@@heyman5525 actually the deal was listed on the website and when you add them in your cart it splits the 299, even when he bought them in store the recipe shows the split cost of each item, not what I would have done would be to return them both and order online. I bought that same deal and I happy with it the stubby m18
@@heyman5525 yea but not so many people would take the deal knowing a cheap tool is in the box. especially people who are going to be using it professionally. its a ok deal for a diy’er
I’ve worked in Home Depot in both asset protection and hardware and can honestly say I’ve never had a problem taking customers word for it on situations like this.. Tina sounds like a poor manager
@@899lidon "The customer is always right" is an economics term/phrase that means given the chance, the customer will buy the item they want (or service/etc). It meant that you could trust the customer initially to know what they wanted to spend their money on. It has been misquoted/misinterpreted quite a lot since it's inception and people constantly use it incorrectly now. Sure, a store can have a policy that says the customer is always right, but I assure you they will never run with it... otherwise I (the customer) would simply say that I now own said store free and clear or a lower impact method would be to say that I don't have to pay for items... because, "The customer is always right" right?
@@899lidon not always. There are times where we witness people or have repeat offenders trying scams. But here with no evidence to the contrary Yes he is right
This is a common problem with merchandise that you get from Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes all of them. Someone working for those stores switch out the expensive part, tool or whatever and replace it with something of lesser value. So, anyone buying anything that comes in a box, inspect the box to make sure the security tape has not been tampered with. I agree with all you said. It is a sign of the times we live in. Trust no one especially Tina at home depot. Store managers are there not to protect the customer, but to protect store profits.
Employees are the ones swapping tools? Why? The likely culprit is as mentioned in the video and we’ve all seen it. Lowe life scammers want something for nothing regardless of who has to pay for the loss. They buy the cheapest and the top end, return the expensive box with the cheaper tool. The person at the return counter may look to see if the tool is in there but doesn’t know the differences. It’s not that difficult, Pedro.
I say what he said, open the box don't just check the box for tampering. A hair dryer can remove and reattach the "security tape" without signs of tampering! Good video!
}}} Store managers are there not to protect the customer, but to protect store profits. True... this is where you ask for info on how to reach their supervisor. Then call that person. If THEY don't fix the problem, then you ask for THAT person's supervisor. This technique usually works -- because, sooner or later, you get ahold of someone who says, _"Why the hell am _*_I_*_ being bothered with this? YOU!! FIX IT! _*_NOW!!_*_ "_ First learned this technique in college. Worked well there, too. I had already qualified for a certain amount of student aid at the CoCo I'd briefly attended for 3m before switching between major schools (personal matters). The FinAid people tried to tell me that it was "too late", that I was "long past the date for applying for aid." AGAIN: Already qualified, and the actual aid *wasn't coming from the University in question.* 😡 So, went to the Assistant Director of FinAid. "No, we can't help, blah blah blabitty blah". Went to the Director of FinAid. Same response. Went to see the Dean of Students. The Director happened to be _In His Office._ when I was ushered in. (RBG) The Dean listened to my story, looked right at the Director, and asked, "Is there any reason we can't help this young man?" Director stammers, "Uh... no sir." And I got the aid I had already qualified for. Idiot. He got replaced a year or so after by the same guy who was in charge of FinAid at the _other_ State U I'd been attending previously. MUCH more positive, helpful attitude. He'd actually gotten in some trouble at my prior U because he tended to staff _his_ FinAid office with pretty young girls. *He wasn't a lecher or anything.* He just specifically noted that FinAid was often a frustrating experience, and he knew that both men and women were *_much less likely to lose their temper with a pretty girl._* Sexist? No. Truth. Fact. And a smart way to work. But he had to hire more guys, regardless, just for appearance' sake.
I was in the Return line at HD and a guy ahead of me "returned" a brass outdoor faucet valve. Only thing was, it looked like it was 20 years old, no longer shiny and with tons of calcium deposits, and they accepted it without question. I almost said something but figured that HD wouldn't do anything, afraid of creating a scene. You and I and everyone else pay for these situations, all thanks to lawyers, who are all enabled by us. The irony.
I worked at an Ace Hardware and witnessed a guy return an empty paint can and said it was defective…. there’s a lot of shitty people in our world unfortunately
i saw someone had just returned a clealy used and abused drill bit.. I asked the clerk "you accept used stuff like that?" her response : unfortunatey, yes...
F that!!! Call corporate!! The average home depo loses about a million dollars every time they do a physical inventory, (twice a year!) I’m sure the can write off a 3/8 impact.
@@dangalangslanger1254 I was the guy who looked for the stuff you wanted. I feel your pain. It bothered me when I could not find one of the 5 items the computer said we had.
@@Austinite333 me my cousin and two employees looked for some floor dryer style blower fans..for 30 minutes..we found the pallets of 180 right up front. Lol we walked right past them
Same thing has happened to me several years back, I'm now in the habit of OPENING the box when they bring it out of the cage in front of the store staff that hands it to me at the counter. I'm not leaving the checkout stand until I know I'm paying for what I'm want to buy. This tends to slow down the line and the cashier makes faces or makes comment but I'm not gonna get scammed again. I totally know what you're talking about. Thank you for the post.
Take your empty box in there in the cart. Act like shopping. Grab a new one in box. Drop empty box aside. Take the full box to the return with your receipt. Get money back
Something I learned a long time ago, open the box and inspect the item right in front of the sales person. I purchased an expensive computer card from shop and while the sales person was doing her thing I open the box and rather than an expensive computer card in the box it had a San Fransico news paper in it. They still look all over the counter to see where I had got the paper from and I'm sure they still figured I had some how duped them.
My dad used to work at a Home Depot and said that the returns process was so bad that people could bring in boxes of trash or rocks and the employees wouldn't know because they didn't even open the box in the moment. It would be a good move to set aside a little space to be an unboxing area for those checks you mentioned. They could have cameras local at counters focused on the task so that it would be completely clear what happened. This would force the company to deal with the consequences of these scammers instead of us consumers, and then I bet their returns process would get a lot more thorough really quick.
This type of theft has become more rampant the past few years. I'm even getting more skeptical of anything i buy including electronics,small appliances almost everything. Major retailers now need to move and include their loss prevention funding to returns as well as shoplifting or price tag switching. If they don't, they'll lose more and more customers as well as money. Unhappy/dissatisfied customers usually don't come back. You souldn't buy a 5-10$ yard sale table saw without at least asking to plug it in first! BUYER BEWARE! check merchandise before leaving the store, you probably check your fast food bag before leaving the drive thru.
And yet I've been to a wal mart that opened up a spray paint return I was making just to be sure it wasn't sprayed. Like, how do you know someone didn't do that in the store before I bought it (in theory, this one was not used and I do check them).
I used to work at Home Depot and thought it was funny when customers would open the box and get a resealed one. But now think they may have been gifts who knows.
Damn bro, it really sucks that happened to you. It's really cool of you to look out for the rest of us by explaining the situation and the solution to prevent it. Says a lot about your character. You're a real man. Appreciate you brother.
Why did he just return the product? Has never had an issue returning anything to HD! I would state that much of the responsibility of this HD "victim" is in the choices He made to not return this item. Maybe he didn't just return it because he was hung up on getting the deal. Blah, blah, blah . . .
I spent 25 years in the credit card business. There is a federal law that requires the card issuer who bills you to engage in a customer dispute process that involves the seller/merchant. Call whoever issued your card and tell them you want to dispute the purchase and ask exactly what information they need to originate a chargeback on the basis of 'customer disputes' rules. There are specific things you need to include. A url reference to this YT wouldn't hurt.
Check the box good. Make sure it looks 100% original. These bundles deals especially, check them out right there at the register. I’m sure someone returned it with that cheaper impact in it. Gone depot return department is just going to check if the number of pieces are there. Not that they are the correct pieces. Most of the workers there are pretty clueless. Really though, if it’s in a box and you can’t view the product, that’s the time to check it out. As far as you know, it could just have bricks inside. You bring it home, see the bricks, go what the F, bring it back, how do they know it wasn’t you that out the bricks in the box to try and scam them??? So before you walk out of that door with all the cameras around, open that box every time and double check you are getting what you paid for. A box is not proof of anything. Visually seeing the product is.
Same here. My addiction is fpv racing drones. We buy DOA gear all the time and in some cases get no refund or replacements. You don’t know if it works until you put current to it. It’s all diy so we solder everything ourselves. It’s annoying that you have to come up with gadgets to test gear you buy just to be sure you have what you paid for.
THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS! ITS EFFIN INSANE HOW MUCH WE HARD WORKING FOLKS PAY FOR OUR TOOLS ONLY TO BE TAKEN FOR OUR TIME AND MONEY AND THEN ACCUSED OF BEING THE BAD GUYS!!
A year ago I switched from Dewalt to Milwaukee. Home depo here in ft wayne IN had a special going on so I spent about $800 on some Milwaukee power tools. I was new to Milwaukee so due to my lack of knowledge I didn't realize the tools I bought weren't fuel brushless until 6 or 7 months after I bough them. I called the store and talked to the head manager and explained everything to him and he told me i could bring the tools in and switch out for the fuel brushless. I got really lucky that this manager was super cool!
I just burnt out my 18volt Dewalt impact. My 18v circular died a few months ago. Now looking at getting a Milwaukee kit or two. From what you posted, the "Fuel" and "Brushless" are the way to go? I also heard something about a handful of generations of the same product. Is that something that is specified on the box? Are you a satisfied Milwaukee owner? Thanks for any information in return.
Honestly brushless isn't always better. Two pros of brushed that come to mind are better torque at 0rpm, and less electronic brains, so more durable/reliable in an electronic way
Excellent advice, Home Depot strikes again. I just bought a table saw yesterday, travelling home and unboxing, discovered that the item was previously used and full of sawdust. Had no problem returning and exchanging although the store is 20 minutes away x 4...gas/diesel ain't cheap these days
He's right about this kink of thing. It's happened to me, where something was missing in a box , so make sure that everything is in the box also. Sadly, people buy something, swap it out or remove the piece they need, and then return it for a refund.
Yeah I started doing that after Best Buy sold me a tv with a cracked screen and didn’t wanna let me return it even though I brought it back like 30 minutes after purchase.
Stumbled upon this year old story. It was like giving Home Depot a million bad reviews. Hopefully you eventually got this problem resolved. On a smaller scale there was a chicken place that opened near me. My friend ordered her meal and when she sat down she noticed there was no cole slaw. The clerk said she packed it so the lady went to the owner and he backed his employee. So for the last five years my friend has done nothing but bad mouth this place. A big problem over something that would only cost 50 cents to replace. Probably cost the owner a lot more in bad publicity.
I just made a very similar comment. Your point is so important for business owners and couldn't be more true! In my case, BMW owners are like a sacred club. I'm sure that sharing my experience with other enthusiasts in the area single handedly was a huge collapse to their customer base and people that trusted them. I did not feel guilty about this as I was not the only potential customer that experienced similar issues.
A business has to take into consideration any losses they will take from shady customers, but they have a tendency to notice it far too late and start treating all of their customers as suspected criminals.
I did a lot of business with an online auction company. I felt like they owed me a refund of LESS than one dollar. Their policy clearly stated that they do not refund less than one dollar. I contacted them anyway. They refused to refund so I refused to do business with them anymore. Instead, hundreds of dollars was made by a competitor of theirs in fees to them instead of the first company.
Good advice your giving .I had that happen to me at Costco one time. I bought an air impact and when I got home I could see it was used in their tire shop, then they just stuffed it into the original box and sold it like new. I was pissed like you. What I do now is I tell the clerk I'm gonna buy it but I want to check it and they always let me so far. I don't pay for it if they don't let me check it.
