In what is turning into a rant-a-day, we are getting a lot of interesting problems coming out of our bigger stores in the city. This one involves our new kid on the block and should come as a surprise to no one. MGR
The new Home Depot on 23rd has the worst customer service ever!
I purchased a custom-made rug there on the second day the store was opened (yes, they may not have been fully up-and-running at that point, but still...). I was originally told it would take 5-7 days for the order to come to my apartment.
A month later I FINALLY received the rug. It was a over a foot shorter on each side than the dimesions I had ordered, plus the rug was a good five shades darker than the one I saw in the store.
After calling the store 10 times and being hung up on or told that "anyone that could help me was in a meeting," I finally went down to the store. There, I met a whole long line of customers with similar stories. After waiting for 45 minutes, I got to the line.
There, I was told that I need to understand that sometimes rug dimensions are "round up" and I would know that if I were in the business. I was also told to contact the rug vendor directly....????
I finally called the corporate offices of Home Depot, who admitted that this store was a pain to deal with. I still have no resolved the issue however.
Shortchanged,
Liz
That store is pretty bad. Cramped and crowded. And why exactly do they have such a big "outdoor section?" I can't remember the last time I really needed an outdoor lawn sprinkler system in midtown.
lowes....
I have only been to home depots in NY , but if you ever get to go to a lowes instead i highly recomend it. Lowes stores are cleaner, seemingly more effecient plus the people seem nicer. in addition prices are slightly lower. (on some items, i can't be sure it's accross the board)
This is a Home Depot issue that is definitely not limited to the city stores -- it's more of a pandemic issue with the entire chain. Two hours west in NE Pennsylvania, my parents waited months for hardwood floors promised in weeks. Every call resulted in dodges and hangups.
I'm sure the corporate office had an easy time admitting that the NYC store was a pain to deal with, as the same holds true of most locations.
Frankly I'd have to say that both are deficient. I called Lowe's on the phone about a product, went through a whole gauntlet to find out an answer and then they told me that yes, they had what I was looking for but it had to be ordered in the store. I went there, waited an hour to be helped, only to be told that they were completely not paying attention to my question on the phone and that no, they could not order the product for me that I wanted.
At the Home Depot in Red Hook I ordered curtains 3 weeks ago that they said would take 2 weeks. I still don't have them and who knows what they'll look like when I do get them.
Out here in the cornlands most of our shopping options involve the big-box behemoths like Home Depot. Having been to NYC several times and being absolutely wowed at the shopping options, price ranges, and absolute amazing variety of everything from books to bookcases--I am amazed--no, shocked--that anyone would order a rug from some crappo-cheapo place like Home Depot! There must be several hundred--probably several thousand--great, locally-based merchants that deal in fabulous pre-made and custom rugs.
Hopefully, the lesson is learned by the rug purchaser--shop locally and embrace the diversity that is available in your fabulous metropolis. And the lesson for all of us is shop locally lest you risk that metropolis becoming a retail wasteland like much of the U.S.
I'm still waiting on a call regarding meeting with a designer to get my kitchen redone. I went in person to the store, during the day, where I didn't have to wait in line. The people were friendly, but unhelpful - they basically told me that there were many people before me and that someone would call me eventually. Now, while I did sign-up for the measuring service on the 2nd day that they were open, it was about three weeks after they opened that I had a convenient time slot. So, while it is plausible that two billion people rushed into the Chelsea Home Depot before me and thoroughly overwhelmed the desiginng staff, I sense it's more of a "pass the buck" sort of thing.
When I moved to LA from NYC this summer I was looking forward to my first Home Depot experience. All it took was one expedition for my husband and I to come up with the alternative names along the lines of " Home Despot" or "Home Despair". Because I value my sanity, I'll avoid it at all costs in the future.
Wow, your story sure brings back memories (bad ones) of dealing with Lowe's on our kitchen remodel. I'll spare everyone the gory details, but I totally agree with John's comments above, to take your business to your local merchants if you are so blessed, UNLESS you are prepared to become vastly more educated on whatever you are purchasing than the so-called professionals at the big-box stores.
