How do you feel about Lowe’s today? In my opinion, as one of the biggest home improvement retailers in the USA, Lowe’s could be doing a little better.
In no uncertain terms, I prefer Home Depot today to Lowe’s.
There are at least 5 Home Depot stores within a 30 minute drive that I enjoy shopping at. I’ll shop at Lowe’s on occasion, usually to see if there’s anything I missed online that ToolGuyd readers would be interested in hearing about.
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There are some Lowe’s stores I enjoy visiting, but they’re both around 30-40 minutes away or so. The couple of Lowe’s closer than that are just okay.
In-store, the main difference between Home Depot and Lowe’s is that Home Depot always has compelling promotional displays.
When shopping in-store, I’m usually there either to pick up something specific, or to browse around for new seasonal bargains. In the past year, I’ve bought a couple of things on impulse from Home Depot stores – cold weather work gloves, 2-packs of carbide-tipped pruning reciprocating saw blades, an aloe plant, a utility knife if I recall correctly, and probably a couple more things.
From Lowe’s? There’s rarely anything interesting until October/November. However, I’ve learned my lesson about shopping at Lowe’s in October or early November. If I wait a couple of weeks, most of the seasonal promos will drop in price. Home Depot does the same for some things, but the fraction is a lot smaller.
Lowe’s website can be hard to navigate at times. I also feel that Lowe’s is far behind Home Depot with respect to tool deals of the day and online promos. I visit Home Depot nearly every day to see if there are any promos, and often shop for supplies.
Home Depot drop-ships certain products, which I don’t mind as long as delivery is free either way. Lowe’s seems to ship certain products from stores, which in the past has led to “oops, we don’t have this” phone calls or automatic cancellations.
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In-store shopping experiences can be largely influenced by different managers or associates, and so I try not to let negative one-off experiences reflect on the company as a whole.
Lowe’s online experience can be fixed. I’m not sure how, but things can be improved.
The retailer has been slowly revamping their tool selection, adding new brands. The latest additions to their roster include Klein Tools, Flex, Skil, EGO, Pony, Jorgensen, and ToughBuilt.
I am truly excited about this. To me, it seems that Lowe’s is working hard on things behind the scenes to build up their tool selection.
Years ago, Sears did this too, and it earned them a lot of my business. That Lowe’s is building up their brand selection is perhaps less important today than a decade ago, but there’s huge potential here.
Walmart tried to create a curated tool store with an online “Pro” experience, and it turned out to be a massive disappointment. Lowe’s can learn from Walmart’s mistakes.
They have exciting brands, new innovations, and growing partnerships. If all of this is well-managed, Lowe’s will reel in customers.
Bosch and its partners are bringing AmpShare to the USA, but it’s not clear if these products will be available at Lowe’s or how visible they might be.
Flex launched a new line of cordless power tools at Lowe’s, but so far I haven’t seen Lowe’s promote it very much.
The same with Metabo HPT. Theirs is a fantastic cordless power tool platform, and I cannot help but feel that it’d enjoy greater market share if Lowe’s puts a little more effort into its promotion.
One thing I have learned over the years is that a product’s success isn’t so much about how good it is, but how good a brand or retailer can convince you it is. The most successful products are the ones that deserve all of they hype they’re given. Those that don’t deserve the hype will usually disappear after a holiday shopping season.
Lowe’s needs to give their exclusive brands the attention and hype they deserve.
I have seen great tools flop on the sales floor at Lowe’s, or in their online product catalog, because the tools are left to sell themselves.
Lowe’s is putting effort into their tool department, but they haven’t been drawing any interest or attention to this. Why not?
I would say that Lowe’s is overall doing a decent job – I’d describe myself as an occasional customer – but I think they can do better with respect to selling me tools. I think they should borrow a couple of strategies from Home Depot’s playbook.
How do you feel about Lowe’s today?
fred
Lowes and Home Depot are about equidistant from my principal residence. But there are 2 Home Depots that fit that description – one quite a bit larger than the other. I have given up shopping online at Lowes – having enough bad experiences with both shipping and instore pickup to sour me on them. Shopping HD for either pickup or shipping has been much better. I do like my local Lowes for some things – like fasteners – where they seem a bit better organized than HD. Other than that, I seldom frequent them – as I have no interest in Craftsman or Kobalt – and if I want Bosch, or other brands that they carry I’ll buy online. I think that the last time I was in my local Lowes was in November 2022 to pick up some Toughbuilt items for Xmas gifts. They did seem to be on sale at a good price.
I have another house – where Lowes is much closer than HD. When we used it as a summer house – I’d be in and out of Lowes on a regular basis – using their garden center, buying cleaning supplies etc. I suspect that my kids – who use that house more than I – probably do the same thing.
eddie sky
Lowes Online orpickup ordering blowes.
I have 4 Lowes within 20 miles. Only one listed 3 Kohler toilets in stock.
Turns out, one was the floor demo, one was pulled for online pickup, and the other couldn’t be found. The floor staff were very helpful, but then they asked, Why didn’t you call ahead?
Because your website said THREE were in stock!
Forget getting store assistance for products like doors or windows because if there is someone, they are usually with an uninformed couple making up their minds, or there are no associates to be found. Oh and trust me, if you live in NJ, don’t use Lowes for contractor installations. Lowes doesn’t stand behind their outsourcing.
Franco
Right about this but I have found many different retailers have some inventory issues with what shows online versus what they have, not just Lowes.
I should always call ahead but rarely do, so when I go and they tell me it was “phantom” stock or whatever, as pissed as I am with them (any retailer, not just Lowes), I am just as upset with myself for not having called.
The few times I have called, I get pretty specific with who I speak. I ask their name, I tell them to have someone check, not just in their system but the actual item, and if I take the time to come to the store and it isn’t there. I will get with management and explain how John/Jane assured me you had 15 in stock.
This takes time and patience but ultimately much less time and frustration going there to find they were wrong.
