Used to be, I preferred one Big Box Hardware chain over another. As the owner of a 99-year-old house, I am intimately familiar with each chain, their particular quirks, and the brands they both carry. I’ve spent days of my life walking the aisles, searching the shelves, or tying large loads of stuff down in the parking lot. I’ve easily spent more than a year’s worth of my current salary on their merchandise. And living in a large metropolitan area, I sometimes take for granted that I am spoiled for choice. Within 10 miles of my house there are two different locations for each chain, and they vary in size and quality. I have carefully studied what one location might offer differently than another within the same chain; some will cut wood or offer rolls of sod while others won’t. Some have a better selection of high-grade framing wood, or a particular type of molding when others don’t.
I guess it’s my fault that the local Home Depot, then, has colored my opinion of that chain. It’s small, cramped, and poorly lit. The management has clearly stopped giving a shit about keeping it clean; the parking lot is a rubble-strewn wasteland. The second-closest one in Ellicott City is modern, clean, and organized, so we prefer that location when we’re not in a hurry. Our local Lowe’s—just 1/4 mile down the street from the crappy HD—is usually clean and well-stocked, so if I’m pressed for time I’ll go there first. They also have a larger selection of appliances, and in years past I’ve had good luck with their service.
When the microwave oven crapped out right before we left for Portugal, I knew I would have to replace it quickly when we got back, so I jumped on the Lowe’s website and found a good candidate. After clearing it with Jen I placed the order and was told it would take a week to arrive. When a week had come and gone, I checked back and it told me it would be another week. So we waited. After the third delay I got fed up, as there was no clear delivery date offered, and the CSR on the phone couldn’t give me any information, so I canceled it. While I was on hold, I jumped on Amazon and found the same microwave for $80 cheaper and free 2-day delivery.
Fast forward to this past Monday: I set up a delivery order through Lowe’s for drywall and supplies to my FiL’s house in Southern Maryland. There is a Lowe’s location 2.5 miles from his house. I selected Friday (today) on the website and placed the order. When today’s delivery time had come and gone, I checked on the order and found that it had been bumped to September 20 with no explanation and no update. After calling the online number, the CSR could not change that delivery time, so I canceled it. Calling his local store to try to rent a truck tomorrow morning, the phone just rang and rang. Calling back to the main customer service line, it just rang and rang.
What the fuck, Lowe’s? How hard is it to do simple shit like this? 30 years ago the local hardware store could deliver stuff to a job site the next day. Where are these supplies coming from, Idaho? If Amazon can drop-ship a microwave in two days, how is it impossible for you to get me one within the same month?