough of those two-outlet face plates together, you could maybe make a pair of pipes. 🙂
Dave in MD
I haven’t had luck with ordering for pick up.
Due to COVID-19 I decided not to go the store and order online a couple of hangers and 2×6’s to finish my sons tree house. I ordered on Saturday afternoon, got an email on Sunday morning that SOME of my items where available for pick-up. Went to the store and called them up telling them I was there.
Guy comes out, load the truck, I asked which pieces were missing, he has no idea. I look in the bag, seems like enough was provided to make it work and leave.
I get home, and half my bill was credited back. The 2×6’s that I received were refunded along with some clips that I did not receive. I feel guilty for getting “free” stuff but it wasn’t worth the hassle of talking to the store again.
IMO, the biggest reason why this stuff happens is that most employees in the store don’t understand the products. I go to HD every weekend and get asked if I need help, only to find out they cant help me.
mattd
“IMO, the biggest reason why this stuff happens is that most employees in the store don’t understand the products. I go to HD every weekend and get asked if I need help, only to find out they cant help me.”
This is absolutely true, and is exacerbated by the huge amount of new people they have pulling orders because of low staffing from call outs and a significant increase in online purchases. I would not recommend buying anything online for pickup if it has multiple similar looking items, for example copper couplers with vs without the internal stop.
Gordon
Half that plumbing stuff is in the wrong boxes anyway. I can’t really blame a guy for grabbing what he thought was the right one. I had to order a gas hookup pipe for my stove because they didn’t have the right size, length, and thread combo I needed. The system said there were 10, but almost all of them had been opened and had pieces missing, or were just the wrong part in the bag.
AJ
That’s actually from customers putting stuff back because they are too lazy to find the correct spot. You should always check the product prior to purchasing no matter the store or product. And I’m sure at one point in time you didn’t much about a certain item or specialty. I for one, actually go home and look up something that I wasn’t sure about earlier that day so I knew the knew time. Even before I was transferred to another department, I did my homework and still learning everyday. We all do
ross
Wrong……most of us do understand the products but when selfish and inconsiderate customers’ put product back on the shelf in the wrong spot, that is bound to happen…….
Bob
Worked for HD 20 yrs, biggest problem I know of is under staffing and 1 associate trying to take care of 3 customers at once, management will always say they have enough people On hand. Mistakes happen when trying to do three things at once
William Hopkins
Wish I worked for HD when you could buy the HD stock for 5 dollars, Bob hope you was one of those guys. Home Depot stock holder…
HJS
You r Absolutely right!! They know nothing about the products in the department that they work in!!
Dawn
We make sure at our homedepot that the people scanning the products once they are picked are experienced. We also call or email the customer before pick up if something isn’t available.
Tim
I have a buddy who had ordered a shop vac from sears awhile back and they sent him a floor jack instead : )
Brandon
Well that could either be a good thing or bad. I had one order mix-up with Sears last year that was in my favor. I ordered their six-inch bench grinder for under $20 shipped and was sent the variable speed model with a work light in its place. I wont complain.
Tim
I thought so but he sent it back and had them send a vac…. vac never showed. It was all done with points though so no lost money.
Planegrain
My HD orders have all been flawless. But had some pet food orders taking a long time to process. Not good when your running out of pet food. I wonder how good of quality our products are right now. People were missing work, new people filling in. Not a good scenario for building quality.
Russell Griffiths
In Canada, HD is far better for in-store pickup than Lowes. HD were helpful when I ordered a Panasonic bathroom fan but my local store was out of stock (they were marked down on clearance). They arranged for me to collect from another store I drive past for work and they honoured the clearance price too.
Recently I ordered a Craftsman Versastack drawer unit (CAN$50) from Lower, but when I went to collect it (curbside pickup) they brought out a Versastack mobile 3 unit stack (CAN$150) instead. Result!
Frank D
Box labeling issue … stuff got out of order.
Patrick
I know it’s totally n=1, but we got to a point last week where I needed to make a bunch of HD purchases. I *thought* ordering in-store pickup was the right thing to do to minimize contact, etc, especially when half of the items were not available online for delivery.
