Home Depot - Good Grief, Charlie Brown

[donsgal]

I had an errand at Home Depot today. And while there I HAD to mosey over to the garden section to scope it out. Would you believe that they had two flats of TOMATO plants for sale? Tomato plants in March (early march at that). I wonder who's going to buy them. Lordie, I hope they don't set them out before May or they are going to lose them for sure.

What is Home Depot thinking anyway. One consolation was that they weren't heirloom, so I really don't care if they die bwhahahahahahah (aw just kiddin').

donsgal

[Cheri Cason]

Marketing - if someone buys and sets them out... they are sure to purchase another flat in May. :D

[dirtundernails]

bwahahahaha is the coolest laugh I have ever read!

The last time we went to home depot, we needed a really big locking plug and socket for an electric appliance. They had the plug, but NOT the socket!!! The employees were upset because Corporate has shut down the scu code thingie, and the store cannot order anything. All the stores are supposed to "just sell what they have". More proof of complete lunacy. Hopefully, those poor innocent tomatoes will go to somebody's greenhouse.


dun

[jtcm05]

Ugh! I can't stand that place. I will always go to Lowes if I can help it.

[Livin Simple]

Marketing - if someone buys and sets them out... they are sure to purchase another flat in May. :D
I agree. I think it's a ploy to get people to spend more money.

[gulfcoastguy]

I don't know. I will probably put my tomatoe plants out at the end of March. Of course it is in the 70's today down here.

[redbrick]

OK, Gulfcoastguy, quit showin' off! Man, talk about kickin' spring fever into high gear! Oh, well, I did take a chance today. I sowed some Fava beans and peas. Felt the urge to play "Taps" afterwords, but we'll see what happens.

[wilderness1989]

Ugh! I can't stand that place. I will always go to Lowes if I can help it.
AMEN TO THAT LOWE"S IT IS!!!

[rjzatyko@yahoo.com]

hi,i have some of those wall-o-wateres and they work pretty good(i am not selling them) and i wouldn't be afraid to put tomatos out now with them,they are that good,i have five plants(tomatos) about three inchs high now and eight more started this last sunday,those haven't poked their heads thru the dirt yet,lowes is to far away just to buy tomatos and we don't have a home depot around us here in middlesboro,but if someone was selling them around here i wouldn't be afraid to plant them. richard from ky.

[Okie]

The folks that work at the Home Depot's in Tulsa, Oklahoma, all act like they are mad that they have a job. Never had much luck with Home Depot finding what we need. Don't even go there any more even tho we have to pass right by one on our way to Lowe's. Differance in night and day! Lowe's employee's must be paid by the smile. Always seem to be glad we are there and very helpfull.

[stonysoil]

i live in a rural area in uostate ny and with loews and home depot moving in along with a super walmart it evident all the damage thet pervails to the independent stores.. which povide a sense of characheter to communities.. they are becoming a thing of the past..and towns are really loosing there charachter and individuality.. there might be immediate savings on products from the chain stores but in the long run it is far more costly

[stonysoil]

i live in a rural area in uostate ny and with loews and home depot moving in along with a super walmart it evident all the damage thet pervails to the independent stores.. which povide a sense of characheter to communities.. they are becoming a thing of the past..and towns are really loosing there charachter and individuality.. there might be immediate savings on products from the chain stores but in the long run it is far more costly

[GObug]

I don't see much difference in either place here. I usually go to both because they are next door to each other and I compare prices and products before buying. Both places hire some very qualified and knowledgable people as well as teenagers without a clue. Neither place has control of the product that is ordered, it is all done centrally by someone somewhere else. Like grocery stores, you need to know prices to get a good deal. No single place has the best price on every item, nor the same products in every line. I have stood waiting for help, after asking, for long periods of time in both stores. I have also been helped before I could even ask in both stores.

[Timeless Rogue]

You've pretty much hit the nail on the head, GObug ... for years I've known that at some stores it's pretty much a flip of the coin as to what you're going to find as far as product or help. When I go to either one it's not any different than going down to the local hardware store or lumber yard ... I know what I'm after when I go through the door and they either have it or they don't. But I usually find that out for myself after I've cruised the aisles. I've found that doesn't take any longer than standing around waiting for help ... who then takes me to cruise the aisles looking for what I asked for.

