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People ****

Jsf721

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 23, 2012
Messages
4,124
Location
LI, NY
Went to HD today to purchase a 2401-22 m12 screw driver.

I had owned a less powerful ryobi for some time and I dropped it cracking the screw on cap that holds the spring loaded battery in place. After dealing with duct tape holding the battery in cutting it out to charge it got old. HD could not order the part and I decided to treat myself since I had a job I need a battery driver to make my life easier to do today.

Buy the unit go back to my office open up my new toy to charge it before I start and the first thing I notice it the charger cord isn't wrapped and had drywall compound or adhesive on it. The batteries have a set of initials on them and the tool is dirty from use.

I decide I need to use it for the job and then return it later. As I am Unpacing looking for the Philips bit it's missing but I do find 2 old drill bits and a Torx bit. All well used. I own this tool at home and know what to expect.

Got through my job and swapped it out. Waste of time and I'll open ever tool before I check out from now on.
 
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ddawg16

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Jul 11, 2008
Messages
21,005
Location
S. California
it happens all the time.....

But don't stress....once min wage goes up to $15/hr, the quality of work behind the counter will go down.....
 

NJ Marty

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Joined
Oct 20, 2014
Messages
1,157
Went to HD today to purchase a 2401-22 m12 screw driver.

I had owned a less powerful ryobi for some time and I dropped it cracking the screw on cap that holds the spring loaded battery in place. After dealing with duct tape holding the battery in cutting it out to charge it got old. HD could not order the part and I decided to treat myself since I had a job I need a battery driver to make my life easier to do today.

Buy the unit go back to my office open up my new toy to charge it before I start and the first thing I notice it the charger cord isn't wrapped and had drywall compound or adhesive on it. The batteries have a set of initials on them and the tool is dirty from use.

I decide I need to use it for the job and then return it later. As I am Unpacing looking for the Philips bit it's missing but I do find 2 old drill bits and a Torx bit. All well used. I own this tool at home and know what to expect.

Got through my job and swapped it out. Waste of time and I'll open ever tool before I check out from now on.
Yes always check every item. A few week ago I bought a shower faucet that appeared new with the white straps still on the box. The scum bag before me needed the cartridge and used a razor knife to neatly cut a hole in the side of the box, slipped out the cartridge and put his ****** one back in. Then used clear tape to seal the hole so you could not see it. Scum bags are everywhere
 

anndel

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Joined
Oct 28, 2015
Messages
3,270
Location
Hawaii, USA
Damn those people to hell. Let's hope when they need a heart or liver transplant a good one is replaced with a bad one thru a small hole at the bottom of the cooler then patched with duct tape.
 

GaryM909

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 11, 2016
Messages
1,517
Location
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Same happened to me about 10 years ago at HD. I bought a cheap Delta mitre saw, got it home and there was pencil marks on it and lots of saw dust. They threw in a new blade along with the original blade. I kept the new blade and returned the saw within 30 minutes. They gave me a new saw, no problem.
 

FigureItOut

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Joined
Sep 14, 2015
Messages
3,267
Location
Bentonville AR
Somebody's buying 2AH M12 batteries and swapping them out with the older style 1.5's, then returning them to the HD I go to. I take them up to customer service every time I spot one. It's pretty despicable.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
 

Dr Stan

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Joined
Nov 17, 2016
Messages
496
Location
Owensboro, KY
Briefly, very briefly worked at TSC. You wouldn't believe some of the **** customers try to pull, almost as bad as the store manager!

On edit. Found a very dirty pair of mens underwear stuffed in a new package of 6 at Target one day. Disgusting.
 
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cptn_zippy

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Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
365
Location
Denver, Colorado
Home Depot is really bad about just throwing stuff back on the shelf with no inspection, nor any "discount" for open box. I bought one of those Ridgid inspection cameras and found that it had been used and returned...upon further inspection of the 4 remaining on the shelf, they had ALL been used....and returned. Stupid.

J
 

cgrutt

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Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
8,181
Yeah had similar happen. Welcome to big box store vs old time local business. Some ****. Some don't. I try my best to be among the latter but sometimes seems its a lost cause.
 

mrobins297aaa

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Joined
Sep 20, 2010
Messages
3,283
Location
south east michigan
people ****..........they sure do, I just added another group to my list, the US customs and border protection.
I bought this antigravity xp-10 from a guy on ebay that just happened to be in Canada.

The morons at the us custom inspection instead of just using the fedex pull tab to check the contents they took a box cutter and cut a big square out of the package, the product package and the case for the xp-10.........I mean really, and then it gets taped up and sent on it's way as if they didn't do anything wrong.