I actually got to the end of the kitchen design process at Home Depot, only to find myself so annoyed at their process/competency that I don't want to go through with it. I don't trust any designer who can't draw and wants to sell me an "interest-free" loan. Not only was my first round kitchenette over $6000 [cabinets and counter only, folks], they added a whole series of cabinets on another wall, messed up the appliances that I wanted, and even put the kitchen sink so that it had a nice bucolic view of my air shaft. I'm not going to buy the second round kitchen that I wrangled out of them by drawing it myself while the designer/saleswoman left the room to deal with an irate lady on the phone, but I am using the numbers they gave me as a "bid" and looking for other people. They also had a horrible selection of compact appliances, unless you want a dishwasher or a barbecue grill. I basically found everything I wanted by browsing P.C. Richards and then doing more research online with those brand names.
When KMart moved to the city, I started shopping there because I could get a whole set of dumb errands done all at once -- I could buy milk, a hammer and a set of flipflops without going to three stores. When I walk the nine blocks to get to Home Depot though, I pass so many small hardware stores that I know collectively have everything that Home Depot has, if not more. I'll probably still go to HD if I don't want to think about where to find a 2x4, but I doubt that I'll be going back for anything that takes real thought and planning.
I, too, was thoroughly disgusted with my one shopping experience at Home Depot. I couldn't find what I needed and wandered around looking for sales help. When I finally found an associate he was not only unhelpful (he didn't know where the item I was looking for was located) but he also had an attitude. I looked around for somebody else to ask, but they're clearly short-staffed since every associate had a long line of customers to deal with. I finally left without finding the item, which is, by the way, a very common tool. Never again.
I bought two garage door openers (one for my hgarage and one for the garage at my son's house) and mailed in two cards, each "good for a $30 Home Depot Gift Card." A few weeks later I got a card saying I wasn't entitled to the gift cards because I sent a 'Duplicate Submission.' When I phoned the number on the card I was told that I wasn't eligible because I put my name and address on both cards and the offer is only "one to a household." When I explained that the pourchases were for two households, I was read some legal stuff saying that offer was void because I hadn't followed the directions. So I called Home Depot's Customer Service line and was told that the offer was handled by a company NOT Home Depot (despite the Home Depot logo and address on their correspondence) and that Home Depot couldn't help with it. And this is why LOWE's now gets all of my business.
I bought two garage door openers (one for my garage and one for the garage at my son's house) and mailed in two cards, each "good for a $30 Home Depot Gift Card." A few weeks later I got a card saying I wasn't entitled to the gift cards because I sent a 'Duplicate Submission.' When I phoned the number on the card I was told that I wasn't eligible because I put my name and address on both cards and the offer is only "one to a household." When I explained that the purchases were for two households, I was read some legal stuff saying that offer was void because I hadn't followed the directions. So I called Home Depot's Customer Service line and was told that the offer was handled by a company NOT Home Depot (despite the Home Depot logo and address on their correspondence) and that Home Depot couldn't help with it. And this is why LOWE's now gets all of my business.
If you think Home Depot is bad, try PC Richards, the royalty of bad service and worse products. I bought an air condition there, shlepped it home in a cab. it didn't work. I was told another air condition would be delivered the next day. It wasn't. i was promised next morning delivery. it showed up at 4 pm and also wouldn't turn on. another empty promise. I have already tied up three days of my time and had two non-functioning air conditioners from PC Richards. What kinds of brands do they stock?
I happened to find this website while checking into the corporate office. I, too, have had a nightmare experience from Home Depot and will never return to that store.
To say their customer service is deplorable is an understatement! Unfortunately, after reading this site, it is apparent to me that writing to the main corporate office will do no good. Thanks for saving me a waste of time!
After driving 3.5 hrs to be home during the assigned Home Depot 4 hr. window, I found my $1100 washer & dryer both dented when the delivery men unboxed them. I wouldn't accept the pair of appliances & they were loaded back onto the delivery truck. After 2 hangups to HD Central, I called the store mgr. who told me that he really couldn't be of any help. That afternoon I purchased an identical set, $300 cheaper, from a local appliance store & had it delivered that day...not 10-14 days later like the Depot. I hope I NEVER have to deal with HD again in the appliance dept. They should stick to hardware!!!!
DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH PC RICHARDS!!! Their delivery service is the WORST! Unreliable, rude delivery people, incompetent dispatchers, one service person hung up the phone on me after THEY screwed up delivery schedule. WARNING, DANGER! I'm taking my refund and going to Sears.