OT - Returns at the Orange Big box store

[woodzy]

Just thought I would share a story with all. I have been an avid spender at the three large big box stores in the area (built a barn, garage, and new house). My wife purchased some gift cards where she receives some perks and I've been using them at this orange big box store. Like most of us (I think) when you do a plumbing / electrical project, you tend to buy more than you think you need because you don't want to run back to the store for 1 of these and 3 of these and 4 of these.

When you use a gift card and you lose your receipt, you are in a world or hurt as there is no way to get a copy of your receipt. One way to stop this is to charge $1 to your credit card and use the gift card for the rest and if you ever want to return something and can't find the receipt, you give the your credit card and they can find the correct receipt.

The other day, I went to return something and I couldn't find the receipt and I'm sure I only used the gift card. They said not problem and would just give me an in-store credit. I go there all the time so really I'm OK with this. I then purchased some additional items and use this in-store credit and the gift card for the remaining balance.

Now, after the project was over, I gathered all the extra parts and all the receipts and headed to the orange store. The scanned the receipts and then scanned all the items and all matched. The clerk printed out a register receipt and said I needed to call this number as they would not allow me to return any of the products on these 4 receipts.

I called the number and they explained that if I did not pay for the items with a credit card, debit card, cash, or check - they did not need to honor my return. I was not happy so I headed in to see a manager. After another 1/2 hour they said to have my wife bring the stuff in without the receipt and they would give here the refund. The next day, she want there and after 1/2 hour they still would not return the stuff (all of it was 100% unused and in original new condition). They told her that the General Manager would need to allow this to happen. So - I have receipts for everything and all is in new order and they still have not agreed to allow me to return it.

I've has spent probably over $25,000 at this store alone. I'm very disappointed with their response.

 

[nadogail]

Sorry to hear of your problem. I too often buy plumbing supplies at Home Desperate.
I have six houses for which I am the primary maintainer.

I buy all my maintenance supplies on one credit card, and repay the card account from each of the house accounts. I have never had a difficulty making returns of merchandise returned in resell able condition. They always send a credit to the credit card account.

Gift cards, when I get them, are used for things that will never be returned (Lumber, Fasteners, Shop Supplies, etc.)

Our system might be a little more involved than many customers care to deal with, but my accountant likes the paper trail for tax purposes.

 

[soapii]

I'm also in SE Michigan and have never had a single issue with returns at HD. I always deal with the same 2 stores and they are great. Sorry to hear about your issues.

--Joe

 

[LB-1911]

Just thought I would share a story with all.

Your not the 1st.

Home Depot wont take my return!!!
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=305545

 

[brownbagg]

you cant blame it all on the big box store. I have seen people buy a new drill and then fill the box up with gravel and get full refund,. if people was honest we would have all these problems.

 

[Colin Len]

That's strange, I have had zero problems with returns. I've returned stuff that was bought on my credit card, cash, gift cards or store credit and was always able to get a refund (cash or refund to card) or store credit. I regularly bring stuff back that I don't have a receipt for and they just give me store credit. Never had them even give me a funny look or a question, just scan it and print me up a card with store credit on it.

 

[JieselDeep]

Is there another orange box location anywhere nearby? Try the return at a different store and see what happens.

 

[KRB52]

Maybe check with your state's consumer protection office and see what the state's law is on this matter. It may be a "story policy", but it may not match state law.

 

[matt_i]

Ive seen them take returns of things like lawnmowers, even a guy who had bought a shop vac and obviously used it for a drywall sanding project without the proper filter. This was in the bubble economy and they were probably making a fair amount of money as some locations were open 24x7. However I thought that what I witnessed as a business practice is crazy.

 

[justanengineer]

You might consider keeping the items for future home maintenance. I replaced both the entire electrical and plumbing systems as part of a whole-house reno before we moved in 3 years ago now, ended up with two boxes ~2'/side of miscellaneous and a couple short sticks of CPVC and ~20' of Romex on one small shelf in the basement. Frankly, its not worth my time to return and I've already tweaked/altered a few minor runs which used some of these supplies already. JMO as well, but I'd rather have a few household items on-hand than the overstocked hardware stores some of the fellas here have in their garage.

 

[Bobby Cole]

Well we have heard only one side of the story.

 

[Buckgnarly]

There's a whole thread on here dedicated to beating this company out of money, and yet people wonder why they are so **** about returns....

 

[logical]

I'm lost. I get why they won't give you cash back. That would allow people to scam the system by purchasing gift cards using a cash back credit card and then converting the gift card to cash by buying and returning.

