Home Depot

Home Depot To whom do Home Depot managers answer for unethical decisions that violate Home Depot values? Glen Burnie , Maryland

18th of Mar, 2011 by User510850

I was in Home Depot Wed night trying to make some decisions on material for our new home (construction begins Monday). I noticed a clearance tag on an LG cook top & wall oven display for about 70% off wow. Though rare it isn't the first time I've seen or purchased clearance items at this discount level in Home Depot. Tom identified himself as running the appliance dept and asked if I needed assistance. I inquired about the clearance display and asked (is this for real). to which he replied yes stating that he had been there when the LG factory rep had marked it down to that price just a couple days ago. He said the rep wanted them to get rid of the display so they could replace it with a new one. Tom assured me that everything was there and that i could take the whole thing; cabinet and all. He said he checked all the prices every night to ensure they were all current & accurate. I decided to buy it, but after several attempts tom was unable to get it to ring up properly. He asked for assistance & Justin the assistant manager also made several attempts to ring it up to no avail. Justin said since it was a factory rep that marked it down he would have to make a few phone calls the next day to get entered in the system. I told them I would not be able to come back till after work friday evening around 5:30 and asked if I could leave a deposit. Justin said that wasn't necessary and he would have everything straightened out by Friday when I came back to get it. Tom wrote down my Cell #, labeled the display with my name, And put it in the back for safe keeping. Friday I returned with my wife to pick up the display, but couldn't find Tom. I asked the first associate I found (Kevin); he said Tom had left early; and asked if he could help. I explained why we were there and he said Tom hadn't left any info regarding our purchase, but the manager may have tried to call me earlier. I asked if the manager was there and he answed no. At this point the associate working the appliance department showed up. I think her name was Carol. She said she didn't know anything about it & walked us up front to the service counter. She sent someone back to get the display. she told the lady at the service couter to ring us up so I presented the clearance tags Tom had taken them down & placed in the oven. It was at this point Kevin intervened and said he couldn't sell it to us. I asked why and he wouldn't offer an answer. I asked to speak to managment and he then Identified himself as the assistant manager. My wife and I were both feeling like we wern't being delt with in a forthrite manner. Kevin said that I would have to come back and talk to the manager. I insisted that with my busy schedule I couldn't aford to waist a couple more hours and another trip after all it's not my fault they couldn't figure out how to reconcile it in there system. Kevin said he tried to reach the manager and could not. Now Melinda apears she is also an assistant manager somehow she gets the manager on the phone and disapears for about 15 minutes. When she returned she said the manager would like to offer us the display unit/appliances for $2,500 more than there clearance price. The assistant managers were obviously not happy to perform the managers unethical bidding. The manager could have spoken with us on the phone, but instead used the assistant managers to empose a blatent violation of ethical buisness practices not to mention published Home Depot (Values). We declined the insulting so called offer and pointed out the clearly printed confirmed clearance sale price we had already agreed to pay. She said there was nothing they could do and that there had been a pricing error. Before leaving we asked for the regonal managers phone # and were told that the manager does not really answer to anyone. I rephrased the question asking who would the manager call if a plane crashed into the store and the answer was no one!! Great another disingenuous answer. There was a message from Marvin the manager on my home phone at 3:00,but all it said was give me a call about the appliances when you get a chance. I didn't get the message till 8:00 I am furious; not because we didn't get the appliances. It's disapointing, but I can buy the equivalant for about the same cost as the clearance price at auction in 2 weeks). I'm angry because our first purchase for our new house wound up as hours of waisted time and aggravation with nothing to show for it. Most of all I'm angry with the disingenuous treatment. I am going to confront the manager in person tomorrow. I'll give Marvin the benifit of the doubt maybe he wasn't given my cell phone #, maybe he wasn't told I work till 5:00 and would be comming straight here after work, maybe Tom made up the whole story about the LG rep & his mark down, Maybe Justin (assistant Mngr) didn't tell him he committed to sell me this for the price as marked on Friday, and maybe Marvin didn't realize there was a pricing error that very last minute. I'm at a point in my life whare I will not tollerate getting crapped on by to big to be accountable corperations etc. I will update with tomorrows outcome and take it to the next level if necessary. To summerize:
1. I questioned the price and it was confirmed by Tom who explained it was the LG rep who had set the price just a couple days earlier to clear out the display & make room for a new one.
2. The assistant manager Justin also confirmed the price was good and committed to sell it to me Friday.
3. I left my cell phone # and working hours with Tom.
4. I still have the original clearance tags.
5. No one called me Thursday or Friday.
6. At any point in this process someone could have explained there had been a mistake made, but instead it just souds like some BS the manager made up last minute.
7. Ifeel as though I have been deceived & possibly the LG rep also. I'm a 40 year old profesional that has up to this point only ever made one corporate complaint It was with GM over a dispute with a dealer warranty. GM corporate responded curtiously, quickly, & profesionaly. I will definatly buy another GM, but the jury's still out on Home Depot?

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