Home Despot tips

[Tealsmith]

I know most disdain the Depot, but sometimes it is a necessary evil. The pain of this place can be minimized if you......

1. Avoid Saturday shopping
2. Make a list
3. Don't expect any help there
4. Don't expect any good advice
5. Call several places for lumber prices
before you shop

What are your tips.

[Paul Pless]

Always enter and exit walmart through the automotive repair entrance. Preferably between two and four in the morning.

Always.

[ 02-16-2006, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: Paul Pless ]

[Victor]

Go to the help desk and tell them where you're heading, esp. if it's a new store. Otherwise you'll wait til you die of old age. And buy your lumber at Lowe's.

[ 02-16-2006, 01:58 PM: Message edited by: Victor ]

[Ken Hutchins]

When some jerk wants to know if they can help you tell them, "go stand at the cash register so when I want to leave I won't have to stand in line holding a bunch of stuff because you aholes only have 2 cash registers open, and trash that foolish self service PIA thing."

[Memphis Mike]

I don't call it The Home Depot. I call it The Church Of The Heathen.

I go early on Sunday mornings and there ain't another soul in the place.

[dmede]

For HD:

Go early, sunday is best

Avoid the self scanner things, always get screwed up and then you gotta wait for help

If the nursury register is open, go out that way

If not, check the register on the lumber side, usually short line of guys who want to get the hell out of there as fast as you do.

Don't ask for help! If you can't find it or figure it out yourself... leave!

[ 02-16-2006, 06:04 PM: Message edited by: dmede ]

[Donn]

I guess I'm lucky. My local HD has self-scanners that work just fine, as long as you make sure your stuff has UPC codes on it. It has tool department and fastener department guys who know exactly what they have in stock and where it is. Same with plumbing and electrical. They don't give me a hard time if I snatch one of the forklifts to bring down a skid of potting mix, or hardware fabric. They know I'll just climb up to the top of the pallet rack and rip open a skid if they do.

It's a dirty, disorganized old store, but I can usually get what I go there for, in pretty short order. I never go on a weekday morning, because it's full of subs and contractors. I agree, very early Sunday is the right time, but sometimes you have to go into the back to fetch stuff, because the shelves tend to be stripped after Saturday's business.

[LeeG]

have a hot dog and Dr.Pepper before going in

[Bruce Hooke]

If it works for your schedule, weekday evening hours are often pretty quiet as well.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

I buy plywood from them, and sometimes PT or studs if they have the best price. I also buy paint there, and I like their selection. I don't like their service, it's usually awful, but my local store ahs a couple of real gems for salespeople.

Home Depot
You can do it
You'll have to, we're nowhere in sight

Home Depot
You can do it
We can't help.

[Figment]

The three local HDs are all about level with the 2 local Lowe's. At both, the staff leaves much to be desired, but those self-checkout stations are a friggin godsend!!!

HOWEVER..... they need to establish two separate lanes at the self checkout. One lane for those who know what the F they're doing, and a completely separate lane for those who've been living under a rock for the past 25 years and haven't quite wrapped their head around the concepts of barcode and creditcard.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Let's face it... most retail stores now have been walmartized... big box, big selection, no specialty stuff, and no staff that have any interest in service.

The way I was taught to perform on a retail floor has no semblance to any chain store I can think of.

[Paul Girouard]

Humm no tips here but I sure like having Home Depot about 2 minutes away from the house smile.gif

Yes service is slow / questionable , but I don't want or need their advice. Maybe for location on a few things . But I've got the store pretty well plotted now and do use the selfcheck out deals.

Home repairs go much better now smile.gif Better selection etc. Of course I do live on a Island and to the nearest other home center it 50 min. drive. Ace hardware is not even close to as good as H/D here in town.

I buy little lumber from them the local lumber yard is fro that and Edensaw deliveries there twice a week Tues. and Thurs.

So all in all I love our Home Depot smile.gif
Paul

[Bruce Hooke]

There are 6 Home Depots within 20 minutes of my house, so my problem is keeping track of which store carries what and where to find key stuff at each store.

I don't understand the business model that puts Home Depot stores less than 10 minutes drive from each other but it is convenient at times.

[Meerkat]

Originally posted by Peter Malcolm Jardine:

The way I was taught to perform on a retail floor has no semblance to any chain store I can think of.Bedding Department? ;) :D

[Paul Girouard]

Hey Bruce is Lawrence Brother hardware store still open , on Chapel st. Harrisville ?

[Wild Dingo]

Well we dont have home despot here but we do have Bunnings and WA Salvage which I bleive are much the same... well sounds like it anyways... big places bad service useless staff etc etc

What I do and I suggest you try it cause it works without fail

Eat a bloody great platter of beans chilli beans mixed beans baked beans whatever does it for you get the old methane gasses brewing... I also grab 2 cans of coke on the way through the doors great burbler sound effects stuff is coke...

