Just swung through my local Homey D and picked up a “limited edition” 17FT Gorilla Ladder for $89. It comes with a removable work platform/step. I have been using the 22 ft model for a couple of years and it’s great, the 17ft seems to be made as well, but with lighter materials. Still certified 1A 300 lbs though. I can’t figure out their pricing on this as the 13ft model is still $99. </me shrugs>
Z
Replies
That's rather good.
I have the smaller one (99.00) and found that I really need the longer ladder. It became the household ladder and all those schlocky homeowner ladders went dumpester.
Got a Werner for 100 at Costco about 2003 and use it most every day.
The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
Why I hate HD:
Me: "Where are your ladders?"
OAG1: "They are at home on my garage wall."
Me: "OK, where are the store's ladders."
OAG1: We keep them in the back to climb on things."
Me: (sigh), wanting to just walk away.
OAG1: "Oh, you mean ones you can buy. They're in the front of the store."
Me: (we are not amused.)
Find a large display at front of store. Several Gorilla ladders stuffed in various places behind the Little Giants. Waited by OAG#2 while he was working with another customer. Both walk away. Check to see if I'm invisible. Wife confirms I'm not, at least to her.
Walk all the way across store to the nominal "Customer Service Desk."
OAG#3 walks the other way. Stand and wait. OAG#4 walks by. Finally OAG#3 returns.
Me: "I am looking for a 17 foot Gorilla Ladder. Do you have them?"
OAG#3: "We have Gorilla Ladders. They're over there (pointing across store.)"
Me: "Yes, I know, but can you tell me if you have any 17 foot ones in stock?"
OAG#3 phones OAG#5, asks the question and then says, "If we have them, they would be over there (pointing again), on the floor."
Me: "So you can't tell me if you have them in stock or another store might have them?"
OAG#3: "Well, this system is hard to find things. Wait." (keys in a bunch of stuff). Eventually says, "Well I searched for 17 and couldn't find anything."
Me, walking away with wife,
Wife: "So what does that mean?"
Me: "Home Depot sucks."
That confirms my philosophy, that the big boxes are ONLY good if you have to walk in, especially at odd hours, and get a variety of things, OFF THE SHELF. If it's not clearly there on the shelf walk away.
When I don't follow that plan I regret it. Every single time.
I totally understand. My Homey D is, I believe, the highest grossing HD in the country, and also the most poorly run, but that can have its advantages. Anything dented or scratched is usually available for 50% off if you can actually find a floor manager, they don't really care. I got a $200 vanity with a $200 Moen faucet which were the floor models for $125 total, since the floor manager had no idea what they were worth, I just tossed out that number. These limited edition ladders weren't even near the other ladders, they had been stocked in an end aisle display about 4 rows down from the regular ladder display, and I wouldn't have seen them if they'd not been moving a forklift and closed off the middle of the store. I was up at another Homey D in MD this morning to get a door for my house and they had a different limited edition 17' ladder. This one came with the workplatform and the wide leg adapter. Like I said before, their stocking and pricing is a complete crapshoot, at least in my area...If it helps the SKU on it is 722571006068.Z
You have to be making this up. Especially the start of your exchange. Where do you live? I've been to Home Depots and Lowes across the country and have never exchanged in or heard of an Abbot and Costello routine like that. I've also never found a sales associate that couldn't tell me where something was located. The exact isle and position in the isle. I'm still amazed that they can do that. The part about the associate treating you like your invisible and walking away I can believe. That seems to be part of their standard practice. The rest of it is fiction or exaggerated. My point is. If you are going to hate. Hate fairly. Don't lie to make the other person look worse then they are. In the end they will come out looking good and you will look pretty bad.
Also before you take off in search of a deal at a major chain that you heard of here. Be smart enough to realize that it may only apply to the area the original poster is in. Or even just that store. I learned that lesson the hard way.
. "Chuck. Chuck. It's Marvin - your cousin, Marvin BERRY. You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x8B6C54ggY&feature=related
Every word the truth. Mason, OH. Only thing was that OAG#1 did finally say something like, "Head down to that sign and turn right."
Even the part about my ladders at home? What is an OAG#1?
. "Chuck. Chuck. It's Marvin - your cousin, Marvin BERRY. You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x8B6C54ggY&feature=related
Orange Apron Guy. They have BAGs or maybe RAGs at Lowes.
OHH.
. "Chuck. Chuck. It's Marvin - your cousin, Marvin BERRY. You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x8B6C54ggY&feature=related
Here Lowes guys wear vests, not aprons.
Would they be BVDs then?Blue vest dumbos?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Could be , most in local store are not too bad, some are 20-22 yr old gals that are pretty good. I guess Blue Vest Dudes/Dudettes. A couple of older hotties too by the way.
I've been to that HD. It was one of the first to open around here. Drove down from Dayton to look and see, wasn't impressed. And I'm not impressed with any other ones either. I have bought a few things at HD, not a lot.