A W
I have similar thoughts. I typically drive past the local Lowe’s on my way to Home Depot, unless I know that only Lowe’s has something I need.
Partly it’s the customer service at my local store (there’s a decent Lowe’s 20m further away that I prefer), partly it’s the selection / deals, and partly it’s the store not being kept as clean (something I didn’t really notice before shopping with small kids).
I haven’t been to one of the Home Depot kids craft events in years, but the fact that they did (and still do) make that available to families gave me a strong brand affiliation at the time when the customer service supervisor at my local Lowe’s was the kind of stern person who made you want to just leave the store rather then try to resolve an issue.
My wife also noted (about the same time) that the bathrooms at Home Depot were fresh and clean and made you want to renovate, whereas the bathrooms at Lowe’s made you want to never bring your toddler.
Albert
I prefer Menards by far. Then Home Depot, but only if I have to. I have no quarrel with Lowes but their closest store is far away from me. I think all of them, including Walmart, could improve online purchases, for different reasons (can’t find item, shipping fee too much, etc.). As for tools, I’ve lost interest in Acme and Tool-Up, and have frequently found myself looking at Harbor Freight first, rather than last. Who would have thought?
TomD
The only reason I go to Home Depot is because I’m addicted to bigRed™.
Otherwise, especially in lumber and such, Menards wins hands-down.
Home Depot does have good free delivery which I am happy to use and abuse.
Brian
Menards is interesting but tool selection seems superior at Home Depot or Lowe’s. Even recently needing parts for a drip system fix my local Home Depot had the part listed in stock where Menards was use adapters but save 20 minutes in drive time.
I will say the near constant 11% rebates are nice at Menards and the side snacking is my Achilles Heel for shopping Menards.
Returns at Home Depot are superior for convenience to Menards. The swipe credit card is just easy and the I wish it was a standard at more places. I find needing the correct receipt problematic for bigger home improvements projects but it ties in to there rebate program.
Jesse
Home depot quietly matches the menards 11% if you shop in an area that has menards. 1000 page list of exclusions, but I think that’s for show because it always works for me.
https://www.homedepotrebates11percent.com/#/home
Brian
The only purpose of Lowe’s is to make the mediocre Home Depot seem excellent by comparison.
KMR
Here is the perfect example of everything that is wrong with Lowes.com:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Free-Country-TACONIC-RIP-STOP-SHORT/5014165941
I have a pair of these shorts, really liked the, couldn’t remember where I bought them, and so did a web search today. Lowes popped up! I’m sure I didn’t buy them at Lowes, but I took a look.
Where do I select my size?
Does one of the local Lowes, which the website indicates has stock, really have stock of these shorts? I doubt it.
Photos 2 and 3 are not of the men’s shorts, but of women’s ath-leisure pants.
Photo 4 appears to be of a jacket pocket.
Lowes.com is a mess and has been for years. They seem to be throwing items up in marketplace fashion in an effort to generate more sales, but I’m not sure it is a positive direction for them to move.
For in-person shopping, my local store is largely devoid of employees and open registers, just the self-checkouts and customer service desk open. I often leave Lowes and head to Home Depot and have more success finding what I’m after.
Munklepunk
Lowes because it’s easy to find a parking spot. HD is always a pita to get a spot unless it’s really early or late. If I need a specific brand then I will go to hd but otherwise they are the same, they are right across the street from each other.
garrett
Lowes is a few miles further away from me than the local Home Depot, which suits me admirably. However, I do make the jaunt to Lowes when I want hardware-they have a much broader assortment. For cordless tools that I don’t buy online, HD gets the nod because I’m pretty heavily invested in the Milwaukee system. Also, Lowes tool brands change every 3 1/2 minutes – that doesnt leave me with much confidence.
John Blair
I live walking distance to a Lowes and they are just “Okay.” Home Depot routinely has better deals and better selection for me. The most annoying shortfall of Lowes for me is their selection of electrical items. The Lowes by my house does not carry a single oversized switch cover. I go to Lowes only because of the distance but if I am ordering anything online or for pickup, somewhere else always has better selection and better price. The one thing I can think of that I like better about Lowes is you can link your credit card to your email address and just have all of the receipts emailed to you.
PW
Home Depot has automatically emailed me receipts for years, I don’t think that is a “Lowe’s exclusive”.
HusHouse254
Most of the Lowe’s and Home Depot stores are close to each other in my area. Some within a stones throw. Between the two, Lowe’s will get my business every time. They have great customer service, good stock of items when I need them and decent clearance items. The HD, not so much and it is very chaotic. From the parking, store layout, nobody around to help, the mess every where and their awful military discount program. Our local Ace Hardware gets more of my “day to day” business. While not the place for tools, it has everything and then some that I’m usually looking for. The customer service is top notch, they have what I need in stock and the clearance items can be quite surprising. As for lumber, I use our local lumber yard. Much better all around for service, selection, delivery and most important quality.
Nate
Agreed. My three local HDs are super messy and difficult to get in/out of. Lowe’s is cleaner and easier to get in and out of. Since we’re on Toolguyd, I’ll comment on both. Both have good DeWalt lineups and represent the brand well. HD does a great job with their TTI lineup, the Ryobi and Milwaukee are well served by HD. Ridgid seems to be getting better treatment also. I wish HD would put some more muscle behind Makita. Lowe’s has been making great strides on brands. EGO and Kobalt for OPE. I wish there was less Craftsman being pushed at Lowe’s, but do think Lowe’s needs that large line to compete with Ryobi. Flex gets prime real estate, which is good. I also miss the days when Kobalt wasn’t pushed off behind Craftaman. I wish Lowe’s would better represent both Bosch and Metabo HPT. I really like both lines and have Bosch 12V and Metabo HPT MultiVolt. They usually sit moribund in a corner, which is too bad. Both are great brands and they offer a lot better experience than Craftsman or entry level DeWalt. Most Lowe’s put the Metabo HPT nailers at the far end of the tool display, close to the pro desk. That’s pretty smart, as most pros I see like the Hitachi/Metabo HPT pneumatics.
