My first stop was a Home Depot store in the Flatiron District.
The store felt like a warehouse when I walked in, with high ceilings, industrial lighting, and a lot of open space. On the left were small household items like dish soap and cleaning supplies. To the right was the start of the flooring department.
Home Depot's selection was astounding. The store had all types of flooring in a huge variety of styles and patterns, and there were a few employees in each department to help.
The main floor had seemingly endless aisles of appliances and fixtures ...
... and even a small clearance section.
The second floor held the model kitchens and bathrooms.
There were also design consultation centers on this floor, where customers can get assistance in designing their homes.
The basement level of the store held the gardening department, which sells plants, seeds, flowers, and gardening tools. It also carries soil and fertilizer.
This floor also held a continuation of the cleaning supply aisle on the main floor ...
... and tons of paint and paint chips.
Most things in the store were not labeled. There was a store directory and plenty of experts around to help, but the store was clearly aimed more towards industry professionals. If you don't know the exact nail or bolt you're looking for, it could be challenging to find it on your own.
That being said, there were plenty of services for those who are not professionals, such as workshops where customers can learn how to do things like stain a patio.
There were price scanners available throughout the store to check how much items cost before getting to the register. The prices between Home Depot and Lowe's were comparable on most items.
There were also detailed signs that listed the special financing plans for shoppers using a store credit card.
Home Depot has a price-match initiative. Signs around the store explained that if shoppers find a product for cheaper elsewhere, Home Depot will beat that price by 10%.
This store offers same-day delivery anywhere in Manhattan, starting at $21. Other Home Depot locations offer same-day delivery as well, with prices varying based on the order size.
The customer service was near the checkout and self-checkout aisles, which seemed to be moving pretty quickly. The return policy is generous, allowing returns on most items for a full refund if you bring a receipt. Without a receipt, you will be refunded with store credit instead of cash. Home Depot also allows returns to be made online and offers in-store pickup for online orders.
The store felt like it was geared towards professionals, but it seemed to have everything you would need for a home-improvement project, and all of the employees were extremely helpful. Design consultations, price-matching, and a lenient return policy add to the appeal.
Next I went to Lowe's, which was just around the corner from Home Depot.
The garden department was the first thing I saw when walking in, and it was significantly smaller than the one at Home Depot.
Something I noticed immediately was that Lowe's seemed more geared towards average customers, not necessarily professionals. There was much more assistance for DIY projects, and everything was very clearly labeled.
In general, however, the store was underwhelming compared to Home Depot.
There seemed to be less of everything at Lowe's, in every department from lighting ...
On the second level, there were model kitchens and bathrooms ...
... lighting fixtures ...
... and flooring. The store was less industrial-feeling than Home Depot, and its products were certainly labeled better.
Like at Home Depot, there was a design consultation center.
Lowe's also had a similar store card financing plan to Home Depot ...
... and matched the same-day delivery price. The return policies were the same at the two stores, and Lowe's also offered a 10% price-match guarantee.
Lowe's also offers workshops and in-store pickup for online orders. Even though many of the benefits at the two stores were the same — such as same-day delivery and special financing offers — Home Depot had a much better selection of products than Lowe's.
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