Home Depot rental chain policy

[Philbert]

How many new parts would you expect to sell if you give used stuff away for free?

It's more than that Space. It involves 'economic value', 'intrinsic value', and 'waste'.

If the rental chains are 'paid for' with the rental, then HD could sell them as used, as-is, and that would be all profit. Might be more than their net profit on new chains. But it also keeps stuff out of the landfill.

Not everyone uses the 2 sizes of chain that HD uses on their rentals. In fact, I don't think that HD sells a saw comparable to the large Makitas they rent (except for the large Makitas they rent) - does anyone know if they even sell this chain in their retail aisle?. I know that they do sell a saw that uses the 3/8 low profile (56 or 57 DL) on their electric Makitas.

Only a small percentage of people know or would take the time to sharpen, re-size, and re-use them (people who otherwise might buy on-line anyways), so it might not cut into their retail sales.

As noted, there appear to be more economic incentives for making something and throwing it away, than for making something good, using it's full life, then recycling/repurposing it.

Philbert

 

[spacemule]

If the rental chains are 'paid for' with the rental, then HD could sell them as used, as-is, and that would be all profit. Might be more than their net profit on new chains. But it also keeps stuff out of the landfill.

Nothing is "all profit." It costs money to price, store, display, sell, and track any product, regardless of purchase price. Secondly, Home Depot is not a flea market. They do not cater to people wanting to buy used low value merchandise. Third, Home Depot is a business with profit as the number one goal. Recycling/keeping stuff out of landfills is not a priority further than a public relations "feel good" talking point. Rest assured, if there were money to be made in selling used chains, HD would be doing it.

 

[galde]

Several years ago HD switched from Carlton to Tri-Link for both rental and counter sales. I got a bucketfull of the once-used Tri-links once but soon realized that they wenen't worth the trouble of re-sharpening them. I wouldn't pay $7 for new ones. The steel was so soft that they didn't even make good sparks on the grinder.

 

[Philbert]

Nothing is "all profit." It costs money to price, store, display, sell, and track any product, regardless of purchase price. Secondly, Home Depot is not a flea market. They do not cater to people wanting to buy used low value merchandise. Third, Home Depot is a business with profit as the number one goal. Recycling/keeping stuff out of landfills is not a priority further than a public relations "feel good" talking point. Rest assured, if there were money to be made in selling used chains, HD would be doing it.

While I defer to your HD experience, The Home Depots I visit regularly sell used, distressed, and low-value merchandise, including, but limited to:
- clearance and discontinued merchandise;
- returned and 'reconditioned' outdoor power equipment;
- custom mixed paints, cabinetry, and countertops that were not sold;
- used rental equipment;
- damaged and cut-off scraps of wood, sheet rock, and panel goods;
etc., etc., etc.

You are correct. Any item handled is not 'pure profit'. But the incremental cost for a rental department employee to sell an item that is already paid for is very close. It costs them money to handle the chains when they are thrown out too. So it would help their profit goal.

I believe that if they are not doing it, it has to do more with their perception of potential liability. Odd considering the merchandise that they sell and rent to the general public without instruction.

Philbert

 

[H 2 H]

I was up at HD in Burlington WA. this morning and asked about chain saw chains; the gentleman I talked with said they use the chains twice then get rid of them. I asked about what they do with them and they get sold for scarp metal I looked at several chains they had in a "Homer" 5 gallon bucket and they had 3/4 life left in them.

Then I ask if they would sell them and he said NO; I even talked to the rental manger

These HD sure sounds different than the HD just down the road 20 miles

 

[Fred482]

Many of the comments are logical and true, something many seem to be wandering further away from as time goes along. More common sense is needed in most everything today. The legal issue is always at the forefront in decision making for businesses.

GM used to have us (the dealership techs) destroy warranty parts on a regular basis. Their theory was, if it's being replaced, it probably didn't work correctly and could cause a liability if kept in service. The judgment of the tech was always questioned and checked for validity prior to replacing parts, especially whole components such as an engine assembly.

The standard line was, authorization required prior to replacement on large, complete assemblies. Many times a phone call was sufficient, sometimes a factory rep would actually come to the dealership to see the problem first hand and make an informed decision as well as interact with the customer if needed. The rep was supposed to review warranty claims periodically, check the parts and authorize scrapping of them. This was often done on a quarterly basis. Most small items were approved by interoffice communication and allowed to be scrapped without waiting the required 90 days.

As others have stated, I was ordered to take a sledge hammer to the main webs on many good engine blocks. Not a good experience, but workplace rules. The big guys weren't interested in recycling, conservation, etc., just liability.

