On my lunch break I have to go back to one of the "big box" stores to return some solar lights... again! I got one the other day that was made to mount on a deck. Perfect for what I needed. But it only stayed lit for a couple of hours. Forget spending $16 for that, so I returned and picked up some cheaper ones. I made my own mount. Perfect again. And then again... only stayed lit for a couple of hours. Okay... my fault for buying the cheapest. So I take those back and buy the higher priced ones. Supposed to be 2 times brighter and stay lit for 8 hours. And after they sat in the bright sun all day yesterday to make sure they were charged... guess what? They didn't even stay lit an hour!! So they are going back and I'm NOT getting any more of their lights... ever. And if I can help it, I won't be doing business there at all... ever! I bought some really cheap solar lights last year... I think they were only $2 from a dollar store and they are still working great!
cherylad, I agree with you. I have cheep ones also. They work great and if, the hubby, accidently kills one or two, they are so cheep you can go and get more without feeling badly. Barb in Pa.
Cheryl, we got solar lights for the driveway entrance from Harbor Freight--I think they were about $4 each and they've worked for two years now. I can't remember the product name (yeah, like I could remember something from two years ago when yesterday is a fog!) but it might be worth your while to take a peek at them. I'm bummed out with Home Depot right now. My husband went to get mulch. He had to tear the young lady at the checkout away from her Glamour magazine to tell him where the flatbed carts were. He said he wanted to get some mulch, and she asked him what mulch was. This was at the "garden" center.
I will have to look what Company made ones i bought from Garden Supply.com. But have had them for 4 years.They are flood lights. Had to mount High on house. Got buried in snow last year. Got one on USA flag stay on for at least 8 hours. Love these when we have lights go out. Happened many times past summer.
There is one particular big box store that I haven't been into for almost 8 years because I am tired of their cheaply made merchandise. My solar lights also came from Harbor Freight and lasted for several years. Our Home Depot finally got smart and does have some regular garden center personnel, they may not know about all the plants but they will look up information for you on the computer.
I bought one that fit on top of a 4" X 4" post for on the end of the deck, at Home Depot Last spring. The first one didn't work at all, so it went back and I got another. It worked for several days and then stopped working. I got to looking at the guts of it and the rechargable battery had come loose. I fixed the metal end peices and it's worked ever since.
I've had horrible luck with cheap stuff and have stopped buying cheap stuff that ends up as landfill. You get what you pay for - that's my new motto.
Just returned those crappy lights... and now I dislike that store even more! Told the clerk how they didn't work and that it was the 3rd set I've had to return. She rolled her eyes as if to say "you think I really care?" She asked if I wanted the cash or credited back to my debit card. I said, give me the cash because I'm going right to your competitors and spend it there! She just turned and started chatting with a co-worker. AAARRRGGGGH!
Cheryl, We as consumers have the perfect weapon of revenge--money. If we decide to not spend money at a store because of shoddy merchandise, poor service or both, they lose. I also make it a point to write corporate headquarters, saying something like, "I know you don't care, but I'm not giving you any more business because (insert reason)." If enough people did this the store would either change or go out of business. Hey, we could start a movement called "don't spend, write headquarters"!
It is a shame that these employees don't realize that you are where their paycheck comes from, otherwise they would be bending over backwards to help you.
Hi Cheryl, What a miserable experience. I hate when that happens. I wonder why it seems so hard for the workers to be competent at some of the big box stores too. I guess they don't get trained? I get frustrated when I have a negative experience, and I will boycott the store awhile. But the thing I do now - is when I have a positive experience, I make a point of giving feedback to the person's supervisor/boss. I will call or write an email or even a letter to let them know when I appreciate the service I receive. I have always wanted some of those solar lights, but they seem so cheap. Some of my customers have the high dollar ones, they spend hundreds of dollars on! Uh, not me...
I had this happen to me. but was $$$$ delivery of siding.Guys was at ME because they got lost. I had left a detailed map at store how to get her. Then started handing me the Heavy cement board. Said I paid $60 to DELIVER. They started throwing them in car-port. They was real nice when DH was here. He had to leave had doctor appointment .^He's 285# and 6 foot tall. Any way 6 board got broke. $72. When they left I called manager. And also canceled order for 2 storm doors. Manager came to our house. Found out he had bought one of our pups. and stayed and talked long time.
Connie, I hope that manager made right the broken boards at the very least. I have been trying to find electric fireplaces MADE IN USA. I want it to look like a real fireplace, not the ugly cube thingys--which seem to be the only ones made in the USA. Everything is made in China and junk. I did do a websearch for "made in the USA" and found all kinds of websites with good USA made stuff. So far, I have not found what I want made in the USA. I have told the local stores I do not like their made in China junk. Will have to write home offices though, local employees have no control over the company's purchasing. They do not like the Chinese junk either.
Ann. They brought the cement boards. And was on pallets-like they should have been before. But By going someplace else for storm doors I kept $300. in my pocket for very same door. I had hard time finding any USA flags made in USA, But did find a big one.
I also dislike stuff that doesn't last. I guess the items aren't made to last anymore because the manufacturers and shops need us to spend more money on new items. In my experience you don't always get what you pay for, which is even more annoying.