But why would they not give you a refund in store credit or on a gift card? Or was it cash you were trying to get?

 

[logical]

you cant blame it all on the big box store. I have seen people buy a new drill and then fill the box up with gravel and get full refund,. if people was honest we would have all these problems.

I'm sure that happens but its sort of not even remotely what this thread is about.

 

[finn]

Many retailers will take back merchandise without a receipt and give you store credit, but they have a limit as to how many times you can do this in a 90 day or six month period in an attempt to prevent (or at least reduce) shoplifting fraud.

Sounds like the op is a regular at the return desk, often without receipts, so I bet he ran afoul of a fraud reduction policy.

 

[fourjeepin]

Re: Home Depot Clearance Thread 2015

My wife purchased some gift cards where she receives some perks and I've been using them at this orange big box store .

Here's your problem. Buying gift cards and store credits saves you a few percent, but buys you some hassle. These sites will buy from thieves (or anyone else) and you got one that was somehow linked to some type of fraudulent transaction.

 

[Briguy_123]

At Lowes if you have them scan your my lowes card before ever purchase, you don't need a receipt for returns, regardless what form of payment you use.

 

[rsnip988]

Many retailers will take back merchandise without a receipt and give you store credit, but they have a limit as to how many times you can do this in a 90 day or six month period in an attempt to prevent (or at least reduce) shoplifting fraud.

Sounds like the op is a regular at the return desk, often without receipts, so I bet he ran afoul of a fraud reduction policy.

Correct, Even Wally World with it's pretty much "take back anything" attitude has a 3 return limit per driver's license # per 6 months (without a receipt)...

Again, the dishonest people ruin it for the rest of us...

 

[inpourquadri]

Ive seen them take returns of things like lawnmowers

 

[jdsac]

You can return the items for store credit- they will give you an orange card with your balance on it.

My local hd gets severly abused by scam artists that ruin it for all of us.

Example: late in the evening, the scammers will put items in the cart, go to the back of the store, open the boxes like they had purchased them, then go to cust service. There they get the orange card & proceed to hang out in the parking lot where they try to sell it at a discount for cash. Crackhead money......

The average hd has an inventory shrinkage in the hundreds of thousands yearly

 

[woodzy]

Just an update. I understand there are people that scam stores out of everything. I have all the receipts for the products I want to return and am happy to take an in-store credit. Last night I stopped again to discuss this and the General Manager was not at the store and he is the only one that can approve this return. He must call a special phone number (Bat-line) to have them release this return.

The MOD (Manager on Duty) tried his hardest and called corporate and got no where. They even got the two undercover loss prevention people together with me to explain this issue. This how has become more humor that what it is worth. Between my wife, and myself, we have wasted 1.5 hours and about 3 hours of HD employees time.

Well, they tried to call the General Manager at home and he didn't answer. They told me to stop back today to discuss it with them. The entire issue is that one of the in-store credits I used to purchase some items I want to return, I did not have the original receipt and the girl said she would just take it back. I have now found that receipt so I will present them with this today but my guess is they will approve this return. I don't think that someone that was trying to scam them out of a few dollars would make repeat trips back to explain my case. Again, it is not the principal and not the refund anymore.

My guess in the last 6 months I have returned probably two items without a receipt but I did return many items with a receipt that was purchased with gift cards. I currently have a gift card in my wallet with $218.00 left of the original $500 on it. Every time something is returned that was purchased on the gift card they must have your driver license. When you built a $350,000 new home, you purchase many items that you changed your mind with. I would guess my return rate is about 2% of the total value I spent. So, if they would rather have me not shop there then I'm sure another store would be willing to help me out.

 

[nh_yota]

I return stuff to HD and Lowes all the time and I've never had a problem. Half the time I don't have a receipt or the items I were returning were purchased with store credit after returning something else. I don't know what their limit is for returns without a receipt, but I've never hit the limit. I guess it helps that most of the stuff I return is less than $20 and is in unused/unopened condition because it was left over from a project or I changed my mind.

 

[Fishplate]

Back when Bernie was running the store, they even took back a set of automobile tires.

Times have changed, sure, but your problem doesn't make any sense.

 

[purplezr2]

Can you explain the method of payment you used?

 

[G_P]

Many retailers will take back merchandise without a receipt and give you store credit, but they have a limit as to how many times you can do this in a 90 day or six month period in an attempt to prevent (or at least reduce) shoplifting fraud.

Sounds like the op is a regular at the return desk, often without receipts, so I bet he ran afoul of a fraud reduction policy.