@NaptownTuner Thank you for posting this video. This happened to me at Lowes too. When I bought back to Lowes for return, they gave me dirty look like I am the one who did the swapping of the old tool. From that moment on, I always double checked with the sale clerk right after paying for the tool to make sure they NEVER gave me a dirty look again. Now a day, this is happen everywhere at all retail stores. MAKE SURE YOU VERIFY TO THE TOOL BEFORE LEAVING THE CASH REGISTER so you don't get SCAM by the store or ...😢😭
Home Depot employee here… I apologize for the crappy experience at that store. I would definitely recommend going above Tina’s head, or calling store 2026 even. Every associate in that store knows that happens on a regular basis. If the situation truly played out the way u say it did, and I have no reason not to believe that and neither does Tina for that matter, you have every right to be upset and should 100% get what u paid for. Tina is not “living up to our values” as they say and I find it very surprising that a store manager would act this way. Usually our store managers go against what everyone else thinks and gives in to a customer even if we all know the customer is full of it. Very bad customer service from that store.
@Soup Can Husky is a Home Depot brand, sold in store, and is lifetime guaranteed no questions asked. We swap em out on the spot no receipt needed. I’m just sayin…. Don’t believe everything u read on the internet my friend. Every big corporation does shady shit, Home Depot is not innocent by any means, but they do go above and beyond to make the customer happy. 🤷♂️
Actions speak louder than some unknown TH-cam commentator. Please prosecute the criminals not the good guys. You are nothing but crooks behind a big name.
This has been happening for a very long time and not just Home Depot, and not just tools. I have made a habit of asking the store associate to open the box to check the merchandise before I even put it in the cart. I look to see if the box has been previously open, if the cardboard is torn anywhere, etc. I have made so many trips back to the store with similar problems, many items that were previous returns that no one checked to find broken and used items, or in your case, someone swapped the tool for another. Good video for everyone to keep their eyes open and check what you are buying before you leave. Sorry you got the rip off and what is worse they make you feel like you did it.
Glad I watched this video. Way to look out for the people. Shame on Tina and that Home Depot store. I was literally going to try and do this same deal for Memorial Day coming up, but got some things to consider now. Appreciate your advice.
As a former auditor I can tell you stories of managers, loss prevention and others who form their own in-store/inter-store cartels which can involve other managers from other stores in the chain and they steal a lot....Chains where managers were caught include Home Dep., ARCO, Lowes, Stater Bros., 7/11 and more....If I was a corp. LP auditor I would be looking at that Tina.
The website states that items are in stock at my local store, but when I go there, the shelf is often empty. Obviously, items are going missing. This does not happen in the other store further down the road.
I know of a local home depot where the entire management team was fired for that very thing just last year. One of them had been with the company over a decade and you never would have suspected it
The Home Depot on the inventory label (#2026) is in Greenfield. And what happened is EXACTLY what you said probably happened. Somebody bought the Fuel version, put in the cheaper version, then returned it and got their money back. The worse part about it is the people at customer service usually don't know what to look for in those situations. They see a box with tape on it, they call it good, do the return, and refund the money to the person standing there. Then you come along, buy that particular one, and you get accused of switching it. The one I work at has a bad theft problem. We have stuff stolen daily. We can only do what we're allowed to do unless we want to be fired. But I gotta tell you, it's getting so bad that I'm getting close to the point of saying to hell with the job, I"m tired of just letting people take stuff and not being able to do anything about it except smile and thank them for "shopping" with us.
All they have to do is look at the picture on the box and compare lol. I see this all the time in the Star Wars toy collecting market. People will go buy a figure and swap it out with something that doesn’t even look like the picture on the front and get their money back. It’s even worse for those because you can see into the box.
So sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience at Home Depot. I really hope they eventually do the right thing. I always open up the box from a new TV whenever I purchase at Best Buy because of a review I read where someone opened the box and noticed the screen was cracked. When they took it back to Best Buy, they looked at him like he had cracked it and wouldn't accept the return. That's when I decided to start opening boxes for my electronics in front of a store employee before I walk out the door. Never thought about doing it for tools because of the possibility of exchanging it for a cheaper model. Thanks again and good luck with everything sir! 👍 🤜 Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us.
This happened to my co-worker twice. A Drill Driver Fuel with Hammer Drill. And both times in the box the tool was not hammer Drill. Open your stuff at the counter. Very calm video and insightful. My video may have had a few naughty words in it. Well done.
@@ninob411 So true I've spent a lot of money in home depot over the last twenty years of my life and all I've noticed lately is their customer service is getting worse just like their people skills and the way they treat their customers in today's market.
On a side note, when buying air or oil filters, open the box and make sure the correct brand and size filter is in the box. Common practice by thieves is to buy generic brand filters swapped out with brand name filters.
Yea I bought a screw on oil filter recently and someone opened the box from the bottom and stole the sealing ring from it , few weeks after I bought a water pump and a thermostat and opened the boxes at the counter before the purchase and found a rusted out old thermostat in a new box , even the parts counter guy was surprised and glad he saw it first hand , said that if I would of walked out with it and came back later they would of assumed I did the swap smh
Went to advance auto... walk out to the car... open the box of a brake caliper bracket... used... Walk back in "yeah this is what was in the box can I get a new one..." Had a starter too, OE in the box... had to return that... They do not even look this shit was all covered in grease, brake dust, oil... they were cores put in as "new" (or reman whatever)
a similar thing happened to me. I had bought a really nice Honda lawn mower at a home depot near me (in NJ). Got it home and opened it up, and someone had subbed in their own old used Honda mower into the box, and had resealed and returned it. They had never inspected it before allowing it to be re-sold. I called in to the manager right away and, fortunately, they didn't give me any grief about taking it back and giving me the right one. It was a PITA, though, because I had to rent one of their pickups to get it home. They did also comp me for the second pickup rental to return the bad one and bring the new one home. After that, I always ask their manager to open it before I pay and leave.
I used to work in tool repair, and we would get pallets of tools from big box stores for repair, and when we took the tools apart, they would have decades-old motors, wires and switches inside NEW cases!
Twenty-five years ago I bought Wagner sprayer from HD. Got home and found it was used with paint on hoses etc. Looks like HD is still irresponsible with returns. Just throw it back on the shelf.
Any tool I have ever returned to HD the employees have never opened the box to check if it’s the right tool or a box of rocks I’m returning. The only thing I’ve noticed recently is they are scanning your driver’s license on a big money returns.
@@akaredcrossbow I don't let anyone scan my driver's license. A driver's license is full of personal information that hackers can use to steal your identity. What exactly is it that they do with your DL , where do they keep the information, and how long is it kept for? You have to push back and tell them that nowhere on their posted return policy does it say they can scan your DL.
@@JR-kk6ce next time I will ask what info it’s taking from the driver’s license, but I’m guessing it’s just name and address so if something like this happens they know how to find you.
@@akaredcrossbow When they scan the magnetic strip of your DL, they get everything, including your height, color, eyes, and photo. The information is then transferred to a company called The Retail Equation (TRE), and they run algorithms with the information they got from your DL. Many say that both Wal-Mart and TRE sell the information to other companies that deal in the sale and transfer of personal information. The photo is used for facial recognition purposes. You have the right to get a copy of the report TRE has on you by sending an email to ReturnActivityReport@TheRetailEquation.com with your name and phone number where they can reach you
More often than not, in this situation the credit card company will tell you to pursue a claim against the vendor (store), they will only reverse or freeze a charge if the card was stolen, used w/o authorization, or if the charge went through for an erroneous amount. After watching this, I would open the box while in the store and confirm the contents before I payed, or at least before leaving the store in view of security cameras. And I'll remember to inspect boxes for signs of opening or damage when at home depot or other hardware or appliance stores.
@@Matty88K The card company will probably refund if you didn't receive what you ordered. I ordered 5 Makita impacts and 6 5a batts w/chargers from Staples and received 2a batts and DeWalt bit sets. Got charges reversed and kept all incorrect items.
@@cocarr1 Yep, but if you walked out of the store with the wrong items and they refused to exchange your credit card company might not have been that helpful, as we see from the video. Loss prevention manager Tina will say you're trying to do switch
@@cocarr1 Probably not a refund but they might issue a credit until the dispute process is resolved with the seller. If the seller is held accountable, there will be no charge but if you are found accountable you will receive a charge when it is resolved. At least, that's the way it worked 30 years ago.
Dude, no that sucks, I’ve bought two high dollar items from the Home Depot that have been previously returned and I was unaware until I got home. I feel your frustrations. Appreciate your videos!
I'm always suspicious of boxes that look like they have been opened, especially if it is the last one on the shelf. Been burned by customer returns that were put back in inventory.
My "protip". If I have to buy an opened box I always get the cashier to write and sign on the receipt that the box was previously opened. It simplifies the whole return procedure if something is wrong with the product.
I agree, however, when I encounter this, I open that previously opened box right then and there. I inspect it, look for screwdriver marks indicating a tool has been taken apart, and I have also found tags saying the unit was rebuilt, repaired, or in one case marked NO GOOD. We have a new store here where I live that sells liquidation stuff. Stuff that people returned from any of the big box stores. Weed eaters, lawn mowers, power tools. Some of it is truly scrap. But some of it, can be fixed. A place like this, ......................... I expect to see weird stuff and mismatched boxes, etc. But not at the big box stores selling new stuff.
I personally wouldn't. But there's actually quite a few stories I've seen where ppl have written letters to corporate higher ups and actually get results
Thanks for taking the time to make the video. I would have never thought that this could happen. I will definitely be opening the boxs in the store from now on.
The same thing happened to me years ago with a Dewalt. Now if they need to unlock a cabinet to get me the tool, I make them open the box before the worker steps off. Sometimes they get pissed. I don’t care.
I worked at a similar store and we never had a problem doing this. It was basically spending 2 minutes to remove someone's anxiety by opening a box vs potentially having lost a customer for life over a 30 minute drama event at the return counter.
I worked at auto parts 20 years ago and found parts that some one had returned and it was the old part from there car they returned and got there money back. Even old oil filters that had dirty stinky black motor oil and some customer returned to us and had gotten there money back.
I work at a certain Irish sounding auto parts store and you damn right, my latest attempted return was 2 bottles of atf refilled with water, he said "why are you opening it" just before running out. OPEN EVERYTHING EVERYTIME
I bought a new pex crimper. It comes with a black plastic box over the die part and contains the gauge. Get out to job. Crimper die is broken. Someone over torqued it and returned it.
Thank for your great advice. May I add that when buying brake pads from an auto part store to open the box before you leave. I once purchased a box of brake pads to find that the sealed box only contained 3 pads. I am glad I checked before I left the store!
No way dude. Dont let them get away with that. It will be in their system that it was previously returned. Dont let them screw you over. Talk to a manager
I made a purchase from HD and found the tool was used so I bring it back to replace a brand new one - no hassles. From this point on I will check the content in the store before I pay. The other way to work around is to ask credit card company to hold the payment before the issue has been resolved - it works every time.
Same thing happend to me at a Homedepot in Albuquerque, my boss sent me with 400$ to buy a new HoleHawg, they only had one left on the shelf, i got out to the jobsite opened it up and BAM there sat a used beatup ass Holehawg! My boss was pissed and told me to go get his money back or dont come back at all. I was freaking out man got to Homedepot ohhh they put up a fight, at one point i thought they were going to call the cops. Thank god the manager finally gave in and calmer heads prevailed. Needless to say now i open up every tool i buy at the counter even if the people behind me get pissed. Thanks for the vid..
Good video. This applies to auto parts also. Open your boxes in the store before you leave and make sure you’re not buying the wrong or even a used item.
Someone screwed HD, so they thought they would pay it forward and screw you. Start by calling your credit card provider and putting a stop payment on the transaction, then talk to the HD regional rep, not the local store staff.
I’m curious how many people know you can do this. If there’s an issue with your purchase and the strode won’t do the right thing, then you can always call the number on your credit card to block the transaction.