There were 20+ people waiting in the line for in-store pickup when I arrived. That was just the number I saw coming from near the pickup desk and out the door. In an attempt to keep them apart and let people get in, they were wrapped outside the entrance and halfway back to the exit. I went home and came back the next morning. It was 40 degrees, wet and windy so I can only imagine how many more would have hung out and waited on a nice day.
Bob Hinden
We ordered a battery powered lawn mower and garden soil a few weeks ago. That arrive fine, actually better than fine, they included one extra bag of soil.
I ran out of screws for a planter box I am making, so I ordered a box of screws for pickup. They sent me a text message that they were ready for pickup. I went to HD this morning, parked in the designated pickup spot, call the number on the sign, and someone came out a few minutes with the box of screws.
All good.
Planegrain
That’s the smart way to do it.
loup68
Stuart, I am very sure that you got someone else’s order.
Leonard
I just did an order yesterday. I had started a bathroom remodel before this al started. My need was fairly simple. I needed a can of spray texture and a wall plate for switches. I thought that it would be a simple thing to run there and grab what I needed and run out. I got there and the parking lot was half full and a line of people. (About 20)
I turned around and went home. I did notice that they were doing curbside pickup. I went home and ordered the wall plate and spray texture. When I checked out, I was routed to two different stores. So this morning at 6:30 I headed for one and got the spray texture and then drove to the other to get the wall plate. Both stores were all set up and I was in and out in 10 minutes. I will pay attention from now on which one has stock of an item. BTW. The people were very nice and were trying to make the experience simple and pleasant.
Mr. X
I’ve had issues as well. I ordered a bunch of Almond wall plates and a Delta faucet and I got four pieces of CPVC pipe!
Planegrain
I can hear Tanya Tucker singing . Delta faucet, what’s those almond switch plate covers you have on? Could it be a faded rose from HD orders gone by?
CeeCee
Hahahaha
High & Mighty
Why didn’t you just go to the store and get the pipe? This is an item that they have an abundance of in stores. I buy them quite often. They’re literally in the middle of the aisle stacked in a bin rack. Every location I’ve been to has them. Lowes also has them in the stores. And even if they didn’t have any, you could have gotten a ten foot stick and cut them to your desired length. And if you have doubts about it fitting in your vehicle, bring a cordless Sawzall and cut it in half in the parking lot. A simple trip to the store would have saved you a month.
Planegrain
My state has a shelter in place order. Unless it’s a life sustaining item like food, your supposed to be at home. When they say home, they don’t mean Home Depot.
Andy
Exactly. Home Depot Home Depot has been permitted to remain open to provide customers with items they cannot be without – Essential Services such as a freezer or stove that stops working and needs to be replaced so that it can be used to to cook and bake or to preserve food as in the case of a freezer or refrigerator- these are considered “essential services”. Unfortunately with so many venues of every form of shopping and entertainment being closed at the present time, crowds of individuals are showing up at Home Depot simply to browse or pick up the odd non-essential item like a potted plant or welcome mat – often entire families or very elderly couples – and I’m referring to those who are wandering around the store with no particular reason or need to be there. Again, unfortunately, this creates a negative impact on those who are in need of customer service assistance for essential items and services including contractors who are still employed and have purchases that must be made. This along with collecting, packaging and completing paperwork for the unprecedented amount of online orders from customers who ARE paying attention to the strong recommendations to “stay home” at the present time, is impacting greatly on Home Depot employees who are doing their very best to provide excellent customer service while they are also dealing with all the changes that we are all facing as well as working closely with the public while being particularly short staffed as some employees are taking time to stay home for a number of valid reasons. So before you share your stories of how something went wrong with your Home Depot order, take a moment to consider the circumstances.
Stuart
Why does it matter what was ordered? Part of my order contained items that you can’t buy in-store, or that are supposed to be there but weren’t there at my last visit.
Just because the store lists something as in-stock doesn’t mean it is. Last time I went to Home Depot, they were supposed to have several dozen of a certain CPVC fitting, but I checked every box and they were nowhere to be found.
There are shelter-in-place orders. It’d be a while until I run up another long shopping list to warrant a trip to the store. Associates have mentioned that it’s easier on them if crazy foot-traffic volume is reduced right now.
