Just Venting !
 

Trying to purchase a new refrigerator, no hurry so visiting all options. Went to Lowe's a second time as I'd made a decision. It was after dinner, about 6, and they were very busy in the appliances. Only 2 employees so we all needed patience. Not long after I arrived, one of the 2 employees closed up their desk area for the night and left. The one employee left was, in my mind, doing a great job, helping her customer, running to computer to print off the information on various items the couple wanted, and thanking the considerable line of us who were waiting to make a purchase. She glanced over at me and pointed to a seat in a kitchen display, told me one more and I'd be next. I replied "you can only do so much so fast, I'm fine" as I walked over to the the seat she indicated. I watched as she finished with the last person before me. As she gave them all their receipts and went over the delivery details, she glanced over at me and again apologized, held up a finger, and said "I will be RIGHT BACK". I assumed she had to go to the restroom or up to the front. I sat patiently and realized it was only 12 min.until closing and I might as well go home as there would not be time to write up the purchase and make the delivery arrangements, etc. As I stood up and was right at the edge of the appliance area, a woman came up and asked if I needed help as they were about to close. She had a heavy accent but I understood her to say she is the assistant manager. I told her "thank you, but I am waiting for _____, I've been working with her twice now and she ask me to have a seat and she'd be right back".
The woman kind of stared at me, saying in her thick accent, noooooo, noooo, ______ went HOME, she is not coming back, she was OVER her hours ! ????? She then insisted on helping me with my purchase (4 min. to close) and I declined and thanked her one more time.... and left. All the way home I kept wondering...this kind of thing seems all too common these days. Is it just that it's so difficult to find people to work in any kind of business, that there seems to be so many rude people, some places they seem angry, some just seem to have no "people/customer awareness at all. Didn't leave angry, but certainly perplexed and frustrated ! ! Today I went to HD to see if I could buy the one I had chosen at Lowe's. Not a great experience there either. Many customers, many questions, many people trying to make multiple purchases for new homes and trying to coordinate all.... I had a 1 p.m. appointment so had to leave. I had arrived at 11:20. Maybe I'll try the "Covid way"....LOL... order refrigerator on the internet... LOL !

Not wild about Lowe's service re appliances. Bought a dryer from Lowe's awhile back, price included delivery, setup, and hauling the old one away. Great offer, so I took it. The guys who did the set-up ended up kinking my exhaust hose in several places to the point where I had to get a new one. Not a lot of money but also not the point. I went to Lowe's, explained what happened, and requested a new exhaust hose. They refused to pay for it on the grounds that set-up is NOT installation, therefore I was responsible for paying for a new hose even though it was THEIR guys who destroyed it in the first place.

I remember telling the manager that the bad publicity and the lost business he was going to get over this incident was going to cost Lowe's one bleep of a lot more money than the hose would have cost. I believe I made good on that promise.

Of course order online if you know what you want. No reason to go in person, waste of time unless hanging out in Lowe’s is what you like to do. One minute online v your trip. Nice of you to be patient, too many aren’t.

Sadly not a rare experience around here.


Leesburg, Ocala, Clermont have stores.

It’s not the difficulty in finding people but more stuff is going to online, etc. If you knew what you wanted and if they wanted your business the rest could have been done over the phone so I would have just had her call you when she had time rather than go in. I think we all forget we are on the back nine of life so this maybe our last fridge so pick one and move on, IMO, LOL

I have had excellent service from Best Buy. Excellent.
They also will do a price match with Lowe’s, HD and other area stores, if you ask them. You get the lowest price.
I have purchased 8 appliances from Best Buy. They want satisfied customers and will go the extra mile if needed.

FYI - All the stores mentioned price match.

Just wait till the deadhead installers come out (3rd party
Company in Orlando)
3 times, 3 appliances in the last 4 years, couldn't install/hook up properly. Called to complain, got no where. Hooked them up myself, if you questioned them they gave you a deer in headlight stare. Service is poor.

I use Sears for appliances, they carry all the major brands and are very competitive.

So you waited at Lowe's for two or four HOURS? They close at 8 on Sundays, at 10 the rest of the week. I would've been more assertive (not aggressive) and asked approximately how long, when they FIRST acknowleged me and said they couldn't help me right away and someone else was ahead of me.

As for Home Depot - if I didn't get to the store until 11:20 and knew I had to be somewhere else by 1, I'd probably just browse, make note of the ones that interested me most, and gone to my appointment without talking to anyone.

And go back when I had at least an hour to deal with a salesperson. It takes at least an hour to a) look at stuff, b) have a salesperson help you narrow down your options, c) make a decision on which one you want, d) draw up the sale and delivery plans e) deal with telling the salesperson no extended warrantee, no this, no that, and pay for it.

OR take 1 minute and order online - no need for an hour in the store placing an order.