Jp
I’ve avoided Lowes for a long time. Unhappy with the “customer service “. Seems like disservice to me. My favorite lines of tools aren’t there: Milwaukee/Ryobi, and there aren’t deals I need. I think our local store has more innovative Christmas lights each year, but that’s about it. I always go to home depot first.
mikedt
I kind of got turned off by Lowes during the Covid lockdowns. The store near my office shut down all their self service lanes and would have a single checkout running. I’m not standing in line for 10 min to buy a tube of caulk.
Joe E.
There are two Lowe’s and two Home Depot stores within equal distance of my residence. Lowe’s was my primary go-to during the renovation of my first house, and I would go there for lumber and other odds & ends over the years. Over the past few years, I have had terrible customer service experiences at Lowe’s. They let go of the folks who knew what they were doing in favor of hiring anyone with a pulse who can pass a piss test. The employees I’ve encountered act like they don’t even want to be there, which make me not want to shop there. Then there’s the whole Craftsman debacle… they probably would have earned back my business if Craftsman tools were going to be made in the USA again, but Stanley axed that plan. I have no reason to ever go back unless I’m in desperate need for zip ties or something, but Harbor Freight is closer.
I recently tried to purchase another Craftsman tool chest at Lowe’s and was met by two employees who didn’t want to get up on the lift and bring it down. I tried to buy the floor model and was told that I couldn’t. I went to Home Depot and was greeted by an older gentleman who was happy to go get one of their 46″ chests from the back and even helped my wife and I load it into the back of our SUV. That experience right there made me want to go back and give them more business, which I have and will continue to do.
Home Depot has a much better customer service experience. Employees are able to be found when you need help and they genuinely seem happier than their counterparts at Lowe’s. Home Depot’s tool selection is also better in the hand tool and power tool categories. Lowe’s needs to stop hiring children who are just there for a paycheck.
Tony
I literally have 15 hardware stores all within just a few miles of my house (5 x Lowe’s, 5 x Ace Hardware, 3 x Home Depot, 2 x Menards).
I like Lowe’s for some items such as appliances. I prefer Menards overall, especially for their Cedar wood selection. However, I find it quite annoying that Menard’s still doesn’t provide online location services for any of their items like HD and Lowe’s provide online. I love being able to find the Aisle and Bay number ahead of time for what I’m going to buy. But you can’t do that at Menards.
HD carries more of the brand names that I’m interested in than Lowe’s does. However, I feel like I’m being watched like a criminal when walking through HD or Lowe’s since so many of the power tools are all locked up (or) they have those silly digital monitor screens right in your face as you’re walking through the power tools aisle. It’s only Menards and Ace Hardware that I don’t feel like I’m being treated like a criminal as soon as I walk into the store.
I like Ace Hardware if I need advice or assistance with finding something. For me, Ace Hardware definitely has the best customer service of them all. I am typically approached by no less than 3 staff asking if I need assistance with anything while I’m walking through the store. But the Ace Hardware stores have a considerably smaller floor size than the others.
Albert
Menard’s iPhone app shows in-store location. I don’t know why their web page does not, but I find that annoying as well. The app also lets me check quantity (although not always accurate) and scan barcodes to check price.
Tony
Thanks! I just tried their iPhone app, and you’re right. It drops a balloon icon on the floor map of the store to show the approximate location of the item. That helps. I wonder if the Menards staff know about this. The last time I was in the store and tried to find a Gallon of “30 Second Outdoor Cleaner”, it took several Menards staff to find it for me. They asked me for the SKU number. I had to search for the SKU number on my phone and provide it to them. It still took them a while to find it.
Tom
HD is generally my preferred tool/hardware destination. Menards for lumber/trim. Lowes often has better decor options (light fixtures, mirrors, bath hardware, etc). That seems to be an area Lowes really focuses on with house brands which have decent quality and good value.
I’ll also say I’ve just had a few good customer service encounters with Lowes, but of course this varies significantly by store/individual.
And of course, my locally owned hardware store has by far the best service and I can walk there – my go to whenever I need a few things, but prices are sometimes double the big box…
Tom
Oh, and Home Depot’s app is the best for sure – easier to navigate and they do a great job of linking all the manuals, data sheets, etc so you can get the details you need before or after purchase.
Bonnie
This is one of the biggest elements for me. The app is darn good about knowing exactly where in the store the thing I want is, and how many are in stock so I can avoid driving out there and ending up empty-handed. Every once in a while it’ll still be in a box on the upper rack, but I’ve never had to wait more than maybe 10 minutes for a worker to grab a stair or forklift and pull down something I need.
David
Lowe’s is the closest of the three major retailers to me, but by default I’ll drive right past it and go 4 miles further to Menards, or slightly further for Home Depot most of the time.
Generally, Menards has better prices, and I’ve found that I generally like Home Depot more for both selection and prices. That means that unless I really need the closest option, or Lowe’s has something I specifically want, it’s just not the store I chose to go to. Like others, I’ve had better customer service experiences at Home Depot overall.
carl
Definitely frequent HD more than Lowes. It doesn’t hurt that of the closest locations of each it’s closer and on the way to the Lowes.
Closer still is our local Ace store, so I try to frequent them a fair bit as well.
As far as the stores themselves, both the HD and Lowes are nice but the customer service/returns/pickup counter at Lowes is much smaller, has less staffing, and seemingly less capable employees than the HD counter. I’d say HD has more help around the registers and usually more open full service checkout lanes as well.
When it comes to pickup orders I definitely prefer HD over the Ace and Lowes. Generally a smoother experience.
MM
6 of one, half a dozen of the other, as they say.