@@BuddyChy it's actually not true. When you purchase something on CC you actually have given permission. You can't just stop the transaction. You can only do this if your card was stolen or you did not authorize a purchase. (This is not a case of unauthorized purchase.) In this case you have to go through a lonnggggg procedure called "Chargeback". It's ridiculous.(3-6mnths) Even then you may not win. You have a better chance of getting/negotiating a refund with the store then to go through this process. They give all the power to the stores, not the consumer. But yes I'd open the box right after paying to verify. I hope it works out.
@@jeffcamm5707 you must not bank with Wells Fargo. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a problem with it. Doesn’t matter if I “gave permission” by being the one that used my card. Maybe some situations vary and this one is actually different from any of the times I’ve done it, but Wells Fargo has always worked with me when I’ve been screwed over. You may be right in this instance, I don’t really know. Most of my situations have been online. I’m second guessing my self about it now lol. Hopefully I’ll never have to find out first hand if I’m wrong.
@@jeffcamm5707 on the other hand. You’re saying this was an “authorized” purchase when it really wasn’t. It’s all in the wording. You authorized the purchase of a particular product and you didn’t get it. You were given a product you didn’t purchase instead.
@@jeffcamm5707 I don’t know if I clarified this at all, but I’m also assuming you block the transaction the same day you made the purchase, went back to the store, and they don’t resolve it right away. That way you save your butt instead of finding out days or weeks later that they won’t fix it for you. If you wait until then, I’d anticipate you have an issue getting your money back. It’s unfortunate that you have to do this and I don’t blame him for getting screwed like that but I think that would help.
Yes, exactly. But i will say that tools like this, i know they don't sell Milwaukee, go back to a return center. Just about everything that gets returned at Walmart never goes back on the shelf.
Thank you for your video. I too have a Milwaukee addiction . I got the long neck 1/4 ratchet 3/8 short neck stubbi 3/8 impact. The big and small speed squares and framing square the red anodized is so sexy. The hammer , the cats paw , the flashlights oh my GOD the flash lights I’ve spent never mind how much I’ve spent on just the flash lights . You understand it’s a real and expensive addiction but man I love that black and red color scheme oh and the tools are the best with the most power but that color scheme . Oh I have all the hoodies the beanies the hat ok I need to stop. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH! I will definitely open the box to any and everything I buy from any store and I’m so sorry you have to go through that but know you have helped me and a lot of other people with your video and you got good karma coming to you sir.
I purchased an entry lockset for a home and lowes asked me to come back the next am because it had to be re-keyed. Next day picked it up and didn't notice it was in a different box. Opened it and the thing had all different finishes on the hardware. Took it back and the box was marked no return. I ate $167 loss because they did the same thing, only it was an employee who robbed me.
@@Linkedblade I think that may vary from store to store. I've *DEFINITELY* seen items go right from returns back on to the shelf at the Walmarts in my area.
You are not alone Brother ... I've had the same thing happen to me on a few occasions. The problem seems to be that when a customer brings back a product, no one checks to see if what they are bringing back is the correct item. Apparently it is placed in a restocking bin and goes back on the shelf without any verification of it being correct. As a contractor spending over $50 K per year in the Pooler, GA store, I never had a problem with a return, but that's not the case with everyone. A previous comment said get in touch with the Regional Manager and they will most likely resolve it, if not call the home office in Atlanta, GA. Good luck and thanks for speaking out.
Appreciate you for posting this video. I love Milwaukee tools and will substitute a Dewalt tool in a pinch, but you have opened my eyes to be alert for all future tool purchases. Thanks for your advice.
Just happened to me today, I’m glad I watched your video weeks ago. I bought a hackzall today at the Home Depot in Rockland ma and I opened the box while inside the store and inside the box was an old all beat up tool, really old one. I went to the returns and exchanged for another one. I glad I didn’t bring it home.
I worked at Home Depot in the Front End. I can confirm that this situation in fact DOES happen and yes it's quickly assumed that the customer is doing something shady, especially if the store gets hit a lot with theft. This situation wasn't that complex and the other store is the one who needs to take liability for it. In fact I would definitely advise any shopper to ask an associate to open the merchandise for verification.
Ya some hd employees assume everyone is shady they need to check there returns before they put on the floor. I got burned so now I ask for the box to be opened.
I've worked for home Depot for almost 5 years, and I've seen this happen often enough. Unfortunately, the bottleneck is with customer service and the people taking in the returns. When there's a line of eight people trying to return things the associates at the returns desk have a tendency to not inspect the contents of the box like they should. It's amazing what they accept as a return. I would recommend that anyone buying an expensive item from any retailer check the product before leaving the store. As a general rule of thumb, I have found Home Depot management to be pretty good when it comes to treating customers well, and I'm very disappointed to hear that that store treated you badly. I hope this doesn't sour you on all home depots.
@@ClodODirt this is so true, customer service is very lacking on checking out returned product, I work at home depot, and it annoys the shit out of me on the lack of accountability, look in the flipping boxes people
We have had several instances of this at HD. My wife bought a kitchen faucet at HD that appeared to be unopened even with 2 plastic straps around it. She asked the cashier if she could open it before leaving. When it was opened the cashier found an old used faucet someone had returned and repacked! You think they would have believed me if I brought that back?
I’m never in the business of sticking up for companies or speaking on their behalf sort of say but what I will say is it definitely would’ve sucked but I believe from watching other people return stuff they run your ID to see if you’re on some shady business and if you brought stuff back and asked for cash refunds they’re really good about doing exchanges specially with me being military I put my ID and phone number in so I would like to believe that they keep track of that kind of stuff an can see how many high valued items I’ve purchased and that I have no need to return stuff for cash but it’s just my opinion
Have had this sort of thing myself. One instance was with shoes. Buying my kid shoes pulled the box off the shelf, and thankfully, the cashier opened the box to discover an old pair of shoes in it. Had to walk to the back of the store to get another pair.
Whoever accepts returns in any retail establishment, should be trained to always check the contents to verify that the correct item is being returned. Nowadays, you can't trust anything, or anyone. It sucks!
I had to same thing happen with a big screen television that I bought at Costco. I brought it back and told them my story. They simply credited my purchase (without looking in the box) and told me to pickup another television and they would open the box for me to make sure that the right television was in the box. BONUS! The same television was now on sale so, besides getting a new television, I even paid less for it.
I learned the hard way too. Now, I check the box to make sure it hasn't been tampered with *before* I leave the store. If it shows signs of tampering I open it in front of the employee to make sure that it's the right product and that everything is in the box.
I feel your pain! I had this happen with hard drives I went to buy at bestbuy before they went belly up. They had trouble locating 2 drives I bought online, it was around 500 dollars that I bought online to pickup. I asked the employee to open the package which from the outside did look new retail and sure enough, there were 2 old hard drives in cleverly repackaged. Had I walked out the door I'm sure I'd been given, "sure you didn't get the drives". This is real and happens. Any expensive purchase my advice is never leave the store without opening the package there at checkout before walking out.
I'm glad you made this video. Cuz believe it or not this happens way more than people know. And yes you are 100% right you want to open the box right there in front of the cashier. It's happening at just about any store you can think of and all kinds of products you can think of. It's like a loop hole that stores have found a way to defraud the public and get away with it.
You really think these stores are robbing the brands they sell? It would be impossible to keep this secret, so you think they are willing to lose their business and go to jail to temporarily make more money that they would lose when they are caught. What a dumb scam, maybe customer service employees are paid enough to give a shit what gets returned.
You are crazy!!! It's thief's scamming the stores and customer service not catching it, then someone buys the swapped item and they are stuck with it!!!
I've learned this lesson too. No matter what, get an associate to open the box in front of you and examine the contents together. More than a few times I've found "returned" merchandise back on the shelf, and it's caveat emptor! This crap happens a lot more often than one should expect, and especially in areas where there is a high immigrant population. Sorry, snowflakes, dat be da troof.
I believe you 100%. It happened to me on eBay. I bought a Fosgate car stereo for $410 from a Japanese seller who resides in Florida. Instead of sending me the model I paid for, he put a $200 Fosgate speaker on a $410 box. When I checked the model number the $410 and the $200 speaker are different by one number. When I tried to explain to the seller by phone, he asked me if I'm Jewish. I told him I'm not Jewish. I'm black from East Africa. I reported it to the eBay manager and she froze his accounting.
I am currently doing this when buying fast food to be sure i got what i ordered and paid for, guess ill have to do this when buying my power tools. Anytime you buy a product and it is handled by multiple people you should get suspicious that they are pulling the old watch the pea and which shell is it under game. Hell of a world we live in today. Thanks for putting yourself out there for the rest of us to learn from, new lessons we must past on to our kids about the "Real World"
Happens a lot, I bought a Milwaukee m18 circular saw just to find out that someone had returned the box with an old wired skil saw 🤦🏻♂️ got it changed tho
I bought someone else's NASTY used engine oil at Walmart once. I drained the oil, changed the filter and then opened the "new" oil jug. Luckily, I have a 2nd vehicle and didn't have to dump my old oil back in. My drain pan was filthy, but there's no way I was going to put some crackhead's mystery oil in my engine.
@@handyman7748 wish I could tell you what it was, something electrical. I made an exchange as was defective/ missing parts. A week later needed another and saw my returned product on the shelf...
Thanks for the heads up. One thing to watch very carefully, is how the box is sealed. If its the factory clear little circle shaped tape, you should be good. But if it looks like its been modded, and taped back up with normal packing tape etc, then be very skeptical. Even if its the right tool inside, it might be a return etc and you are not getting a brand new tool which is what you paid for. And if it IS the wrong tool because someone swapped it out, it sure as heck wont be the factory circle type tape.
When I worked at Home Depot we constantly watched as people walked out the the door with tools. Then go in the other door to return the stolen stuff for store credit.
This is true it can be difficult for us to tell the difference. In a situation like this in my store. We usually meet people half way and give store credit or an exchange as opposed to a full refund.
I worked Home Depot Hardware/Tool department for 13 years and I have one thing to share: don't ever buy anything that has been opened and even then before you get to the cashier, open the sealed box and verify that the content is exactly what's on the box. There are some crafty individuals who return tools and reseal the box as it came from the factory and the box with whatever it's been replaced with will be put directly back on the shelf. Be aware and happy shopping.
Also don't pick the front item on the shelf....always take the ones in the back.....returned items are usually placed at up front, which usually have parts missing. Sorry for your loss.
I agree,I've had the same thing happen when I bought something from Home Depot that was previously opened and put back on the shelf. I think they should check the contents before they restock a returned product.
The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act. File a complaint with your State Attorney Generals office.. Yes it is a big deal, never accept anything less. They don't want to get sued by the state and quickly correct the problem.
On a side note. I buy one or two professional Stihl chainsaws every year or so. I NEVER ever let the dealer prep the saw or start it. I only leave the store with a saw in a sealed box. Every saw I’ve ever bought from Stihl was defective in some minor way in the last twenty two years, I’ve bought them . Since I refuse to let the dealer touch the saws , I’ve had no issues. I have no idea if they sabotage saws , or whatever. Also I’ve learned to never be loyal to any particular store , as they will take advantage of a guy’s generosity. I never ever quibble about prices, knowing everyone needs to make a decent living.
Exact. Same. Thing. happened to me with the M-18 fuel multi-tool not even 2 weeks ago. I opened the box and got a non-fuel tool that was clearly used. I had it back in the store not even 20 minutes after i bought it and luckily they gave me the right tool, but I was ready for a fight if they thought I was the one trying to rip them off.
This one video alone probably saved countless return headaches by showing us your horror story. From now on I'll be opening any and all tool boxes right after the receipt prints. I don't care how annoyed the people in line behind me get. This sucks!
Just fricken open it in the aisle where it is and if It's junk just leave it and open the next one b4 you get to the reg and slow down the line, the lines are bad enough already....
Thank you !!! For telling your story and letting other people know. I hate that this happened to you and I understand how that it happened. I will be sure to look out for this, cause I see how that it could of been me in your situation. I will be opening the box before I leave the store anymore.
