The response below is correct. I work at HD and we can have more than
one SKU on a particular product. Sometimes they are exactly the same,
sometimes not. If I do a computer check on a specific product at the
store it may be supplied to HD from 6 different vendors that all get it
from differenct manufacturers. GE does not make their own water heaters.
Daltile gets their tile from many different sources. In a global market
place, your brand name product is probably manufactured from different
sources and supplied by different vendors and sold under different names
or models to different stores in different lots.

While this is slightly off topic from faucets, my recent experience
when trying to price shop a garbage disposer supports Chris's "special
model" point.

Both Home Depot and Lowes carry the Insinkerator Evolution line of
disposers, but they do not carry the same models. For example, Lowes
carries the SpaceSaver, HD carries the Compact. Different model
numbers and only slight differences in features - one has an 1/8 of
horsepower more than the other, but the other has a "reversing motor".
The same holds true as you work your way up the Insinkerator line.
There is no way to compare prices on a same-model basis.

I can only assume the same holds true in the faucet aisle. I doubt you
could take a faucet SKU or model number from HD over to your local
plumbing supply house and find the matching item, even on name brand
merchandise.

Besides, even the most rookie DIY homeowner can get some kind of
discount off list at a plumbing supply house just by asking. And if
you need some type of special fixture or professional installation
advice, it's readily available at the supply house.


Chris Friesen wrote:
George wrote:
wrote:

So there .. that settles it for me. And maybe it will help someone
save a few minutes - and sleep easier.


Thats just marketing spin that may or may not be correct.

They can't actually *lie*. It just means that if you find something
with the exact same SKU at the two stores, they're the same thing.

However, there's nothing stopping them from making a special model
for the big box stores that isn't actually sold to the trade (or vice
versa)...

Chris