There are two Lowe’s near me. The one that is closest to me is the oldest “home improvement” store in this area and it seems more contractor-oriented. It has the biggest lumber yard, it stocks large sizes of electrical wire and pipe that I rarely see at this kind of store. Very little of the store seems set up for promotions or homeowner gimmicks. It’s my go-to for hardware mainly because of its location. The other Lowe’s is on the opposite side of town so I rarely visit unless it’s an emergency, or I’m browsing their garden section in the spring. This one seems much more homeowner oriented with a lot of interior decor and a lot of promotional stuff.
HD is in the middle-in terms of location and how the store seems balanced between pro and homeowner. I often times visit there if lowe’s is missing something, or if I’m after a Milwaukee product. Their garden section is generally bad. And they have a serious problem where the computer inventory doesn’t match the store’s inventory. I’ve had that happen sometimes with lowes but it seems much more frequent with my local HD.
xu lu
The shopping environment at Lowes has always trumped HD. It is bright and pleasant compared to visiting a tomb. Lowes associates are generally more helpful. Home Depot seems significantly understaffed and the staff available is always focused on internal tasks and you are a bother when needing assistance. In recent month’s, HD’s on line inventory availability accuracy is so poor they might as well turn it off. Says 90 nail guns (improbable but surely 1), nope zero etc etc. I hear this complaint from everyone lately. I have no insight into Lowes accuracy-wonder if you do?
Lowes seems a few moves away from great but their ever changing brand assortment is problematic. And they seem to mimic the things HD does marginally well and failing to do the things well that HD fails at. HD carries more of the brands i use so that is a plus in an emergency. HD is now routinely out of stock, particularly on many tools. I have reacted to this through better forward planning and on line purchasing casting my protest vote by purchasing from other on line vendors until they consistently fill the stores (stop the covid excuses), do something about the cattle call self check outs and improve in stock reporting accuracy.
There is little excuse for subpar experiences of both stores. Retailing is easy when you are focused on valuing the time of your customer and creating value for them-they will reward you with repeat business.
MM
I can’t help but wonder if the inventory accuracy problem comes down to individual store management? I shop at Lowe’s more often than HD because it’s more conveniently located for me, yet I have far more issues with HD’s inventory count being off despite shopping there less frequently. It’s not even close. Yes, Lowe’s sometimes gets it wrong too. So does Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, supermarkets, etc. Nobody is perfect. But at least in my town HD seems to be the absolute worst about inventory being off. And there is also another issue where merchandise is in the store but none of the employees know were it is and few can be bothered to look. They just look at their phone, say “well, the computer says it’s supposed to be here”, and rarely even offer to go looking or perhaps find another employee who might know. But then you have experiences like Bonnie’s above who found their app very accurate.
xu lu
I agree with your observation about it potentially being a local store issue. I believe it stems from understaffed stores and lack of store leadership and commitment. They likely arent scored on it so it doesnt matter. Imagine what would happen if you shopped app in hand and as a consumer could report ‘none on hand’ when it says 50.Perhaps the employees would become engaged and look and store managers would make accuracy a priority.
Stuart this topic might be worth considering for a thread. Thanks.
Stuart
Inventory problems are complicated.
Sometimes there’s theft. If a store says 10 of a regular item, and they have 0, those items might have been shoplifted.
Other times, there’s an inventory box on a top shelf. If there’s an inventory mismatch between what I see in my browser and what I can find in store, the merchandise is likely up top, either waiting replenishment or deployment on a specific schedule.
If a shelf is empty and the resupply is up top, that could be a staffing problem, if they can’t get that task done in a reasonable time.
Other times, inventory might be timed. If say new model tape measures, tool boxes, or hammers are in stores but not out on display yet, they might be waiting for a reset schedule.
I don’t mind, as long as someone is available to find or bring down what I’m looking for, and in a reasonable amount of time.
A few months ago a Home Depot associate walked with me throughout the store until they found Rigid tool boxes in the pro lumber section overhead shelf. Someone had put it in the wrong place.
They brought down the pallet, provided me what I wanted, and then proceeded to move everything where it was supposed to be.
I was at Lowe’s shopping the Black Friday sale early last year, as they had the discounted pricing advertised online and in-store already. An associate helped me find what I needed. The associate overseeing the self checkouts had a mild tantrum when I requested a price match to the huge banner advertising the same prices. They then asked management to take down all of the Black Friday banners. This was Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
Why were Lowe’s deal pricing active online and advertised in-store but not showing up in the checkout system? That seems to be a management issue.
During a promo season, pricing changes depending on the zip code and store selected on the website. Why are they not consistent?
I went to my local Home Depot before Thanksgiving once. I couldn’t find the Pro Black Friday Empire Level deals. The tool department manager said it was lost somewhere in the store. They offered to look for them again for me, but I declined not wanting to waste their time. The display was mistakenly placed among other “don’t put out before Black Friday” boxes.
The inventory situation isn’t any different at other retailers. I once visited 3 Walmart stores before giving up on buying something I had been looking for. Despite being reported as in-stock at multiple stores, I couldn’t find it anywhere.
MM
Yes, inventory problems can pop up from a number of causes. But in the end it always boils down to either someone didn’t notice, or they didn’t care.
Three times I’ve gone to my local HD with the express intent of buying an compact power tool–Dewalt Atomic or Milwaukee M12. I check online to confirm stock before hitting the store, only to find that the tools are MIA when I get there. After the employees look around and discuss it amongst themselves I am informed: sorry, people stole them. And then they stand around doing nothing. My questions are:
-Why did nobody notice the missing tools until I asked? Don’t the employees walk the isles to check on things, front merchandise, perhaps keep an eye on the high-value high-shrink stuff? Or if theft is such a recurring problem, perhaps do a better job securing the tools to prevent it?