This. HD has a limit on the number of returns allowed per year without receipts. Return too much and you get flagged in the system. It has to be done due to the massive amount of people who steal small yet expensive things and return them for store credit cards that they sell in the parking lot or on Craigslist for cash.

 

[woodzy]

Can you explain the method of payment you used?

On this sale, there were four different receipts. Three receipts were all OK and not an issue on them other than the entire order was suspended. Now all of these four receipts are being held hostage in the HD computer system.

On one receipts, I used an in-store credit that was from the only return I did not have a receipt for in the past 4 months. it was for two PEX ball valves that were $8.00 each, the rest of the purchase was another in-store credit for $3.06 (original purchased on a gift card) and the balance on that purchase was on a gift card (Started out with a $500 gift card and now have $218.00 left on it).

I probably have 300 receipts from Home Depot over the past year and a half building this house so once in a while, one get lost in the mix.

It seems complicated but all I want is an in-store credit for items "officially purchased" and I have receipts for all of these items..

 

[pattenp]

Can you explain the method of payment you used?

Go back and read first post.

Lost original receipt for first purchase. Got store credit for returned items from first purchase.

Used store credit and gift card for second purchase.

Took some items back from second purchase with second purchase receipt where store credit and gift card were used.

HD would not take back returned items from second purchase where paid with store credit and gift card.

 

[pattenp]

You mentioned 4 months. How many months was it from the time of purchase to the time of return. I ask because I've had HD refuse a return because of being over 90 days.

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

I've never had a problem returning anything, but if i end up with too much, I often keep the surplus for an "emergency" job that pops up when HD is closed, or doesn't allow for the time to get there.

The best thing I've ever done is to become acquainted with the manager. Every time I am there, I make it point to find him, just walk past him, and to wave and say "hi." He know how often I'm there and how much I spend.

I was looking at a brad nailer that was already on sale, and he walked up and asked if I liked it. I said that I did, but even though it was on sale, I wouldn't use it often enough to justify even the sale price. He knocked another $27.00 off and asked it I would pay that.... I said yes, and he walked me to the cashier to okay it. I paid less than half for a brand new nail gun.



JBP


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[Git]

I sympathise with the original poster - but I am sure that stores like Home Depot, Costco, etc lose millions of dollars in stolen property that then gets returned to the store for credit...

We ALL end up paying for it in the form of increased costs. Home Depot tries to be accommodating and we keep seeing stories like this - bad mouthing them

They should just go back to no receipt - no refund, then no one can complain

 

[nadogail]

I often wonder if the personal appearance and behavior of the person returning merchandise influences decisions.

I catch a lot more flies with honey than I do with vinegar.

I am 76 years old, male, white, neatly dressed, decent haircut, and not smelling of alcohol, tobacco, or body odor. I realize I am asking for someone to do me the favor of accepting a return as opposed to demanding a refund.

I sometimes ask if the person I speak with has the authority to assist me in the resolution of my problem.

I try to remember to thank the person who listened to me for their time and attention, even if they are not able to grant me the favor I requested.

 

[wssix99]

The big box stores have large database systems that track us and our purchases. The same system that looks up our receipts by credit card numbers is the one that does the check here. The stores also sell your personal information via 3rd party clearing houses so they can advertise to you and track your activity across chains. Gift cards, credit cards, debits cards, etc. all facilitate this. The only way to stop it is - cash money!


What was this return for? (In building my house this has happened to me at the Orange Satan, also. We tried to return hardware that we got a special discount for but lost the receipt.) You and your wife's ID will be tied to the gift card, so their systems will stop the return for store credit (they look up your personal information via your driver's license) in order to protect against you converting the sale to a better deal.

There are a lot of reasons for this, but I would guess that the gift cards your wife got (from the perks place) had some type of restrictions or corporate condition on them. (Time of use, Home Depot giving the seller a kickback, etc.) When you make a return on them, Home Depot will be giving you unrestricted store credit in return. Therefore they will want to do the extra check with the physical receipt. (There are gift card rackets out there where people convert/steal restricted gift cards not issued by HD and convert them in to bona fide HD store credit cards.) When the Orange Satan sees ties the SKU you are returning to your ID, which they tie to your non-HD gift card, that will set off a red flag - probably one that even the store manager can't take down.

 

[woodzy]

OK - some details and some new news.

Stuff was purchased in the last three weeks max - was installing a sink in garage, drains, hot and cold lines, and some gas work.

Normal looking guy with a sense of humor and not confrontational.

Today - went at lunch and talked to the General Manager. After 1/2 dozen calls, scan receipts twice, scan parts, and make a few more calls, store credit issued.

