Home Depot Clearance Thread 2015

[grizzlyjmg]

Folks,

Like to offer a quick observation. Whereas I am relatively new to this site - yes I am a SlickDeals convert as I find this site much more informative and useful (really miss HDRob) - I have been a little reluctant to join in the fray of posting my hunting results and/or offering advice and guidance as to how to be successful in the hunt mostly due to the fact that I am not sure if I will be thanked and/or ridiculed for what I might post.

The reason I say this is due to the fact that I have not been as lucky as most in finding the big dollar and/or the quantities of finds that the others routinely post. Not sure if it is the region I am in - I am in the Washington, D.C. area, which means I visit stores in Maryland, Virginia and Washington on a fairly routine basis - but I rarely find the quantity, quality and or prices for items that are posted by others. Doesn't mean that I haven't found some of the bargains - have a number of penny items, to include electrical outlets, 4 gallon sprayers (9 of those from various stores), four electronic locks (three I found in the cart left behind by the MET Team), velcro, etc. Found a couple of tools as well, but not nearly as much as you guys.

I am not bitchin' about what I find in comparison to some of you, although I will admit I am envious of you guys who find the motherload. But then I am not in the hunt for the money aspect, more for the fun of the hunt (spent 34 years as a Federal Police Officer and CIA Security Officer prior to my recent retirement so shopping fills some of the void), as well as sharing with family (have a son who recently bought his own home at age 22 and I am doing my best to get him the necessary tools and other items to help in the renovation of his kitchen (we completely gutted the place, replaced counters, cabinets, appliances) bathrooms (total gut) and flooring. Like Coralnut and others, I routinely plan a trip to checkout a few stores each week so that I can visit most of the stores on a monthly basis (I have access to over 35 stores within a 100 mile radius - but only visit about 15 routinely within a 50 mile radius). However, I do not use the computers at the stores but do most of my searching the old fashion way - looking through the aisles and rafters for items that I get SKU numbers for basically through this forum. Have I been successful - yes. Have I been as successful as others, probably not, but again I am not so sure that my "lack of success" is due in part to my search methods or due more to the area I live in which has unfortunately or fortunately (depending on which side of the situation you are on) maintained a healthy real estate situation despite the financial downslide we all encountered previously. As such I am fighting a lot of construction companies/workers in finding these bargains, and I have stores who knowing that they are not hurting as bad as some in other regions will not do price matching, or reduce the prices on their products as readily as others. Again, not bitchin', but I believe that most of you, if not all of you have most likely already have acquired much of what I found (case in point, I found 3 sets of energizer 24 count AA batteries after searching 15 stores, and no Rayovac; found 2 Ryobi 18V blowers for $39.03) so what advice can I provide that you already don't know......

Whereas I would love to reach out to you guys for some of your stuff, I respect the fact that many of you are looking for these bargains to further fund other tool purchases. Would not ask for you to provide your hard labor for free - but would be willing to work with those who are interested to see what I may have in my region that you do not. As noted, I recently retired, and whereas I have the money to buy the items I want, not willing to part easily and foolishly with my money if I can find it cheaper (don't like to be considered cheap, but I do know how to squeeze the nickles until the buffalos poop). Monies I have are earmarked for my other love - a 1952 Chevy Pickup hotrod which I have been trying to work on since before I retired.

So I am out there looking (have actually gotten my wife involved as well and she is really good at spotting those yellow stickers and SKU numbers in the rafters). Whereas I don't like being referred to as a "lurker" I am also watching this site - review it several times a day - to learn of those items which peak my interest and I can use in my garage (or that of a family member). So if I can be of help to others, feel free to ask - as I might be bold to also reach out to you all for advice and guidance as well. Appreciate the sharing atmosphere on this forum, as well as the gentle ribbing that goes back and forth, and hope that one day I will be able to post one of those truly envious posting that I see you all doing. Again, thanks for allowing me to participate, even if it is more from a "backseat" position, as I truly receive and use the valuable information that you all post each day.