But this one is the worst: Once the inventory discrepancy becomes known, why does nobody seem to care about fixing it? I’ve asked about this on three occasions (two were power tools, another was concrete) and the answers I received were:
I don’t know how to do that
Oh we don’t do that
You’ll have to call customer service about that
….There was zero concern expressed by any of the employees.
xu lu
As you note there are many reasons the data is wrong. The issue is the data is wrong and they really dont seem to care about the inconvenience and resulting lost productivity. I might be tempted to argue they want it that way so they can defer/avoid recording the shrinkage losses timely to appear performance is better than actual. (A nearby store said they had 90+ M18 $350 nail guns -obviously impossible- but zero-come on.) Good customer service means they have a strategy in place to keep data accurate. Everyone benefits from high quality data. But in the long run, the retailer benefits most. Best and thx.
Rx9
For me, its a question of product availability. There are a few things found only at either Lowe’s or Home Depot, so I shop at both.
Sometimes Lowe’s has cheaper prices, sometimes not.
Customer service is a non-element in my decision making process. In 21st century retail, its essentially a function of the individuals working on a given day at a given location, rather than any kind of corporate policy.
The cost of shipping heavy commodity products like pipe, insulation, lumber, drywall, etc. will always keep HD/Lowe’s insulated from the might of Amazon, so these two will continue indefinitely.
Ben
I have a Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, and two Ace Hardware stores within 15 minutes. I generally prefer HD, Ace, then a tie between Menards and Lowes. The HD store is well organized, clean, helpful associates, and it’s easy to find what I’m looking for. The Ace stores are smaller, but have much better fastener and small-hardware selection, and excellent service. The Lowes and Menards by me generally are dirty, poorly maintained, and do not have a good selection.
Lowes website is also way behind HD in terms of usability. I can count on one hand the number of times HD’s website has crashed on me in the last year. For Lowes, that same number is the amount of times it crashes or freezes in a single session for me. Search indexing is terrible – I’ve searched “portable heater” and been shown lawnmowers before. Search filters are simpler and fewer than HD, making it hard to narrow down what I want. I generally look online for product research before wandering into the store, so that tends to put the kibosh on even considering Lowes for most items for me.
Jamie Lee Davis
Stores are fine. Website is abysmal.
Arthur Clippert
I live 3400 feet as the crow flies from a Lowe’s and the HD is directly across the street. Both are “small” stores, built 25-30 years ago when this end of town was pretty empty. It’s grown up since then, the population has easily increased >50%, and both those Lowe’s and HD stores need to be expanded by at least 35% but there’s no available land around either store to do so. Much larger HD and Lowes stores are 10 miles away, and the differerence in size is reflected in variety and amount of inventory. There simply are necessary items available in one of the larger stores – for both HD and Lowes – that do not exist in either of the smaller stores near me because there’s not enough room to inventory them.
The HD web site is poor, and the Lowes is much, much worse. Online ordering is very poor with both, delivery extremely poor. Inventory management in both is extremely poor-I have attempted to purchase advertised tools in both, the little “magic box” all employees now have indicates “we have 24 of those” but no one can find them. I asked about an advertised sale item in HD, was told “we have 24, so that’s at least one carton” but no one could find it. I went to the store 2 weeks later for something else and the tool manager happened to see me and said “oh, we found that Item X you were looking for a couple weeks ago.” I did not need it because for $3 more Amazon put it on my porch in 2 days.
Both HD and Lowes need to nuke their web sites and start over and hire Amazon to manage their inventories. As for pricing – and availability – both HD and Lowes think their competition is “across the street” or “four miles down the road.” Nope, their competition is the hundreds of companies at the end of my computer mouse. Brick & Mortar presence is still important, but backing it up with online strength is critical.HD will – on some items – do “same day delivery” for $8.95 if it’s available in a local store, I usually get 2nd day FedEx Ground delivery from their regional warehouse 150 miles away and many items are free shipping. Lowe’s can’t even spell “FedEx” (or “UPS”, either….)
There are 2 Ace Hardware stores I visit, 1one 4 miles away, the other, much larger one, on the “main drag” 2 miles from both the much larger HD and Lowes. What I can’t find at HD or Lowes I can usually find at Ace; it costs more, and they may have only one or two on hand, but they’ll usually have it, especially the “less common stuff” because HD and Lowes focus primarily on inventory turns for business measures because that’s profitability so if it’s anything out of the ordinary or low demand neither will have it. One of the Ace stores, or Amazon, or KC, or Acme, or Zoro, etc. will.
BTW, the Ace Hardware web presence absolutely stinks, especially the corporate web site linking to the local stores…but a human will answer the phone when you call the store and check to see if they have the item. Try that at HD or Lowes, I dare you.
kent_skinner
There was a brief time when HD was terrible and Lowe’s wasn’t – at least in my neighborhood. That was well over a decade ago. SInce then I’ve moved to a town with a HD, and Lowe’s is 35 miles away. My local HD is clean, friendly, generally well stocked and online shopping is really good.
I’ve been in Lowe’s twice (?) in the past 5 years, and both times were a complete letdown. In addition to the bad online experience, I feel like they change brands of tools regularly. There’s no way I’d buy a Lowe’s exclusive tool with a warranty longer than a month. I just don’t trust that they’ll be selling the same thing later.
Ages ago, when I did a little shopping there, I was checking out some hand tools (Cman had just started the death spiral) and not a single person could tell me how to warranty a broken socket – they all just made up answers. The manager said I had to keep the receipt. The tool person said I had to mail it back to corporate HQ. Someone else said I’d have to bring in the entire set and get a new set, because they didn’t stock single sockets. Once I decided to never buy Kobalt tools, it reduced my reason to go there.
In short; I have other options that are closer and far better.
Dave
I have 4 Menards stores and 3 Home Depots that are all closer than the nearest Lowes store which is 30min away. I rarely go there unless I happen to be going that direction for another reason.
When all the other stores are busy on the weekend Lowes is nearly empty. The store is clean and nice and staff seem great the few times I’m in there.
I had a gift card for Lowes recently, and even with that burning a hole in my pocket I had trouble finding anything to spend it on. I had my eye on a Dewalt DCF900 Impact but pricing at Amazon was better than Lowes even with my gift card.
Where Lowes has been great to me over the years is on clearance items. I have found some amazing deals on tools and supplies there over time.
