Where DIYers Shop - Where They Buy - Home Depot, Lowe's Or Menards

As of the writing of this article, the trends are significant when do-it-yourself consumers tell us where they shop and where they actually make their purchases especially for larger ticket items relative to Home Depot, Lowes and Menards.

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Menards, a family owned Midwest chain of Big Box stores, continues to have the highest ratio of those consumers who indicate they not only shop the store, but also actually purchase the items they shopped for.

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When the other two giants in Big Box building materials retail, with more of a nationwide presence, customers are studied, it is clear Lowe's is the place shopped and Home Depot is the purchase venue.

These trends were first uncovered about 8 years ago, and seem to be holding in the same trend more recently.

There could be a number of reasons for the indicators, but presented are a glimpse of this author's newer on-site, in-store observations. Actual product estimate acquisition and shops were conducted for this process in the departments listed. All opinions expressed are those solely of this researcher and not statistically relevant, since not every location of each retailer was shopped. But, in this researcher's opinion, the shops further solidified the quantitative, statistically relevant trends gathered in previous studies. Shops were conducted from coast to coast over the past 9 months.

1) The level of in-store customer service is higher in many visited Lowe's locations than in the same visited city Home Depot locations. When visiting those cities with all 3 retailers, including Menards, the people employed by Menards, especially in lumber and other building materials used in construction, were easier to find, more helpful and easier to ask questions of than both Home Depot and Lowe's. Wait times for help in this category were more favorable at Menards. Technical questions were answered more times correctly at Menards, then Lowe's, then Home Depot in the structural building materials category of goods.

2) Merchandising and in-door procurement of structural building materials was better at Lowe's than either Home Depot or Menards, in this researcher's opinion. Adjacent displays for selling and finding related needed items to accompany the main purchase category was best at Lowe's, worse at Home Depot. The self serve yard at Menards for lumber and structural building materials is cumbersome, and the layout continues to be confusing.

3) When it came to designing decks and supplying material lists to consumers, there seemed to be less help at Menards, but the process at all 3 retailers was cumbersome, even with deck designing software - used directly by consumers and / or provided by in-store personnel. In this researcher's opinion, the notion of folks making appointments to design decks or leaving construction lists behind and only being given a lump-sum price annoys potential customers.

4) In the cabinetry area, Home Depot and Lowe's are similar in help and understanding of the customer's needs, however Home Depot seems to answer direct technical questions and understand lay out and design slightly better than Lowe's. Menards in this category seems to lag, both from an assortment and a "friendly, we can help you" position. Few designers were familiar with formaldehyde off gassing specifically as it related to their lines of cabinetry.

5) The most knowledgeable sales associates for doors and windows are at Menards, then Lowe's, then Home Depot. Many technical questions were incorrectly answered by all three retailers at every store visited. Fenestration is an area where all three could use some training. Only in-stock or displayed items were tested in this category.

As part of this series, the shops will continue into the future, with sporadic articles as they become available in all departments of all three Big Box retailers. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's opinions only and should not be construed as an endorsement of any retailer.

Where DIYers Shop - Where They Buy - Home Depot, Lowe's Or Menards

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Home Depot vs. Lowe's: Which Stock to Buy?

During my last update I ventured into the rivalry sector of the packaging transportation sector when comparing the differences between buying FedEx and UPS. Using the same type method, I will attempt to do the same regarding the two biggest home builders in Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's (LOW). While both have positives and negatives, like all decisions some benefits will outweigh the negatives in terms of higher margins when juxtaposed together.