Again - not pulling any fast one and all employees tried to help as much as they could but the system didn't allow it. They were almost ready to return without a receipt and use their driver license number.

This won't stop me from going there but in the future - I will be sure to use any store credit on items that will not be returning. I will probably own 200 garbage cans since when is the last time you returned one of those...

 

[west_perf]

I'd suggest shopping somewhere else. HD/Lowes are a little unique in that home projects often require estimating goods needed, and it's better to have too much than too little. I've found Ace to be great with their customer service.

Having worked mgmt at big box stores, seeing the kind of shrinkage and abuse customers do is mind boggling. Some of the more memorable ones:

-Returning a "live/dead" Christmas tree on Dec. 26 because the "needles are brown"

-Returning a homelike chain saw because it wouldn't idle right. We took it outside and it ran great. He went home with the saw, that was bought a month prior, had the wording worn off the chain bar, and he mentioned needing to cut down a tree for firewood that winter.

-Flea spray returned by a customer, 2/3 used, because the spray mechanism didn't work right, and didn't need it anyways because the dog died

-One week old Tires returned that looked like drag slicks because the owner had raced at the speedway that Friday night

-Tents and sleeping bags returned after a scouts weekend, smelling like smoke but "never used"

And people wonder why retail fraud is so rampant. It's sad.

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

After reading the thread up to now, I found it interesting but forgot the problem.... If it was caused by no receipt, why not save them? I do. I just set them in a cigar box in the garage, if I need one, they are all in order, so it is easy to find the one that I need.

I know a couple of Home Depot employees, including one in Loss Prevention. The stories they tell about people ripping them off include schemes that I couldn't even imagine. My best wishes to the company. ...but I also guess that other chains have similar experiences.


JBP


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[Steevo]

What is a "return"?

If you take back all of the leftover stuff, how do you accumulate an inventory?

This does not compute . . .

 

[srmofo]

Re: Home Depot Clearance Thread 2015

Here's your problem. Buying gift cards and store credits saves you a few percent, but buys you some hassle. These sites will buy from thieves (or anyone else) and you got one that was somehow linked to some type of fraudulent transaction.

You can buy gift cards at our local grocery store and receive big discounts on fuel and groceries. We usually buy a few to places we frequent when they run these specials

 

[aar0s]

I'd suggest shopping somewhere else. HD/Lowes are a little unique in that home projects often require estimating goods needed, and it's better to have too much than too little. I've found Ace to be great with their customer service.

Having worked mgmt at big box stores, seeing the kind of shrinkage and abuse customers do is mind boggling. Some of the more memorable ones:

-Returning a "live/dead" Christmas tree on Dec. 26 because the "needles are brown"

-Returning a homelike chain saw because it wouldn't idle right. We took it outside and it ran great. He went home with the saw, that was bought a month prior, had the wording worn off the chain bar, and he mentioned needing to cut down a tree for firewood that winter.

-Flea spray returned by a customer, 2/3 used, because the spray mechanism didn't work right, and didn't need it anyways because the dog died

-One week old Tires returned that looked like drag slicks because the owner had raced at the speedway that Friday night

-Tents and sleeping bags returned after a scouts weekend, smelling like smoke but "never used"

And people wonder why retail fraud is so rampant. It's sad.

Had a customer today return a bunch of 2x4s with nail holes in them from where he used them as toe boards on a big roofing job, then give attitude when told we couldn't accept them for credit. Same thing with shingles. We show up on a job with the laddervator and they want all the bundles on the roof, three days later return a load of bundles that have been tossed off the roof, sorry bud no returns on your trash. See **** like this every day.

 

[wssix99]

Stuff was purchased in the last three weeks max - was installing a sink in garage, drains, hot and cold lines, and some gas work.

Today - went at lunch and talked to the General Manager. After 1/2 dozen calls, scan receipts twice, scan parts, and make a few more calls, store credit issued.

It sounds like the system was rejecting the return without receipt due to the cut rate gift cards that were used for your purchase. As the cashiers were pointing out, the system and data clearinghouse tied your driver's license identity to the gift card and sale of those items.

Had you used a bona fide HD gift card, there probably would not have been an issue.

Normal looking guy with a sense of humor and not confrontational.

Your ones and zeros were ugly, though.

I'd suggest shopping somewhere else.

That won't save us. Everywhere else uses the same systems. WalMart was the pioneer here. The larger companies buy your data up and can make that tie from your drivers license to your other credit card and gift card purchases. It's the smaller companies that don't buy this linking data that would not be able to replicate this... yet.

 

[speed bump]

You can easily prevent this from happening in the future by just giving up some of your privacy and getting emailed receipts for everything.