Veteran discount at Home Depot?

[normiss 858]

FYI to my fellow Vets.
The Home Depot is now selectively NOT giving the Veteran/Military discount.
Not on grills or grilling accessories.

PLEASE no more gift cards to that place.
Fuck 'em.

Lowe's Home Improvement is NEVER a hassle for the discount.
Even on grills.

EVERY time I go to Homey Depot, it's a major hassle for the discount!
They have changed it to not require manager over-ride, but now there are selective items they don't give the discount on.
If we had not been given a gift card for this store as a wedding present, I would have spent the money somewhere else.
I won't go back again.

[DiverMike 5]

First of all, thank you for your service.

I support praising businesses that give discounts to veterans.
I am a little hesitant to bad mouth a business that does not give veterans discounts.

Not that I really have a dog in this fight, but Home Depot does have a history of supporting veterans:

https://corporate.homedepot.com/CorporateResponsibility/Partnerships/Pages/TheMilitary.aspx

For the same reason I jump off a perfectly good diving board.

[BIGUN 1,424]

Mark,

They changed their policy to disabled vets, so one must have a VA card with "Service-Connected" written on it.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[normiss 858]

That would explain it.

Off to Lowe's!



Thanks!

[BIGUN 1,424]

Off to Lowe's!

Well, me too actually. I just like Lowe's better.
I just wish they had a tool rental department.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Rick 67]

same here I have been using Lowe's for personal stuff the past couple of years. Seems like HD was slacking on the customer service side.

For business it is HD they have been getting more and more into the tool rental business. When my guys are out of town they usually have 2 or 3 Home Depot's close by if they find themselves in need of equipment. In Sarasota we even rented a tow behind man lift. Saved us from having to drive the bucket truck all the way from Orlando and was A LOT cheaper than using Sunbelt.

You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

[BillyVance 34]

When I bought my house in 2000, the nearest home improvement supply store was Home Depot 35 miles away so I had to go to that one. Then a Lowes got built 20 miles away and I started going to that one. Then a Home Depot got built in the town next to mine, just a 7 mile drive away. That's where I go when I need something.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Andy9o8 2]

BillyVance

When I bought my house in 2000, the nearest home improvement supply store was Home Depot 35 miles away so I had to go to that one. Then a Lowes got built 20 miles away and I started going to that one. Then a Home Depot got built in the town next to mine, just a 7 mile drive away. That's where I go when I need something.

Why do you hate veterans?

Oh, wait, this isn't Speaker's Corner. Never mind.

[havoc996 0]

I got hassled at home depot because my VA card didn't say service connected. It was over 2 cans of expanding foam. I left them there and told the lady at the register (who was really enjoying flexing her authority) I'd never be back. This is not the first I have heard of this and have many friends from my old Battalion who have multiple combat deployments who will never go back either.

Trail mix? Oh, you mean M&M's with obstacles.

[JohnMitchell 16]

BillyVance

Then a Home Depot got built in the town next to mine, just a 7 mile drive away. That's where I go when I need something.

My old house had Home Depot and Lowes 10 minutes away, right across the street from each other. Talk about convenient comparison shopping.

[oldwomanc6 60]

The HD around here never gave a military discount, so I always go to Lowe's. We have a few independent hardware/gen stores, so I try to see if they carry what I need first.

Some businesses give a military discount, some don't. I don't generally hold it against one that doesn't, but if all else is equal, I will choose the one that does offer it. I always ask. The weirdest ones are the ones that will offer an active duty discount but not to retirees. I guess the couple years on AD now trumps 20+ years in the past.

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[normiss 858]

You just reminded me...
Ace Hardware offers the discount too.

[Boogers 0]

---

Home Depot quote:

"The Company offers a 10 percent discount, up to a $500 maximum, to all active, reserve, retired or disabled veterans and their family members with a valid military ID. All other military veterans will qualify for a 10 percent discount during normal patriotic holidays (e.g., Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Independence Day)."

Source: http://www.homedepotfoundation.org/page/the-home-depot-foundation-pledges-$30-million-to-veterans-housing-issues

And they're giving $30 million to housing for Veterans. That's not chump change.

---

Lowe's policy, for comparison:

"Lowe's established the 10% Military Discount to support the men and women who are currently serving our country in the Armed Services and to honor Retired Veterans and VA Recipients. This 10% discount is also extended to the immediate family of those who are currently serving, Retired Veterans, or VA Recipients. We honor all Veterans on three specific holidays: Memorial Day, 4th of July and Veterans Day. "

Source (scroll to the bottom): http://www.lowes.com/cd_In-Store+Services_745829091_#!

