Disappointed with Home Depot

[Tonka]

Hello Everyone... great site.
I got a beef with Home Depot. I got the 13" planer for a birthday present approx. 40 days before the promo came out with having the stand and blower attachment included in the purchase. The HD sales associate said that he could not give me a stand but i could return my unit for a refund and then buy another one and get the extra items. I've have used it alot and works well. I though that was a stupid excuse so i chatted the HD manager and he said the same thing. So i contacted the HD customer service and they said it was up to the descretion of the store. I just think its poor judgement on their part. So if i return it they end up with a used planer the will try to re-sell. I can see their point if i had purchased it severals months ago. And it's not like i'm a stranger there cause i've purchased several other Ridged items including the Jointer and Tablesaw. What do you guys think?

[jdeardor]

I had the exact same problem with the TS2424. IT now comes with a dust chute, dado insert, etc... I called Ridgid and they said if I got the HD to give me the coupon I could send it in and they would send me the parts. However, I did so and then Ridgid sent me back a reply saying I wasn't within the promotional time period (which I had already explained). So now I must dissasemble my TS to get what they already said they would send me. I am kind of dissappointed in both companies. I think I was 45 days before the promotion.

[nelson]

i had the same problem with the planer which i bought 20 days before the promo. i went ahead and bought a new unit with the promo items, took out the dust hood and stand and returned just the planer (new) with my old receipt (it had the same box as my old unit). this way they still have a new planer unit to resell.

[DaveM]

I probably won't make freinds with this one, but how long is a reasonable period of time between buying something and a promotion coming out? 40 - 45 days to me seems like a long time. I could see a week or two but beyond that I think its pushing it. Just MHO. :(

[John S.]

Hi ya'll!
I too purchased my planer a week or 3 before they began including the "options"(I think they're required). I went back to my local HD and showed them my reciept for the planer, stand, and dust hood. Asked them if they could do any kind of price adjustment. They said that technically they needed to be returned and then I could purchase the promo pk and save the $100 or so. But one creative associate thinking outside the box said it could be done by just pushing a few SKU's around so it looked like a return and a new sale without having to move any stock. Worked fine, took just a couple minutes with an associate with a functional brain, and the credit went right back on the ol' card! Hope this helps. Happy Holiday Projects! John. :D

[Andy B.]

stuipd is was stuipd does!!!

[Tonka]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tonka:
Hello Everyone... great site.
I got a beef with Home Depot. I got the 13" planer for a birthday present approx. 40 days before the promo came out with having the stand and blower attachment included in the purchase. The HD sales associate said that he could not give me a stand but i could return my unit for a refund and then buy another one and get the extra items. I've have used it alot and works well. I though that was a stupid excuse so i chatted the HD manager and he said the same thing. So i contacted the HD customer service and they said it was up to the descretion of the store. I just think its poor judgement on their part. So if i return it they end up with a used planer the will try to re-sell. I can see their point if i had purchased it severals months ago. And it's not like i'm a stranger there cause i've purchased several other Ridged items including the Jointer and Tablesaw. What do you guys think?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

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[Tonka]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tonka:
null<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

HI Guys:

Thanks for the comments. Still no results. I've e-mailed HD customer service.... let see what happens from there. If all else fails i will return the one I am currently using with now problems and then walk down to the hardware dept and buy another one with the stand and blower.

Happy Holidays

[myTechieGuy.Com]

Hello Dave:

My opinion is that when you buy a high dollar item from a store and if it is still within the return period, then the store oughto accomodate the cutomer. There is a post below that genius of an emplo0yee was able to demonstrate good customer service in enabling a customer to take advantage of the promo.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DaveM:
I probably won't make freinds with this one, but how long is a reasonable period of time between buying something and a promotion coming out? 40 - 45 days to me seems like a long time. I could see a week or two but beyond that I think its pushing it. Just MHO. :(<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[DaveM]

MyTechieGuy
I don't know what HD's return period is. If it's 45 days then so be it. They should honor a promotion. Just seemed like a long period of time to me.

[myTechieGuy.Com]

I hear you Dave, as a small business owner myself I know and respect what you are talking about.