2-foot lengths shipped right to my door seemed very convenient, it’s the size I need. The stores only have 10-foot lengths, and while it’s not much trouble to break it down in the parking lot for transport, I wasn’t planning on visiting the store again for a while.
Pablo
CPO once mailed me a table saw when I had ordered a rotary hammer drill. My wife was fuming when I got home from work, because she thought i had ordered this “giant tool” without telling her.
Planegrain
You must have ordered the remanufactered hammer drill by mistake. They remanufactured it into a table saw.
Pablo
Haha. You’re right. I did order a reman. They magically remanufactured it from a DeWalt to a Bosch too. I can only imagine the disappointed fellow who had been anxiously waiting on that saw, only to get a drill.
Pablo
Haha. You’re right. I did order a reman. They magically remanufactured it from a DeWalt to a Bosch too. I can only imagine the disappointed fellow who had been anxiously waiting on that saw, only to get a drill.
Jim Felt
Every single HD “delivery to store” has been flawless. So far. Especially if it fits in their HD Locker. If not I just go when I hope it’s not a busy time.
All Pre-COVID-19.
I’ve also had a couple Milwaukee items shipped directly this month and they too were fine. Product, delivery and UPS handling.
Except for one odd single rail aluminum ladder a few years ago someone had banged to heck in shipment. Its replacement came in perfect (by US standards at least) condition from the manufacturer.
I’m in Oregon so who knows as all of our “mileage” can clearly vary.
James
I was in the hospital the other day and asked the orderly how they planned on taking my spleen out. He didn’t know! How frustrating.
That’s how it sounds when people say is sked a Home Depot associate a question and he couldn’t answer it.
Just because they work in a hospital, it doesn’t mean they’re a surgeon.
Mike (the other one)
No an apt comparison. When I go to Ace, there are multiple people there who can tell me exactly where something is (or simply take me strait to it), and give me recommendations for projects I’m working on.
ktash
To go you one better, with True Value, when I take the handle part needing a rubber washer for my ancient basement faucet, they just take the mechanism and replace the part for free, even put the plumbers grease on it. Not only to they have the part for individual purchase, but it’s in stock and everything. Under $1 or so. It’s amazing. But then I feel I need to buy other stuff just to make it worth their while. Good guys!
It’s a local franchise, like Ace, so if you want to patronize these stores right now, that’s t good way to help them stay in business. Some of them only have curbside pickup these days, depending on the size and layout of the store. (I try to buy from them rather than HD or Lowes whenever possible).
Jbongo
I’ve done two Lowe’s online orders (one shipped, one delivery) and one Lowe’s pick-up order so far and it’s been pretty good. We don’t have a home depot around here to compare it to, though maybe next year we’re supposed to get a Menards.
I needed something to trim a few screws, so among 3 other things, I bought wire strippers. Instead of wire strippers they shipped me electrical pliers. (The model # is one off, so if just glancing at that it would easy to mix up). When I called, they were great about shipping me the correct tool. When I asked what to do with the incorrect tool, customer service said I could “take it to a local store and return it if I wanted to”. Though, with this stay-at-home stuff I’m not supposed to leave the house unless it’s essential, and that doesn’t seem essential. (Sorry Lowe’s).
I also ordered a lawn mower for deliver, but forgot to get a gas can. We moved from an apartment before this, so a mower and gas can wasn’t something I had. Pick-up took 15 minutes, but I think they forgot about me. The guy coming out saw me sitting there and after going to two other cars asked me if I had been helped and then went in and pulled my order. He was nice.
Overall though, I imagine the online orders and store pick-ups are pretty swamped, and I appreciate that Lowe’s has implemented curbside pick-up.
Najia sultan
I order hard floor at home depot after 3 weeks they told us it was discounted last year…?? then we went back refund our money and placed another order what they had in stock they told us we will received it next morning …next day my contractor is ready to install we got a call form home depot the hardwood we ordered is not the same that they have it. the one it was on display was mistakenly put on display but they looked at number on display and look at the computer it was showing they have it in stoch???? Bc my contractor was charging we had no choice to go get it from some store which cost us more …..very disappointed with there service
Hopkins
ALL I would say to the people that walk in and look for someone to help you locate what ever your looking for is ! If you’re 50 or older try to get a person 50 or older to help you, most likely he will understand what your looking for. I don’t know what are grandkids are going to do, but again at my age won’t have to worry about it. Good luck to ALL
Kevin
As a 30 yr Home Depot employee, let me tell you exactly why this happens.
1. Covid-19 has stripped our stores of nearly 30% of our staff. Those that have been infected or those afraid to be infected by the customers.
2. We are hiring faster then ever to help replace those we’ve lost.
3. Most new hires are for order fulfillment, picking orders for you to pick up or get delivered. I walk past picked orders daily that have been sitting for weeks, waiting for you to pick up.
4. Our new hires are trying their best to learn products and locations, it isn’t easy. Do you know what everything is and where it’s located?? Do you think you can do it better? If so, come join us, I’m sure we have an apron in your size!
5. Sorry if you have to wait a bit longer to get your order, but our stores were not designed to accommodate online orders when they were built. We are inundated with orders that may be important to you, but aren’t essential items.
6. Our associates that are still coming in are scared and stressed because of the possibility of contracting the virus from thoughtless customers, and the mistreatment they received because you had to wait 10 minutes more then you expected.
7. This Covid-19 situation has completely altered our way of operating our business, with us trying to still uphold our high customer standards for customers that have no empathy for the associates and their families safety and well-being.
Trust me, we’re sorry you are stuck at home finally getting around to doing your Honey-do lists, but a little patience and understanding for a staff that is trying their best to take care of you would go a long way. A “Thank You” would go even longer…..
Rant over
Stuart
My assumption has been that items ship direct from vendors a lot of the time, or from warehouses/fulfillment centers. Every now and then an online order does arrive and looks like it was packaged with off-the-shelf merchandise, but that’s very infrequent.
Personally, I pass any online order through a “do I need this?” filter. Items I don’t need get pushed to a wishlist or spreadsheet I’ve started. If I can get it without having to be present at a store, I order online. I haven’t done any in-store pickup orders yet, or curbside.
Through the app and website, there will usually be an aisle and bay number where items are located. Is this not provided on in-store-pickup print-outs? I’d think that’s something the HD web team could fix/implement.
Lisa
Thank you for the compliment. I know how hard I try at Lowe’s to help folks get the right thing.
RC Price
Good and bad in every scenario, and it happened even before convaid 19
Jared F
How about you guys just stay home? Risking my health because you’re bored is a bit outrageous don’t you think?
Stuart
What are you talking about?
What about an online ordering and delivery mix-up gives you the impression we’re not staying home?
Sapo
Home Depot is hiring a lot of young kids that just finished high school and they hire them as Flooring Specialists ro deal with flooring installs and they don’t even know what vinyl or hardwood floor is.
So imagine when it comes to pulling products and labeling them. There is no training what so ever. They just get thrown to the floor. They are overworked and mistreated by customers for not knowing anything and they are underpaid.
Home Depot does not hire experts anymore because that means more pay and less bonus for managers. What HD doesn’t get is that it means more upset customers that are going somewhere else. Hire experts and more customers will come in and spread the word that HD knows what they are doing. And let knowledgeable associates train the young kids.
Kevin
Sorry….but you are partially correct. We are hiring young, middle aged and older associates. We cannot control who applied. Master plumbers and electricians RARELY APPLY. Our pay for our new hires is better then our competitors…fact. I have done many interviews and have not seen experts, as you put it, apply.
Under the recent circumstances, yes we have limited time training and we rely on our more experienced associate coaches to mentor them. Unfortunately, as I stated earlier, stores have a lot of their experienced associates home either dealing with being exposed or not wanting to risk it dealing with you.
Do you not think our managers want to provide you with the best service possible?? Here’s a neat idea, since you seem to have all the answers….how about you apply to your local Home Depot and show us what you got? I’ll have an apron ready and waiting for you?
Big Rick
HD and Lowe’s are by far the worst managed companies that I deal with.
RC Ward
They are hiring many new and inexperienced workers and they are making mistakes to be sure. Just another bunch of crap we are living with at the moment. Add that to the list I guess. Things could be a lot worse. I try and be grateful for everything that does go right.