---

I don't see any difference between the two. So those of you who are mad at Home Depot and go to Lowe's instead, what are you accomplishing? Lowe's won't give a discount to non-active non-retired non-disabled former servicemen either, from what I see.

Did you join the Army just so you could get a 10% discount on a couple of bottles of foam? Of course not. Your pride in your service is not about monetary rewards. It's about moral rewards. Just because you served four years in the military, doesn't mean you're entitled to some special discount that others don't get. I'm glad people serve. God bless 'em. But let's not make it look like it's all about money.

[normiss 858]

It's not.

Nor are the implementation of either program accurate of those descriptions.

Thanks for contributing.

[seedy 0]

Just got back from Home Depot here. Got the 10% discount with no problem. I do have a VA ID card.

I intend to live forever -- so far, so good.

[havoc996 0]

Boogers

---

Home Depot quote:

"The Company offers a 10 percent discount, up to a $500 maximum, to all active, reserve, retired or disabled veterans and their family members with a valid military ID. All other military veterans will qualify for a 10 percent discount during normal patriotic holidays (e.g., Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Independence Day)."

Source: http://www.homedepotfoundation.org/page/the-home-depot-foundation-pledges-$30-million-to-veterans-housing-issues

And they're giving $30 million to housing for Veterans. That's not chump change.

---

Lowe's policy, for comparison:

"Lowe's established the 10% Military Discount to support the men and women who are currently serving our country in the Armed Services and to honor Retired Veterans and VA Recipients. This 10% discount is also extended to the immediate family of those who are currently serving, Retired Veterans, or VA Recipients. We honor all Veterans on three specific holidays: Memorial Day, 4th of July and Veterans Day. "

Source (scroll to the bottom): http://www.lowes.com/cd_In-Store+Services_745829091_#!

---

I don't see any difference between the two. So those of you who are mad at Home Depot and go to Lowe's instead, what are you accomplishing? Lowe's won't give a discount to non-active non-retired non-disabled former servicemen either, from what I see.

Did you join the Army just so you could get a 10% discount on a couple of bottles of foam? Of course not. Your pride in your service is not about monetary rewards. It's about moral rewards. Just because you served four years in the military, doesn't mean you're entitled to some special discount that others don't get. I'm glad people serve. God bless 'em. But let's not make it look like it's all about money.

For me it wasn't about the money when I joined or decided not to shop at home depot. It was and still is about the service I got. Take the VA out of this for a moment. The woman behind the register wanted to nitpick and when it came right down to it was enjoying the feeling of power she had over me getting or not getting the 10% discount. In reality that's 3% over what the sales tax is. this was on an $8.00 purchase more or less. I considered getting a manager since I'm sure he would have seen the logic in making the customer happy by loosing the $.50 on the sale. But there was a decent line and it wasn't worth it to me. I will also add that another woman a few people back in the line left her stuff and walked out behind me. She said she couldn't believe the way the woman was acting. Those who know me will tell you I am as calm and understanding as they come. I didn't raise my voice or get a condescending tone with her. I simply tried to explain my position. in the end I set the two cans on the counter and said thank you for your time but I will not be buying these and left. She caused them to lose a customer for life.

Now while I didn't sign up and go to war for a discount. I do not expect to be haggling over whether or not I got my VA card for the right reasons. Now not once has there ever been a hassle at a lowes.

If you had the choice between two places, to get the same item, and one place was 10% cheaper, I'm fairly certain you would do that.

The only reason I piped up is that I had this experience and said nothing. Then a month or so later another vet I know posted a rant on FB about the same thing, then another, and another. Home Depot is losing veteran business pretty quickly over this issue. I am not spending thousands of dollars on a regular basis at lowes but i promise you that the amount I have spent since the incident far exceeds the $.50 that caused them to lose me as a customer. Well that and the customer service.

I do see the point you made though which is why I wanted to clarify.

Trail mix? Oh, you mean M&M's with obstacles.

[Krip 2]

Sounds like its a YMMV policy.

About 2 weeks ago I saved $4 at the pumpkin patch aka Home Depot with just my DD 214.. Dated 1970

It's nice having competition between Lowes and H.D. one wouldn't honor the 10% discount on a J.D. lawn mower. No big just went to the other one and they did.
Met a one legged vet in the parking lot of home depot a couple of months ago, We were talking about his dog, then the discussion drifted to his prosthesis, and the VA.