Rog
Lowe’s and HD are equidistant from my house and my preference is HD for overall shopping and selection (tools, brands, hardware, etc.). However, our Lowe’s has a better lumber variety and is cleaner.
Hon Cho
Both Lowes and Home Depot are mediocre at best because they don’t need to be anything better as they own such a huge share of the market. In the most populated areas of the USA they squashed their smaller competitors.
Despite the comments made about the lack of cleanliness of Lowe’s restrooms, Lowes has made a big push to be more women friendly and the men that populate ToolGuyd man not recognize that. A few years back I read that Lowes was the number two appliance retailer after Sears and with the demise of Sears, I suspect that they have taken the number one spot.
I spend more at Home Depot mostly because they’re more convenient for me. Whenever possible I try to spend money at places other than Lowes or Home Depot but it’s not easy.
LJHopkins
Their customer service has gone to the Heck in the last few years. Non-existent help on the floor. Knowledge of employees is minimal at best. Quality products are special orders. The Shower and Bath fittings in stock are of a cheap brand/quality. if you want something better than plastic you have to shop at a real supply store.
Samr
Longtime lurker, rarely comment but this is something I feel strongly about.
Home Depot is much closer. Lowe’s is about 15-20 minutes away depending on traffic. I will go out of my way to go to Lowe’s simply because, IF I need help either locating something or if I have a specific question about a product or task, an employee will be easy to locate and provide useful assistance. The Home Depot’s around me (Texas) are not only staffed sparingly, but whenever I do get assistance, I frequently get some version of “I don’t know.”
Bonnie
I’m glad Lowe’s exists so HD doesn’t have a monopoly… Which is about the best I can say about them. The last 3 places I’ve lived the Lowe’s has been a noticeable step down from HD in service and general store quality, and very rarely is anything cheaper there.
Brandon
The management at the local Lowe’s has run the store into the ground. I used to shop almost exclusively at Lowe’s but now I rarely do. My biggest complaint has to do with returns. They only allow returns for 30 days which often times isn’t enough time to finish a project and know what materials are left over for return. And the comment I got last time I did a return from the associate, “Why so many”, when I only had a handful of small items didn’t sit well with me. All of the great Lowe’s employees at the local store have long since left and now work at other stores. They also don’t have a single cashier at the main checkout, only a self checkout area with one employee watching over.
Home Depot closed in my town many years ago so they aren’t an option although I do order from their website a few times a year. Lesson learned: Don’t build a Home Depot store right across the street from Menards.
The best option locally is Menards. They have a huge selection and the store is very well staffed. And they almost constantly offer an 11% mail-in rebate on everything.
Ray
Stuart, The Home Depot and Lowes by me in the Buffalo area are waking distance apart. I have found myself mainly going to Home Depot because there are people working there that greet you and ask you if you need help finding something. Lowes I spend more time looking for people than merchandise. I have also noticed the contractors are always in the HD stores in the area. I see very few in Lowes anymore.
Stuart
Looking for associates more than products can be a store-specific issue. My Home Depot stores tend to be better staffed than my nearest Lowe’s stores, but depending on the time I might have to search for an associate no matter which store I’m at.
Mike
There are two Lowe’s and two Home Depots within 20 minutes of me. One of the Lowe’s is close by, and I dropped in there because it was convenient. I was looking for a Shark Bite shutoff valve. I couldn’t find it, and a helpful Lowe’s employee offered to find it. We found the place where it should have been, but it was empty. He checked his device and said “This shows we have NEGATIVE THREE.” We both laughed at that, and he commented that there hasn’t been any in awhile. The other nearby store was also out, and another store 30 minutes away had 20.
I bought what I needed at H-D.
This has been my biggest problem with Lowe’s. The website shows in stock at my store, but it’s not there. The salesman says inventory shows it in stock, but there aren’t any. If the company can’t keep track of inventory, what CAN it do?
JoeR
Years ago I custom ordered some very expensive Pella windows for our home from Lowes. Installation was included in the order. In Long Beach that requires a permit and Lowes confirmed it was taken care of. Demolition begins with the Lowes provided installer (pre-paid remember). The installer stops after an inspector who happened to be in the neighborhood checked for the permit (it had not been obtained). Installer returned to Lowes and said he wanted more money to complete job. Lowes would not help me to get him to finish the job that I had already paid a large amount of money for. Thankfully my neighbor down the street was a general contractor and finished the job for me. He also had a “nice” conversation with Lowes manager since he had a large commercial account with them. That store is 5 minutes or less from my house. I jump in my car and visit the two HD’s in Signal Hill every time or the two further away in Huntington Beach to get sales tax breaks on large items.
I may use the Lowes for inconsequential items (insecticides, herbicides, etc.) otherwise no. I’ve seen instances where the help has gotten into verbal confrontations with customers and then made snide remarks about their gender, sexual orientation or education when they leave to go “speak with a manager”. I had one explain to me how little I knew about fastener numbering only for me to explain to him that I was looking for the known fastener since the store had stocked the wrong one under the correctly labeled hook. No apology, just a grunt an angered look at the inventory handheld, a ‘we’re out of stock’ reply and a comment about some other associate (‘stupid lazy kid’) who does the stocking.
The previous comment about 21st century customer service is pretty spot on. On any given day, I’m sure my local Lowes would have great CS. I’ve had dismal experiences at HD as well. I just don’t feel I can trust Lowes so I spend gas money and go further.
I must say though, HD has to do a better job with the speed of their online ordering experience. I’ve come so close to emptying the shopping cart when I get the pop-up saying “wait or exit”. Hopefully commercial accounts (large dollar) don’t have the same experience.
JH
There’s a reason they call Lowe’s Blowe’s.
Clearance is almost always way too expensive still.
Selection is poorer vs Home Depot.
HD to Lowes ratio is about 5:1.
I’d much rather a Menards move into town here or if its tools I need and its not an immediate purchase then I’ll shop online instead vs big box.
