Home Depot? (x-post)

Humble Abode

I heard a rumor that the reason Home Depot is cheaper than most other hardware stores is because they sell a mixture of good stuff and factory seconds. Any of you heard this? I've seen some evidence of this as well. There tools and hardware, no matter what brand seem to be a little crapier than the ones i have gotten from, say Ace or a locally owned hardware store.


(crossed posted on the contractors forums)

Teetorbilt

I believe that this is urban legend. The reason that large companies can sell at reduced prices is due to volume buying, in house manufacturing and proprietory products.

floorman

I have not heard that but ,it would stand to reason though.

If you think about it look at say sears,they sell mostly american made,good quality stuff,well ,except their tape measures they have really gone downhill:DBut anyway,most of their stuff is well built quality merchandise that will and does stand the test of time and you will pay for that up front.
While the other places will throw in a mix of good ,better ,best ther are some places that will only give you pretty much one choice and it is usually good ,well made tools or hardware or whatever and you will pay a premium for that product whatever that may be.My $.02 worth

CGofMP

Funny you should mention tape measures....

Oh GAWD....


A few weeks ago I purchased 3 tape measures from Orchard Supply Hardware which I understand is now owned by sears. I purchased a Komelon 12 foot self lock for my son, a small Stanley (simple one) 12 foot for me and a Olympia(?? unsure the brand) 25 footer for myself.

I was TRYING to replace a VERY worn Craftsman 20 footer that has a very unique side button clamp that I have had (and loved) for many many years.

I loved the markings on the Olympia... what a beautiful blade even had the 8ths 16ths etc labeled with numbers making things really easy for those of us who'd rather be using metric... I mean this was the easiest to read, clearest and prettiest blade on a tape measure I have ever seen.

Of course the story doesnt end with happiness and light... If you get the LEAST bit of grit into the Olympia tape it simple refuses to retract at all. After about the 4th time I cleaned it in as many weeks, I gave up and left it extended one last time wrapped the tape measure body in 20 feet of its own beautfully marked tape and took it back. Got the 25 foor KomelonUSA and will see how that goes.

The little 12 foot stanley was not much better surprisingly... I opened it up and they seem to have gone downhill too. Cheap pot metal body, plastic internals... I'll probably take it back too.


The little 12 foot stanley was not much better surprisingly... I opened it up and they seem to have gone downhill too. Cheap pot metal body, plastic internals... I'll probably take it back too.

What I'd REALLY like is to find a blade like the one described above for the old craftsman I still wear on my hip (the one I wanted to replace) I looked briefly at OSH and they had no blades, Sears did not either.....

Sorry to hijack the thread :-)

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LJD

Wouldn't surprise me one bit. I've bought a lot of crap there that didn't work...

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slickshift

Hey an old post, but I have an answer for you
It's CPV

Lets say Porter-Cable has a framing saw, you see it in your local tool shop for...say $189
It's quiet, light, strong, and has a great blade
You shop around a bit and see it in HD for less
It's only $159...what a bargain!

Hold on there partner, here's what happened
HD brass saw the P/C saw and said great, we want to carry that, but we want to charge less than $189
P/C says we can't lower our price to you, it's a great price

Now comes the CPV
Customer Perceived Value

Big Box says well, our average customer won't see the value (extra $) of that magnesium guide...can you make it steel?
Our avg. cust won't perceive the value of those fancy motor bushings, or that fancy blade
Make your saw for us to these new specs and we'll carry your saw
And we'll sell it for $159

If P/C says no, then Big Box won't carry a P/C framing saw

Voila, Home Despot has a de-spec'd P/C saw that looks like the one at the local tool shop

rsteve12

I think that Home Depot does sell seconds. I've been told that their Purdy paint brushes are thinner than those purchase elsewhere. I've also been told the same thing about their ceramic tile. And though I have no proof, I think that their appliances are a little off.

Russell

'Andyman

This doesn't really belong in the Tool forum but it has got to do with whether Home Depot sells factory seconds or not. My suspicions have been aroused by the fact that I recently laid 800 sq. ft. of laminate flooring on the main floor with a product that was labeled as being manufactured exclusively for Home Depot and thus, by buying it in bulk, could sell it at an unbeatable price. While I was laying this stuff it looked fine but now I can see more seams than I care to. It seems to get worse by the day and I have thought that now it could be I am just looking for more. I have done 4 bedrooms upstairs with a different brand of laminate without this problem so it wasn't my first attempt at laying the stuff. I don't know if the material was seconds or whether there are so many manufacturers jumping on the band wagon with quality control and manufacturing accuracy which leaves something to be desired. I must admit, it has made me skeptical.

slickshift

Oh yes, as well you should be
The de-spec'ing of tools I mentioned above extends to hardware, sundries, paint, all materials
Volume sounds like the simple answer as to why HD is cheaper
But it's not really all that simple
Any 2, 3, or even 10 percent discount that HD would get is swallowed up by the problems associated with huge volumes and low-payed employees
Warehouse and floor damage, returns, lost, stolen...it just goes on...
They simply cannot keep damage/loss down like a store or small chain can

The product, materials, service, must be cheaper from the manufacturer
It must be de-spec'd
If that means cheesing out on QC then that's the way to do it

If that means putting 6 oz. of BIN in the 10 oz. spray can so it looks like the same one in your local paint store, than that's the way to do it
It says 6 oz on it, there's no lying involved...technically

Manufactured exclusively for HD is not a good thing

DFast

Home Depot like most other large lumber retail stores own nothing in the store. They are what is called a logisic company. From the factory to them elimanating warehouse. They stock your invetory and shelve it,run they sales adds and bag it for you for a peice of the pie.

rsteve12

The Purdy paint brushes HD sells are thinner than ones purchased at paint supply stores. The dishwashers are not as quiet as there counterparts sold elsewhere. The GE fridge has a second rate icemaker. I hate HD. But I go there every day.

C&D

I don't know what a "logisic" company is, but I'm confident that HD does own product. You're saying that they basically sell on consignment--not so.

Also, I agree with Slickshift that these big box stores may contract with manufactures for a special model saw (or anything else for that matter) without some of the quality extras, but they then couldn't sell that as the same model #, could they? I have to think that if I buy a PC 557 biscuit joiner at a PC dealer or buy a 557 at HD, it's the same stuff.

SLCKev

I had a recent experience with HD. I bought a 1/2" Black and Decker drill, burnt it out in a day. They took it back no questions asked and I bought a Milwaukee 1/2" for about double the price (well worth it). Was the Black and Decker a factory restored or just weak? I'm not sure, but they have a good return policy.

Lefty Lucy

I smell a lot of BS here.

slickshift

The exclusive de-spec'd items will usually have a different stock #
558 or 557s