 

[77Ford]

Welcome Grizzly...... There are a couple judge jury's but you just have to ignore them as hard as it is at times.

Please post big or small


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[Jhans504]

I've also been lurking, but haven't had anything of substance to contribute; but I greatly appreciate all of the intel.

I've read thru the entire thread, and learned a lot along the way. I jump out there before I finished reading (takes a bit of time to read thru the 3700+ posts!) and learned some things the "hard way". But, I was able to find a Bosch self leveling laser on my first trip out for $28.03, so I was hooked

I've also been burned though, so to speak. After reading about the Dyson clearance, I ran to a couple stores in my area to find a DC65. Only store that showed one was ~40 min drive. Get there, look around and spot it high in the rafters. Associate takes it down and I was out the door with a $150 DC65. In my excitement, however, I failed to realize the box was taped at the top as though someone had opened it before. Long story short I get home to find that someone had returned their USED & BROKEN DC41! Awesome! Go to my local HD the next day and the pleasant lady at the return counter says that they'll only give me whatever the last price was on a DC41 because that's what's in the box!?! Didn't matter what I said, she wasn't budging. So she calls a guy from flooring to come over because she can't find a UPC on the DC41. He & I chat for a minute, while I let the people behind me get their refunds, and he just shakes his head when I tell him what the return lady had told me. Walks over to another register and refunds my $$ (paid with cc). Glad I didn't have to (a) call HD corporate or (b) drive to the other store (oh yeah, the Return Queen told me I would have to go back to the store I purchased it from to get full refund!).

I did learn something that I hadn't seen posted yet that I wanted to share. Don't forget to look in the Tool Rental section (if your store has one)! I was looking for some nails for a garage build I'm starting next week, and after asking the associate about some clearance Hitachi nails they showed to have on-hand he told me I may want to look in Tool Rental. I guess he saw the puzzled look on my face because he says "They sell nails for the rental guns in there". Well what do you know, I was able to pick up a few boxes for $9/ea. (I know it's not $0.44, but better than the $25 Grip-Rite they had on the shelf by the nail guns in the store, and they were on clearance). So, hope that helps.

One question I have of some of the more experienced hunters. How do you keep track of what stores have what inventory? I have 7 HD within 45 min drive, so sometimes I'll swing by a store on my lunch break (ok, so I take a long lunch) and other times I'll make a morning out of it (get to the first store at 6 and work my way through a few). I've tried taking notes on my phone, but I tend to get sidetracked and forget to look for some stuff (might help if I take notes by store instead of general HD notes). Tried pictures too, which is good for referencing back to. Just curious about some techniques.

Thanks for all the great info.

Cheers,
-Joe

 

[kneeman]

I also failed on the laser, the one thing I really could use the most.

 

[03protege]

True to some extent. But I started checking sku's posted on here a few weeks ago and the deals being posted weren't "deals" in my area, YET. I just started seeing the Milwaukee marked down just yesterday and I hit several stores looking for it last weekend. So it's somewhat regional or even per district.

This is absolutely the case.

The Makita Circular saw I bought didn't drop to the .04 level for me until about a month after I noticed many other people online purchasing theirs.

I also noticed my stores cleared out of the Ryobi and Ridgid cordless batteries much sooner than other areas of the country.

 

[schmelpboy]

I also failed on the laser, the one thing I really could use the most.

A store near here has one, but the last time I checked, the price was at .06. That was 3 weeks ago.

 

[Rm2728]

This is absolutely the case.



The Makita Circular saw I bought didn't drop to the .04 level for me until about a month after I noticed many other people online purchasing theirs.



I also noticed my stores cleared out of the Ryobi and Ridgid cordless batteries much sooner than other areas of the country.

I've had a mix of information given to me the past few weeks. One associate told me it's per district. So if it's on clearance in one store, it should be in another store in that district. Which, we all can confirm this isn't consistent with what we are seeing in store.