I've worked for home Depot for almost 5 years, and I've seen this happen often enough. Unfortunately, the bottleneck is with customer service and the people taking in the returns. When there's a line of eight people trying to return things the associates at the returns desk have a tendency to not inspect the contents of the box like they should... not to mention the fact that most of these young people they have working at the desk wouldn't know the difference between an impact tool and a multi-tool if you put them both in front of them. It's amazing what they accept as a return. I would recommend that anyone buying an expensive item from any retailer check the product before leaving the store. As a general rule of thumb, I have found Home Depot management to be pretty good when it comes to treating customers well, and I'm very disappointed to hear that that store treated you badly. I hope this doesn't sour you on all home depots.
They need to set return policy in order for them to accept the returns is to inspect the package BEFORE refunding the customers or exchange for a new one. that will protect them from getting scammed and they should call the authorities to report attempted fraud or attempted scam.
This! Also with Target's return BS. I worked there for 2 years in the photo lab in 2007-08. And it was next to customer service. So when they got too many people returning stuff, guess who has to help them instead of doing my own job? Yea, me! .. Anyway, I would usually tell people "No, this doesn't match what's on your receipt" (yea I have worked with several companies that use serial numbers and I am thorough) and they would cry bloody murder until a manager got there. Guess what? Manager doesn't want to deal with it! They tell you to take the return and they don't want to come back up to the front again! (Probably because it interrupted them flirting with Desiree in the lingerie section). So you take that false return and then later think about if you could be fired for accepting an item that was not the item.... By the way.... F*^% Target
I know this video is getting old and whatnot but this horseshit has been going on FOREVER with HD, Lowes, WalMart, sometimes Target. This tip would have helped the video OP (just a lot more of a pain in the ass due to it being locked up in a tool cage) but you basically have to open expensive shit right there in the store BEFORE you even go for your wallet!! This is to make sure it hasn’t been molested at all. If it’s a normally stocked product The typical scummy customers will do stuff like packing a broken tool in a brand new product box and return it for a refund, putting a lesser item in a nicer product box. Dumb shit that would easily get caught IF the returns dept or corporate would actually give a shit about it but the don’t. They know eventually it will find the hands of someone that won’t take it back to store. What I would do is take a ball point pen and write “missing parts” so they wouldn’t blindly restock the bad product and to keep it from being restocked but they have (and have had this for a long time) a returns rule or policy that any returned item must not be marked or written on, and be in the original box. They do this bcuz that’s all they want to do, restock it over and over again until it doesn’t come back. Maybe they will give a shit if enough people do enough things to alert other customers not to buy it or at least mess up corporates game a bit. I hope OP got somewhere with HD and either got his tool or the money.
Returns shouldn't be going back on the shelf anyway. But even if it's going back on the shelf, it should be inspected BEFORE it goes back on the shelf. Just because one shady customer manages to sneak one past customer service isn't an excuse for HD to then sneak it back out onto the shelf as "new" and foist it back on an honest customer.
had similar issue here in Oregon ... absolutely open the box before you leave the store under their cameras ... I give no F's who is behind me . Right on Brother.
That's BS Dube!, I work PT (retired I think) for a Adv parts auto store (right) and I've seen this crap more then you can know, wrong part right box, empty box to used broke ass parts etc. It's no skin of me or them to do the right thing. I'm surprised they didn't. Honestly if someone walks in to my store and acts human (attitudes get you nothing with me) i’d defect that crap and send you on your merry way! I'd call corporate I’d be very surprised if they didn't fix it. I'd get my tool I promise you that! You're absolutely spot on with regards to that store transfer thought! Most problems like yours we see are known (Inside job/send it there) by the guy pulling It or delivering it. I hope things worked out! Cheers
I've returned things to Home Depot and a lot of times they don't even look in the box, which surprises me. After watching this I will always open the box before leaving the store.
A person at the returns counter wouldn't know thee difference between a M18 or M18 FUEL tool. They just look to see if something is in the box. I have returned unopened boxes and they saw that the box looked factory sealed and left it sealed
@@ronjclm8590 All they have to do is check the model number. I don't know about Milwaukee, but also DeWalt puts the serial number on the box. If it is a big enough problem, they'll start checking. When I ship tools, I put the serial number on any invoice or receipt I include. It just tells the customer "I know what I shipped".
These chain stores make no effort to hire people who can tell the difference between a circular saw and an impact driver. When they do hire someone knowledgeable, they make no effort to retain that person. Most of their staff can barely confirm the box actually has contents.
@@tooolboxx Yes. better training for the returns counter would be helpful. But mostly the employees may not be capable of being trained to care. It appears that in most stores, The employees are trained to not be confrontational. This store should/could look in their records and see who all have recently returned a tool with that ID number. But they still wouldn't pursue it...they don't want to make the criminals angry.
What has to happen is Home Depot needs to have better quality control of the return process. When someone returns a high value item like a cordless impact, they should confirm it is the right tool before accepting the return.
depot has it and you got it no matter where it came from no receipt gift cards to cash is the poor mans $ maker out here.depot will take returns by the bag full and not think nothing of it
Just saw your video. I managed different retail stores. And watching you speak about it. I would have made it good for you. I e worked with a few female managers. Most of the ones I worked with. Made poor decisions. I can usually spot someone trying to scam like this. You are genuine, calm and really asking for help with this situation. I would have taken care of you as a good customer should. I went to Home Depot once. I had a question only. Asked fur the manager. They called HER. She never came up front. I left.
I bought a Milwaukee Fuel grinder and it was missing the wrench to remove the blade… I notice at Home Depot it’s common for ppl to remove tools and even use tool and then return it. Good Advice
Pro tip. Take battery off. Press blade lock button spin blade untill it locks. Grab the blade and twist it left. Preform steps in reverse to install a new blade.
I am a locksmith. When I was just starting out in 1975 I bought some Yale locks from my distributor. There were two double cylinder deadbolt locks that had the shorter screws in them for single cylinder locks. My distributor said they would replace them, just send the others back. I called Yale and told them expecting Yale to just send me the correct screws, that's what manufacturers did back then (I know, hard to believe). Yale said the problem was between me and the distributor. I told Yale that the boxes had the factory seal and were never opened. They said not their problem to fix, it was with the distributor. I was so pissed off I sent them a letter (Years ago you did that stuff). Never heard back from the letter. I never sold another Yale deadbolt lock since then. When somebody asked about Yale, I always told them their quality wasn't what it used to be and customer service was bad prices were much higher to pay for all the defects and missing parts, and they had no warranty. I always talked them into buying a Schlage product or worst case a Kwikset product. Looked at them for over 40 years on the shelf and burned inside every time I did. Threw them out when they were 40 years old. In the last few years I installed a few Yale electronic deadbolt locks that customers bought on Amazon and they paid dearly for installation. I tell them I will install them and they will be working when I leave but if they stop working it will be between them and Amazon and God. I had a bunch of customers send the locks back and bought other products from me. Yale should have sent me the right screws.
Thanks for the heads up bro!! I'll make sure to open the box in the store!! That would be a big ass deal for me!! I'm a mechanic which means when I spend money on tools that shit is gold to me!! I would have gone full demo at home depot!!
@@pedroloco3362 exactly this world is going to hell You need to look after number one because no one else will It’s you or them and I sure ass hell wont be the one crying because I got ripped off they will It’s called numero uno me, I and me getrdun
Thank you for sharing this with us. It's an eye-opener for us as customers. I truly believe your story, and I think you should get what you paid for. If Home Depot doesn't correct its management, they will be in trouble very soon. I hope your issues are resolved in a fair and professional manner.
Unfortunately Home Depot doesn't care enough as it has a big chunk of the market, along with Lowes. It would make a difference if the big stores were losing significant money when the pros or any customer were able to buy at smaller local retailers, but the problem from years and years ago is that there are almost no smaller hardware stores or suppliers. The few left usually charge more though they may sell better products.
Thanks , for the information no one would expect to be ripped off like that shame on Home Depot. What happens to a woman that would purchase a similar product believing she has what she bought.
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Yes, it is a big deal! You paid good money for a fuel impact and you got the cheap one. Home Depot needs to make things right.
@@heyman5525 actually the deal was listed on the website and when you add them in your cart it splits the 299, even when he bought them in store the recipe shows the split cost of each item, not what I would have done would be to return them both and order online. I bought that same deal and I happy with it the stubby m18
Home depot sucks all together
@@heyman5525 yea but not so many people would take the deal knowing a cheap tool is in the box. especially people who are going to be using it professionally. its a ok deal for a diy’er
@@scuba130 yeah I agree. This guy definitely got ripped off because he's putting out money for a guaranteed item.
try listening to what he said before you make remarks - the TOOL was FREE he bought the BATTERYS
I’ve worked in Home Depot in both asset protection and hardware and can honestly say I’ve never had a problem taking customers word for it on situations like this.. Tina sounds like a poor manager
"The customer is always right"
@@899lidon "The customer is always right" is an economics term/phrase that means given the chance, the customer will buy the item they want (or service/etc). It meant that you could trust the customer initially to know what they wanted to spend their money on. It has been misquoted/misinterpreted quite a lot since it's inception and people constantly use it incorrectly now.
Sure, a store can have a policy that says the customer is always right, but I assure you they will never run with it... otherwise I (the customer) would simply say that I now own said store free and clear or a lower impact method would be to say that I don't have to pay for items... because, "The customer is always right" right?
@@899lidon not always. There are times where we witness people or have repeat offenders trying scams. But here with no evidence to the contrary Yes he is right
He shoulda shaved first
Tina's real name is Karen.
This is a common problem with merchandise that you get from Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes all of them. Someone working for those stores switch out the expensive part, tool or whatever and replace it with something of lesser value. So, anyone buying anything that comes in a box, inspect the box to make sure the security tape has not been tampered with. I agree with all you said. It is a sign of the times we live in. Trust no one especially Tina at home depot. Store managers are there not to protect the customer, but to protect store profits.
Ummm, NO
Employees are the ones swapping tools? Why? The likely culprit is as mentioned in the video and we’ve all seen it. Lowe life scammers want something for nothing regardless of who has to pay for the loss. They buy the cheapest and the top end, return the expensive box with the cheaper tool. The person at the return counter may look to see if the tool is in there but doesn’t know the differences. It’s not that difficult, Pedro.
I say what he said, open the box don't just check the box for tampering. A hair dryer can remove and reattach the "security tape" without signs of tampering! Good video!
}}} Store managers are there not to protect the customer, but to protect store profits.
True... this is where you ask for info on how to reach their supervisor. Then call that person. If THEY don't fix the problem, then you ask for THAT person's supervisor.
This technique usually works -- because, sooner or later, you get ahold of someone who says, _"Why the hell am _*_I_*_ being bothered with this? YOU!! FIX IT! _*_NOW!!_*_ "_
First learned this technique in college. Worked well there, too. I had already qualified for a certain amount of student aid at the CoCo I'd briefly attended for 3m before switching between major schools (personal matters). The FinAid people tried to tell me that it was "too late", that I was "long past the date for applying for aid." AGAIN: Already qualified, and the actual aid *wasn't coming from the University in question.* 😡 So, went to the Assistant Director of FinAid. "No, we can't help, blah blah blabitty blah". Went to the Director of FinAid. Same response. Went to see the Dean of Students. The Director happened to be _In His Office._ when I was ushered in. (RBG) The Dean listened to my story, looked right at the Director, and asked, "Is there any reason we can't help this young man?" Director stammers, "Uh... no sir." And I got the aid I had already qualified for. Idiot.
He got replaced a year or so after by the same guy who was in charge of FinAid at the _other_ State U I'd been attending previously. MUCH more positive, helpful attitude. He'd actually gotten in some trouble at my prior U because he tended to staff _his_ FinAid office with pretty young girls. *He wasn't a lecher or anything.*
He just specifically noted that FinAid was often a frustrating experience, and he knew that both men and women were *_much less likely to lose their temper with a pretty girl._* Sexist? No. Truth. Fact. And a smart way to work. But he had to hire more guys, regardless, just for appearance' sake.
