> I've also got to wonder about this from the angle of the financial arrangements. Part of me always wonders if all that inventory is even owned by Home Depot,

> I've also got to wonder about this from the angle of the financial arrangements. Part of me always wonders if all that inventory is even owned by Home Depot, or if the contractual arrangements make it closer to a consignment relationship where stuff that is declared as unsaleable (for whatever reason) is eaten by the vendor. My understanding, which may not be the best, from a few years of working retail. Most items for sale are actually owned by the big box company (retailer), but anything returned as defective is typically trashed and the big box company gets a credit from the manufacturer on their next purchase. So basically the manufacturer eats the cost, but it's also contingent on the retailer still buying their products.