As we were departing I asked him how he liked the 10% discount. He was . He lost his leg in desert storm and never knew about the discount

But he does now

One Jump Wonder

[tigra 0]

I live with a Viet Nam vet- neither one of us knew about any discount at Home Depot or Lowes.

[Boogers 0]

tigra

I live with a Viet Nam vet- neither one of us knew about any discount at Home Depot or Lowes.

Unless he's active duty, 20-year retired, or gets disability, he won't qualify for the discount.

It could be that these stores give the discount for anyone who provides proof of any service, even though they don't technically qualify, because the stores don't want the trouble that comes from a refusal. Just look at this thread...

[JerryBaumchen 1,445]

Hi Boogers,

Quote

anyone who provides proof of any service

I carry one of my old dog-tags on my keychain.

Last year H-D was giving me the 10% discount just by showing it at the register. Then they told me it was only as stated above on here.

I was in Yuma a month ago visiting my brother and he was going to Lowe's ( which caused him to drive right by a H-D ). I asked him why not just stop at H-D and he said because Lowe's gives the discount to any veteran.

After I got back home, I called the closest Lowe's and they told me I would get the 10% discount any day that I show up and show my dog-tags.

3 yrs, 10 mos & 24 days of active service,

JerryBaumchen

[theonlyski 8]

Boogers

Did you join the Army just so you could get a 10% discount on a couple of bottles of foam?

I did it cause I liked the uniform... Then they changed it from BDUs to ACUs.

Boogers

Just because you served four years in the military, doesn't mean you're entitled to some special discount that others don't get.

Good thing I did 6 years active!

Boogers

I'm glad people serve. God bless 'em. But let's not make it look like it's all about money.

I know MANY veterans and I don't know any of them that served for the money. Some people did take advantage of the college incentives but at the end of the day, they were putting their lives in the hands of the military and if they were doing it just for the money, they'd be crazy.

Hell, how much do you think people in the military make? A butterbar with 4 years in makes
A new private makes $18k A YEAR. Say he rocked it and made E-5 in 4 years, his basic pay would be up to $30k/yr.

I didn't usually ask for a discount even while I was active. Once in a while (especially if it's a high dollar item), I'll ask figuring the worst they could say is no. 10% would essentially knock off the sales tax.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[davjohns 1]

OK. You served. If you were Army or Marine, you should know this lesson already. If you were Air Force or Navy, maybe not. :-)

If you don't get the answer you think is correct...ask someone else. Obstacles are those things you go over, around, or through to reach your objective.

HD told me at one time that they no longer offered a discount. I asked someone else who promptly rang up my discount. For whatever reason, some cashiers will give you bad information on this issue.

Also, if you are spending any substatial coin, ask to see a manager and negotiate. I was buying cabinets for my workshop once and noticed a piece of wood broken on a sink base unit. They gave me 50% off just for asking. I later realized that piece of wood was OSB because it was just for shipping. Oops.

If you are buying major appliances or such, always talk to a manager. Even if you are not a vet, they have room to mark things down.

But I still prefer the customer service at Lowe's. HD had outstanding service when they were trying to run HQ out of business. Then, it went down rapidly.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[BillyVance 34]

I can understand the low ranking soldiers don't get paid much, like the $18K a year for new privates, but then again, they don't usually have a mortgage or other household bills to pay, as I would think they'd live onbase. Maybe I'm wrong?

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[theonlyski 8]

BillyVance

I can understand the low ranking soldiers don't get paid much, like the $18K a year for new privates, but then again, they don't usually have a mortgage or other household bills to pay, as I would think they'd live onbase. Maybe I'm wrong?

You make a decent amount more if you live off base with your wife and kid as dependents. On base housing isn't always available and sometimes there's a pretty significant waiting list to move on base.

Unless you're deployed under the combat zone tax exclusion, I believe your whole paycheck is taxed by the feds, state taxes for the state you claim residency in (doesn't have to be where you're stationed either), social security, tricare, etc.

There are probably some other people around here that can do the math better than me, as I lived on base and was single with no dependents for my entire time in the military.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[normiss 858]

I had a mortgage and plenty of other bills when I was in service.
Like everybody else.

Yes, if you give up your chow hall card you get some COMRATS in place of chow hall access.
Depending on where you're stationed, it may or may not be worth it to the single guys.

It's still way less money than can be made in the civilian world.