Lowes is very liberal with returns. Be honest, you will not have any issue.
There are 2 sides to liberal return policies. It can drive prices up, but it can also buy customers. Consider this:
I have a friend that bought a cheap aluminum extension ladder (Type II) at Home Depot. He did not use it for over a year, and when he finally had occasion to use it, he fully extended the ladder and due to a combination of his weight (He was a big boy) and the ladder footing, it yielded and bent. (Both his fault, he broke the ladder)
He went back to Depot and told them the truth. It was over a year old, he did not have a receipt, weighed almost double what the ladder was rated for, and had it on a bad footing. Depot took it back and gave him store credit for the current price (which was a more than he paid for it a year ago...) He told them that was more than he paid, but they said not to worry about it. He bought a Type 1A from them and has been a loyal Home Depot customer since. He loves to tell the story and has not stepped foot in a Lowes in 8 years.
Not sure if Home Depot took the loss, or they passed it on to the ladder company as a warranty return. If it was the former, that loss on the ladder gave them a loyal customer for life that loves to sing their praises to others. Seems cheap. If it was the latter, the ladder company got screwed and that will drive ladder costs up for everyone.
Funny thing is Lowes probably would have done the same thing, but my buddy swears by Depot because of his positive experience.
-Joe