But the original poster said that the store asked him to return his product and buy another one. hat just sound rigademdiculous to me but who am I to tell HD how to run there business :rolleyes:

[DaveM]

MyTechieGuy
I guess I missed that in the post. If it had been me I don't think I would have thought to go back to HD and ask for anything! Dave

[kelemvor]

Hey guys, before returning something you already have, do it the EASY WAY.

1) Go rebuy the item new.
2) Then just return it using your old receipt.
(This is especially fun if you whell it directly from the register, out the door and back in and jsut switch receipts. smile.gif

Then you still have yoru original in working order, plus you have a new receipt perfect for rebates.

However,I contacted Ridgid directly via email and got a contact person who told me to send in the rebate to her attention and she'd make sure it got processed OK. I (and everyoen I know) pretty much think Home Depot sucks when it comes to anything related to Customer Service, btu Ridgid on the other hand Rocks.

--Mike

[BobbyU]

Well guys...consider yourself lucky. I have contacted Rigid woodworking three times and have yet to receive a reply to a missing part question. Does anyone have a clue about how to recieve a reply?

[Jesse]

I can't believe this conversation. I chalk the lot of you, ok, all but two, right up there with the "virtual renters". (Too cheap to rent, so buy, use, and return for credit.)

Plain and simple, the item was purchased at an agreed upon price. What gives anyone the nerve to go back and try to get freebies when a promotion is run is beyond me.

[kelemvor]

Well Jesse, most companies have this thing called a Price Guarantee. That means that if they or anyone else) puts the item on sale within a certain amount of time (usualyl 30 - 90 days) that you can take your receipt back for credit.

Rebates and promotions should be included in this but some companies don't so in order for a consumer to get the rebate, refund, promo items, or whatever due to them, they have to circumvent the companies hard nosed values of "We have your money, go screw yourself".

Most people have no problem doing this at Home Depot because the help in their stores are idiotic, ignorant, and don't know squat anyway.

If you buy something and don't care if it them goes on sale, fine, good for you. But most people like getting money back when they can because then we can go buy more stuff.

[myTechieGuy.Com]

Well put. I will also bet that the money saved is going to go to another Ridgid tool :D

[Tonka]

Well Guys:

Thanks for your comments.

I've contacted Ridgid Customer service and they advised me that the promotion is with HD and there is nothing they can do.

So here is what i have done. I returned my planer and got a full credit. I then went down to the hardware dept. and purchased a new one (at the same price $597. + tax)and got the stand and blower attachment. Later the same day i came back to purchase something else. When i visited the hardware dept, there was my original planer being sold for $450. The manager happened to see me looking at it and said if i was interested in purchasing it he would reduce the price to $350. He said it was a demo unit that they were selling. I could not believe my ears. Know what i did? I purchased it @ $350. I came home and posted it for sale on a local newsgroup and sold it that evening for $500. Well, it goes to show you how intelligent some of these HD associates can be.

So, i took my $150. profit, purchased some food and gave it away to a local food kitchen.

Maybe is should make a new carrier out of this adventure

[ECoke]

Since I'm on both sides of the fence I will add my two cents worth. I am an avid woodwoorker and purchase Ridgid tools. I am also a Home Depot Store manager...yes we have some stores that may in fact at times neglect the Ridgid displays..just like all of you at your places of employment have issues. We as a company do everything we can to ensure knowledgeable sales associates man our stores, however it is an ongoing challenge to keep the many new associates as well as the veterans up to speed in current product knowledge..We are trying...so your inference to all being "idiots" is just that..your opinion and will let others judge you by the tone of your message. We have very loyal consumer base and we do all we can to provide them with a pleasent shopping experience. We cannot and will not ever focus on the very few who pride themselves in circumventing the system just to get "one over" on the Home Depot. We're to busy focusing on our truly valued customers!... smile.gif

[Tonka]

Thanks for your comments ECoke.

You mentioned that you are a store manager at Home Depot. How does HD evaluate their "valued customers"? Is there a corporate standard established for "valued customers" compared to a normal customer? As a major corporation I would hope that HD treats all of its customers in the same respectful manner.
My comments were not deface HD but to advise the readers of this fine discussion forum of my issue.
By the way guys, Home Depot still has not responded to my e-mail that I sent to their customer service over 2 weeks ago.

Hey ECoke... maybe you can bring this up at your next HD convention.