Not a deal

[JaiPea]

Stopped in to Home Depot today to pick up a few things, and at checkout noticed that the receipt seemed longer than usual.

Underneath every item was a line MAX REFUND VALUE, and it was about 86% of the price paid.

This was the Cupertino CA store, and did a Google search thinking that if this is a new nationwide policy it might have attracted attention.

There are a few wholesalers around who charge a re-stocking fee, but have never encountered it in a retail situation before.

Has anybody else had this occur at Home Depot?

[cabinetman]

No, haven't seen that yet. I wonder what conditions would apply for it to be a 'restocking charge'. They've been pretty good about exchanges and refunds so far.

.

[herb fellows]

If this is a restocking fee, just another reason not to go to Home Depot imho.
Nine times out of 10 they have what they want to sell, not what I want or need anyway, so more often than not it is a challenge of bringing the part home and trying to make it work. I try my best to avoid going there.
I'd rather support the few hardware stores that are left, even if it costs me a few more bucks. In the long run, when there are no hardware stores left and Home Depot doesn't have anything but a 'one size fits all' solution, you'lll end up paying the money anyway in shipping fees for online purchases, or worse yet, having to go to a machine shop and have a part fabricated because nobody has the part anymore.
If this sounds extreme to you, I've already had to implement both of these actions.
Just another nail in the Home Depot coffin as far as I am concerned.

[woodturner]

Stopped in to Home Depot today to pick up a few things, and at checkout noticed that the receipt seemed longer than usual.

Underneath every item was a line MAX REFUND VALUE, and it was about 86% of the price paid.

Did you use a coupon, ask for a customer service or military discount, etc.?

What most companies (including HD and Lowes) do now is apply percentage off coupons to each item. So, rather than just showing a 10% discount subtraction at the bottom of the receipt, they apply the discount directly to each item and show the "refund value" for that item.

Put another way, the "MAX REFUND VALUE" is what you actually paid for that item (plus tax, of course).

Edit: As others have noted, it may still show the discount at the bottom at some stores, and the "full price" for the individual item prices, and only adjust the refund value. That's how my local Lowe's and HD do it.

[toolguy1000]

Did you use a coupon, ask for a customer service or military discount, etc.?

What most companies (including HD and Lowes) do now is apply percentage off coupons to each item. So, rather than just showing a 10% discount subtraction at the bottom of the receipt, they apply the discount directly to each item and show the "refund value" for that item.

Put another way, the "MAX REFUND VALUE" is what you actually paid for that item (plus tax, of course).

that's been my experience.

[Pappy]

I have that on my HD receipts but I assumed it was due to the 10%military discount I get. I'll have to check closer.

[cabinetman]

that's been my experience.

I checked a current receipt and it shows the military discount.

.

[cwsmith]

So, is it the "military discount" or is it a new HD policy of a possible "restock fee"? (I think I'm confused?)

I'm finding some of Home Depot's recent policies less and less appealing, but so far it seems to be differences between one store or another, rather than corporate wide.

One of the things that always makes me hesitate on a purchase is a possible "restocking" fee. While I'm serious in my decision about buying at a particular place like Best Buy, the concern for having something defective and being charged for a return makes me wonder. That seems to be a trend for many of the web-based businesses.

But while I don't like it, I have to admit that some of the shenangins that go on with certain customer's makes me wonder how long any retailer can sustain such attractions as 30- and 90-day "satisfaction guarantee's", when you hear or see people just buy things for short-term use and then just return them (because they can) and it was never their intention to actually buy the product to begin with. No matter how large the corporate retailer, sooner or later they put the brakes on such things, much to the chagrin of us all. But I hope that's not the case here.

CWS

[duncsuss]

My receipt shows the "max refund value" is exactly how much I paid for the item (after mark-downs and discounts).

In other words, I can only get a refund of what I paid, not the "list price" before discounts.

[JaiPea]

> Did you use a coupon, ask for a customer service or
> military discount, etc.?

No, and have no eligibility to get a discount...

> the "MAX REFUND VALUE" is what you actually paid for that
> item (plus tax, of course).

I added things up, and you are correct.

Clearly, I have never earned a discount of any kind in the past.... Not sure what I did to earn a discount this time.

> So, is it the "military discount" or is it a new HD policy
> of a possible "restock fee"? (I think I'm confused?)

It started with me being confused, and thanks to the responses, now understand that for some reason I was gifted by the cashier.

> ...some of the shenangins that go on with certain
> customer's makes me wonder how long any retailer can
> sustain such attractions as 30- and 90-day "satisfaction
> guarantee's", when you hear or see people just buy things
> for short-term use and then just return them

Have learned only too well to never buy a previously opened box. Twice in the last few years the contents were clearly used, damaged, and did not have all the pieces. What was really offensive is that when pointing this out at the Service Desk it was me who was treated with suspicion. I would love to see HD tighten up on their Returns policy, and apply the savings to employee education.

[Pappy]

i check a couple of my reciepts and the refund value was what I paid after the military discount.

[jnesmith]

Have learned only too well to never buy a previously opened box. Twice in the last few years the contents were clearly used, damaged, and did not have all the pieces. What was really offensive is that when pointing this out at the Service Desk it was me who was treated with suspicion. I would love to see HD tighten up on their Returns policy, and apply the savings to employee education.

Me too. Been burned a couple of times, and also now avoid previously-opened boxes. I think they just glance inside the returned box to make sure SOMETHING is in there, then slap it right back up on the shelf.