I will definitely spread the word about Tina on social media how that store SUCKS !!!!!!!
I was in the Return line at HD and a guy ahead of me "returned" a brass outdoor faucet valve. Only thing was, it looked like it was 20 years old, no longer shiny and with tons of calcium deposits, and they accepted it without question. I almost said something but figured that HD wouldn't do anything, afraid of creating a scene. You and I and everyone else pay for these situations, all thanks to lawyers, who are all enabled by us. The irony.
I worked at an Ace Hardware and witnessed a guy return an empty paint can and said it was defective…. there’s a lot of shitty people in our world unfortunately
i saw someone had just returned a clealy used and abused drill bit.. I asked the clerk "you accept used stuff like that?" her response : unfortunatey, yes...
F that!!! Call corporate!! The average home depo loses about a million dollars every time they do a physical inventory, (twice a year!) I’m sure the can write off a 3/8 impact.
I agree, call corporate and tell them what happened. Give them all the info, including store number and managers name.
They can't find the stuff to sell it to me half the time..I doubt they find it when they need to count it
They lose a fortune but inventory has been done once a year for a long time now. And they do not prep for it like they use to.
@@dangalangslanger1254 I was the guy who looked for the stuff you wanted. I feel your pain. It bothered me when I could not find one of the 5 items the computer said we had.
@@Austinite333 me my cousin and two employees looked for some floor dryer style blower fans..for 30 minutes..we found the pallets of 180 right up front. Lol we walked right past them
Same thing has happened to me several years back, I'm now in the habit of OPENING the box when they bring it out of the cage in front of the store staff that hands it to me at the counter. I'm not leaving the checkout stand until I know I'm paying for what I'm want to buy. This tends to slow down the line and the cashier makes faces or makes comment but I'm not gonna get scammed again. I totally know what you're talking about. Thank you for the post.
It happened to me on a Milwaukee fuel purchase too. The store took it back, and marked it. But that deal was over so I lost out.
absolute lky you have that very right as a consumer, open box protection and verification
Take your empty box in there in the cart. Act like shopping. Grab a new one in box. Drop empty box aside. Take the full box to the return with your receipt. Get money back
@@wally123ish not so easy to do when the items are locked in a cage and requires store associates to unlock in the first place.
Thanks for sharing brother that would Erc me too. Bad advertisement for that store.
Something I learned a long time ago, open the box and inspect the item right in front of the sales person. I purchased an expensive computer card from shop and while the sales person was doing her thing I open the box and rather than an expensive computer card in the box it had a San Fransico news paper in it. They still look all over the counter to see where I had got the paper from and I'm sure they still figured I had some how duped them.
My dad used to work at a Home Depot and said that the returns process was so bad that people could bring in boxes of trash or rocks and the employees wouldn't know because they didn't even open the box in the moment. It would be a good move to set aside a little space to be an unboxing area for those checks you mentioned. They could have cameras local at counters focused on the task so that it would be completely clear what happened. This would force the company to deal with the consequences of these scammers instead of us consumers, and then I bet their returns process would get a lot more thorough really quick.
This type of theft has become more rampant the past few years. I'm even getting more skeptical of anything i buy including electronics,small appliances almost everything. Major retailers now need to move and include their loss prevention funding to returns as well as shoplifting or price tag switching. If they don't, they'll lose more and more customers as well as money. Unhappy/dissatisfied customers usually don't come back. You souldn't buy a 5-10$ yard sale table saw without at least asking to plug it in first! BUYER BEWARE! check merchandise before leaving the store, you probably check your fast food bag before leaving the drive thru.
And yet I've been to a wal mart that opened up a spray paint return I was making just to be sure it wasn't sprayed. Like, how do you know someone didn't do that in the store before I bought it (in theory, this one was not used and I do check them).
I used to work at Home Depot and thought it was funny when customers would open the box and get a resealed one. But now think they may have been gifts who knows.
Damn bro, it really sucks that happened to you. It's really cool of you to look out for the rest of us by explaining the situation and the solution to prevent it. Says a lot about your character. You're a real man. Appreciate you brother.
Welcome to home disappointment
Thank you. What a scamm.
Why did he just return the product? Has never had an issue returning anything to HD!
I would state that much of the responsibility of this HD "victim" is in the choices He made to not return this item. Maybe he didn't just return it because he was hung up on getting the deal. Blah, blah, blah . . .
That's why I always open the box in the store. They don't like it but I won't buy jack sh** without touching it. I share your "mild addiction."
Same here bud, I always have to look at what I'm getting before I go out of the store
I spent 25 years in the credit card business. There is a federal law that requires the card issuer who bills you to engage in a customer dispute process that involves the seller/merchant. Call whoever issued your card and tell them you want to dispute the purchase and ask exactly what information they need to originate a chargeback on the basis of 'customer disputes' rules. There are specific things you need to include. A url reference to this YT wouldn't hurt.
Check the box good. Make sure it looks 100% original. These bundles deals especially, check them out right there at the register. I’m sure someone returned it with that cheaper impact in it. Gone depot return department is just going to check if the number of pieces are there. Not that they are the correct pieces. Most of the workers there are pretty clueless.
Really though, if it’s in a box and you can’t view the product, that’s the time to check it out. As far as you know, it could just have bricks inside. You bring it home, see the bricks, go what the F, bring it back, how do they know it wasn’t you that out the bricks in the box to try and scam them??? So before you walk out of that door with all the cameras around, open that box every time and double check you are getting what you paid for. A box is not proof of anything. Visually seeing the product is.
for sure open that shit up
Same here. My addiction is fpv racing drones. We buy DOA gear all the time and in some cases get no refund or replacements. You don’t know if it works until you put current to it. It’s all diy so we solder everything ourselves. It’s annoying that you have to come up with gadgets to test gear you buy just to be sure you have what you paid for.
THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS! ITS EFFIN INSANE HOW MUCH WE HARD WORKING FOLKS PAY FOR OUR TOOLS ONLY TO BE TAKEN FOR OUR TIME AND MONEY AND THEN ACCUSED OF BEING THE BAD GUYS!!
Wow! Good advice! I have heard of people on Amazon getting used stuff. That sucks!
A year ago I switched from Dewalt to Milwaukee. Home depo here in ft wayne IN had a special going on so I spent about $800 on some Milwaukee power tools. I was new to Milwaukee so due to my lack of knowledge I didn't realize the tools I bought weren't fuel brushless until 6 or 7 months after I bough them. I called the store and talked to the head manager and explained everything to him and he told me i could bring the tools in and switch out for the fuel brushless. I got really lucky that this manager was super cool!
Did he charge you a lot more money? Or just a straight trade? Fuel tools cost a good amount more
I just burnt out my 18volt Dewalt impact. My 18v circular died a few months ago. Now looking at getting a Milwaukee kit or two. From what you posted, the "Fuel" and "Brushless" are the way to go? I also heard something about a handful of generations of the same product. Is that something that is specified on the box? Are you a satisfied Milwaukee owner? Thanks for any information in return.
@@LtDan-hr1pb yes fuel is the best they are brushless I recommend Milwaukee
@@LtDan-hr1pb yes the "fuel brushless" is Milwaukees best and while Dewalt is a great product I'm very satisfied with the switch to Milwaukee.
Honestly brushless isn't always better. Two pros of brushed that come to mind are better torque at 0rpm, and less electronic brains, so more durable/reliable in an electronic way
“its a mild addiction” - I Felt That ☠️
WORD!
As a fellow Milwaukee splurger I completely understand 🖖
We're here for you bud!
Excellent advice, Home Depot strikes again. I just bought a table saw yesterday, travelling home and unboxing, discovered that the item was previously used and full of sawdust. Had no problem returning and exchanging although the store is 20 minutes away x 4...gas/diesel ain't cheap these days
He's right about this kink of thing. It's happened to me, where something was missing in a box , so make sure that everything is in the box also. Sadly, people buy something, swap it out or remove the piece they need, and then return it for a refund.
Open the boxes in-store before you purchase, that’s what I’ve been forced to do, however I do it WITH an associate next to me and WITH permission.
Yeah I started doing that after Best Buy sold me a tv with a cracked screen and didn’t wanna let me return it even though I brought it back like 30 minutes after purchase.
Best course of action with big buys..
I dont ask, whats the difference if I take it home and drive back, I just do it there
Stumbled upon this year old story. It was like giving Home Depot a million bad reviews. Hopefully you eventually got this problem resolved. On a smaller scale there was a chicken place that opened near me. My friend ordered her meal and when she sat down she noticed there was no cole slaw. The clerk said she packed it so the lady went to the owner and he backed his employee. So for the last five years my friend has done nothing but bad mouth this place. A big problem over something that would only cost 50 cents to replace. Probably cost the owner a lot more in bad publicity.
I just made a very similar comment. Your point is so important for business owners and couldn't be more true! In my case, BMW owners are like a sacred club. I'm sure that sharing my experience with other enthusiasts in the area single handedly was a huge collapse to their customer base and people that trusted them. I did not feel guilty about this as I was not the only potential customer that experienced similar issues.
A business has to take into consideration any losses they will take from shady customers, but they have a tendency to notice it far too late and start treating all of their customers as suspected criminals.
That’s why I don’t shop at Home Depot.
I did a lot of business with an online auction company. I felt like they owed me a refund of LESS than one dollar. Their policy clearly stated that they do not refund less than one dollar. I contacted them anyway. They refused to refund so I refused to do business with them anymore. Instead, hundreds of dollars was made by a competitor of theirs in fees to them instead of the first company.
Rule of thumb is that if a customer is happy, he will tell a friend. If he is unhappy he will tell 20 people.
Good advice your giving .I had that happen to me at Costco one time. I bought an air impact and when I got home I could see it was used in their tire shop, then they just stuffed it into the original box and sold it like new. I was pissed like you. What I do now is I tell the clerk I'm gonna buy it but I want to check it and they always let me so far. I don't pay for it if they don't let me check it.
@NaptownTuner Thank you for posting this video. This happened to me at Lowes too. When I bought back to Lowes for return, they gave me dirty look like I am the one who did the swapping of the old tool. From that moment on, I always double checked with the sale clerk right after paying for the tool to make sure they NEVER gave me a dirty look again. Now a day, this is happen everywhere at all retail stores. MAKE SURE YOU VERIFY TO THE TOOL BEFORE LEAVING THE CASH REGISTER so you don't get SCAM by the store or ...😢😭
This is why I open the box at the counter , every time. As , I too , have taken it in the shorts , like you have.
ALWAYS open at counter. Its sad but there are so many crooked people out there & they never run out of ways at cheating stores.
You're one of them comma users too huh?
@@anythinggarage “I too”and “like you have” is redundant in a strange way.
@@dollyhadbraces9361 "I've taken it to the 'shorts' as well."
Would that have been better?
@@anythinggarage soooooooooooo wwwwwwwwwwwh ,,,,,a,,,,t,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,🤮🤮🤮🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩
Home Depot employee here… I apologize for the crappy experience at that store. I would definitely recommend going above Tina’s head, or calling store 2026 even. Every associate in that store knows that happens on a regular basis. If the situation truly played out the way u say it did, and I have no reason not to believe that and neither does Tina for that matter, you have every right to be upset and should 100% get what u paid for. Tina is not “living up to our values” as they say and I find it very surprising that a store manager would act this way. Usually our store managers go against what everyone else thinks and gives in to a customer even if we all know the customer is full of it. Very bad customer service from that store.
@Soup Can unless it’s reported broken, or the box is damaged or opened, Home Depot always puts power tools back on the shelf. 🤷♂️
@Soup Can Husky is a Home Depot brand, sold in store, and is lifetime guaranteed no questions asked. We swap em out on the spot no receipt needed. I’m just sayin…. Don’t believe everything u read on the internet my friend. Every big corporation does shady shit, Home Depot is not innocent by any means, but they do go above and beyond to make the customer happy. 🤷♂️
Actions speak louder than some unknown TH-cam commentator. Please prosecute the criminals not the good guys. You are nothing but crooks behind a big name.