MtnRanch
I recently purchased a four-pack of large storage containers from HomeDepot.com. When the package arrived I only received one piece. My security camera clearly showed only once piece being delivered and showed the FedEx driver taking a picture of the one piece delivered. (A later delivery from Amazon (next day delivery, same price) showed what a four-piece package looked like and it’s not what was in the HD photo.)
I immediately called HD and pointed out the error. They were not interested in the evidence, not even the FedEx driver’s picture which they had. They told me that I would have to take it up with the credit card company so I called my bank. The bank called HD with me on the line and was told something akin to “too bad, so sad”. They couldn’t believe HD’s attitude in the face of solid evidence.
It took a lot of research to find someone higher up on the food chain at HD who finally reviewed the photographic evidence and their own shipping label which clearly showed the mistake. They did refund my money but made it sound like they were doing me a great favor in doing so.
This will not be a problem again – Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. As many problems as Lowe’s has, I’ve never had them try to cheat me.
nic gilbert
The lowes by me is just dark and depressing. always had what i wanted when i stopped by, but don’t want to walk around and look at random things.
Ace is my go to, if they don’t have it Home Depot… or grainger if i can wait a day or 2.
Saulac
HD physical and online sync is a force to reckon with. It this how future stores will be and HD is doing it better than anyone. They are ahead of Amazon in physical stores and miles ahead of WM in online store. Lowes? My prediction is they will eventually become of those deco stores.
TomD
Lowes around here used to mark their appliance scratch and dent stuff really REALLY far down. I guess when you’re Kohl’s level of overpriced you can afford to do that.
Other than that I never even look at it.
Mr. C
Lowes? More like “Blowes.”
Their online ordering for in-store pickup is entirely abysmal.
One time, they gave away my product to someone else, and left me with nothing. “Contact corporate for a refund.” After a LOT of yelling at the management, they stole (ahem, “borrowed”) items from another person’s order to fill mine after making the special trip in to get it.
Another time, they took THREE WEEKS to tell me that they were “out of stock” for an in-store pickup. I already bought the item and finished the project with Home Depot as I thought Lazy L forgot about me. HD took less than 45 minutes to tell me my item was ready for pickup.
Another time, I had an item in my shopping cart in-store — an associate came up to me, AND TOOK IT OUT. They told me “oh I was looking for that sir!” Also told me that an online order already purchased it, and I wasn’t allowed to buy it. That prompted an IMMEDIATE talking to the management, who made it right. But holy heck, you do NOT do that to a customer in-store.
I’ve taken several different Craftsman (crapsman) items in for replacement under their lifetime warranty that THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO HONOR….and each time was a nightmare taking no less than 45 mins of my time. “Oh we can’t do that.” “Contact corporate.” “We don’t honor that warranty anymore.” Etc.
I can’t count the number of times I want to order a hand tool online for shipping to my home … only for it to hit the shopping cart as “unavailable in your store.” No, I’m not going to the store — I’m buying it online for SHIPPING HOME. Nope. It has to be locally available to buy. Or they try to charge me a $70 delivery fee. That’s absolutely bonkers. Shipping for the item direct from GERMANY wouldn’t cost that much.
—–
I have to be –desperate– to buy from Lowes given their lowest quality of service.
Steve
I prefer Lowe’s to Home Depot myself. It seems that Lowe’s has a better selection of products and is generally more organized than the Home Depot’s I shop at. However, I wish they sold Milwaukee tools. It does seem that Home Depot does a better job of promoting outside brands where Lowe’s is more focused on Kobalt, their in-store brand. They are not Sears and I can’t see Kobalt having half the presence that Craftsman once did. Home Depot’s ads and displays all seem to feature Milwaukee, DeWalt and the other brands they carry and Lowe’s ads are all about Kobalt. I think I remember a few Lowe’s ads with Ego and maybe some other stuff, but they seem to be about their store brand. Sorry, for me; I just don’t get excited about anything Kobalt, but I’m always checking out the specials they have on Milwaukee tools when I’m in Home Depot. So, I think they both advertise and promote, just in different ways. Put me in charge of Lowe’s though and I think I’d hitch my wagon to Flex as it is a compelling brand with some unique features. You house brand is always going to be your cheaper, off brand for more weekend warriors. I think Home Depot has this figured out and Lowe’s doesn’t, however; my general experience for availability and selection has been Lowe’s…
Chaz
Hit and miss. Mostly hits.
Hits: Tool section is well stocked and clean. Maybe slow sales, but it looks amazing.
I’m a Skil for my 12v and 40v stuff, so Lowe’s visits are a few times a year for this. For 18V, i’m too far into Ryobi. If I started over again, I would look at Kobalt’s 24v lineup.
Hand tools have a great variety and good inventory. Other stuff like levels, tape measures, stud finders, saw blades, they have a lot to offer.
Home Depot near me has a theft problem or something. Lot’s of out of stock wrenches and sockets. I’m not into Husky stuff at all, but wanted to pick some job specific stuff or a few things to keep in the car and bike.
Misses:
No Ryobi. For 18v, I’m a Ryobi guy, an HD exclusive.
No Milwaukee. I don’t have their power tools, but I love their other offerings. Inkzalls, drill and driver bits, razor blades, etc, multi-bit screwdrivers,etc.
Broken POS/Checkouts. The faulty terminals they have at our store have been that way for like 2- 3 years. What the heck?
Bozz
I was at our local Lowe’s today to pick up a Kobalt chainsaw. According to their website, they have 6 in stock. Problem is, there are none to be found in the store. I was told by an associate to go to the returns counter to see if they can help. The lady there told me they have 6 in stock and they are in the store somewhere. They do not give rain checks so if I wanted one at the sale price I had to go home and order it with store pick up. I did as she recommended and my order was cancelled later as out of stock. They didn’t deduct the partial payment from my debit but they took the money from my gift card and it wasn’t refunded. Now I’m out $50 from my gift card plus no chainsaw as I refuse to pay the high shipping costs to have it delivered. No Home Depot in my area. Nearest one is 50 miles away.
