Home Depot items available for same-day pickup but not on shelves?

[y_p_w]

I got burned the last time I tried buying something from HD. I showed the listing on the HD website to an employee and he said they didn't really have it in stock even though it said it was available for pickup and in stock. There was no listing for that store with (the usual) aisle and bay numbers, so he said I would need to order it and he thought it might be coming from one of their local warehouses for same-day pickup. Then I did order it and quickly I got a message that the item was unavailable and my order was cancelled.

I tried that again where it said the item was in stock but I didn't see any shelf location in the store. But the price was too good so I tried to order and it said my order was available for pickup within an hour. I just need to pick it up. I'm wondering how that works. Maybe they have items that are only placed in a backroom?

Does this sound right? The item I got was just too good a price, and I didn't see anything similiar in a Home Depot store with a price that low.

 

[MrHorspwer]

Not uncommon at Home Depot.

If the item shows in-stock but doesn't have an aisle and bin listed on the app/website, it's an order and pickup. I've never had one take less than an hour, so I assume it's just warehoused somewhere on-site but they are certainly not on the aisle shelves.

The only time I've had one "cancel" was when the available stock was incorrect. I ordered six and they only had five on-hand. They automatically canceled the sixth and I picked up the five they had available.

 

[hrv]

If you are a veteran you can now order Home Depot through AAFES and there is no tax and the prices seem good too...

 

[y_p_w]

Not uncommon at Home Depot.

If the item shows in-stock but doesn't have an aisle and bin listed on the app/website, it's an order and pickup. I've never had one take less than an hour, so I assume it's just warehoused somewhere on-site but they are certainly not on the aisle shelves.

The only time I've had one "cancel" was when the available stock was incorrect. I ordered six and they only had five on-hand. They automatically canceled the sixth and I picked up the five they had available.

I looked around for it, and it wasn’t on the shelf. Strangely enough, I did see the item I ordered previously on a shelf but in the wrong location. I don’t think it was supposed to be there as there was no corresponding shelf tag.

 

[Pablo]

HD is 100% Bipolar. From sheetshow to pro faster than granny can find the gravy flour.

 

[Hall]

There was no listing for that store with (the usual) aisle and bay numbers

They could be in temporary or seasonal set-up areas. At the store nearby, along the very front wall, between checkouts and customer service desk, is an area that changes what they "stock" or display in that area. It has a special location ID.

 

[y_p_w]

It was this, and only in white. I'm getting a price for a 3-pack of $25.97. I bought a 3-pack at HD in a different color for about $39 because they were the cheapest I could find on the shelf.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton...x-Outlet-White-3-Pack-M02-GFNT1-03W/205996750

This is what I tried to order previously, but at least for my store it's showing them in stock with a shelf location at my closest store. Might be a little bit cheaper, but I wasn't looking for ones with red/black colored buttons. The last time I tried ordering them I had the order cancelled.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton...lex-GFCI-Outlet-White-R72-GFNT1-0RW/205996720

 

[MrGraybeard]

I had something similar happen at my local Kroger affiliate. Kroger's house brand ginger beer is a killer soft drink if you like strong ginger flavor. It's never on the shelves, but I've ordered it online for same-day pickup. It's much kickier than its "Big K" ginger ale and retails for the same price.
The chains seem to be encouraging people to order online and pick up merchandise instead of going into the store. I don't get it.

 

[y_p_w]

I had something similar happen at my local Kroger affiliate. Kroger's house brand ginger beer is a killer soft drink if you like strong ginger flavor. It's never on the shelves, but I've ordered it online for same-day pickup. It's much kickier than its "Big K" ginger ale and retails for the same price.
The chains seem to be encouraging people to order online and pick up merchandise instead of going into the store. I don't get it.

There are also different prices when ordered for pickup. I've had big box stores and Target honor that price if it came up differently. Of course these days it's often just self-checkout, and the customer has to call for help when asking for a price match. I couldn't manually enter my cut electrical wire and needed an employee to sign in and enter the information on a handwritten order slip. They still haven't gotten to the point where there's a way to enter all that at the point the wire/rope/etc. is cut on a receipt like someone weighing a supermarket deli item on a scale to pay at regular checkout.

 

[Hall]

Kroger's house brand ginger beer is a killer soft drink if you like strong ginger flavor.

What is this ? Their "house" brand for sodas is "Big K". Is it a store brand they inherited from buying other grocery chains ?

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Home Depot’s online and store pickup system is dog water.

I ordered an item online, in stock, store pickup. A week goes by. Nothing, no email. Get on chat with CS, they say the store should have it ready tomorrow.

I go in the next day. They act huffy like I’m unreasonable. The guy that the help counter tells me “we’re not Amazon.” I then have to go find the item for them on their own shelves and leave.

 

[y_p_w]

What is this ? Their "house" brand for sodas is "Big K". Is it a store brand they inherited from buying other grocery chains ?

Doesn't look like it. They trademarked it even though there are other "Big K" retail brands. I couldn't find a registered trademark, but I remember when KMart stores were divided into "Big KMart" and "Super KMart" stores, although it looked like "Big K", as well as advertising that called it "Big K".

 

[oil pan 4]

Sounds like a bait and switch. Lure you to the store and hope you buy the closest thing to what you are looking for or something else.

 

[y_p_w]

Sounds like a bait and switch. Lure you to the store and hope you buy the closest thing to what you are looking for or something else.

For an online purchase for pickup? The first time I got an automatic cancellation notice, and the second time it was actually available for pickup. I had to get other stuff and it did feel odd walking out the door with it, but they put a big yellow sticker on it and security knows that it means it's been paid for.

 

[Tdbo]

I doubt it in regards to same day anything from them.
I just had to order a specialty hinge for a vinyl fence gate today from them, as I could not access it from elsewhere.
They said I might see it in a week.

 

[Carmudgeon]

Home Despot can be known to arbitrarily cancel orders that have some hidden issue preventing easy fulfillment, and presumably take some extra effort to fulfill.

I've also seen the discrepancy between shelf stock, and online stock at Target. An item be ordered for pickup, but isn't on the shelf.

I suspect the discrepancies between online and in-store pricing is now mostly a marketing ploy. When online storefronts first started, a reasonable explanation could be given that there were two separate operating divisions with different prices involved, but that's not convincing now when online shopping has matured into the norm, and should be fully integrated into a company.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Home Despot can be known to arbitrarily cancel orders that have some hidden issue preventing easy fulfillment, and presumably take some extra effort to fulfill.

I've also seen the discrepancy between shelf stock, and online stock at Target. An item be ordered for pickup, but isn't on the shelf.

I suspect the discrepancies between online and in-store pricing is now mostly a marketing ploy. When online storefronts first started, a reasonable explanation could be given that there were two separate operating divisions with different prices involved, but that's not convincing now when online shopping has matured into the norm, and should be fully integrated into a company.

“Never attribute to malice that which can adequately be explained by incompetence.”

I suspect it’s just poor software and inventory management.

 

[y_p_w]

Home Despot can be known to arbitrarily cancel orders that have some hidden issue preventing easy fulfillment, and presumably take some extra effort to fulfill.

I've also seen the discrepancy between shelf stock, and online stock at Target. An item be ordered for pickup, but isn't on the shelf.

I suspect the discrepancies between online and in-store pricing is now mostly a marketing ploy. When online storefronts first started, a reasonable explanation could be given that there were two separate operating divisions with different prices involved, but that's not convincing now when online shopping has matured into the norm, and should be fully integrated into a company.

I saw my canceled item available on a shelf later in the same store. I suspect that whoever was assigned to get the order ready just couldn't find it. But it's weird. I've variously seen it listed as available without a shelf location, then with a shelf location, and now without.

A lot of stores have different shelf prices at different stores. I've gone to Target and had them price match their own online price, although it could be for that same store, or where it defaulted to a different store. I've played around with the store location and the online price may or may not change. I had Lowe's price match their own online price once.

 

[Carmudgeon]

I saw my canceled item available on a shelf later in the same store. I suspect that whoever was assigned to get the order ready just couldn't find it. But it's weird. I've variously seen it listed as available without a shelf location, then with a shelf location, and now without.

A lot of stores have different shelf prices at different stores. I've gone to Target and had them price match their own online price, although it could be for that same store, or where it defaulted to a different store. I've played around with the store location and the online price may or may not change. I had Lowe's price match their own online price once.

It's nice that they'll price match their online portal, but it's still a hassle that shouldn't be required, and worse when store personnel aren't even familiar with their own company matching policies (looking at you, big motor oil discount retailer fron Bentonville). If they're willing to sell at that price, then sell at that price, and dispense with the "if purchased online" garbage.

One survival technique I've learned to shopping at Home Despot is to scan the top of the shelves for the stock when something is missing from the shelf.

More than once, I've found that "in stock" means it's still sitting in the shipping box atop the racks, not stocked on the shelf. The big SKU markings that they write on the boxes to help staff are also a benefit to amateur spotters. (The wildcard is when the system doesn't specify an aisle/section location, and the item is either on an endcap, kiosk, hanging display, or temporary seasonal area.)

Then, the challenge becomes finding someone willing to pull it down and bless your hands with the item you're seeking to pay them money for, like how it's supposed to work.

I've seen both extremes in this regard; some have gone out of their way to be helpful, some don't want to make any effort. Was given one tip from a real pro -- if the qty listed in stock is five or fewer, it could mean that it can be scattered somewhere in the store, or even in someone's cart.

Only encounted one instance where the inventory system was flat out wrong, and an item that they supposedly had tens of, "hadn't been seen in months" by the person responsible for that department.

Ace is great, often has items that HD doesn't stock, and the teenagers staffing the store try to be helpful, but it would be hard to cut HD, or any particular store off the list.

 

[y_p_w]

More than once, I've found that "in stock" means it's still sitting in the shipping box atop the racks, not stocked on the shelf. The big SKU markings that they write on the boxes to help staff are also a benefit to amateur spotters. (The wildcard is when the system doesn't specify an aisle/section location, and the item is either on an endcap, kiosk, hanging display, or temporary seasonal area.)

Then, the challenge becomes finding someone willing to pull it down and bless your hands with the item you're seeking to pay them money for, like how it's supposed to work.

I've seen some items that were just barely out of reach. Or maybe buried way in the back of the shelf where there's little light.