I'm just absolutely amazed that on hand inventory numbers can be so far off from actual. Three stores show 2 of the Husky 52" LED tool chest and they are no where to be found. How do you lose a piece that large?

 

[Ign]

NLP = New Lower Price?

Naked Leopard *******

Seriously, if you buy anything with their alleged New Lower Price you'll see near the bottom of your receipt "NLP SAVINGS $**.**"

 

[schmelpboy]

I've had a mix of information given to me the past few weeks. One associate told me it's per district. So if it's on clearance in one store, it should be in another store in that district. Which, we all can confirm this isn't consistent with what we are seeing in store.

I'm just absolutely amazed that on hand inventory numbers can be so far off from actual. Three stores show 2 of the Husky 52" LED tool chest and they are no where to be found. How do you lose a piece that large?

If it shows any in the store, they are there or stolen. Even "0" inventory isn't correct.

 

[Spn1025]

I've had a mix of information given to me the past few weeks. One associate told me it's per district. So if it's on clearance in one store, it should be in another store in that district. Which, we all can confirm this isn't consistent with what we are seeing in store.

I'm just absolutely amazed that on hand inventory numbers can be so far off from actual. Three stores show 2 of the Husky 52" LED tool chest and they are no where to be found. How do you lose a piece that large?

Make sure you look as far as you can in the Receiving area also. They may be hiding them. With that said, are customers allowed to walk into the receiving area? I never noticed any signs that say "employees only" or anything along those lines.

 

[03protege]

If it shows any in the store, they are there or stolen. Even "0" inventory isn't correct.

It could also very well be an inventory miscount. When you have stacks of different products that are all in near identical boxes with only a sticker denoting the difference it can be easy to for employees doing counts to mix them up.

 

[03protege]

Make sure you look as far as you can in the Receiving area also. They may be hiding them. With that said, are customers allowed to walk into the receiving area? I never noticed any signs that say "employees only" or anything along those lines.

I walked in one the other day by accident (saw some out-for-service lawn equipment I thought was marked down)

The kid working shipping gave me a funny look but didn't say anything.

 

[schmelpboy]

It could also very well be an inventory miscount. When you have stacks of different products that are all in near identical boxes with only a sticker denoting the difference it can be easy to for employees doing counts to mix them up.

Not true....If it comes in in a box, they inventory it into their computer as it is unloaded. SO, the only way for that count to decline is to sell one, have one stolen, or have it somewhere in the store....

If there was a miscount at delivery, the store would've caught a discrepancy in the amount delivered and the amount inventoried....We have parts delivered here all the time. You can bet we catch every single delivery problem. I'm not paying for stuff I don't have!

 

[03protege]

Not true....If it comes in in a box, they inventory it into their computer as it is unloaded. SO, the only way for that count to decline is to sell one, have one stolen, or have it somewhere in the store....

If there was a miscount at delivery, the store would've caught a discrepancy in the amount delivered and the amount inventoried....We have parts delivered here all the time. You can bet we catch every single delivery problem. I'm not paying for stuff I don't have!

When I worked retail we often made inventory adjustments (to account for theft, damaged products, store use, whatever).

Speaking with the store manager one day about 6 Makita Impact Wrenches that could not be found he confirmed he had the ability to manually adjust inventory and was going to zero out the quantity.

I have no idea if that is true or not as I have never worked for HomeDepot, but by the way you worded your response it would seem you do so maybe that manager was lying to me. Who knows.

 

[elronin]

I think we need to watch the M12 drill radio combos in the coming months. I've seen them for 99 bucks and they are over stocked everywhere I go. Just saw this today in the clearance section at one of my HD stores.....