This has been happening for a very long time and not just Home Depot, and not just tools. I have made a habit of asking the store associate to open the box to check the merchandise before I even put it in the cart. I look to see if the box has been previously open, if the cardboard is torn anywhere, etc. I have made so many trips back to the store with similar problems, many items that were previous returns that no one checked to find broken and used items, or in your case, someone swapped the tool for another. Good video for everyone to keep their eyes open and check what you are buying before you leave. Sorry you got the rip off and what is worse they make you feel like you did it.
Glad I watched this video. Way to look out for the people. Shame on Tina and that Home Depot store. I was literally going to try and do this same deal for Memorial Day coming up, but got some things to consider now. Appreciate your advice.
As a former auditor I can tell you stories of managers, loss prevention and others who form their own in-store/inter-store cartels which can involve other managers from other stores in the chain and they steal a lot....Chains where managers were caught include Home Dep., ARCO, Lowes, Stater Bros., 7/11 and more....If I was a corp. LP auditor I would be looking at that Tina.
Good advice... .I've seen this happen like you said... where the managers were doing shady crap..
The website states that items are in stock at my local store, but when I go there, the shelf is often empty. Obviously, items are going missing. This does not happen in the other store further down the road.
I know of a local home depot where the entire management team was fired for that very thing just last year. One of them had been with the company over a decade and you never would have suspected it
The Home Depot on the inventory label (#2026) is in Greenfield.
And what happened is EXACTLY what you said probably happened. Somebody bought the Fuel version, put in the cheaper version, then returned it and got their money back. The worse part about it is the people at customer service usually don't know what to look for in those situations. They see a box with tape on it, they call it good, do the return, and refund the money to the person standing there. Then you come along, buy that particular one, and you get accused of switching it.
The one I work at has a bad theft problem. We have stuff stolen daily. We can only do what we're allowed to do unless we want to be fired. But I gotta tell you, it's getting so bad that I'm getting close to the point of saying to hell with the job, I"m tired of just letting people take stuff and not being able to do anything about it except smile and thank them for "shopping" with us.
All they have to do is look at the picture on the box and compare lol. I see this all the time in the Star Wars toy collecting market. People will go buy a figure and swap it out with something that doesn’t even look like the picture on the front and get their money back. It’s even worse for those because you can see into the box.
So sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience at Home Depot. I really hope they eventually do the right thing.
I always open up the box from a new TV whenever I purchase at Best Buy because of a review I read where someone opened the box and noticed the screen was cracked.
When they took it back to Best Buy, they looked at him like he had cracked it and wouldn't accept the return.
That's when I decided to start opening boxes for my electronics in front of a store employee before I walk out the door.
Never thought about doing it for tools because of the possibility of exchanging it for a cheaper model.
Thanks again and good luck with everything sir!
👍 🤜
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us.
This happened to my co-worker twice. A Drill Driver Fuel with Hammer Drill. And both times in the box the tool was not hammer Drill. Open your stuff at the counter. Very calm video and insightful. My video may have had a few naughty words in it. Well done.
I would call Home Depot corporate offices.
Bwahahaha. I worked for hd almost 7 years. They don't give 2 shits about customers.
@@ninob411 So true I've spent a lot of money in home depot over the last twenty years of my life and all I've noticed lately is their customer service is getting worse just like their people skills and the way they treat their customers in today's market.
On a side note, when buying air or oil filters, open the box and make sure the correct brand and size filter is in the box. Common practice by thieves is to buy generic brand filters swapped out with brand name filters.
Happened to me.
Yea I bought a screw on oil filter recently and someone opened the box from the bottom and stole the sealing ring from it , few weeks after I bought a water pump and a thermostat and opened the boxes at the counter before the purchase and found a rusted out old thermostat in a new box , even the parts counter guy was surprised and glad he saw it first hand , said that if I would of walked out with it and came back later they would of assumed I did the swap smh
I'm safe then, cause I buy from the low end; no place to go but up 😉
This happened to me at walmart with oil filters and at autozone with rod bearings.
Went to advance auto... walk out to the car... open the box of a brake caliper bracket...
used...
Walk back in "yeah this is what was in the box can I get a new one..."
Had a starter too, OE in the box... had to return that...
They do not even look this shit was all covered in grease, brake dust, oil... they were cores put in as "new" (or reman whatever)
a similar thing happened to me. I had bought a really nice Honda lawn mower at a home depot near me (in NJ). Got it home and opened it up, and someone had subbed in their own old used Honda mower into the box, and had resealed and returned it. They had never inspected it before allowing it to be re-sold. I called in to the manager right away and, fortunately, they didn't give me any grief about taking it back and giving me the right one. It was a PITA, though, because I had to rent one of their pickups to get it home. They did also comp me for the second pickup rental to return the bad one and bring the new one home. After that, I always ask their manager to open it before I pay and leave.
I used to work in tool repair, and we would get pallets of tools from big box stores for repair, and when we took the tools apart, they would have decades-old motors, wires and switches inside NEW cases!
Twenty-five years ago I bought Wagner sprayer from HD. Got home and found it was used with paint on hoses etc. Looks like HD is still irresponsible with returns. Just throw it back on the shelf.
That's right. That is exactly what most stores do, they just put it back on the shelf even if it was defective.
Any tool I have ever returned to HD the employees have never opened the box to check if it’s the right tool or a box of rocks I’m returning. The only thing I’ve noticed recently is they are scanning your driver’s license on a big money returns.
@@akaredcrossbow I don't let anyone scan my driver's license. A driver's license is full of personal information that hackers can use to steal your identity. What exactly is it that they do with your DL , where do they keep the information, and how long is it kept for? You have to push back and tell them that nowhere on their posted return policy does it say they can scan your DL.
@@JR-kk6ce next time I will ask what info it’s taking from the driver’s license, but I’m guessing it’s just name and address so if something like this happens they know how to find you.
@@akaredcrossbow When they scan the magnetic strip of your DL, they get everything, including your height, color, eyes, and photo. The information is then transferred to a company called The Retail Equation (TRE), and they run algorithms with the information they got from your DL. Many say that both Wal-Mart and TRE sell the information to other companies that deal in the sale and transfer of personal information. The photo is used for facial recognition purposes. You have the right to get a copy of the report TRE has on you by sending an email to ReturnActivityReport@TheRetailEquation.com with your name and phone number where they can reach you
Dispute the charge with your credit card.
Would you still have to return it?
More often than not, in this situation the credit card company will tell you to pursue a claim against the vendor (store), they will only reverse or freeze a charge if the card was stolen, used w/o authorization, or if the charge went through for an erroneous amount.
After watching this, I would open the box while in the store and confirm the contents before I payed, or at least before leaving the store in view of security cameras. And I'll remember to inspect boxes for signs of opening or damage when at home depot or other hardware or appliance stores.
@@Matty88K The card company will probably refund if you didn't receive what you ordered. I ordered 5 Makita impacts and 6 5a batts w/chargers from Staples and received 2a batts and DeWalt bit sets. Got charges reversed and kept all incorrect items.
@@cocarr1 Yep, but if you walked out of the store with the wrong items and they refused to exchange your credit card company might not have been that helpful, as we see from the video. Loss prevention manager Tina will say you're trying to do switch
@@cocarr1 Probably not a refund but they might issue a credit until the dispute process is resolved with the seller. If the seller is held accountable, there will be no charge but if you are found accountable you will receive a charge when it is resolved. At least, that's the way it worked 30 years ago.
Thanks. That is something I never considered. So many scams out there. No way can we all anticipate how we're about to be stung.
Dude, no that sucks, I’ve bought two high dollar items from the Home Depot that have been previously returned and I was unaware until I got home. I feel your frustrations. Appreciate your videos!
I'm always suspicious of boxes that look like they have been opened, especially if it is the last one on the shelf.
Been burned by customer returns that were put back in inventory.
I know guys who will keep boxes of higher end tools and put shity ones in it and return it, most returns clerk have no clue what they’re looking at.
Yup
I have returned clearly faulty parts etc and come back another day and saw the same broken part on the shelf.
My "protip". If I have to buy an opened box I always get the cashier to write and sign on the receipt that the box was previously opened. It simplifies the whole return procedure if something is wrong with the product.
I agree, however, when I encounter this, I open that previously opened box right then and there. I inspect it, look for screwdriver marks indicating a tool has been taken apart, and I have also found tags saying the unit was rebuilt, repaired, or in one case marked NO GOOD. We have a new store here where I live that sells liquidation stuff. Stuff that people returned from any of the big box stores. Weed eaters, lawn mowers, power tools. Some of it is truly scrap. But some of it, can be fixed. A place like this, ......................... I expect to see weird stuff and mismatched boxes, etc. But not at the big box stores selling new stuff.
I would absolutely escalate this and call corporate.
Do you have a number for corporate? So many companies today do their damnedest to obfuscate such contact information.
@@willong1000 Just tag a tweet with #TheHomeDepot or #HomeDepot about it, they are on that like flies on poop.
@@phillipsofthedriver I have not been on Twitter since the election; but I do appreciate your tip. Thank you.
I personally wouldn't. But there's actually quite a few stories I've seen where ppl have written letters to corporate higher ups and actually get results
Call Arthur Blank,
Thanks for taking the time to make the video. I would have never thought that this could happen. I will definitely be opening the boxs in the store from now on.
Damn good advice my friend,.. sooo tired of scumbags scamming the good guys
The same thing happened to me years ago with a Dewalt. Now if they need to unlock a cabinet to get me the tool, I make them open the box before the worker steps off. Sometimes they get pissed. I don’t care.
I worked at a similar store and we never had a problem doing this. It was basically spending 2 minutes to remove someone's anxiety by opening a box vs potentially having lost a customer for life over a 30 minute drama event at the return counter.
yup
It's a mild addiction, perhaps you're addicted to robbing stores. This sounds hinky, I bet you did swap the cheap one and tried to get $$ back.
@@epnuzuluaga766 Darn it!!!! I thought that I had everyone fooled. You got me.
Do the same at the auto parts store. I can't tell you how many times I checked and used parts were in the new box!
I've had the same problem at auto parts stores. Now I open the box in the store and make damn sure I'm not getting screwed.
Yes unless you know the person you are dealing with
I worked at auto parts 20 years ago and found parts that some one had returned and it was the old part from there car they returned and got there money back. Even old oil filters that had dirty stinky black motor oil and some customer returned to us and had gotten there money back.
I work at a certain Irish sounding auto parts store and you damn right, my latest attempted return was 2 bottles of atf refilled with water, he said "why are you opening it" just before running out. OPEN EVERYTHING EVERYTIME
I bought a new pex crimper. It comes with a black plastic box over the die part and contains the gauge. Get out to job. Crimper die is broken. Someone over torqued it and returned it.
Thank for your great advice. May I add that when buying brake pads from an auto part store to open the box before you leave. I once purchased a box of brake pads to find that the sealed box only contained 3 pads. I am glad I checked before I left the store!
I’ve learned so much from what you share man. Truly thank you for your time !!!
No way dude. Dont let them get away with that. It will be in their system that it was previously returned. Dont let them screw you over. Talk to a manager
I made a purchase from HD and found the tool was used so I bring it back to replace a brand new one - no hassles. From this point on I will check the content in the store before I pay. The other way to work around is to ask credit card company to hold the payment before the issue has been resolved - it works every time.
Using the credit card as leverage is a good idea.
Same thing happend to me at a Homedepot in Albuquerque, my boss sent me with 400$ to buy a new HoleHawg, they only had one left on the shelf, i got out to the jobsite opened it up and BAM there sat a used beatup ass Holehawg! My boss was pissed and told me to go get his money back or dont come back at all. I was freaking out man got to Homedepot ohhh they put up a fight, at one point i thought they were going to call the cops. Thank god the manager finally gave in and calmer heads prevailed. Needless to say now i open up every tool i buy at the counter even if the people behind me get pissed. Thanks for the vid..