IMG_20170412_125640953_zps9vho2rfr.jpg
 

Tenex

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Joined
May 11, 2015
Messages
455
The reason people do this **** is because customer service reps don't say "no" often enough. When they do the customer will throw a tantrum until a manager comes over to give them what they want. How many times have you heard people scream about how much money they spend at a store or threaten to tell corporate in order to bully the staff?
 

M_George

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Joined
Sep 25, 2016
Messages
966
Location
Eastern Pa.
I always check as well. Harbor is the worst for that. I seem to find used tools in boxes about half the time at the Allentown Pa store.
 

The Tool Tyrant

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Joined
Dec 19, 2011
Messages
2,182
Location
Bonita, Ca. (San Diego)
Face it, there's a lot of a-holes out there. The big box stores want EVERYONE to be happy, so they take returns without doing their due diligence and checking out the returned item thoroughly. If they did so and started refusing the return, this kind of **** would stop.
 

mjoekingz28

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Joined
Jun 20, 2011
Messages
717
Location
Mississippi
Yeah had similar happen. Welcome to big box store vs old time local business. Some ****. Some don't. I try my best to be among the latter but sometimes seems its a lost cause.



It may be because much stuff today is on a large scale. It is like the details do not matter anymore because there isn't as much bang for your buck there.

Mom and Pop would probably take the time and make each dealing official, while with big chains there is just too much going on (cheap products by the hundreds, alot of stuff that breaks, returns all day everyday for any reason, over worked/underpaid staff, etc, ) to actually be thorough.




Kind of like when something now is broke it is cheaper to trash it and get a new one. Or worse yet, since items seem to be wandering away from standardizing you get a buggered washer in the box of your new item. But the only way to get one that is not buggered is to raid the box of another item. This type of events is very disheartening and just makes everything seem cheap and like a waste of time.


Its like to save money to run Pop and Mom out of town they had to fire the inspectors. Remember those slips of paper you used to find in packages or in the pockets of clothes? I don't really notice seeing that much anymore.




You'd figure by now with all the cars, tools and home goods that have been manufactured over the last 100 years, that the workforce could take a break and let the plant/factory operate t part-time. But, I dunno, either all of these cars and tools are being broken, rotting away in someone's shed on American Pickers, or tossed out?

Is the world population really increasing that rapidly? It just doesn't seem I know many people with more than two kids, so how does the population increase. If me and a woman have two children then the future population neither increases nor decreases by us- just to spell out the math.
 

jl4c

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Joined
Jan 28, 2017
Messages
231
Location
FEMA region VIII
Actually with child deaths figured in, it takes 2.1 children per couple to maintain the population.

A good trivia fact to know at parties. ;-)
 

bcradio

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Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
6,017
Location
New Mexico
I must be from a different generation than everyone in this thread... I grew up knowing to inspect everything before I put it in my basket, even my groceries. Just the way things are now.

I would much rather have the cheap prices at big box stores and have to deal with the minor annoyances than to pay way more at a mom/pop store. :dunno:

It does **** that people do that though.
 

619DioFan

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Joined
Apr 9, 2013
Messages
3,617
Location
San Diego , Ca.
Needed new shocks for my ram p/u. as always I had the counter guy open the boxes. took one look and said " don't want them " he couldn't see why . these " new shocks " were all slimed out with grease. they had been previously installed then brought back. if I want used parts I will go to a wrecking yard.
 

BDT/NWMN

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Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Messages
3,762
Location
Erskine, Mn
I know a gal who bought a new computer at Sam's Club.. When She opened the sealed box, She found a bag of fertilizer wrapped in a tee shirt..

Area parts store sold a rebuilt starter for a large truck.. It was later returned; with the nice clean housing stuffed with smelly, burnt, dirty old parts.
 
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jpinca

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Joined
Sep 23, 2011
Messages
225
Location
NorCal
I was inspecting the Rotella oil jugs and filters at Walmart when a nearby couple asked what I was doing. I explained some people swap the new oil with old and return the jug. Also filters can be swapped between (cheaper) boxes. You have to verify the P/N on the box matches that on the the filter housing. They agreed people ****.

My mom worked customer service at Walmart back in the mid-80's. She told some pretty crazy return stories. Back then they basically weren't allowed to refuse any return.

If you come across an open box item, you can ask the manager for a discount.

I did that with a tripod at Home Depot. All the ones on the shelf had been opened and/or returned. I asked to speak with a manager and explained I was worried parts were missing or something thereabouts and I didn't want to waste my Saturday time taking it home only to bring it back.

6d682af2-dd88-463d-9e62-07218ad9f66f_400_compressed.jpg


The manager asked how much I wanted to pay. I said something like $20 and she accepted.

BTW, it obviously costs more to thoroughly inspect returned items than what they lose from fraud.
 