 

[Gfercaks33]

I may be able to get my first you ****. I went in to Home Depot for some lumber and looked in the clearance rack and saw a coveted Bosch laser level. It was priced for $28.03 and the box was tattered and the level was on a different shelf, I asked the manager and he let it got for $15. Thy also had a channel lock ring pliers for $3.70 that I grabbed but it was mislabeled (if I had gone through self check out I would have had them).

 

[Spn1025]

I think we need to watch the M12 drill radio combos in the coming months. I've seen them for 99 bucks and they are over stocked everywhere I go. Just saw this today in the clearance section at one of my HD stores.....

wow you have a lot of nice stuff in your clearance section.. mine never has stuff like that. I could use that intermediate chest.

 

[Ign]

I think we need to watch the M12 drill radio combos in the coming months. I've seen them for 99 bucks and they are over stocked everywhere I go. Just saw this today in the clearance section at one of my HD stores.....

Yep, my store also has way too many.

FYI, that's the 2407/Bluetooth speaker combo. The 2407 is a decent little drill, but 3/8" chuck, and the speaker is just a speaker. No radio, and it's cordless only (no AC option)

 

[77Ford]

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[schmelpboy]

When I worked retail we often made inventory adjustments (to account for theft, damaged products, store use, whatever).

Speaking with the store manager one day about 6 Makita Impact Wrenches that could not be found he confirmed he had the ability to manually adjust inventory and was going to zero out the quantity.

I have no idea if that is true or not as I have never worked for HomeDepot, but by the way you worded your response it would seem you do so maybe that manager was lying to me. Who knows.

They DO have the ability to manually adjust the inventory...When they can't find something, that's what they do. But then guys like me come along, find the computer shows zero inventory, and then find 5 of what is supposedly sold out. However, anytime I've found any inventory above zero, the item is ALWAYS in the store. I've found power tools above the toilets.

 

[elronin]

wow you have a lot of nice stuff in your clearance section.. mine never has stuff like that. I could use that intermediate chest.

Yea this is the store I got the 5 Dewalt Grinders from, and a load of nails. The messiest store by far, but its always packed with contractors with pickup trucks and vans everywhere, lots of volume, not a big store. They have lots of day labors hanging around in the parking lot. They must make a killing here it's always packed.

gonna check up on it this weekend, I hate going during my break, some of day labors see me in uniform with my firearm and think in Immigration and walk away lol.

 

[kincade]

Can any of you who bought a Dyson dc65 post a store sku? All the stores here show it closes out and can't look up the inventory without a sku.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give,

 

[drwheels]

[




I did learn something that I hadn't seen posted yet that I wanted to share. Don't forget to look in the Tool Rental section (if your store has one)! I was looking for some nails for a garage build I'm starting next week, and after asking the associate about some clearance Hitachi nails they showed to have on-hand he told me I may want to look in Tool Rental. I guess he saw the puzzled look on my face because he says "They sell nails for the rental guns in there". Well what do you know, I was able to pick up a few boxes for $9/ea. (I know it's not $0.44, but better than the $25 Grip-Rite they had on the shelf by the nail guns in the store, and they were on clearance). So, hope that helps.




Thanks jhans504 for reminding me about tool rental. I bought a few nails at 2 of 4 stores and free lunch at one.Flooring staples Finish nails coil nails. Thanks again.
Cheers,
-Joe[/QUOTE]

 

[Jhans504]

Can any of you who bought a Dyson dc65 post a store sku? All the stores here show it closes out and can't look up the inventory without a sku.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give,

DC65
SKU # 1000039159
Model # 205497-01
UPC # 885609001975

 

[djdaredevil]

The ridgid grinder 2 pack is down to $59 here in west michigan

 

[kneeman]

I may be able to get my first you ****. I went in to Home Depot for some lumber and looked in the clearance rack and saw a coveted Bosch laser level. It was priced for $28.03 and the box was tattered and the level was on a different shelf, I asked the manager and he let it got for $15. Thy also had a channel lock ring pliers for $3.70 that I grabbed but it was mislabeled (if I had gone through self check out I would have had them).