Al
My wife doesn’t mind going with me to Lowes. It feels much cleaner than HD. Even shopping for screws, packaging and overall lighting were day-and-night compared to the same aisle in HD. And our HD bathrooms are a toxic zone. The exhaust fans never work, and the 1-inch beads of caulk everywhere are clues to constant leaks and floods.
I wished that Craftsman made-in-USA would have worked better for Lowes. I have some garage cabinets that had zero damage when we picked them up from Lowes.
At HD, the last bathroom sink came in about 12 pieces, plus a pile of crushed porcelain.
Really want to root for Lowes. But, their ‘for Pros’ offered no benefit for me. Special prices weren’t special compared to a kumber yard or metals supplier. As a general consumer, we go because it’s brighter and cleaner. That’s about all.
If I’m by myself, first choice is HD. I’m used to living in a dungeon, so the dark and stink don’t scare me.
Ciccio
Here in Miami where i live, there are 2 HD nearby, and both are messy and dirty, i went to the restroom of one of these and it was disgusting, the other one is in a “not safe” area and everything is locked behind grates. So of course i prefer Lowe’s, much cleaner and bright, i dont care about people working there, since rarely i need them, i get info on the website before going to the store. Also i go to Lowe’s because they sell Bosch power tools, the one i use. Next month a new Lowe’s will open at one mile from where i live, i believe the 2 HD’s will have hard time to keep up with this new Lowes store and, my guess, they will experience a drop in customers.
But i have to admit when i lived on the other coast of Florida i hade some nice HD
‘s nearby. Location matter for sure, i guess.
Joe Hanson
I’ve had bad customer service at Lowes and they push products lines and brands only to drop them within a year or two. I shop at either Menards or Home Depot 2-3 times a month where as I’ll stop by Lowes maybe once a year if even. I avoid Lowes unless they carry a particular product in store that I can’t get at Menards or Home Depot and I don’t want to wait for an order to show up.
Frank D
It always strikes me as funny to read the comments in these articles.
I’m sure it is a YMWV … but so many issues / faults are pointed out for Lowe’s that apply equally to Home Depot, if not more. If our Lowe’s was not 30 min away, I’d be there all the time. Still honors 5% with credit card, cleaner and better organized stores, with polite employees, help call buttons in aisles …
Versus the dirty, cluttered mess that is any HD in the state; where you can’t get a cart through many of the aisles, always extra pallettes of crap sitting around at every turn and in the two main drags; unhelpful to downright rude employees, that walk right never offering help, the only thing they always bug you for is to sign up for their credit cards, or windows.
I needed two cart loads of long PT lumber the other day, I asked for help from the gal in lumber, … ” well there they are ” and she walked off.
The only thing HD has going for it is: ridgid, ryobi and packout; plus the fact that they’re in town.
And thanks HD Corp; for turning the covered loading areas into a select number of contractors’ private parking area, so they don’t have to walk an extra 50 feet … but meanwhile nobody else can load up in the rain or get a fork lift delivery. Really smart.
Scott ALKB
In-store experience will vary from store to store, and we’re talking about national brands with many stores, so it’s amusing to see all these comments that have no mention of locations.
Franco
Just replying to MM (no reply button after his post). If you know you want the Atomic drill or whatever else, sometimes the best option is to buy it online the night before, for pickup at the store.
Usually they have these orders ready within a couple of hours. So either they have it and you will get a come an pick it up email, or they don’t have it and your order is cancelled. Saves the trip to find out they don’t have it.
You can even order 2 items you were considering but not sure which one. If they have them and you can pick them up, then once there, open them and check them. Take the one you want and get a refund for the one you don’t want.
Stuff like clothing I will often buy 2-3 pants or shirts. When I get them, I might keep 1, 2 are all depending on fit and how I like them.
Just a thought
Franco
I like both HD and Lowes, but I usually go to HD as first choice.
the store itself and people that work at either store can make a big difference. The one of each close to me or both better than average (not exceptional).
When going around to different areas, I will often go into one of these if I encounter one. Some are below average or downright awful, either the store layout, size, not well lit or the people inside working there are smucks.
But even my local HD, which is moderately busy, can have issues. Me and my wife were just starting to look at kitchen cupboards and had a question. The associates for the kitchen stuff are usually at a little desk with a PC. One was a lady, busy with some customers. Not wanting to bother her, I saw a man looking at his PC. I asked him just for some info. He responded that he was slammed and had an appointment in 15 minutes. If I wanted, he could book an appointment for me, which the earliest was in 2 days. On top of this, he was pretty smug in the way he said all this.
I should have complained about his attitude and service to management but it didn’t come to mind at that moment; me and my wife left. The next day we went to another HD, opposite direction from my home and maybe 5 minutes further out.
I saw a young guy sitting at his desk in the kitchen section, so I asked if he could help with some info. He told me he was alone for the week as the other guy was on vacation and he also had an appointment in about 20 minutes, but till then, he would do his best to help us out.
Definitely much better service…and to me, this has much less to do with the store, more with the person. Yes, management probably has a hand in how associates deal with customers, but a smuck will typically always be a smuck…until they get fired.
I go to this HD less often as they are both 30+ minute drive and the other has Costco and so many other places around it; this one has very little else, but a week later we bought our kitchen here.
The Lowes did not have the selection HD had and for what they had, pricing was similar.
Anyway, I will shop at either, usually check out Lowes and sometimes get stuff there. But in general, HD gets more of my business.
Toservice
As a retired Los prevention manager of 30+ years, I thought. you .ight like the following ideas. I you know that the loss of goods cause you to Increase the prices to your customers. Washington state had a law if a shoplifter hit a seurity person during a stop they could be charged for robbery as well as the steeling of goods. My idea is spend a view dollars to get the policy makers stand up a change the lawless laws they have on shoplifting and more protections for the businesses and the customers.