# Home Depot refunds(?)



## PPBART (Nov 11, 2011)

I've been a regular shopper at local Home Depot and Lowes for years. Both stores have pretty much the same stuff and prices don't vary much. I do find the service at Lowes generally better, but it's several miles further from my home so I often opt for the shorter drive. HOWEVER, I had a minor dispute with HD this morning (resolved amiably) that later caused me to look more closely at my receipt, and for the first time I noticed the line printed under each item: "MAX REFUND VALUE...". That value is 10% less than the purchase price paid. Have others here noticed that? Does HD charge a 10% restocking fee? I'll have to ask next time I'm in the store. I don't return stuff often, but I also don't typically pay close attention to the amount refunded -- maybe I should!


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Home depot has gotten wise to the practice of people buying something, using it, and returning it. 

Happens more often than us honest folk think it does. 

usually they won't quibble , if you are adamant, and the part was truly defective.

I once bought a Breaker, got it home and it too was bad.

Went back and had to argue, because the one that I had bought was not even the same brand as the BOX stated. 

Finally convinced them that I had really bought it there, and wanted a refund. 

They stated that someone must have swapped a bad one for a new one, and SHOPLIFTED it. 

ED


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Did you have a military 10% discount..... or is it a restocking fee.

I might just go buy something small...and see if our store now has a 10% restocking fee. 

(I live 35 miles from a HD, and sometimes I overbuy plumbing parts or buy something for a customer's approval.... and I don't always get back to them in 90 days. Screw the new HD.... I used to give them 90% of my business.)

I quit using HD almost completely when they took away our 5% for using their credit card, and only 90 day returns if you don't use their credit card.

Lowes has been great to me.

Edit: And get this attitude, about a year ago, I got a letter saying that if I did not use their credit card by X date, they were going to cut my credit card line to less.????? That was sort of extortion... not based on anything to do with my credit worthyness. F them


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

de-nagorg said:


> They stated that someone must have swapped a bad one for a new one, and SHOPLIFTED it.
> 
> ED



Actually it is more likely they accepted a return without inspecting it (or knowing the difference) and just put it back on the shelf. After getting home with some items that had been returned defective I now make sure I get a new one, not a previously opened box. My SIL had purchased a new exterior door and installed it, then asked me why it looked too short. I took a look and said someone had cut an inch off the bottom and returned it. I can't print what he said.

To be fair I have returned many items to HD for different reasons and been successful with all in getting a replacement or credit to my charge card.

I just dug through my receipt box and most recent HD receipt I found was 6/20/18 and saw no mention if a "max refund value" but i will watch.

Bud


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## PPBART (Nov 11, 2011)

MTN REMODEL LLC said:


> Did you have a military 10% discount..... or is it a restocking fee...


You're right -- that reflects the price actually paid after the vets discount. :icon_redface:


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

One thing they do well is emailing you a PDF of their purchase receipt which for me is a lot easier to find that that register paper that turns black or fades in the heat /sun.


They have never quibbled when I used the PDF for a return.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

There are some dishonest folks in the return lines. 

I've found receptacle boxes containing old receptacles that were backstabbed and clipped off, with the wire stubs still in them. They are boxing up their used parts and returning them.

I inspect the breakers that are loose on the shelf (not packaged individually) for signs of previous installation. It's not uncommon to see them. I don't want to pay new breaker price for a used breaker or for one that some hack tried jamming into the wrong panel.

I've seen both plumbing pipe and cyclone fence posts in the rigid conduit racks. The return people put it the wrong basket and a less knowledgable electric dept employee racks it without catching the difference.

I heard a story of a Dyson vacuum that was "returned" to our local Lowes. The box didn't feel right to the employee that was putting it back on the shelf. Weight was about right, just did not feel the same. When he opened it to check, found a couple of bubble wrapped bricks in it.

I pay attention to what I buy there. I don't want to be surprised by wrong, defective, or missing parts that would mandate a trip back to the store.


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## F250 (Feb 13, 2018)

I've not seen that on any of my recent HD receipts, but I'll look more closely when I pick up my online order this evening.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Just came back from town and I did stop at HD. Lady at customer service wasn't busy so I asked. Never heard of it and only restocking fee involves special order items. Checked my receipt after i left and just the 90 day return policy. Of course, if the item is defective Maine's policy is 4 years.

Bud


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

You can return stuff to Home depot without a receipt at all. They will just give you store credit instead of cash. I did a job for a guy out of town, and he told me to return a bunch of stuff for store credit as a bonus for me. There was no problem at all. I just told the Returns guy what my client told me. Didnt even ask for his name.


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

PPBART said:


> I've been a regular shopper at local Home Depot and Lowes for years. Both stores have pretty much the same stuff and prices don't vary much. I do find the service at Lowes generally better, but it's several miles further from my home so I often opt for the shorter drive. HOWEVER, I had a minor dispute with HD this morning (resolved amiably) that later caused me to look more closely at my receipt, and for the first time I noticed the line printed under each item: "MAX REFUND VALUE...". That value is 10% less than the purchase price paid. Have others here noticed that? Does HD charge a 10% restocking fee? I'll have to ask next time I'm in the store. I don't return stuff often, but I also don't typically pay close attention to the amount refunded -- maybe I should!


I see that when using my Military discount at both Lowes and HD.


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## KHouse75 (May 14, 2008)

It's funny you mention this as I noticed this recently as well. I usually shop at Lowe's since I get a contractor discount and there's one 3 miles from my house but there are some things at Home Depot that are just much better than at Lowe's.

I can't find the receipt now but I remember seeing MAX REFUND VALUE which I've never seen before. I looked closer and she had given me a 10% military discount for some reason. The price next to the item was the full price and the max refund value was the 10% off price of the product. When I added up the higher price on the receipt + tax, it was higher than what I paid. The max refund values added up were what I had actually paid.

I've bought many things from Home Depot since, all at full price, and the max refund value has not been on the receipt.

You'll also see the max refund value if you purchase a discounted quantity of items, purchase a buy one get one at a discount deal or if they are running a sale where you buy $xxx worth of items and get $xx off.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Oso954 said:


> There are some dishonest folks in the return lines.
> 
> I've found receptacle boxes containing old receptacles that were backstabbed and clipped off, with the wire stubs still in them. They are boxing up their used parts and returning them.
> 
> ...


Long time ago... before I stopped using HD and when I was using them 90% of the time, there was a new gal at the returns that did not know me.

I was returning untinted new paint.... no problem.... but she actually opened the cans... *seems they had someone returning paint with water in the can..*..

(Thought that last paint job did not cover too well...:wink2::surprise


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Ya, LL Beans had to change their lifetime no questions asked warranty policy, just too many people cheating them. People who cheat affect all of us and should be put behind bars.

But on the original topic it sounds like HD is simply stating a lower return number when a discount was involved at the time of sale, senior, military, special, or whatever. No problem with that.

Bud


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## swtpchz503 (2 mo ago)

I realize this is an old thread. But I thought I'd add my recent similar experience. I had purchased 7 items from HD and paid cash. Came to $55.24. Decided I didn't need some if the items and walked from the cash register to customer service and asked to return them. When I got home, i started thinking that things didn't add up. I looked closely at the receipt. That's when I saw the "max refund value#. But because of them screwing up the return I had 2 cash receipts and one return receipt. That's when I noticed that the second cash receipt didn't have "max refund value" any where on it. I believe they're scamming us. And I also looked on their website for any "max refund value" return policy. There is nothing on their website about it. It clearly states the refund policy is for a FULL refund on their website. No restocking fees unless it's a custom order. No military discounts where you pay full price and get back less if returned. Nothing remotely like that. Seems like HD is stealing from their customers. Think I'll be contacting the news.


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## jjrbus (Aug 28, 2009)

My bud Tom took a job at HD and the stories some of which were funny, some were sad and some were sickening. He said he had a customer who was insisting on buying a 6 inch copper pipe and Tom had to get kind of belligerent to get rid of him. He said the next day when he went to work in the returns he had to put away was a 2 foot copper pipe with 6 inch cut off.

I get a 10% VA discount, the reciept does say max return value of 10% less than retail or what I paid for it.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

Lowes is 4 miles away, HD is 17 miles away. Lowes is where I usually go. I know someone who works at Lowes and returns are a big problem and the source of a lot of fraud, but they consider it a cost of doing business to keep customers happy.


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