I recently posted about Lowe’s new subscription service, which caught me by surprise.
Well, it happened again. Apparently Home Depot also has a product subscriptions program.
It feels bad for me to ask, but is this new, or did I somehow miss this?
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If it’s new, I haven’t seen a press release yet. If it’s not, then Home Depot really needs to do a better job of publicizing it.
There aren’t many surprises in the list of eligible product categories, which includes power tool accessories, hardware, and various home and jobsite consumables and supplies.
I wonder how this program might evolve for individual pro tool users. Are painters going to start subscribing to 5 gallon pails of primer? Individual tubes of construction adhesive? 30-tube cases of silicone caulk?
As with Lowe’s program, this is a “subscribe and save” type of arrangement where you save 5% on subscription orders.
The subscription frequency ranges from 1 month to 12 months.
I wonder – which subscription service came first, Home Depot’s or Lowe’s? I haven’t seen announcements from either billion dollar company, but surely someone must know.
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Kevin
They’ve had one for at least a few years, as I bought an inverted that way. It’s a nice way of getting a bit off if you don’t need the thing immediately. Like you, though, I was sort of baffled by the things you can subscribe to; who needs a Ryobi 40 Volt inverted delivered on a regular basis?
Jason
I used to buy my furnace filters in bulk but would forget to swap them and with all the forest fires in recent years they can turn black quickly.
Anyway it feels horribly wasteful but every 3 months they deliver me for free in a gigantic box a $5 filter. I don’t understand how it could make them any money even if the filter costs them $1 because it’s 25×14 and even light it’s never a flat box
TLDR Depot has had it for many years
Jason
Meant to be a reply to Mike
Stuart
If you add a new reply where you want it to go, I can move things around in the backend. I can also create a new comment for you, but avoid doing this because it can confuse the spam filter.
Stuart
Wow, how’d I miss this?!
I guess that answers the question about which retailer had subscriptions first.
A cordless battery powered inverter definitely doesn’t seem like a consumable. Caulk, adhesive, and primer are definitely the types of supplies pros will reorder consistently, but most seem to pick them up as needed, or in bulk.
Bonnie
If it’s not just a blanket inventory thing, I can sort of see including these one-of products in a subscription service because you want users to get used to having a regular order. Being able to just add a couple one-off’s to your regular order reduces the barrier to purchasing.
Mike
I used this for 6 months for my whole house filters (1 automatic order). Works well. Never saw it advertised, just shows up on certain products.
fred
I’m not sure that this is new – but it seems like a trend across many Internet retailers. For Home Depot et. al. the steady income that results from subscriptions must have great appeal for them. For the consumer. it may make sense if you value convenience over control of your purchases. I can certainly see the appeal for things like pet food, kitty litter etc. But unless you have great certainty about your business consumables use – you may end up with a mismatch in your inventories.
Current inflationary trends may be helping to promote the appeal of subscriptions. The idea is that you get a modest discount now and think that you are locking prices in for future deliveries. But – from some of the subscriptions that I have looked at – there may be no assurance that future prices or discounts will remain at current levels. Should prices go down or if there are future sales – your subscription prices may not reflect them.
BTW – on an editorial note: – 5 gallon pairs of primer? >> pails ??
Frank D
I have had a couple small subscriptions like that on Amazon, for something that was not readily available in retail. Or something that I couldn’t find in the same size nor cheaper; super convenient.
But you have to watch for price hikes.
One soap / wax / etc car detailing products manufacturer has been marking up the prices significantly over the past two – three years … to where I have skipped and now unsubscribed. I have enough stock for at least year, and will reevaluate later.
Stuart
Yes, pails of primer. Sorry – thanks!
Price stability can be an issue at places like Amazon. I’d think certain home goods, such as dishwasher detergent pods, might be less likely to fluctuate at Home Depot.
I suppose that’s the catch – you trade the process of shopping for and getting the best deal for convenience.
Saulac
I have heard people signed up to get the discount then cancel after one or few times or whenever they accumulate enough. Not worth the effort to me. Adding the potential price hikes, I’ll stay away.
Julius Rosen
air filters – yes check, 5 gallons pails no thank you