PelicanPines

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Joined
Apr 30, 2014
Messages
38,104
Location
New Jersey, USA, Earth, My own reality
I have breathing issues... my doctor ordered a Nebulizer to be delivered to my house... apparently it was from a "medical rental place" that insurance was paying thru the nose for... the previous owner of MY NEW breathing MACHINE was an avid smoker... so much so... I could have used a razor blade to cut the smoke crust off the unit... I tossed the opened box and equipment in a ********* garbage bag... called the rental service... told them the unit was on the front porch...

Their response... sorry but there is nothing we could do about that...

HOW ABOUT AT LEAST CLEANING / STERILIZING IT...

A used drill is a bad thing...

A used medical breathing device is on a whole new scale of I HATE PEOPLE.

I ended up buying a brand new machine off amazon for less than my CO PAY...
 

openwheelracing88

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Joined
Nov 10, 2015
Messages
266
needed to replace hose between faucet and shutoff valve. Water kept shooting out. I thought I was the ******* first time home owner who couldn't install a simple hose. Turns out the rubber was missing. Told the return desk lady do not sell that to anyone else.

Lesson learned.
 

CoogarXR

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Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
6,846
Location
Ohio
I used to work in an electronics recycling place that processed store returns. You wouldn't believe some of the re-boxed douchebaggery I witnessed:

-Air bed totally covered in blood
-Air beds covered in pee/poop
-MANY generic TVs in better TV boxes (such as Apex in a Sony box, even with the Sony label stuck on the Apex TV and electrical tape over the front logo)
-Crock pots with food still in them

I could go on and on.
 

Carquest

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Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
519
Location
South Carolina
What these liberal return policies have created, for those of us who own retail stores, is an environment where customers equate "warranty" with replacing any product, no questions asked. Warranties are not supposed to cover abuse or an item wearing out over it's service life, but that is terribly hard to explain to anyone....
 

PECVD2

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Joined
Oct 30, 2009
Messages
1,380
Location
Albuquerque, NM
The wife comes home from yoga place a month ago talking about her new best friend she just met.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and wife tells me her new best friend and husband invited us over for a seminar on investing....WTH...no way..wife insists.
We go...nice high end condo complex in the foothills lots of food extra big screen in well appointed garage for overflow. Of course it is a high pressure sales event to buy the golden egg.
Next morning I pull into Costco on my side of town...dirty bums are there taking a trailer.load of tables, nice chairs, big screen, fake trees etc back...they weren't going to get my money anyway but that summed up my whole experience with those two....she is not hanging with the wife at yoga anymore
 

PeterT

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Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
1,476
Location
Toledo Ohio
One of the most common things I've seen, is a guy comes into HD with a tape measure on his belt. Walks into the tool section and then back to the lumber section. Leaves the ****** 'broken spring' tape and puts the new one on his belt.
 

PeterT

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Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
1,476
Location
Toledo Ohio
I used to work in an electronics recycling place that processed store returns. You wouldn't believe some of the re-boxed douchebaggery I witnessed:

-Air bed totally covered in blood
-Air beds covered in pee/poop
-MANY generic TVs in better TV boxes (such as Apex in a Sony box, even with the Sony label stuck on the Apex TV and electrical tape over the front logo)
-Crock pots with food still in them

I could go on and on.

Crock pots with the food still in them, that would take some balls to return that.
 

Tucko

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Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Messages
1,650
Location
Whittier, Ca
Why do people bother? It's so bad at my HD, that at least HALF the time I'll walk out without being charged for something on my cart. The first few times, I noticed it when I got home and checked my receipt. Now, I check before I leave the parking lot, and I have to go back in and pay...
 

jd_1138

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Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
17,042
Location
NE Ohio
Damn those people to hell. Let's hope when they need a heart or liver transplant a good one is replaced with a bad one thru a small hole at the bottom of the cooler then patched with duct tape.

LMAO.

So the tool had initials on it and it worked? I guess the ****** bought it and used it and then brought it back for a refund. And he probably used it on a jobsite hence the initials because if it was just for home use, no need to put initials on it which might ruin the chances of returning it to HD.

And he probably didn't have a receipt of course, because that'd be a way to keep track of people who buy/use/return tools.

I was at HD a few weeks ago, and there were 2 dirt bags standing there arguing with the gal at the return desk. Their pants were hanging below their underwear. No receipts. "Our boss buys thousands of dollars of stuff here monthly!"
 

zendriver

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Dec 10, 2014
Messages
29,751
Location
Indiana
I must be from a different generation than everyone in this thread... I grew up knowing to inspect everything before I put it in my basket, even my groceries. Just the way things are now.

I would much rather have the cheap prices at big box stores and have to deal with the minor annoyances than to pay way more at a mom/pop store. :dunno:

It does **** that people do that though.

You rip open every sealed package, in the store, before purchasing? My generation trusted stores for the most part, mainly because it was not really a problem.

