sucks!
Home Depot has never made me all that happy. I've had numerous bad experiences, dating back to when I was in my teens. I've always shrugged them off because where else does one go. Right? Besides I'm just buying paint or screws not life insurance. I can put up with rude, ignorant sales people.
That was until I bought the dishwasher. It was a double whammy of ignorant, rude sales people combined with lying customer service reps. First, Dave a salesman in appliances at the Woodland Hills store on Variel was incredibly rude to me and then gave my husband, David, all the wrong information.
I first went to HD to look at dishwashers. I had both of my girls in one of their shopping carts. As I maneuvered in the appliance section I got caught in a "dead end" where I couldn't get through. Palettes of goods were placed so close together that the shopping carts couldn't make it through. I wasn't in a double wide stroller. I was in their shopping carts. They obviously didn't consider leaving enough room for customers to walk through with carts. I had to turn around. When I did Dave the salesman was talking to another customer. I waited for a little bit because I didn't want to rudely walk through their conversation. He looked over at us and didn't move or say a word. Finally, I had to say "excuse me but there is no other way for me to get through". And he rudely replied "we're in the middle of something here."I shrugged it off, whatever, rude salesperson. Like I said, it's been happening for decades. I managed to talk to another sales person who gave me the low down on the dishwasher I was interested in and the sale special they were having at the time.
My husband, David, went back to HD the following day to look at the dishwashers himself. Dave their salesman gave him the wrong information about EVERYTHING! He told my husband that there was a delivery charge, a charge for the disposal of the older appliance and that the dishwasher we were looking at needed an outlet to plug into. It wouldn't work otherwise, it could not have a direct line into the electrical. All of this was wrong. HD had free delivery, part of the promotion was free disposal of old appliances AND the dishwasher could be either plugged in or hard wired.
When David, my husband returned home we started butting heads over the misinformation until I asked who had helped him. When David described the older man who had helped him I knew it was rude, older man, white haired, misinformed Dave. Unfortunately David, my husband said he was certain Dave gave him the right information about the outlet. We would have to call our electrician to have an outlet installed.
Our electrician came over, installed an outlet and took out the old dishwasher to the garage. I went to HD to order the new washer. Lucky me, guess who was the only sales person who could help me? Yup, good ol'Dave! He started out rude. Then he got nicer when he realized I was truly buying an appliance and getting a credit card.
To make a long story at least a little shorter, I'm jumping to two weeks later when the dishwasher arrived. I won't even tell you the disorganization of the delivery company. They install the dishwasher and it's sticking out about 2" beyond the cabinets. It's not flush because the dishwasher is plugged in. The installation guys tell me that it should be hardwired. And they tell me they can do it but not right then. Thanks for nothing. I'm angry! We had everything right but Dave the salesman gave us wrong information and we had an outlet installed. Seeing that I'm angry at how this is turning out the installation guys stopped doing the install. Laziness is dripping off of them like a 17 year old stoner. I pointed out that regardless of how far the washer was sticking out I still need my dishes cleaned.
I called Home Depot and spoke to Miriam Bocci, Specialty Assistant Manager Home Depot 6632 and I tell her the process of events. She told me to call our electrician to fix the problem and they would pay for it. Just email her the invoice she would make it right. Again fast forward to three weeks later when I got the electrician over and I emailed her the invoice. I hear nothing back. I email again. Nothing. I send a third email saying that if I don't hear back from her by the end of the day I will assume she had no intentions of paying for the fix. Nothing. I also gave her the heads up that I would share my story on here. I think everyone should be warned that Home Depot lies about being truly customer service friendly.
So here I am. I've hit the last straw with Home Depot. I've done several DIY jobs since then and have not bought a single thing from Home Depot and I am a million times happier. I found a local hardware store who is friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. They are also very patient with my children and with me as I teach them about skills and products. They are not condescending or liars like Home Depot.
I also found a lumber yard nearby where I was able to get everything I needed at a much better price. Again, they were helpful and kind with me as I do what I do with my two daughters.
If you leave a Home Depot feeling like an idiot because some idiot in there was trying to make you as ignorant as him, I highly recommend finding local small vendors instead. I guarantee they'll be much more helpful and you will feel empowered to do more with your projects.
Good bye Home Depot. I don't miss you one bit.
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