.........Waste not, want not.......as my Grandma used to say........:msp_rolleyes:

 

[SawTroll]

Do you consider one of those HD Tri-Link chains to be worth $7 new?

No, not worth anything, except maybe for "trench digging"! :msp_wink:

 

[mattinky]

Why would you want safety chains anyway?

 

[H 2 H]

Why would you want safety chains anyway?

For me I just like trying different thngs :taped:

 

[Philbert]

Why would you want safety chains anyway?

I was going to try heat treating them in my microwave . . . . .

 

[DougMN]

Several years ago HD switched from Carlton to Tri-Link for both rental and counter sales. I got a bucketfull of the once-used Tri-links once but soon realized that they wenen't worth the trouble of re-sharpening them. I wouldn't pay $7 for new ones. The steel was so soft that they didn't even make good sparks on the grinder.

And they stretch like you will not believe, you really do not want them.

 

[Mike_C]

"No, not worth anything, except maybe for "trench digging"!"
LOL a friend who works at HD bought some used rental Makita saws and since he knows the rental manager the guy kept giving him the old chains. He has so many chains now that he did use one to trench for a line to his house!

 

[Patrick62]

that was the story here.

I worked in a store up here that put in a spanking new rental. Including chainsaws (against my recommendation), and the policy was to send it out with a "new chain" on any rental. The price of renting it is including a new chain, and the old ones could be sharpened and sold as used. I think I did sharpen a few correctly and sent it back out.

They were not exactly a "hot item" and I doubt either saw has more than a couple hours on them.

 

[jerseyjeff]

Why would you want safety chains anyway?

Yepper, I found myself a rental saw, and really wanted just the powerhead, but they tossed in a new 20 inch bar and safety chain. I was very excited to have it home, so slapped the bar on, the chain on, and then fired it up and hit a log (5 inch diameter). It cut so slowly I stopped the saw and double checked that I put the chain on the right way and not backwards. Yep on right way, but really depressing.
About a week later, I had my 24 inch bar and woodland pro chain. Took the saw out again, and this time went at a 28+ inch oak and the saw screamed through the wood. So fast that we were a bit surprised. Then came the realization that the saw needed to be torn down, but that is a story for a different day.

If any one really wants it, I can send them the rental chain for the cost of postage. But please, believe me when I say you would be better cutting the logs with the envelope than the chain. Well, maybe the chain would be better than an envelope.

 

[Opihi59]

Busted

Just so everyone knows I gave it a shot......I made it to Home Depot today, I found that they do not do chainsaw rentals. I went around the side to check on their dumpsters. They have them locked in a cage, limited access that you have to go out thru the loading dock, or have a key to the gate. There are security cameras even. I suppose HD rubbish here must be far more valuable than rubbish anywhere else, but it may as well have been a storage site for weapons grade plutonium. I didn't get into the dumpsters. Sorry.

 

[howellhandmade]

When I got my HD Makita it came with a new bar and chain. Both garbage. The bar was bowed -- I pressed it straight a few times but it was welded that way, kept springing back. The chain was slow and soft, not worth sharpening. You'd get more use out of one decent chain from Bailey's than a bucket of HD discards, and save a lot of time. Only reason I can see to want those HD chains is to take them to the scrapyard yourself.

 

[Rudolf73]

I got one of those chains with my HD makita and I agree with their policy... the best place for those chains is the dumpster. Soft safety chain - you can't really get much worse even if you tried.

 

[TreeGuyHR]

A lot of these 'big box' stores have special return contracts with their vendors; when a customer returns something as 'defective' the store tosses it in the dumpster and gets credit from the vendor. They don't want to deal with or pay for return shipping. You could find all kinds of stuff there.

I did intercept a shopping cart full of power tools going to the dumpster at a home center many years ago. They were the 'old' display models without boxes, etc. The guy was spray painting them orange when I asked. It tool a lot of talking, but we finally found a manager who sold them to us for 25 to 40 cents on the dollar.

Again, I can't say what the policy is at each chain.

Philbert

It may not be worth it to dumpster dive -- I have heard that even brand name "pro" power tools at Home Depot are actually crap quality. I had a bad experience with a sander ( Can't remember the brand offhand); the drive belt shredded after a half hr. in use, and they didn't stock replacements, so they gave me a whole new one (?!); then that one went in only 10 minutes, and I returned it for an in store credit. Then I rented an actual shop grade sander (for $10 for the day from a rental center) and finished my project. I also wasted two round trips back and forth to the store (2 hrs total) and about $30 bucks in gas!:bang: