On Thu, 8 Oct 2009 09:59:54 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Oct 7, 11:07*pm, blueman wrote:
dpb writes:
Nothing about 10%; I'd suggest asking local store management about
what the deal is specifically if it's that bothersome but my real
suggestion is as above--you buy it; it's yours unless there is an
actual defect. Don't buy stuff if the intent is to return it; what's
the point anyway???

I disagree - I always buy a little more than I need for a project or
multiple sizes so that I can see which fits best on the job. This
saves me making multiple trips (I already seem to go to HD about once
a day as it is). I once asked the regular guy at the returns desk and
he said they ENCOURAGE customers to err on the side of buying too much
and returning it. After all, it makes for more sales for them. And if
it is in resellable condition, they are only out the extra labor for
returns & reshelving while at the same time increasing customer
satisfaction and maximizing purchases.

In fact, even though I can often get better quality and cheaper
pricing at some of the pro supply houses that I have an account with,
I often will go to Home Depot because I can browse the shelves and
return the excess. The pro supply houses frown on too many returns and
I don't want to look to "lay" to them

Also, I end up going to HD over Lowes even though the local Lowes is
bigger and has a nicer atmosphere specifically because HD has an easy
return policy without a receipt as long as you have your credit card.

So, as someone who spends several thousand dollars a year at HD, I
would say that there flexible return policy is a good investment for
them in customer satisfaction and increased purchases.

"they ENCOURAGE customers to err on the side of buying too much
and returning it. After all, it makes for more sales for them"

What kind of accounting process do they use where returns don't offset
sales?

Maybe his example of, so to speak, buying an extra box or two of
ceramic tile, wasn't the best one, but it makes more sales, because
people buy things they aren't sure they want, and usually decide to
keep what they've bought. Even if it's not usually, even if it's only
a quarter of the time, that's still more stuff they've bought and
kept.

If they sell a million bucks worth of wood in a week and $500K worth
gets returned, do their records still show $1MM in sales?

I want a job like that, especially if it's commissioned!

At least at some companies, salemen lose their commission for things
that are returned, but if the policy causes greater total non-returned
purchases, they are ahead of the game.