Ok, you ****. I can't even find one on a computer in my area.

 

[Spn1025]

Made out with a free bench grinder. My trip to Atlanta paid off after all. The SKU didn't come up at all, not even penny status. Store manager said "happy birthday"



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Btw the HD in Cumberland in Atlanta still has a lot of stuff left. Their clearance section in aisle 8 is a mess. I would have got more, but I think my luggage is gonna be overpacked as it is

 

[kneeman]

Made out with a free bench grinder. My trip to Atlanta paid off after all. The SKU didn't come up at all, not even penny status. Store manager said "happy birthday"



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Btw the HD in Cumberland in Atlanta still has a lot of stuff left. Their clearance section in aisle 8 is a mess. I would have got more, but I think my luggage is gonna be overpacked as it is

Invading foreign territory down south eh?

 

[elronin]

Made out with a free bench grinder. My trip to Atlanta paid off after all. The SKU didn't come up at all, not even penny status. Store manager said "happy birthday"



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Btw the HD in Cumberland in Atlanta still has a lot of stuff left. Their clearance section in aisle 8 is a mess. I would have got more, but I think my luggage is gonna be overpacked as it is

nice then it was a penny deal turned into a take it, it's yours deal

 

[Spn1025]

Invading foreign territory down south eh?

Lol yea had to come here for Oracle database certification

 

[JettaGetUpandGo]

Btw the HD in Cumberland in Atlanta still has a lot of stuff left. Their clearance section in aisle 8 is a mess. I would have got more, but I think my luggage is gonna be overpacked as it is

You could ship stuff back home as well, but that also depends on whether or not they are still deals after factoring in the cost of shipping.

 

[Spn1025]

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[Spn1025]

Couldn't find either of these 3. I wanted that Hitachi framer... I also would have kept that Bosch tripod to use with the laser level


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[Spn1025]

Had to give away the grinder. No room in my luggage. Gave it to my hotel shuttle driver...he was happy

 

[Spn1025]

It's halfway through July now and they still haven't posted the first quarter survey sweepstakes winners.. What the hell is going on with that

 

[Jeff95TA]

Lol yea had to come here for Oracle database certification

So you must be one of those people trying to hack into the H.D. computer network on their computer!

 

[kneeman]

They have that 7.00 ryobi drill here. I passed.

I went back looking at nails you guys bought and my store still has them full price.

They're all so different. One Mgr said he sells a lot of paslode framers and stocks them, fifteen minutes away they closed them out.

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[Spn1025]

You could ship stuff back home as well, but that also depends on whether or not they are still deals after factoring in the cost of shipping.

Ya thought about that. They had a big rack full of clearance nails by the nailers. All of the sticker prices were high, but I didn't check any of them at SCO since I obviously wasn't gonna pack them in my luggage. Their Price Check app had lots of 44 cent nails, so i'm sure a lot of them were there.

The clearance section in Aisle 8 was a mess, but it was loaded. Tons of old display models. They had 1 more Bostitch finish stapler for $27 which I didn't take. They showed 1 Milwaukee 1/4 impact for $58.03 but I couldn't find it.

They had a top+bottom Dewalt chest/cabinet near the Pro desk which they offered to sell me cheap, but I told them I couldn't bring it on the plane.

I spent too much time looking for that Bosch compact tripod and the Hitachi framing nailer. Anyway, my luggage is full now with 2 Bostitch finish nailers, a brad nailer, and a finish stapler.

 

[Spn1025]

They have that 7.00 ryobi drill here. I passed.

I went back looking at nails you guys bought and my store still has them full price.

They're all so different. One Mgr said he sells a lot of paslode framers and stocks them, fifteen minutes away they closed them out.

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I actually have that exact same drill that I bought for like $25 2 years ago. It's held up nice. I wasn't expecting it to last long.

 

[loranger]

Just got back from checking 5 different HD's in my area and there are no Dyson's to be had.