TS3660

I was in HD yesterday looking at Ridgid planers. The TP1300 and the 4330. They had about 5 of the 4330's and one display model 1300 that was totally beat up. The brushes were gone, the top was dented, the power cord was mangled, there was no box or manual, it had a heavy coating of dust on it, and in general, it looked like it needed help. So, I asked the guy what he'd sell it to me for. He called the manager and the manager said they can't sell it to me at any price because if I get hurt, they are liable. So, I asked the obvious question "If you can't sell it to me, you can't sell it to anybody. So, what will you do with it?" He said they would probably dispose of it. WHAT???? Yes, I heard right. They have to throw it away. Can you believe it? So I said "Tell you what. You throw it away and I'll dig it out of the dumpster. That way you can say I stole it and you won't be liable." He said he can't do that either because they are liable for their trash too. Sheessh. I just couldn't win with that place. What has this world come to?

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Bud

"Capitalism is the unequal sharing of wealth: Socialism is the equal sharing of misery"

Geoguy

It's a shame but the country is "lawsuit happy". Someone could try to sue you posting that you were contemplating theft from a dumpster.

sweensdv

Why are you blaming HD? They did nothing but cover their assets.

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Dave

TS3660

You're right Dave. I shouldn't blame HD. It's lawsuits. My wife's company has a Christmas party (oops, I mean Holiday party) every year. It's done up really nice where they have a chef slicing roast beef and ham and turkey at the front. They always have tons of leftovers. We had a friend whose house had burned down just before the party and they had nothing. So, we asked for the leftovers so we could take them to the family. "Sorry, we're not allowed to do anything with these except throw them away." What a shame. All because of lawsuits. Somebody at one time probably had taken leftovers home, left them in the fridge for 3 weeks, then ate them, got sick and sued. Now it's ruined for everyone. Such a shame. Then our taxes will go up to "feed the hungry". Sheesh. Don't get me started !

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Bud

"Capitalism is the unequal sharing of wealth: Socialism is the equal sharing of misery"

mdlbldrmatt135

You don't even know the 1/2 of it........... I work for HD part time.. The're getting better..... but have a LONG way to go.............

John in Tennessee

OK..Here is how I handled the same situation. I took a $50 bill folded it up and shook his hand. Somehow I got a phone call a */X*)_+ dumpster.. I put a bunch of empty taped up boxes and the item they trashed it the boxes made it bounce out and land in my truck.

FXST01

Why don't you see if they are agreeable to a signed disclaimer, that you won't sue them if you get into strife with the machine.

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Cave quid dicis, quando, et cui

Woodchuck1957

If the people at Home Cheapo had a brain in their heads they would send it back to be refurbished, then sell it at a refurbished price.

USAFVET98

I agree with that. They should send it out and sell it refurbished. Even harbor freight does it. Grizzly has a scratch and dent section. You know what else bothers me about them, they dont give us Veterans our 10% discount anymore. Ugggh! Lowes does it, but home depot stopped. When I ask why, they say they dont know. I am switching to lowes because I need the discount.

mdlbldrmatt135

Hell, they don't even give EMPLOYEES a discount.....................

goingenoan

Interesting stuff. I once knew a guy that worked in HD's tool rental and he came home with a lot of cool stuff!
Here is something that has nagged at me for a long time: Whenever I buy a lighting fixture or some other item (from a box store)that usually requires some assembly when you get home there is a sheet of paper included that begs the purchaser to call a 1-800 number for service and please don't return it to the store. I figure the box store probably throws it away and tells the manufacturer it is defective and gets credit for the item. Maybe I am wrong

johnjf0622

I worked for a company that did the rewire for the voice and data line in Home Repos. And you hit it right on the head Goingenoan. That is just what they do they have a pile of stuff they put green stickers on and when the vendor rep comes in they credit them for the damaged, used once by the customer and returned, or stuff like the planner and then they chuck them in the dumpster. I saw a special order oak front door that was in the dock of one depot and asked them what they were doing with it. And offered to pay them what they would get for the credit plus a little more and they still wouldn't do it. But they wouldn't hesitate to take back conduit and such that was left over from the site work that my employer paid for already and wouldn't credit it back to them. TS3660 said it all when he said DOWNRIGHT STUPID.

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Pencils always appear just after you scratch the mark with a nail.

joesdad

I used to love HD before they got wise to "things".

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"Well... it looked good on the drawing" :http://armandj.com

johnjf0622

Is WISE really a word you want to in the same sentence as HD?

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Pencils always appear just after you scratch the mark with a nail.

Shamus

I worked for a manufacturer years ago. They produced product and sold to all the major mass merchandisers like HD and Lowes. You are correct, it's the lawsuits that stopped it.

Companies will no longer credit the store with returned goods they way they once did, either. They tell them to have the customer call the Manufacturer to assist in repairs, and very grudingly a replacement for that "new" item you just bought. Everyone is trying to squeeze every last penny out of the cost of goods to include having it made off-shore. It's tuff to find anything today that is made the way things once were.

The cost of getting older I guess.

Richard

red

I worked for HD for a while before moving south. You would be surprised as to what gets sent to the dumpster. You need to work at the landfill where it gets emptied. They get all the goodies! Red

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The woodsman

If this was said and I missed it ,sorry.I agree you can't blame the store,but in some of the stores they don't throw it in the dumpster,but they have to return it to the manufactor to get a credit for it.My question is why do they even have it setting out there in the first place ???

Howard Ferstler

I guess it varies from store to store. When Ryobi was closing out their nifty OSS500 oscillating spindle sander last year (normally a $100 bucks) the store had one floor model left. The cast-iron top was scratched a bit and the lockdown nut and washer were gone, and of course it was dusty as hell, but the unit was otherwise OK, with even the multiple inserts and rubber sleeves still attached.

I asked the department manager about the thing and he said I could have it for $67 bucks. I took it home, and it has served nicely ever since in the sanding section of my shop.

Of course, a spindle sander is less likely to fly to pieces and throw parts all over a shop than a thickness planer. The manager knew his lawsuit law, I guess.

Howard Ferstler

dokuhaku

In high school, 20 years back, I worked at Sears. At one point I was assigned to the hardware department's stockroom. When 'defective' power tools were returned it was my job to render them inoperable by whatever means I deemed fit before chucking them in the bin. Mostly, I would bash the hell out of them with the gold-painted, long-handeled sledgehammer we had dubbed 'Crusher'. Looking back, if I had wanted to seek out a business arrangement with area woodworkers, I suppose I could have arranged to throw the tools away, undamaged, at a pre-determined hour in marked boxes. At the time, however, I rather enjoyed getting payed to smash expensive machinery.
The policy that DID strike me as was the destruction of returned workboots before tossing them in the trash. The dumpster-diving hoboes must have been disgusted by such wanton wastefulness.

RJSmith

Lowes gives a 10% discount to Vets????????