Scotty.
ordered a dash mat for my new Honda from Amazon and received part of a truck bumper instead…..
Trippy
I just counted 18 orders placed on HD.com, not a issue with any of them. Which is probably going to change by me sharing this. I was under the impression that the orders that arrive next day are filled at the local HD store. Though I could be wrong. Pick up at HD is good, though one time wifey didn’t get all the order. HD took care of it next time she went. Wifey also tells me the lockers there are great to pick up. For some reason, I have not yet tried Lowes pickup. Though I have maybe ordered 2 or 3 times at Lowes.com with no issues.
Winner
Sometimes it’s just the customer wanting to change this or that on the order as well! You just know how to order! One and done!
Grady
Home Depot vs. Lowes.
Several factors go into customer service and satisfaction.
Location. Which is closest to you.
Tool or product brands and availability.
Past experience.
I could go on but you can fill in your own list.
I believe the number one factor is the store or warehouse manager. Are the employees happy. If they are they will more than likely preform better. If the manager is a jerk, the employees will also be. Employees will reflect the manager.
Yes accidents happen, people have a bad day.
Management be it from the top or bottom is the reason for good or bad service.
WIFL
Management is a part of good or bad service but then there is also an individuals own work ethic and pride. Regardless of their management they themselves want to provide the best service they can. I can also say big box retail can hire the “experts” in a certain field and I can still show you a list of unhappy customers stating that the so called expert didn’t know what he was talking about. Anyways that’s all
Wawa
So much for any of these retailers being open, trying to service customers. Humans do nothing but complain. Have a heart. And just be thankful sometimes.
Stuart
Read the entire post – I am thankful.
The issues that arose are independent of the circumstances, but the bright note is that the small but significant change they made to customer service calls will have a positive impact.
Even when frustrated, I always assume that the person the customer service associate helped before me was screaming at them for something they had no control over, and so I try to be as calm, patient, and appreciative as possible.
krashtd
Online orders through Home Depot may be fulfilled from a regular store or HD distribution center or directly from a vendor. If the item you purchase is only available online, it’s pretty self-explanatory that it will not be fulfilled by a store. If the item is available in-store, most of the time it will be routed to a store you have chosen to fulfill the order, and it tells you all of this as you are browsing and placing the order. If you opt for the express delivery for $8.99, a car delivery service will pick up your order from the store and deliver it to you; this is essentially an Uber for your order. Whichever driver wants to take the delivery does so, and the cost of the delivery should tell you the level of expertise to expect from that service. The other delivery option starts at $79 for large and heavy orders, specific time frames, and carry-in service. This type of delivery is made by a third-party truck service via flat bed or box truck, and typically has a much smaller pool of experienced drivers on established routes who are very familiar with the delivery process.
All that being said, all of these drivers are 100% dependent on the stores having orders prepped and accurate when they show up. Right now most stores are in the range of two to three days out for fulfilling online orders – from two hours or less four weeks ago. We went from having 10, 15, maybe 25 online orders for store pickup and 1 or 2 car deliveries per day to 50-100 pickup orders and 15-20 car deliveries a day, almost overnight. Our flatbed and box truck deliveries have no available openings for a week or more. The number of in-store orders for will calls and pro deliveries hasn’t slowed down either, it’s ramping up. All of this during what is traditionally our busiest time of year. So associates are being pulled from every department and new hires are being made JUST to try to get online orders under control. We had over 100 new orders placed in just the eight hours I was there today.
I can tell you from reviewing and fulfilling these orders and working almost exclusively on the deliveries side in the store, it’s overwhelming. And that’s without even including the customers in the aisles who are there to purchase a WANT and not a NEED.
I appreciate your willingness to stay home and stay safe, but the ridiculous number of people who do not share your good intentions or comprehension of the circumstances makes it nearly impossible for store associates to stay safe, let alone find the time to fulfill all of the orders.
At a time when people should be most considerate of the well-being of those around them, no one should be surprised that it’s hard to care about all the projects everyone has time to work on because they are bored at home.