...I've also never found a sales associate that couldn't tell me where something was located. The exact isle and position in the isle....
Come on, now. I mean, really, come on. You're just trying to be funny, right?
Seriously, you should know that my experience does not mimic yours at all. Sure, there are some employees who know where stuff is (like the ones who check inventory and re-order) and the ones who work in that particular department usually know if they at least have such a thing even if they don't quite know where it is. But the vast majority of the employees can only point you in the general direction at best.
I've even gotten "that's not my department" with no offer to find someone else. I avoid asking where things are unless I'm desperate. Half the time, it wastes more of my time to ask than if I just keep looking (oh, BTW, oak saddles are in millwork and marble saddles are in flooring and neither department is aware of the saddles in the other department). And there have been quite a few times when I've asked about something and they tell me they don't carry it, but I know they do. They just moved it since I was there last.
The employee turnover in the nearby HD is huge. Maybe the big boxes around here (central New Jersey) are not typical. If I don't recognize the face, I won't bother asking for help because they're probably new. And I see new faces all the time, even though I'm in there very often.
I'm serious. Maybe I aproach the situation differently. I don't expect any more out of them then what they are. A big warehouse full of stuff. It's not that difficult to figure out departments in one. The original poster apparently came in from a magic opening in the middle of the store and didn't see the ladders on the wall.
. "Chuck. Chuck. It's Marvin - your cousin, Marvin BERRY. You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x8B6C54ggY&feature=related
Years ago when Depot starting selling the LG knock-Off, I called the company that sold them to Depot. They told me they were made in China and if I were to ever need parts, they were unavailable.I'll stick with my Little Giant......View Image
I have found few, maybe one in five OAGs actually helpful. Most are best at avoidance and dumb stares.I came in the left side front, and the ladders were tucked in the corner in the right side front, behind the contractor desk. My usual haunts are hardware, paint, and tools. Other than that, I don't know much about the store as I prefer Lowe's. At least they have strategically placed "Need Help" buttons and it seems as though the employees are rated on how soon they get to you. I do get occasional dumb looks there, but much less frequently.Apparently, you missed this article,
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/HomeDepotShaftingShoppers.aspxFor a real eye-opener, read the "reader feedback" that got so many comments they closed for additional postings.
Our local HD is very good. All employees seem to be very helpful and most know where everything can be found. I have been in other HD's that were just the opposite. I hav not been in a Lowe's yet that I have not had problems getting help.
Russell, Allegan, Michigan
Just as a test, visit your favorite big box and visit a compact department where there's lots of items, say tools or hardware. Look helpless, wander back and forth over a small area, picking up things, looking at them carefully, then putting them back and moving down a step or two. In short, look like someone that really needs help. See how long, if ever, before someone comes by, then see if they ask if you need any help.
I was at HD today. In the closet systems area. Getting ideas and prices for a job. Within 15 minutes I was ask 4 times if I needed help or if I was finding what I needed. Pretty good service if you ask me.
Russell, Allegan, Michigan
Spent 30 minutes there today. Not once.
<"look like someone who really needs help">That would be a good way to be mistaken for a HD employee.
Edited 11/21/2007 7:12 pm ET by wood4rd
In So. Fla we used to have a chain big box called "Scotties". If employee applicants passed an intelligence test they weren't hired. Here I shop at HD mostly and am always afraid I'll be slowed down by "Do you need help". (I have learned which employee's really know what they are talking about and go to them.)
I was on my way out of the HD recently, with a cart of sheetrock and plywood, and an employee asked me if I needed help loading it in my truck. He followed me out to the parking lot and helped me load it and actually had a good attitude. I thought maybe he was new and they hadnt taught him how to hide in the bathroom yet. Some are more helpful than others, and I always treat people with respect regardless of where they work. I can usually find help, but unfortunatley it is usually after I need it. After I have searched all over and finally found what I needed, an employee will usually show up out of nowhere and ask me if I found what I was looking for.
Are these their Little giant knockoffs?
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
Yup, they are. I bought their first copy of the LG a couple of years ago and it's a good ladder. They've updated the design and it's lighter and easier to use now. Whatever Chinese company makes these makes them for Werner as well, my friend has the Werner and it's exactly the same as this new ladder I just bought.Z
Contacted the local HomeTeacup here and the sales guy on the phone had to get the info on the ladder and call me back.
Said his supervisor told him that special no one yet knows about and is to be a upcoming black friday one day only sale for the 17ft Gorillia ladder at that price.
I figure it's a regional thing with whatever sales office the guys in DC operate under, different regions handling things differently.
you did good leroy
If you google Black Friday you can find a copy of the HD sales flyer and yes it is in there.Lowes and require them to pull their copy because of copyright restrictions. But some places do have the information copied..
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I stopped by this morning ("Black Friday") and what a difference. Just about everything in the ad was in the front aisle, the staff was at least double what I normally see, I was asked several times if I needed help, and there was a nice young lady whose sole job seemed to be to help people with the ladders. She had a cart at the ready and helped me lift it on.