I wouldn't order a major appliance online. I'd want to see it in the store, I'd want to support employees who work locally, I'd want to have actual people to discuss delivery options with, a physical location to deal with problems if they arise.

You can most likely save money ordering online and plenty more options than Lowe’s or Home Depot. In 10+ years any appliance or tv I’ve bought has been online. I actually find the model I want then can always find it cheaper online somewhere.

Ordering appliances online is the easiest thing ever and you can save money. The delivery options are all right there for you during check out and it’s much easier to compare different products online than in the store. If you think those employees actually have more knowledge about the products than what’s listed for everyone to read, I’m afraid you’re mistaken, unfortunately, their employees are just people working a job. They don’t need to have extra knowledge of the products to get hired. Only the store policies, if that. I once went to Best Buy, found the tv I wanted and went home, found it online for 600 less, ordered, free shipping. Easy peasy. I’ve ordered refrigerators, washer/dryers and a dishwasher and have never had any issue whatsoever. The only reason I went to see the tv in person is to see the picture quality. Otherwise, measuring is all you need.

You can visit a store to see the products. No matter if you or a store employee inputs the order into the system it’s still a computer generated order - once placed the local store is out of the picture. If you have an issue you don’t talk to the local physical store employee, you talk to the service department number given to you. What you think you gain by having a local store employee do the data entry for you isn’t accurate. If you want to spend an hour in the store do so, just don’t expect that employee to be your POC.

I had a terrible experience with Lowes...went to Best Buy stove and microwave...they match the price and because they didn't have the same microwave they upgraded for the same price

We had great experience buying appliances at lowes. I think we did order all of them online. Install team was good.

isn't just appliances. I went to lowes to buy some wire off the locked up rolls. Lots of employees walking by, no one stops.
Went to the help desk to have someone paged. . THREE TIMES . . . in NEW ENGLAND

When the guy got there, i showed him where the lock password was on the wall. He unlocked the cage and cut my wire. .

maybe an hour if not longer. . . for 2 pieces of custom cut wire.
and no i can't order it online because I needed to see the wire as there were several types and I am a see/feel guy with certain items.

Most stores were built prior to the success of on line mail order. now, the stores turnover has fallen and the store hours versus shopper volume is very skewed towards weekends. . . store profitability is lower, so employee quality is down.

On that particular trip, the woman ahead of me tried to purchase an item heavily discounted on a cardboard pop up display case near the check out counter. When scanning the product in, the scanner said "Discontinued Item / not for sale"

The scanner clerk called the manager, and he said you can't buy it. The woman started the logical argument "Don't have an item on sale next to the check out counter which you can't buy!" The manager argued back that "Its perfectly fine to do that!"

The economics of the past is having a hard time, and very few understand this point:
technology is deflationary, technology replaces humans, when trying to be profitable competing against technology, the logical place to cut is humans. The effects are starting to be obvious now, as the pandemic increased the speed of transition. . . where business constantly tries to stay profitable.

The downstream effect in government services, which is in a set it and forget it labor service market, postal deliveries are sourced to the cheapest, etc, and the quality also has declined on quality. .

Businesses complain about available employees, and as a business professor researched and proved: they can't find the employees at the wages they want to pay. The wages they want to pay is competing against technology in other sales channel. .

and you wonder why Social Security is running out?? its not about the payout, its about the source payments falling fast due to fewer high paying jobs after being replaced by technology.

be careful what you ask for!

Perhaps you should have been in a hurry.

The 1 year long sales tax holiday for major appliance purchases just ended Jun 30th.

No tax on anything energy star rated - which would be a minimum requirement for any refrigerator I would consider.

Unless I'm buying a clearance model off the floor, there is no reason for me to buy an appliance in person...IF I know what I want. My first 'stop' is always Costco. You get extended warranty included. free delivery and free haul away of old appliance in most cases. Plus a better price to boot. The only snag is limited selection, so there is a chance they don't have what you want. At that point I would check out the Lowes, Home Depots, Best Buys of the world. There is also something to be said for locally owned Appliance stores if the cost difference isn't too severe. Typically you will get better service going that route and you are supporting a local business. That's my three cents (sorry, inflation is everywhere).

You can buy appleiances online from Lowes or Home Depot. They can be delivered to the store or your home. There is no need to wait in long lines.

For years we have purchased appliances from locally owned appliance stores who do their own installing. Better prices and better service for sure

I just search online for any appliance etc that has the features we need, pick the cheapest, and have it delivered. I sometimes box store browse for items, but never buy from them. Always more expensive.
Most machines, appliances if they are going to break down, do so in the warranty period, survive that, and nearly all are good for years.
If they break down then, dump them and repeat process. I never ever consider calling out a repair service, just replace.
It's a lot cheaper.