David Tran
I’m assuming your UPS return label has a RS1 printed on it. That tells the driver to attempt only once and leave the label. If you know you are going to be receiving a delivery from UPS, I would just wait and put your return package with the label on it the spot your UPS driver normally placed your delivery with a note or something to to get their attention. They would pick it up, at least they should and I would think the same for other carriers
Stuart
With heavy spring rains and other deliveries, I figured I’d take it to a UPS drop off location, which was fairly stress-free. I didn’t want a driver to have to guess which package was to be picked up. Plus UPS packages are also sometime dropped off in the front, other times the back, so it might have waited a while.
If not for the pandemic, the driver would have rung the bell for a hand-off of the package.
David Tran
Delivery location varies amongst drivers. With the increase demand for deliveries, chances are, you will be seeing different drivers delivering. Its like peak season (Christmas time) but with out the addition season staffing.
Yes, with this pandemic, we have for the time being stop requiring signature for residential and business deliveries, to limit contact and social distancing
Paul Hunter
Ordered a $35 Wifi outdoor smart plug and instead recieved a $4 USB cable for Android. After spending 55 minutes on hold on Monday (5/20/2020), I was promised the vendor would send the correct product. I had received no status update emails or any other contact. Two days later, I am back on hold waiting, waiting, waiting.
Instead of requiring human intervention and long waits on hold, provide the ability for the consumer to indicate the delivery was incorrect.
Pierre
I have had nothing but troubles with Home Depot. On May 11th I ordered some supplies, and my bank account was charged accordingly on that day. Another debit for the same order showed on the 15th for the same order. I was appalled and called the help desk, and asked that they cancel the order and refund my debit card. Another charge showed on the 20th and again on the 21st. I had to call them again to try and get it all straightened out and since then only refunded me for one of the charges. I will never deal with Home Depot again, not in store or online. It is truly imcompetent on their part to be running a big business in this way.
Bonnie Lamy
No worry we will all be replaced by robots soon go argue with them .
Ed
Anyone else experiencing the latest problem with Home Depot… when looking are your online order page there is no Return Items button on any of your orders that are still within the return period? Since it’s impossible to initiate the return from the website AND since they’ve done away with online chat, the ONLY option is to call and sit on perpetual hold listening to them repeat the same message every 30 seconds and (unlike every other major retailer’s phone system) it doesn’t provide an estimated hold time. You just have keep waiting and waiting with no idea how much longer you need to keep waiting. It’s like they’ve abandoned common sense and are doing everything possible to make it so difficult to return anything that maybe they think you’ll just give up and they’ll avoid some returns. But all it does is make me give up on shopping at Home Depot.
Helen
I understand we are in pandemic and that the online order volumn is high. But I can’t understand if it is that difficult to manage to get the job done right?!
I ordered a freezer from Home Depot in April, earliest delivery date given was July. I patiently waited, two days prior to delivery date someone contacted me to confirm the order and I was happy. On delivery date no one showed up. I called and after lengthy hold time and got nowhere I gave up, then also with lengthy wait time messaging online, I found out the product was on back order. Long story shorter, I ordered a different model, delivery date after a week, only to open the box and see a dented freezer. I thought I order from Home Depot was a good choice as t’s a big company and service will be better. It is just terrible and this kind of standard is poor and not acceptable.
Is it that hard to get a simple task done properly by Home Depot? Extremely disappointed and frustrate with such standard.
Bryan
Currently on the phone for over 45 minutes trying to return something that was sent by mistake. Someone out there has my plastic welder and I have their TARP.
It’s frustrating that she is making me go to the store to have it fixed vs setting up a return and away we go.
Jason
I ordered a a single ground bar for my subpanel that cost $6 and I was sent a box of 10 from Home Depot
Janet
I ordered a ladder and got a doggie door
Jason
Seriously we just purchased a 3 in wood chipper 689.00 2 weeks ago. Today we got our package delivered . I saw the box was incorrect. What came was a pulsar 22 in Weed trimmer . Like wth? On the order paper on the box even says 3 inch wood chipper but someone had to have been over worked or high not to realize what the box said and the picture. Sat on phone over an hour with customer service who said it came from a 3rd party ordered through home depot in Ontario Canada. I guess owner of company suppose to call us to get this straightened out. They better because we ordered this to work on a Veterans yard and not its put us way behind.