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If you've been to a Home Depot or Lowes recently, there's maybe 1 or 2 staffed registers open and usually a decent line of customers at self-checkout trying to

by lsllc 2y ago

If you've been to a Home Depot or Lowes recently, there's maybe 1 or 2 staffed registers open and usually a decent line of customers at self-checkout trying to figure out how to scan items & check out with several staff trying to help/keep an eye on them. These days I just walk to the far end to the "Pro" register which is usually empty -- much quicker.

MrFoof 2y ago
Not where I am. At my local Home Depot, all the staffed registers are long unavailable, with the exception of one in the "pro" section. There are self-checkout registers... but they're all manned by Home Depot Employees. Not to watch over you, but running them in an admin mode, and using them as normal registers. It is absolutely ridiculous. I believe the reason may be related to theft. All of the entrances no longer open except one. Well, at least for entering the store, as you can still exit through any of the doors just fine. If this seems bad, here's how bad it is: Last time I went to Home Depot to get one or two things because they had it and I wanted them now, there were two older women in line in front of me. Aged 60+. They were discussing how ridiculous the situation was. One even said, "I realize they've probably done this because of theft, but this is so stupid now that honestly, I almost feel as if I should steal from the store to stick it to them!" When old ladies feel that stealing from your store is justifiable, you've done messed up.
- inetknght 2y ago
  I stopped buying from Home Depot when one store decided to try to sell a damaged lawnmower to me not once but twice, and with website phone staff unable to do anything and two different managers/assistant managers referring to other stores. The store they referred me to then also tried to sell another damaged lawnmower. That was the worst experience I've had at Home Depot and I'll never purchase anything from them again. Now I buy from Lowe's. My aunt works there -- but at least I know I'm not going to get screwed by family. Or, if I do get screwed by family, then there's family-political solutions there. It's clearly nepotism :) but if it works better than capitalism then sobeit.
- levi-turner 2y ago
  Same at my local Home Depot. Shut down regular registers, self check-out being run as a normal register. Outside of time sensitive shops, I'll go 10 minutes out my way to avoid this.
MilStdJunkie 2y ago
Our local home depot had its entire setup stripped out and redone with self checkout, but the system - in spite of being very glossy and futuristic looking - was designed by someone who had never worked retail before in their entire lives[1]. Moebius loop menus, dead ends that require store login to back out of, infinite loops when undertaking various payment methods[2], and naked windows errors when what looks like Electron rolls over and dies. I haven't seen any one customer successfully use the new setup to navigate a transaction. And it was expensive as hell, according to a disgruntled manager I chatted up. It's wild. Almost defense-industry-like. [1] Or possibly ever programmed a computer. I am very possibly the World's Worst Programmer[a], and my completely shambolic first attempt at an Electron-based data entry system with a smartcard auth thingy worked way better than this thing. I at least hid Windows errors for chrissake. [1.a] I've got that on my business card, along with the incredibly niche things I might actually be able to help you with. Incredibly, I've gotten programming gigs with this. [2] As shoppers fearfully wonder how many of these transactions are actually posting to accounts.

by lsllc 2y ago

MrFoof 2y ago

Not where I am. At my local Home Depot, all the staffed registers are long unavailable, with the exception of one in the "pro" section. There are self-checkout registers... but they're all manned by Home Depot Employees. Not to watch over you, but running them in an admin mode, and using them as normal registers. It is absolutely ridiculous. I believe the reason may be related to theft. All of the entrances no longer open except one. Well, at least for entering the store, as you can still exit through any of the doors just fine. If this seems bad, here's how bad it is: Last time I went to Home Depot to get one or two things because they had it and I wanted them now, there were two older women in line in front of me. Aged 60+. They were discussing how ridiculous the situation was. One even said, "I realize they've probably done this because of theft, but this is so stupid now that honestly, I almost feel as if I should steal from the store to stick it to them!" When old ladies feel that stealing from your store is justifiable, you've done messed up.

inetknght 2y ago
I stopped buying from Home Depot when one store decided to try to sell a damaged lawnmower to me not once but twice, and with website phone staff unable to do anything and two different managers/assistant managers referring to other stores. The store they referred me to then also tried to sell another damaged lawnmower. That was the worst experience I've had at Home Depot and I'll never purchase anything from them again. Now I buy from Lowe's. My aunt works there -- but at least I know I'm not going to get screwed by family. Or, if I do get screwed by family, then there's family-political solutions there. It's clearly nepotism :) but if it works better than capitalism then sobeit.
levi-turner 2y ago
Same at my local Home Depot. Shut down regular registers, self check-out being run as a normal register. Outside of time sensitive shops, I'll go 10 minutes out my way to avoid this.

MilStdJunkie 2y ago

Our local home depot had its entire setup stripped out and redone with self checkout, but the system - in spite of being very glossy and futuristic looking - was designed by someone who had never worked retail before in their entire lives[1]. Moebius loop menus, dead ends that require store login to back out of, infinite loops when undertaking various payment methods[2], and naked windows errors when what looks like Electron rolls over and dies. I haven't seen any one customer successfully use the new setup to navigate a transaction. And it was expensive as hell, according to a disgruntled manager I chatted up. It's wild. Almost defense-industry-like. [1] Or possibly ever programmed a computer. I am very possibly the World's Worst Programmer[a], and my completely shambolic first attempt at an Electron-based data entry system with a smartcard auth thingy worked way better than this thing. I at least hid Windows errors for chrissake. [1.a] I've got that on my business card, along with the incredibly niche things I might actually be able to help you with. Incredibly, I've gotten programming gigs with this. [2] As shoppers fearfully wonder how many of these transactions are actually posting to accounts.