The Home Depot — Attraction in Watertown

I left this Home Depot location crying on the way home two years ago and I haven't gone back since. All I wanted was an 8oz can of paint that I prepaid online for pickup and it ended up taking more than half an hour out of my life being treated like an animal.

I went to the pickup area in the afternoon on a weekday but nobody was present so I instead waited at the Customer Service desk nearby. About 20 minutes went by and a long line of over 10 people began to accumulate before anyone came over to begin addressing the queue. Despite me waiting the longest at the front of the line, when the online pickup people were called over, the two staff members working the pickup area began helping another man who was much further back in line than me. Once again I found myself waiting patiently but rather annoyed at this point.

After they had finished helping the other person, I was yelled at twice by the two different workers manning the pickup area. First, I was yelled at to stay behind the taped line. I had in fact not crossed the line separating the customers from the pickup shelves, but was trying to peek to see where both of them had gone since they had seemed to ignore me and leave me alone for a while after they finished helping the other man. I was also yelled at very loudly a second time when the worker asked me to give them my confirmation code, to which I tried to ask if she would prefer to see my phone to read it. I was cut off with a very loud "JUST READ IT." I also tried to ask them a few questions about my order and the pickup process but I was straight up ignored. One of them refused to look at me while helping me. It was like I wasn't even human to these people but a nuisance that solely existed to interrupt their work break.

At this point I was pretty annoyed after being treated like dirt after waiting the longest out of everybody in the line. I asked the manager why his workers thought it was okay to yell at me multiple times and decide to ignore the person who was first in line, and he offered nothing helpful in response. He quite literally said to me "what do you want me to do about it now?" and refused to acknowledge that I was treated poorly. He very clearlt let me know he would not tell his workers to do better in the future.

At this point I felt like I was going insane. All I wanted was a tiny jar of touch up paint and it turned into a ridiculous wait time and being gaslighted into believing yelling at me and refusing to answer simple and reasonable questions such as "Next time I pickup where should I go?"

Overall it was an overwhelmingly negative experience and I am very proud to say I haven't been back since. This was not a misunderstanding, the employees not only failed to do their job in a reasonable way, but also exhibited very hostile behavior as if it was my fault they allowed a long line to accumulate and they were annoyed that they now had to deal with it.

When I filed a formal complaint with corporate, I actually received a call and sat down explaining my situation with them. They were very sympathetic toward me and agreed that what I had experienced is not what they want to happen to people who come into this store. They also let me know that this location has had issues before and that they would escalate this issue to the regional manager's level since the store manager was unhelpful. Hopefully things have improved here years later.

Oh, and the...

This is a complaint about the general manager of the Watertown Home Depot Ed Shaut.

I visited the store for the first time today to buy some paint supplies in the morning. In the afternoon I returned to make another purchase to replace a broken tool. While I was there I had to organize my vehicle.

I was approached by an unknown man who appeared agitated and started to repeatedly ask

"Are you leaving this stuff for me?"

I thought the man was homeless or deranged or both. When he looked at me I asked,

"Do you work here?"

He said yes and accused me of illegally dumping trash. [I had my trash in a trash bag in a shopping cart and I was adding to it as I continued to clean out my car and get my tools organized]

I said, " it's okay I'm just cleaning out my car. I wont leave any trash behind."

He was relentlessly going on about how it's illegal to dump trash, that this is private property, that he was taking my information, and that he was going to call the cops.

I said that I would like to talk to a supervisor. He said, that's me.

I said I would like to talk to the store manager. He said, that's me.

I said I would like the number for his regional manager and he said he wasnt going to give me that information.

He then told me I had to leave. It was private property, I'm dumping illegally, and he is calling the cops.

I said , please call the cops and continued to clean up and organize my vehicle.

I had my doubts that this could be the conduct of a home depot store manager so I pulled out my phone to get a picture of him for reference and ask him his name. Once he saw the camera he started to walk away quickly and refused to identify himself. He never returned.

Once my organization was done and no trash was left behind I went inside to make an official complaint. I was told the store managers name is Ed Shaut and he had gone home for the day. A quick google image search confirms him to be the same individual who approached me.

This man threatened me. Trespassed me for no substantial reason. Threatened to report me to the police (which is liable if he did) and refused to identify himself or give me the means to lodge a formal complaint with his superiors.

I was just there to do some shopping and straighten out my vehicle so the tools were more orderly and easily accessible. Again, this was the FIRST TIME I had ever been to this location and have never had a problem before at any home depot.

After going inside to get the information I needed to make a complaint I continued to do my shopping as planned.

I am a loyal customer. I do a lot of business with home depot. All of my tools are ridgid. I have spent thousands shopping at home depot. I am in property maintenance. A lot of my clients do business through me with home depot. After I acknowledged Ed was upset and didnt want any trash left behind, I could understand how frustrating that must be for him. I cordially agreed that there would be no trash left behind. He had no cause to escalate things so quickly, mischaracterize my intentions, and be so unprofessional as to threaten to call the police on me, refuse to give me his name or give me the means to report his behavior to regional. And when he saw a camera he ran. This is a good way for Home Depot to...

The worst location for customer service. Placed an order in person for 12 wall tile boxes during Black Friday weekend. Upon delivery I was not satisfied with the product (I was also missing 1 piece of tile in a box). Brought the items back to this location to return (as stated on the return policy) only to be denied, stating that it was a “special order” (which is a fact because I had to order it through them as it was not available in store). Was passed around through 6 different people who said they couldn’t accept it, though policy says I am able to return but subject to a 15% restocking fee, which I was fine with. Another associate said I couldn’t return it because they don’t have space in their massive warehouse. The special order turned to a “custom order” and was continuously denied. Was also told that if I had purchased the tile on my own through the website, I would be able to return it easier. I placed the order in person with the assistance of a sales associate. There is no difference in how I made this order at all. Was advised that the vender would have to approve the return, which when contacted, stated that I need to place the return through Home Depot. Called corporate in 4 different occasions who said they should be able to accept my return but I had to speak to the store manager. For the past 2 weeks I’ve called everyday to speak to the store manager, who was either on lunch or in a meeting. Was told I would be receiving a call (never called back). Called the store today and was told he was on vacation for 2 weeks. And now apparently the vender does not accept the returns. Now I’m stuck with 1600 worth of tile. I was told before when I placed the order that I signed off on the order. The order never said “final sale” or not returnable. I was never advised before placing the order that I would not be able to return it. The staff here believes that this was a custom order, like I requested this to be made to my desire, like paint or cutting a custom dimension for blinds. This was an item available online and not custom, hence the “special order” term. Even the return policy states I could return it, unused within 90 days. By far the worst store who does what they want, does not follow their stated policy, poor customer service, manager is unknown and unseen, manager on duty is pointless as he couldn’t make his own decisions, a customer who is in need of assistance in the store is bounced around 6 different people for...