Good video. This applies to auto parts also. Open your boxes in the store before you leave and make sure you’re not buying the wrong or even a used item.
I've gotten screwed like this before with tools and auto parts
Someone screwed HD, so they thought they would pay it forward and screw you.
Start by calling your credit card provider and putting a stop payment on the transaction, then talk to the HD regional rep, not the local store staff.
I’m curious how many people know you can do this. If there’s an issue with your purchase and the strode won’t do the right thing, then you can always call the number on your credit card to block the transaction.
@@BuddyChy it's actually not true. When you purchase something on CC you actually have given permission. You can't just stop the transaction. You can only do this if your card was stolen or you did not authorize a purchase. (This is not a case of unauthorized purchase.) In this case you have to go through a lonnggggg procedure called "Chargeback". It's ridiculous.(3-6mnths) Even then you may not win. You have a better chance of getting/negotiating a refund with the store then to go through this process.
They give all the power to the stores, not the consumer.
But yes I'd open the box right after paying to verify.
I hope it works out.
@@jeffcamm5707 you must not bank with Wells Fargo. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a problem with it. Doesn’t matter if I “gave permission” by being the one that used my card. Maybe some situations vary and this one is actually different from any of the times I’ve done it, but Wells Fargo has always worked with me when I’ve been screwed over. You may be right in this instance, I don’t really know. Most of my situations have been online. I’m second guessing my self about it now lol. Hopefully I’ll never have to find out first hand if I’m wrong.
@@jeffcamm5707 on the other hand. You’re saying this was an “authorized” purchase when it really wasn’t. It’s all in the wording. You authorized the purchase of a particular product and you didn’t get it. You were given a product you didn’t purchase instead.
@@jeffcamm5707 I don’t know if I clarified this at all, but I’m also assuming you block the transaction the same day you made the purchase, went back to the store, and they don’t resolve it right away. That way you save your butt instead of finding out days or weeks later that they won’t fix it for you. If you wait until then, I’d anticipate you have an issue getting your money back. It’s unfortunate that you have to do this and I don’t blame him for getting screwed like that but I think that would help.
That is bad,people who did that are bad,appreciate your advice, God bless you 😊
Thanks for the heads up! Probably not the only one that got screwed.
Never ever buy anything from Home Depot or Walmart that the seal is broken on period!
Yes, exactly. But i will say that tools like this, i know they don't sell Milwaukee, go back to a return center. Just about everything that gets returned at Walmart never goes back on the shelf.
Thank you for your video. I too have a Milwaukee addiction . I got the long neck 1/4 ratchet 3/8 short neck stubbi 3/8 impact. The big and small speed squares and framing square the red anodized is so sexy. The hammer , the cats paw , the flashlights oh my GOD the flash lights I’ve spent never mind how much I’ve spent on just the flash lights . You understand it’s a real and expensive addiction but man I love that black and red color scheme oh and the tools are the best with the most power but that color scheme . Oh I have all the hoodies the beanies the hat ok I need to stop. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH! I will definitely open the box to any and everything I buy from any store and I’m so sorry you have to go through that but know you have helped me and a lot of other people with your video and you got good karma coming to you sir.
I purchased an entry lockset for a home and lowes asked me to come back the next am because it had to be re-keyed. Next day picked it up and didn't notice it was in a different box. Opened it and the thing had all different finishes on the hardware. Took it back and the box was marked no return. I ate $167 loss because they did the same thing, only it was an employee who robbed me.
Don’t say that Lowe’s is the one I always got problems to take something back
@@Linkedblade I think that may vary from store to store. I've *DEFINITELY* seen items go right from returns back on to the shelf at the Walmarts in my area.
You are not alone Brother ... I've had the same thing happen to me on a few occasions. The problem seems to be that when a customer brings back a product, no one checks to see if what they are bringing back is the correct item. Apparently it is placed in a restocking bin and goes back on the shelf without any verification of it being correct. As a contractor spending over $50 K per year in the Pooler, GA store, I never had a problem with a return, but that's not the case with everyone. A previous comment said get in touch with the Regional Manager and they will most likely resolve it, if not call the home office in Atlanta, GA. Good luck and thanks for speaking out.
Appreciate you for posting this video. I love Milwaukee tools and will substitute a Dewalt tool in a pinch, but you have opened my eyes to be alert for all future tool purchases. Thanks for your advice.
Just happened to me today, I’m glad I watched your video weeks ago. I bought a hackzall today at the Home Depot in Rockland ma and I opened the box while inside the store and inside the box was an old all beat up tool, really old one. I went to the returns and exchanged for another one. I glad I didn’t bring it home.
I worked at Home Depot in the Front End. I can confirm that this situation in fact DOES happen and yes it's quickly assumed that the customer is doing something shady, especially if the store gets hit a lot with theft. This situation wasn't that complex and the other store is the one who needs to take liability for it. In fact I would definitely advise any shopper to ask an associate to open the merchandise for verification.
Ya some hd employees assume everyone is shady they need to check there returns before they put on the floor. I got burned so now I ask for the box to be opened.
@@mikealinewallgren4985 I don’t blame you
I've worked for home Depot for almost 5 years, and I've seen this happen often enough. Unfortunately, the bottleneck is with customer service and the people taking in the returns. When there's a line of eight people trying to return things the associates at the returns desk have a tendency to not inspect the contents of the box like they should. It's amazing what they accept as a return. I would recommend that anyone buying an expensive item from any retailer check the product before leaving the store. As a general rule of thumb, I have found Home Depot management to be pretty good when it comes to treating customers well, and I'm very disappointed to hear that that store treated you badly. I hope this doesn't sour you on all home depots.
@@ClodODirt this is so true, customer service is very lacking on checking out returned product, I work at home depot, and it annoys the shit out of me on the lack of accountability, look in the flipping boxes people
Why everyone is not a thief .
We have had several instances of this at HD.
My wife bought a kitchen faucet at HD that appeared to be unopened even with 2 plastic straps around it. She asked the cashier if she could open it before leaving. When it was opened the cashier found an old used faucet someone had returned and repacked! You think they would have believed me if I brought that back?
I’m never in the business of sticking up for companies or speaking on their behalf sort of say but what I will say is it definitely would’ve sucked but I believe from watching other people return stuff they run your ID to see if you’re on some shady business and if you brought stuff back and asked for cash refunds they’re really good about doing exchanges specially with me being military I put my ID and phone number in so I would like to believe that they keep track of that kind of stuff an can see how many high valued items I’ve purchased and that I have no need to return stuff for cash but it’s just my opinion
Have had this sort of thing myself. One instance was with shoes. Buying my kid shoes pulled the box off the shelf, and thankfully, the cashier opened the box to discover an old pair of shoes in it. Had to walk to the back of the store to get another pair.
Ha! Forgot about the nail gun with paint all over it too. Menards...
Whoever accepts returns in any retail establishment, should be trained to always check the contents to verify that the correct item is being returned.
Nowadays, you can't trust anything, or anyone. It sucks!
@@chachadodds5860 I doubt the average store worker would have known the difference.
I had to same thing happen with a big screen television that I bought at Costco. I brought it back and told them my story. They simply credited my purchase (without looking in the box) and told me to pickup another television and they would open the box for me to make sure that the right television was in the box. BONUS! The same television was now on sale so, besides getting a new television, I even paid less for it.
I learned the hard way too. Now, I check the box to make sure it hasn't been tampered with *before* I leave the store. If it shows signs of tampering I open it in front of the employee to make sure that it's the right product and that everything is in the box.
As a former Home Depot employee I would take your issue to head office. They will make it right.
Are they also going to pay for his hassle and lost wages it’s up too about 7k now !
No. They won't.
@@Liberty-Freedom-Outdoors 7k?! Calm down there squirt 🤦♂️
I see why you left.
*Right on,* Homer D. Poe!
I feel your pain! I had this happen with hard drives I went to buy at bestbuy before they went belly up. They had trouble locating 2 drives I bought online, it was around 500 dollars that I bought online to pickup. I asked the employee to open the package which from the outside did look new retail and sure enough, there were 2 old hard drives in cleverly repackaged. Had I walked out the door I'm sure I'd been given, "sure you didn't get the drives". This is real and happens. Any expensive purchase my advice is never leave the store without opening the package there at checkout before walking out.
Best buy is still open . I was there Today lol
I'm glad you made this video. Cuz believe it or not this happens way more than people know. And yes you are 100% right you want to open the box right there in front of the cashier. It's happening at just about any store you can think of and all kinds of products you can think of. It's like a loop hole that stores have found a way to defraud the public and get away with it.
Lol yall are so paranoid. "evEryThing is a scAm!". Employee negligence is a byproduct of cheap training.
You really think these stores are robbing the brands they sell? It would be impossible to keep this secret, so you think they are willing to lose their business and go to jail to temporarily make more money that they would lose when they are caught. What a dumb scam, maybe customer service employees are paid enough to give a shit what gets returned.
You are crazy!!! It's thief's scamming the stores and customer service not catching it, then someone buys the swapped item and they are stuck with it!!!
It would be a good move to set aside a little space to be an unboxing area for those checks you mentioned.
Thanks for sharing this. In the past, I wouldn't have a problem purchasing an item in a damaged box. But this will make me think twice in the future.
I feel bad for David Harbour, he didn’t deserve this!!
Home depot has some "stranger things" going on for sure
You should see what they did to him in Black Widow 😂 Talk about disservice
I've learned this lesson too. No matter what, get an associate to open the box in front of you and examine the contents together. More than a few times I've found "returned" merchandise back on the shelf, and it's caveat emptor! This crap happens a lot more often than one should expect, and especially in areas where there is a high immigrant population. Sorry, snowflakes, dat be da troof.
@@MrJB8383 good eye Ai
Red Guardian!!
I believe you 100%. It happened to me on eBay. I bought a Fosgate car stereo for $410 from a Japanese seller who resides in Florida. Instead of sending me the model I paid for, he put a $200 Fosgate speaker on a $410 box. When I checked the model number the $410 and the $200 speaker are different by one number. When I tried to explain to the seller by phone, he asked me if I'm Jewish. I told him I'm not Jewish. I'm black from East Africa. I reported it to the eBay manager and she froze his accounting.
I am currently doing this when buying fast food to be sure i got what i ordered and paid for, guess ill have to do this when buying my power tools. Anytime you buy a product and it is handled by multiple people you should get suspicious that they are pulling the old watch the pea and which shell is it under game. Hell of a world we live in today. Thanks for putting yourself out there for the rest of us to learn from, new lessons we must past on to our kids about the "Real World"
Nice move. Cost them way more money than that impact would have cost them.
What a shame.you need to find the number to the corporate office and i bet they make it right.
They are a terrible company anyways. Get woke go broke.
Happens a lot, I bought a Milwaukee m18 circular saw just to find out that someone had returned the box with an old wired skil saw 🤦🏻♂️ got it changed tho
I bought someone else's NASTY used engine oil at Walmart once. I drained the oil, changed the filter and then opened the "new" oil jug. Luckily, I have a 2nd vehicle and didn't have to dump my old oil back in. My drain pan was filthy, but there's no way I was going to put some crackhead's mystery oil in my engine.
This is the fault of the return department they are supposed to open the box & verify what's in the box is in fact being returned.
and the sad part is that it made it all the way to the shelf to be sold
@@paulsosa1872 what if it was an employee who was in on the switch
@@handyman7748 wish I could tell you what it was, something electrical. I made an exchange as was defective/ missing parts. A week later needed another and saw my returned product on the shelf...
Thanks for the heads up. One thing to watch very carefully, is how the box is sealed. If its the factory clear little circle shaped tape, you should be good. But if it looks like its been modded, and taped back up with normal packing tape etc, then be very skeptical. Even if its the right tool inside, it might be a return etc and you are not getting a brand new tool which is what you paid for. And if it IS the wrong tool because someone swapped it out, it sure as heck wont be the factory circle type tape.
You give very good ideas I see many more customers having issues like yours thank you so much
When I worked at Home Depot we constantly watched as people walked out the the door with tools. Then go in the other door to return the stolen stuff for store credit.
This is true it can be difficult for us to tell the difference. In a situation like this in my store. We usually meet people half way and give store credit or an exchange as opposed to a full refund.
I worked Home Depot Hardware/Tool department for 13 years and I have one thing to share: don't ever buy anything that has been opened and even then before you get to the cashier, open the sealed box and verify that the content is exactly what's on the box. There are some crafty individuals who return tools and reseal the box as it came from the factory and the box with whatever it's been replaced with will be put directly back on the shelf.
Be aware and happy shopping.
Also don't pick the front item on the shelf....always take the ones in the back.....returned items are usually placed at up front, which usually have parts missing. Sorry for your loss.
I agree,I've had the same thing happen when I bought something from Home Depot that was previously opened and put back on the shelf. I think they should check the contents before they restock a returned product.
Thanks for the heads up same thing happened to me at Canadian Tire years ago !
This is why I miss locally owned hardware stores. Yeah, they may be more expensive but at least you have people you can trust.
I've been going to Home Depot for a long time, in the checkout line I open up the tool and tell him it's cool I'll buy it works every time!
The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act. File a complaint with your State Attorney Generals office.. Yes it is a big deal, never accept anything less. They don't want to get sued by the state and quickly correct the problem.
On a side note. I buy one or two professional Stihl chainsaws every year or so. I NEVER ever let the dealer prep the saw or start it. I only leave the store with a saw in a sealed box. Every saw I’ve ever bought from Stihl was defective in some minor way in the last twenty two years, I’ve bought them . Since I refuse to let the dealer touch the saws , I’ve had no issues. I have no idea if they sabotage saws , or whatever. Also I’ve learned to never be loyal to any particular store , as they will take advantage of a guy’s generosity. I never ever quibble about prices, knowing everyone needs to make a decent living.
Exact. Same. Thing. happened to me with the M-18 fuel multi-tool not even 2 weeks ago. I opened the box and got a non-fuel tool that was clearly used. I had it back in the store not even 20 minutes after i bought it and luckily they gave me the right tool, but I was ready for a fight if they thought I was the one trying to rip them off.
This one video alone probably saved countless return headaches by showing us your horror story. From now on I'll be opening any and all tool boxes right after the receipt prints. I don't care how annoyed the people in line behind me get. This sucks!
I open them before I buy them with sales person
Just fricken open it in the aisle where it is and if It's junk just leave it and open the next one b4 you get to the reg and slow down the line, the lines are bad enough already....
@@Delta9SFBay11 you can't. It's locked in a cage. You get an associate, they get it out, then walk it to a register
@@histguy101 depends on your geographic location....my point is open it b4 paying otherwise they'll send you to returns....
Thank you !!! For telling your story and letting other people know. I hate that this happened to you and I understand how that it happened. I will be sure to look out for this, cause I see how that it could of been me in your situation. I will be opening the box before I leave the store anymore.
Excellent video! Your suggestion on checking the contents inside the box before exiting the store made me a new subscriber. Thank you
From now on I am going to open up a package immediately when inside that store for sure! Thank you so much for that warning.
I'll be opening up my tools at the counter for now on! Thank you
I've worked for home Depot for almost 5 years, and I've seen this happen often enough. Unfortunately, the bottleneck is with customer service and the people taking in the returns. When there's a line of eight people trying to return things the associates at the returns desk have a tendency to not inspect the contents of the box like they should... not to mention the fact that most of these young people they have working at the desk wouldn't know the difference between an impact tool and a multi-tool if you put them both in front of them. It's amazing what they accept as a return. I would recommend that anyone buying an expensive item from any retailer check the product before leaving the store. As a general rule of thumb, I have found Home Depot management to be pretty good when it comes to treating customers well, and I'm very disappointed to hear that that store treated you badly. I hope this doesn't sour you on all home depots.
They need to set return policy in order for them to accept the returns is to inspect the package BEFORE refunding the customers or exchange for a new one. that will protect them from getting scammed and they should call the authorities to report attempted fraud or attempted scam.
Absolutely
This! Also with Target's return BS. I worked there for 2 years in the photo lab in 2007-08. And it was next to customer service. So when they got too many people returning stuff, guess who has to help them instead of doing my own job? Yea, me! .. Anyway, I would usually tell people "No, this doesn't match what's on your receipt" (yea I have worked with several companies that use serial numbers and I am thorough) and they would cry bloody murder until a manager got there. Guess what? Manager doesn't want to deal with it! They tell you to take the return and they don't want to come back up to the front again! (Probably because it interrupted them flirting with Desiree in the lingerie section). So you take that false return and then later think about if you could be fired for accepting an item that was not the item.... By the way.... F*^% Target
I know this video is getting old and whatnot but this horseshit has been going on FOREVER with HD, Lowes, WalMart, sometimes Target.
This tip would have helped the video OP (just a lot more of a pain in the ass due to it being locked up in a tool cage) but you basically have to open expensive shit right there in the store BEFORE you even go for your wallet!! This is to make sure it hasn’t been molested at all. If it’s a normally stocked product
The typical scummy customers will do stuff like packing a broken tool in a brand new product box and return it for a refund, putting a lesser item in a nicer product box. Dumb shit that would easily get caught IF the returns dept or corporate would actually give a shit about it but the don’t. They know eventually it will find the hands of someone that won’t take it back to store.
What I would do is take a ball point pen and write “missing parts” so they wouldn’t blindly restock the bad product and to keep it from being restocked but they have (and have had this for a long time) a returns rule or policy that any returned item must not be marked or written on, and be in the original box. They do this bcuz that’s all they want to do, restock it over and over again until it doesn’t come back.
Maybe they will give a shit if enough people do enough things to alert other customers not to buy it or at least mess up corporates game a bit.
I hope OP got somewhere with HD and either got his tool or the money.
Returns shouldn't be going back on the shelf anyway. But even if it's going back on the shelf, it should be inspected BEFORE it goes back on the shelf. Just because one shady customer manages to sneak one past customer service isn't an excuse for HD to then sneak it back out onto the shelf as "new" and foist it back on an honest customer.
had similar issue here in Oregon ... absolutely open the box before you leave the store under their cameras ... I give no F's who is behind me . Right on Brother.
That's BS Dube!, I work PT (retired I think) for a Adv parts auto store (right) and I've seen this crap more then you can know, wrong part right box, empty box to used broke ass parts etc. It's no skin of me or them to do the right thing. I'm surprised they didn't. Honestly if someone walks in to my store and acts human (attitudes get you nothing with me) i’d defect that crap and send you on your merry way! I'd call corporate I’d be very surprised if they didn't fix it. I'd get my tool I promise you that! You're absolutely spot on with regards to that store transfer thought! Most problems like yours we see are known (Inside job/send it there) by the guy pulling It or delivering it. I hope things worked out! Cheers
They obviously need to look inside returned boxes and confirm the contents match.
I've returned things to Home Depot and a lot of times they don't even look in the box, which surprises me. After watching this I will always open the box before leaving the store.
A person at the returns counter wouldn't know thee difference between a M18 or M18 FUEL tool. They just look to see if something is in the box. I have returned unopened boxes and they saw that the box looked factory sealed and left it sealed
@@ronjclm8590 All they have to do is check the model number. I don't know about Milwaukee, but also DeWalt puts the serial number on the box. If it is a big enough problem, they'll start checking. When I ship tools, I put the serial number on any invoice or receipt I include. It just tells the customer "I know what I shipped".
These chain stores make no effort to hire people who can tell the difference between a circular saw and an impact driver. When they do hire someone knowledgeable, they make no effort to retain that person. Most of their staff can barely confirm the box actually has contents.
@@tooolboxx Yes. better training for the returns counter would be helpful. But mostly the employees may not be capable of being trained to care. It appears that in most stores, The employees are trained to not be confrontational. This store should/could look in their records and see who all have recently returned a tool with that ID number. But they still wouldn't pursue it...they don't want to make the criminals angry.
What has to happen is Home Depot needs to have better quality control of the return process. When someone returns a high value item like a cordless impact, they should confirm it is the right tool before accepting the return.
yeah, you would think
depot has it and you got it no matter where it came from no receipt gift cards to cash is the poor mans $ maker out here.depot will take returns by the bag full and not think nothing of it
Thanks for the advice man , I’m looking to buy the fuel impact as well .
Just saw your video. I managed different retail stores. And watching you speak about it. I would have made it good for you. I e worked with a few female managers. Most of the ones I worked with. Made poor decisions. I can usually spot someone trying to scam like this. You are genuine, calm and really asking for help with this situation. I would have taken care of you as a good customer should. I went to Home Depot once. I had a question only. Asked fur the manager. They called HER. She never came up front. I left.
I bought a Milwaukee Fuel grinder and it was missing the wrench to remove the blade… I notice at Home Depot it’s common for ppl to remove tools and even use tool and then return it. Good Advice
Pro tip. Take battery off. Press blade lock button spin blade untill it locks.
Grab the blade and twist it left. Preform steps in reverse to install a new blade.
I am a locksmith. When I was just starting out in 1975 I bought some Yale locks from my distributor. There were two double cylinder deadbolt locks that had the shorter screws in them for single cylinder locks. My distributor said they would replace them, just send the others back. I called Yale and told them expecting Yale to just send me the correct screws, that's what manufacturers did back then (I know, hard to believe). Yale said the problem was between me and the distributor. I told Yale that the boxes had the factory seal and were never opened. They said not their problem to fix, it was with the distributor. I was so pissed off I sent them a letter (Years ago you did that stuff). Never heard back from the letter. I never sold another Yale deadbolt lock since then. When somebody asked about Yale, I always told them their quality wasn't what it used to be and customer service was bad prices were much higher to pay for all the defects and missing parts, and they had no warranty. I always talked them into buying a Schlage product or worst case a Kwikset product. Looked at them for over 40 years on the shelf and burned inside every time I did. Threw them out when they were 40 years old. In the last few years I installed a few Yale electronic deadbolt locks that customers bought on Amazon and they paid dearly for installation. I tell them I will install them and they will be working when I leave but if they stop working it will be between them and Amazon and God. I had a bunch of customers send the locks back and bought other products from me. Yale should have sent me the right screws.
Thanks for the heads up bro!! I'll make sure to open the box in the store!! That would be a big ass deal for me!! I'm a mechanic which means when I spend money on tools that shit is gold to me!! I would have gone full demo at home depot!!
Thanks for sharing!! I hadn’t thought about something like this happening
This is why i open my shit in the store before buying or after paying. So they can’t pull that mess.
lol ok
I also Always RIP open the box before buying it. I dont give a Flying shit if its allowed or not.
@@pedroloco3362 Do you at least give it proper funeral after said RIP? Say a few last words? Have a little bbq after?
@@pedroloco3362 exactly this world is going to hell You need to look after number one because no one else will It’s you or them and I sure ass hell wont be the one crying because I got ripped off they will It’s called numero uno me, I and me getrdun
lol I'm sure you do, and what the hell do you mean "before buying or after paying" You mean before buying, or AFTER buying?
Thank you for sharing this with us. It's an eye-opener for us as customers. I truly believe your story, and I think you should get what you paid for. If Home Depot doesn't correct its management, they will be in trouble very soon. I hope your issues are resolved in a fair and professional manner.
Unfortunately Home Depot doesn't care enough as it has a big chunk of the market, along with Lowes. It would make a difference if the big stores were losing significant money when the pros or any customer were able to buy at smaller local retailers, but the problem from years and years ago is that there are almost no smaller hardware stores or suppliers. The few left usually charge more though they may sell better products.
The only thing that makes me super suspicious is that the impact wrench he claims he pulled out of there does NOT fit in that box. 🧐
Thanks , for the information no one would expect to be ripped off like that shame on Home Depot. What happens to a woman that would purchase a similar product believing she has what she bought.
Damn good advice - open the box while in the store , that’s the only thing you can do .