Let us now praise The Home Depot. It has won my heart for the next spell, by its stock, its helpful clerks, its new auto-checkout stands and not least, a consistent lack of crazy drivers in its parking lot. Yes, this is a prize that alternates with Loew’s. Every year or so, I am forced to switch allegiance.
I do the same thing with Office Max and Office Depot. Office Max has won my heart earlier this summer, where Office Depot held it since about 2002. Maybe it was a wider, cheaper selection of tempting clearance items.
A few days ago, after weeks of crackling, buzzing and flickering the lamp of the kitchen ceiling fan burned out. (Of course this not-so-handyman switched bulbs; didn’t help). The kitchen’s always been dark, and I’ve often wanted to get rid of the fan and just get a double-ring fluorescent ceiling fixture. (How did we Americans manage before putting ceiling fans in virtually every room of our air-conditioned houses?) I rarely use the fan in the kitchen and realized I could move in a stand fan as needed.
Ours is a 43-year-old house, and the ceiling electrical junction box is the smaller size. The electrical component on the fixture from Lowe’s covered the holes — a design defect. After waiting five minutes at the return desk, the cashier processes my receipt and hands me a Lowe’s gift card. What, no cash? No its policy is like Target’s, wait 15 days for the check to clear. (The world’s largest and most profitable company gives you cash back on a return with a receipt) (That would be Wal-Mart.)
I don’t want a gift card; I don’t go to Lowe’s that often, why didn’t the clerk mention up front the 15 days and save me time and her trouble? A blank stare.
Off to Home Depot. Two steps into the lighting area and a clerk offers to help. I had to collar one at Lowe’s. A different brand but virtually the identical light, a couple of bucks difference, and the guy gave me tips on installation. Home Depot now has self-service cash registers. There’s some irony in receiving personal help then making a quick getaway by scanning and bagging your own purchase.
The fixture works fine.
Next time, I will go to Home Depot. Maybe the next three trips. Inevitably I’ll realize that Lowe’s may be the better bet and it will be my pet for a while. Office Max now is my favorite, but will Office Depot have the better calendars on Jan. 2?
Woo me, don’t sue me. -30-