Hopefully you don't need to sniff the milk at the grocery store, to see if it's indeed fresh. :)

No doubt scammers, know how to properly re-shrink wrap items, before returning
 

zendriver

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Dec 10, 2014
Messages
29,751
Location
Indiana
Crock pots with the food still in them, that would take some balls to return that.

Why not? The party is over.

HF HD etc, have people wanting to return sump pumps, generators, drain snakes, electric jackhammers. etc.

"I didn't need this!" was the usual reason for return.
 

zendriver

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Dec 10, 2014
Messages
29,751
Location
Indiana
But don't stress....once min wage goes up to $15/hr, the quality of work behind the counter will go down.....

LOL, "idiots" are not doing their job, if they don't rip open each and every package and inspect with a fine toothed comb?

Usually there are 25 people in the return line at Menards, with all kinds of ****, to return, all weekend long, so it's helpful to scrutinize every returned item. Frankly, I would not want to wait in that line.

Likely the store wants to focus more on selling, than returns.
 

toolmiser

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Joined
Sep 1, 2009
Messages
1,653
Location
La Crosse, WI
I purchased a water filter for our fridge at Home Depot, as I was going to install I noticed it was used. I read them the riot act because it could have come from a place with bad water. I never purchase one again without looking at it. Why wouldn't the manufacturer put a "seal" on the box?
 

kckndrgn

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Joined
Apr 13, 2017
Messages
139
Location
Somerville, TN
I had an aunt that would by a new item to replace a broken one (for example curling iron or hair dryer).
She would carefully open the box, pull out the new item, cram the broken one in it, the carefully use clear tape to re-seal the unit.
Back to the store to get her money back, "don't need it, my old one started working again".

Yeah, people ****.
 

dnschmidt

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Joined
Oct 3, 2014
Messages
7,264
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I don't have a horror story like those above but in general I do firmly believe that PEOPLE ****. That's why I worked in a semiconductor clean room for 30 years.
 

jd_1138

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Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
17,042
Location
NE Ohio
The wife comes home from yoga place a month ago talking about her new best friend she just met.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and wife tells me her new best friend and husband invited us over for a seminar on investing....WTH...no way..wife insists.
We go...nice high end condo complex in the foothills lots of food extra big screen in well appointed garage for overflow. Of course it is a high pressure sales event to buy the golden egg.
Next morning I pull into Costco on my side of town...dirty bums are there taking a trailer.load of tables, nice chairs, big screen, fake trees etc back...they weren't going to get my money anyway but that summed up my whole experience with those two....she is not hanging with the wife at yoga anymore

Dirt bags. Everyday dirt baggery is getting common. Wife's friend from work was bragging about dropping her shiny new $900 iPhone 7 into the commode by accident.

"I called the phone co. and purchased the device protection for $8/month, but now I have to wait 30 days to get a new iPhone. I'll just use my old phone until then", she said.
 

jd_1138

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Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
17,042
Location
NE Ohio
I had an aunt that would by a new item to replace a broken one (for example curling iron or hair dryer).
She would carefully open the box, pull out the new item, cram the broken one in it, the carefully use clear tape to re-seal the unit.
Back to the store to get her money back, "don't need it, my old one started working again".

Yeah, people ****.

What an awesome role model. Yikes, and what ***** is that some unsuspecting person will end up purchasing that item and then when they return it to the store, THEY will be the ones who will look guilty if the store employee is on the ball about checking returns.
 

M6erfan

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Joined
Dec 6, 2014
Messages
10,170
Location
'Merica!
Where do people even get these ideas??? WTF?

Some of these stories are unbelievable, and disheartening...
 

jd_1138

Well-known member
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
17,042
Location
NE Ohio
I purchased a water filter for our fridge at Home Depot, as I was going to install I noticed it was used. I read them the riot act because it could have come from a place with bad water. I never purchase one again without looking at it. Why wouldn't the manufacturer put a "seal" on the box?

Those things are pricey -- $50 or so. They got one for free and passed along their old one to some other victim. Who cares about other peoples' health? wow.

I once bought a NIB CO detector off ebay for $30. I then researched the model and found that it was a recalled unit (false negatives). I know, I should've researched it BEFORE buying it. Anyway, so 10 minutes after winning the auction, I messaged the guy and said "hey I just researched that model of CO detector and it's faulty. How about I give you $10 for your hassle and then you can cancel the auction?" He replied yes, and yep you guessed it he re-listed that faulty CO detector right back on ebay.

So I sent him a message: "Um, I don't know if you're just stupid or unethical, or both, but that's a faulty model of CO detector. An entire family can DIE if you sell it. I gave you $10 so at least you got something out of it."

It's a sad world when someone doesn't mind potentially killing an entire family just for a measly $30.
 
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