We bought all new Whirlpool appliances at Applinace Direct in Fruitland Park. Good prices, delivered and installed next day.

We bought one two years ago. Went to both Lowe’s and HD to see what they offered. Found two that fit what we wanted. Went home and researched each. Settled on one. Went on Amazon and bought it using my Prime card because it pays you 5% on Amazon purchases. Delivered promptly and took away the old refrigerator.

I had a bad experience with Lowes. I purchased a washer & dryer on-line. When they delivered them they didn't want to plug them in. The dryer needed a special hose that wasn't included. The guys were annoyed with my asking them to help. We had just moved and I didn't have time to do this or find someone to do it so I had them take them both back. The guys weren't happy. I ended up getting a washer & dryer from an appliance place in Leesburg. They were happy to set everything up, including the attachment to the dryer. The only downside is getting them to answer the phone or return phone calls, it takes a while.

I don't even want to talk about lawn service. I either have to chase them down to mow the lawn or ask them to come back to mow what they missed.

Handymen are another story, a lot of no shows and no follow ups as to what ever happened to them. One handyman was doing work in the bathroom and removed the toilet. He broke the toilet... Live and learn I should have called a plumber not a handyman. I didn't realize it at the time.

There are good handymen and lawn service companies here but takes awhile to find them. Ask your neighbors

It really burns me about the self check outs being the only way to purchase. Home Depot had 4 employees overseeing these machines. We bought a chase patio lounge chair, 4-5 ft long, unboxed. Not one employee acknowledged us as we entered the checkout area; no hi, no can we assist, no thank you when we completed the process! Then they watch as my wife help me carry this out. Really hoped to get a survey this time, but no.

Changing a toilet is very easy. That handyman was clumsy, but that doesn't mean you need a plumber to change a toilet. You'd be wasting a crap load of money IMB.

Do you think it’s right to go into a store, browse around, and then go home and order the item from someone else? This is why brick and mortar stores are closing.

You can buy any appliance or practically anything online. You just need to know the basics while do the shopping.

We now buy all of our appliances from Best Buy. If you sign up for Geek Squad, it includes a 2-year warranty on any appliance purchases there. Also, the Geek Squad will deliver and hook up which ever appliance you purchased and they know what they are doing. If the exact model is not there, they will order it and, yes they will match any price you find that is lower.

Ask for "white glove treatment" for delivery! Who knew that was a thing but we found out the hard way after having two damaged refrigerators delivered and were unbelievably asked if we wanted to keep them, and were told by the company to ask for "white glove treatment." Why, why, WHY do you have to ask to have something delivered undamaged!?!?

Costco
 

The best place to buy appliances is Costco. All done online through their member website.
If you want to go into the store, there is one in Clermont or if you're not in a hurry, one will be opening in The Villages (but you will still be placing your order online). Just bought a refrigerator from them. They had the best price that I could find, best warranty, incredible delivery. They are always running specials, so if what you want is not currently on special, chances are that it will soon be, but even their regular prices are better than anywhere else.

Businesses can't get enough Labor because they are competing with the Federal Government's Freebee Programs. Unless a worker can be compensated at least $50,000 per year, people are better off collecting Welfare, Food Stamps, Free Housing & Free Medical from the Government.

I hear/share your pain about Lowes/HD.
The answer is "yes" regarding hard to find good employees.

Case in point, notice all of the Non-Employed, Sons and Daughter's, grandsons and granddaugters who stay as long as they like here in TV, not having to get back home TO THEIR JOBS, but not working remotely either.
Sorry, but it certainly seems be the new "co-dependency normal", to enable family members to have an eternal vacation in Villagers guest bedrooms.

I absolutely agree that Lowe's and HD are not what they used to be, and are far off-track from their original business model, that's for sure!

Yup. I ordered my refrigerator from Lowe’s online and you set up delivery there too. No point wasting my time driving there and waiting.

I purchased all of my appliances on-line directly from General Electric (see GEAppiances.com) Great prices and great selection. Prompt delivery and set up. Plus, if you are military, law enforcement, or a teacher, you get an extra discount above and beyond their July 4th Sale prices. Before purchasing everything on line from GE, I went into Best Buy in Lady Lake. When I tried asking their salesperson some questions about their refrigerators, he told me I could go look on line. So I did and bought from GE.

This is how we bought our garage freezer and living room TV last year. Online from Costco. Both were great deliveries and set-ups. Easy peasy.

The ONLY place I will go for new appliances is Appliance Direct in Fruitland Park. The place looks like a cheap warehouse, and while they do have a few scratch and dent appliances, the majority are new in box. And the prices? Unbelievable! And if you go early in the day you can get same day delivery and installation. I saved a lot of money buying there and am completly satisfied.

That last sentence is from your lips to VLS gleeful ears! :1rotfl: