Lowe's vs. Home Depot (#3)

It's been awhile since I've posted about my experiences at Lowe's vs. Home Depot.

Aug 3, 2006: Lowe's vs. Home Depot
Oct 3, 2006: Lowe's vs. Home Depot (#2)

PREVIOUS SCORE:
Home Depot = 0
Lowe's = 3

Tonight's I went to Lowe's. The experience went something like this...

I was in need of replacing the shutoff valve underneath the toilet in my bathroom. I looked pretty closely at the current setup, even took some photos with my phone just in case I wanted to refer back. I felt relatively prepared.

I get there, and find a 12" flexible hose that says it will fit "any toilet." I started with that. I really wanted something shorter than that, so I looked on the upper shelf for one. As I was reaching way up to put one of them back, an employee came by who was helping another customer and said:

Employee: "Do you want me to give you a boost up so you can put that back?"
Me: laughing it off, knowing I'm kind of short, "haha, yeah I almost need that don't I?"

Employee continues to help the other customer. Meanwhile, I know I need an angle valve. But I can't find one that will fit onto this hose that will supposedly fit "any toilet." I look at several valves, nothin'. I'm sure I'm close to having what I need, but not quite.

Employee returns, showing other customer something else, then they're finished. Then the employee starts talking to me.

Employee: "Can I help you?"

Me: Sure. "I think I'm close here, but..."

Employee: "No, you're not."

Me: Taken by surprise, and pretty ticked off by that comment, I almost walked away but decided to take a deep breath instead and said "OK...."

Employee: "That won't work."

Me: "Yeah, I can't find a valve that will fit onto this hose."

Employee: "Why do you have that?"

Me: "Because I need to replace the valve under my toilet"

Employee: "Well you have the wrong one!"


I thought the employee was being very mean. Is it just me? Does anyone agree? Disagree? (I know as a reader, you don't have the benefit of anyone's tone of voice, but still.)

As I walked away, the employee said "I was just trying to help."

Wow, that's the idea of help? Really? That's a pretty offensive form of help, if you ask me. Telling me what I have won't work, before even asking me what I was trying to do? Telling me everything I'm doing wrong, instead of just showing me what's right? How about a little kindness huh?

Lowes: -2

So I left and went to Home Depot instead.

When I got there, up on the wall above the parts was a diagram, with pictures, and 3 steps explaining exactly how to find what you need.
1. it showed pictures of different types of pipes and fittings that you may have, so you can visually determine which one is yours.
2. Determine if you need a straight or angled valve.
3. Match the color on the background of your type of fitting, to the color on the packaging for the parts below.

Wow. That was so easy. The store helped me to be a self-sufficient shopper. And that feels good.

Home Depot +1

CURRENT SCORE:
Home Depot = 1
Lowe's = 1