Now the secret is to have a bloody good reccy before you head in... do it the day before so you KNOW where the gear you want is then leave yourself a 1/4 hour brewing time as you walk through the doors

Cheerfully say a bloody great happy Gidday to every single staff member you see! Just smile hugely GIDDAY SPORT! (yeah okay I will allow you to have a go at the Aussie accent as it works for me mind here you have that yank accent which well could give some probs with the Aussie but what the hell eh? have a go at it!) and move on

As you feel your lower stomach begin to burble and your spinchter muscle start to work itself into readiness for the coming thunder from downunder (HEY!! I just cracked a funny aobut us Aussies!! WHAHOO!!) ahem... quickly down the two cokes... then quickly gather everything you need and head to the checkout

Now it doesnt matter a single bit how many people are there... honest it doesnt matter just stand around the middle looking lost holding all the stuff... sheilas may have a problem with this as they never get lost nor look lost and confused but a bloke can do it easy they just think of their missus and alls lost! easy eh!

Then let the ol backside do its thing... nice slow and loud is best... then just sheepishly look around grin stupidly take a small look around as though you think you might have just done your dacks but your not sure... about here the coke should be doing its thing... belch mate REALLY REALLY BIG COKE INSPIRED BURP!!... at the same time let another go! and another...

The next step will crunch it for you if you can manage to look REALLY startled... reach behind you and tentatively feel your bum and then look totally paniced and fear struck

Now if that doesnt do it and remove the que then the next step will...

Sidle up as close to the front of the line holdin yer backside and say as loud and as paniced as you can "LADY!! Help me PLEASE Ive just... eeerrmmmm... uuhhh... ooohhh dear... Ive ummmm just shyte meself!" let go another blast from the nether regions and I swear at that moment the line will disappear totally... if it hasnt already...

The checkout chick will look at you like some sort of deviant you just laugh "nah was just jokin darls" as you waltz smoothly into the checkout... she will grin hessitantly and away you go!

Dont believe me? TRY IT!!!... It works! Every time :cool:

Oh... I learnt that in these situations its best to combine the ways of many countries when dealing with these things so I learnt from the Poms to always remain polite and not loose the plot with me language swearing doesnt help at all... from the Yanks to be LOUD not just loud BUT VERY VERY LOUD... From the German to DEMAND attention... And of course I learnt from bein an Aussie to not give a rats who hears me! ;)

[ 02-16-2006, 09:02 PM: Message edited by: Wild Dingo ]

[Victor]

That would work even better in the supermarket! :D

Bruce the idea is if any store has more than $800,000 a day cash flow it will be hard to keep it stocked and clean, so build another one nearby, incidentally putting everybody else out of business. Since they pay 0 for their inventory for up to 90 days, why not? They probably even have a way to get those buildings up for free.

[ 02-16-2006, 09:19 PM: Message edited by: Victor ]

[pipefitter]

You wait for a hurricane.The crowd will all be fighting over in the plywood and the generator sections.

[Bruce Hooke]

Originally posted by Paul Girouard:
Hey Bruce is Lawrence Brother hardware store still open, on Chapel st. Harrisville ?I can't say I've ever been there (when I get up to Harrisville it is not generally to go to the hardware store), but a quick check of the phone book shows the following listing under Hardware and Tools:

Lawrence Brothers Inc, 95 Chapel St., Harrisville RI 02830 (401) 568-2266

Do you recommend them?

[High C]

I once overheard a fellow who was shopping for some fasteners and not finding what he wanted, ask in frustration of a Depot "associate", "do you know if there's a hardware store on this side of town?"

:D

[Paul Girouard]

Originally posted by Bruce Hooke:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Paul Girouard:
Hey Bruce is Lawrence Brother hardware store still open, on Chapel st. Harrisville ?I can't say I've ever been there (when I get up to Harrisville it is not generally to go to the hardware store), but a quick check of the phone book shows the following listing under Hardware and Tools:

Lawrence Brothers Inc, 95 Chapel St., Harrisville RI 02830 (401) 568-2266

Do you recommend them?</font>[/QUOTE]Used to be a good / excellent paint tool shop like in 1977 and before . Not sure now as I haven't been back home since 1989 or 90.

They used to have a cheese and food deal at Christmas , very nice guys back then.

Last guy I knew how owned it was a young (then)retired merchant marine , I worked on his house way back in 75 or 76 . He purchased the place in the 80's IIRC. Check it out next time your in Harrisville , see what it's like now, I'd be interested to hear. Thanks , Paul BTW what town do you live in ? Remington lumber still open ? My phone book, Woonsocket, is from 1983 :rolleyes:

[Bruce Hooke]

I'll have to remember to check them out next time I am up in Harrisville. However, that may be a while -- I don't get up there that much.

I live right in Providence, just a little west of L Sweet Lumber -- out near the Johnston line.

[Norske3]

Just dont absently walk out with one of their pencils! :D

If you want a feel about the mood of the place among employees just ask one if they are hiring...and are you happy here. :D :D

[Popeye]

don't shop there , usually go to BeaverLube , er, Lumber

http://fridayfunsite.com/Friday%20Fun%204-30-2004/beaverlumber.jpg

[ 02-17-2006, 02:09 PM: Message edited by: popeye ]