And of course we can now shop online at both stores ...

[zebraman]

Hey Guys;HOME DEPOT has got to be one of my Favorite stores!And also most people in retail are not paid enough to think.However I can navigate the store by the overhead signs and reading the isles.I also can navigate Bookstores for the same reason.I much prefer going to one place than driving all over town.I don't know about your city but here in LA there is a directory that gets updated every year called "Buying Retail is Stupid" and lists every Buis.that sells high end merchandise at more reasonable prices.Why pay $400. for a pair of Gucci shoes when you can get the same shoe(not knock-off) for 250 ?

[Timeless Rogue]

Hmmm ... but why buy a $400 pair of Gucci's anyway ... at any price? They're just gonna get messed up in the garden ...

Out in the country there's not always a choice of retailers or even the option to shop wholesale, except maybe online. And the fuel cost of driving to the next county just because you don't like the price ... well, no need to explain that!

I do agree with you about the relative easy of shopping Home Depot and Lowe's ... you can generally follow the overhead signs and they either stock it or not. But, like I said before, you can't always rely on the staff to tell you where anything is located. If not, there's always the local Ace ...

[SunflowerMeg]

It's all made in China, no matter what.

Ditto on the wall-o-waters. I've had good success with them in setting out tomatoes early.

[DPDanae]

I don't know. I will probably put my tomatoe plants out at the end of March. Of course it is in the 70's today down here.
Whew! I read what everyone has written about not putting in their vegetables yet and I just KNOW I'm living in a different world. We're putting our garden up in a week or so ... and that means tomatoes etc. Of course ... I live below the 34th parallel at about 1,000 ft elevation!! You must have a similar situation! :)

[bluelacedredhead]

I work retail. Could it possibly be for the money? :rolleyes: I think not.
I work in a small hardware store in a small village setting...One that has been in the same family for more than 60 years. I don't share part of the family bloodline, however, I do enjoy working for them..The store is only open 2 nights a week until 8, and is not open Sundays at all, so that the family (and the employees too) are able to enjoy Sundays as a family. Neither are we open on holidays...

And this past Sunday, the owners and their entire staff and spouses enjoyed an afternoon of bowling (paid for by the family) and then continued on well into the evening with a potluck supper.

But the reason I embarked on this post was to tell you that I had the misfortune today of visiting Walmart. I needed some sewing notions to complete a gift for my granddaughter's birthday, as well as a birthday card and giftbags.
Then there was the Tax Software issue...
Wallyworld was the obvious choice, being on the outskirts of the city..One stop shopping as it may without much traffic and little output for fuel for the 1-1/2 hour drive to and from the city...

I managed to find most of the 3 items I required without having to deal with the "ass-ociates"...Not that they were any help whatsoever..I had to go looking for anyone who might consider answering my questions..
Thank goodness that I don't have to deal with them in a gardening capacity. I've been an heirloom gardener for many years now. And probably the only seeds I have/will purchase this year will come from Baker Creek or from the Giant Vegetable GRowers seminar I will be attending in April.

I'm so happy to have this forum to be a part of.

[windsng225]

Bluelace, I agree 100%. I have chosen to do most of my gardening shopping on line or for that matter; most of my shopping on line for the past two years.
I can't stand the wait for help and most of the time when you do get it, its the wrong information. Lowes, ahhhhhh, my opinion is that they have the most useless personel in any store that I have been in. Their customer service is just horrible. If I do go in there I will go for the sale, know what I want and just get out of there. However, Home Depot, now that is a store where I have had the best of luck. Their employee's know what they are talking about and know where to find it and most of the time will take you there and help you.
However, we have a local plant store/garden center run by a family. I will always visit them and purchase some plants the early part of the season. I also buy plants on line as well as seeds. I have bought more fabric on line and there are places out there where you don't have to pay for shipping. So I would check on line first before waiting in line for anything. More than likely, you will save some bucks as well as time and gas.
This is America, we all have a choice! Enjoy.