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Looking specifically at the fundamentals, there are a lot of similarities between the two home building corporations. Both have been in the public market for about the same number of years, and while the years do remain similar, the numbers do not. Home Depot has revenue almost twice that of Lowe's which explains its tremendous upward growth over its entire duration. However, looking specifically the last five years, Lowe's has grown to provide margins which are similar or even higher than that of Home Depot and has a greater opportunity to grow. According to Yahoo Finance, Home Depot has the potential to grow about 9% this year and close to 13% the next five years. On the other hand Lowe's has the potential to grow nearly 11% this year and close to 16% in the next five years giving investors some statistics to play around with when determining which stock to buy. Fundamentals in other areas run in similar patterns making this a guessing game in determining which stock would be more beneficial in terms of numbers. However, as of right now, I would say Lowe's has the relatively higher potential to beat out Home Depot.

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Looking more closely in terms of technical analysis, Lowe's seems to beat out Home Depot again. For the last five years Home Depot has seemed to be stuck in a range of 35.00 to 45.00 with no real potential or future advances to thrive upon. On the other hand, Lowe's has provided slow but stable growth during these last five years yielding growth of nearly 100% for investors in terms of capital gains. With the continued opportunity especially during the fall months when hurricanes are prevalent and lots of home repair equipment is needed, Lowe's seems to hold the advantage yet again in terms of technical analysis.

Thus, while I truly do not like this type of industry, especially during times of a potential recession, I would still put my funds into Lowe's for at least a few months this fall. Your gains may not be as high if placed in a more volatile or riskier choice, but regardless you should be assured of a high potential to earn some quality capital gains in the next few months.

Home Depot vs. Lowe's: Which Stock to Buy?

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Lowe's Warehouse And Distribution Center Jobs

Many are envious of those that work for Lowe's. And what is not to be envious about? Lowe's is a company known for its stable work environment, competitive pay, and excellent benefits packages. What a shame the number of opportunities available for working in a Lowe's retail store is limited.

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Then again, this problem really is not much of a problem. Retail store positions only comprise a small number of available positions in the Lowe's stores. Opportunities do exist for those interested in working at a Lowe's' distribution center. In the "old days," a distribution center was dubbed a warehouse. Regardless of the name change, positions are potentially available to an interested job seeker. Working at a Lowe's warehouse may prove to be a great career move.

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Yet, even though it is possible to apply online for such a position, many do not even throw their proverbial hat in the ring and apply. Why is this so? Mainly, they do not believe that they are actually qualified for such a position. Such an assessment is an unfortunate one because the truth of the matter is they likely ARE qualified. It is just that their perception of what constitutes warehouse work is likely limited.

Is it really difficult to work in a warehouse? The answer to this question depends upon the type of job you are performing. If you have the appropriate experience for the jobs that are offered in the warehouse, the odds are likely you can handle the tasks. There is, however, a common misconception that arises when discussing the subject of working in warehouse/distribution center: you only need to have skills with manual labor. This is not an accurate assessment because there is a wide range of diversity amidst the many different jobs available at a distribution center.

There are two prime categories in which job categories fall under: distribution management and team members. The former would obviously be supervisory personnel and the latter would be the many different employees that round out the various responsibilities needed to effectively operate the warehouse.

Common Distribution And Warehouse Management Sectors

• Human Resources
• Maintenance
• Transportation.
• Operations

Obviously, not everyone that works in one of these sectors is a manager. There are all manner of support and administrative positions which would entail the staff that works under management professionals. For those looking to expand their career potential with Lowe's, distribution management may be the best area to look towards.

The team member positions will be those traditional manual labor warehouse positions that most are commonly aware of. These jobs are not always easy to do but those willing to put the effort into such work will find a rewarding career ahead of them. Well, the career will be rewarding if it is a career with Lowe's.

Lowe's Warehouse And Distribution Center Jobs

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Improve Your Resume With A New Career at Lowe's

Lowe's, a billion a year home improvement retailer, constantly hires inexperienced and professional sales associates for a variety of positions. With thousands of stores and hundreds of thousands of employees, odds are the Lowe's nearest you is hiring now. Whether you already have home improvement sales experience or need a job to help pay your college tuition, Lowe's may have a position for you. Lowe's workers must be at least 18 years of age.

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Lowe's typically hires new associates for the following positions:

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Sales associate - Lowe's sales associates must enjoy assisting customers in a friendly and courteous manner. Sales associates may also handle stocking and facing product, cleaning, and working seasonal departments. Lowe's sales associates typically earn starting pay rates between and &12 per hour depending on location and experience. Cashier - Cashiers at Lowe's assist customers with store purchases. Besides register duties, Lowe's cashiers may be responsible for cleaning or stocking and organizing point of sale purchase displays. Lowe's cashiers typically earn starting wages from the state minimum to per hour depending on location and experience. Supervisor - Lowe's supervisors may oversee certain departments or groups of employees. Supervisors typically handle scheduling, have a hand in hiring new associates, schedule deliveries and installations, and oversee the daily operations of employees and departments. Lowe's supervisors typically earn starting pay beginning at to per hour depending on location, duties, and experience. Management - Lowe's managers oversee store operations. Managerial duties include hiring, disciplining, scheduling supervisors, banking, communicating with the corporate offices, and appeasing angry customers. Lowe's managers earn starting salaries between ,000 and ,000 per year depending on location, duties, and experience.

Lowe's employees receive a generous store discount as well as paid vacations and sick days. Additional Lowe's benefits for eligible employees include but are not limited to healthcare insurance, retirement packages, and short-term disability pay.

If you enjoy home improvement and assisting customers with problem solving, Lowe's is perfect for you.

Improve Your Resume With A New Career at Lowe's

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How to Get a Lowe's Discount Coupon

Lowe's gives customers a 10% off coupon who are moving. You can get this coupon at the Lowe's website. It is sent in the mail, however, and can take a few weeks to receive. You can also go to your local post office and ask for a moving coupon book that contains several coupons for home improvement.

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Lowe's will match any competitors price or coupon so if you have a Home Depot sales advertisement you can show it to the cashier at Lowe's. You can use the price match with any coupon. Home Depot coupons can be used at Lowe's also.

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If you go to the Lowe's website and register you will receive coupons throughout the year. They are usually off a purchase. You can sign up at the Home Depot website also and all of your coupons can be used at Lowe's.

Lowe's also has a clearance section where items are marked down every week until most of it is sold. If you see something you are interested in you can ask a sales associate to mark it down further especially if it has been there for awhile. Go to the store frequently and watch the items on clearance. Sometimes if you wait a few more days you will see the price has been lowered. They do not want to have any liquidation so most of the time they will mark it down even more.

Combining Lowe's discount coupons with items already marked up to 40% off clearance price is a great way to save money. You could also buy these items and sell them for full retail price.

Another way to get Lowe's coupons is to purchase them for very little. Your price may be .00 to .00 for 10 coupons or more. This is another excellent way to save.

Lowe's discount gift cards can be purchased below face value too and can also be used with your order.

How to Get a Lowe's Discount Coupon

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Lowe's Kitchen Appliances: Quality and Excellent Service at Affordable Rates

Lowe's kitchen appliances are easily making their way through most homes these days. Obviously, it has something to do with the pricing and the quality of service that the customers experience with the retail store. These factors have helped in establishing Lowe's as a name in the industry.

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From ranges and ovens to dishwashers and refrigerators, Lowe's has a great selection of kitchen must-haves. The appliances from Lowe's generally include the ones coming from respected brands such as Whirlpool, Samsung and GE. On top of that, most of the items from the store are Energy Star compliant; meaning, they are also energy efficient and are instrumental in the campaign to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions.

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All Lowe's kitchen appliances are basically purchased with their own manufacturer's warranties. However, since these warranties only apply to factory-related defects, Lowe's takes one step further by recommending EPP or the Extended Protection Plan. This aims to cover for the damages that result from electrical failures and even those that rather suggest misuse. While the manufacturer's warranty for kitchen appliances is generally good for one year, EPP can go beyond that. EPP on Lowe's kitchen appliances are transferable and can be purchased as gifts along with product orders.

Browsing the official website of the store may be the best way to check out for the Lowe's kitchen appliances. It saves you both time and transportation costs, especially if you are quite far from a local Lowe's store. When you order online, you get to choose between store pick-up and home delivery. Still, on certain occasions, some of the Lowe's kitchen appliances cannot be shipped right to your doorstep; it may require you to pick them up instead from a local store near your home.

When opting for a home delivery of a few Lowe's kitchen appliances, it must be noted that the applicable service rate only depends on the distance of the delivery address from the retail store-regardless of the weight of the products being shipped. You will be contacted by a customer service representative regarding the schedule of the delivery. Sometimes, in order to speed up the delivery, packages may arrive from separate locations.

In some cases, you may also want to make sure that the Lowe's kitchen appliances are installed properly after their purchase. Lowe's can help in this matter by sending out professional installers to do the job. This service can be availed upon delivery and by the request of the customer. These people are well-trained to perform the installation duties. To make sure all went out well after their work, they will ask the customers about the installed appliances over the phone.

Ordering through the online site has a few advantages aside from saving time and transportation expenses. For one, Lowe's offers free shipping for orders that exceed . Additionally, the store's "Everyday Low Prices" guarantee automatically sets the prices of Lowe's kitchen appliances at much lower rates compared to their actual local store values. These savings are eventually added to the 10% discount that is readily given to the buyers as a way to beat the promos of other competitors. Indeed, Lowe's kitchen appliances can really get affordable through ways more than one.

Lowe's Kitchen Appliances: Quality and Excellent Service at Affordable Rates

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Looking Into Harbor Breeze Ceiling Fans From Lowe's

When it's time to buy a new ceiling fan, you'll undoubtedly want to look for one that is both high-quality and low in price. A Harbor Breeze fan from Lowe's can be the perfect solution. Harbor Breeze is Lowe's own store brand, and the store fully backs every purchase, so you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain from buying your ceiling fan at Lowe's.

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No matter which of the different fan models you choose, all fans have been built using the same high standards. They are designed to look stylish, operate quietly, install easily, and come at a price that is very affordable. All of the fans are energy efficient and carry the Energy Star label. Therefore, they won't cost you a lot to operate, and there are often rebates available from your electric company for buying Energy Star products as well.

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The 52" Bellhaven ceiling fan is one of the lovely choices you can get from Harbor Breeze. You can buy it with either a bronze of nickel housing and hardware, and the 5 blades have a cherry finish and are reversible. The light kit that comes with the fan includes four beautiful alabaster globes. By installing this quality fan in your home, you'll be able to save so much on energy costs during the life of the fan that you'll reimburse yourself for the initial 0 cost of the fan many times over.

If you'd like a smaller ceiling fan, the 42" Princess Euro fan might be just what you're looking for. This Harbor Breeze fan features finishes in antique nickel and chrome. The versatile fan includes a light kit, and you can buy it for less than 0.

Harbor Breeze does offer a model for those on a very limited budget. You'll find that the 42" Ocracoke Dual Mount ceiling fan can be yours for less than . There are a lot of higher-priced Harbor Breeze fans available, but the three mentioned in this article are the most affordable fans in the line. The staff at Lowe's knows their fans, and they'll be there willing to answer any questions you might come up with while shopping for a ceiling fan.

No matter what brand of fan you want to buy, it's a good idea to do some online research about the different options that are available. In addition, you need to decide on the size of fan that would be best in your room. By doing this internet search you will probably discover that you can't beat the prices and warranties available with Harbor Breeze ceiling fans.

Make Decisions before Shopping

Look at the room where you're planning to install a fan. What size will do the best job for you? If you have a small room, then a 48" fan will probably be all that you need. For a large family room, a 52" fan will be a better choice. How many blades would you like your fan to have? You can find models ranging from 3 to 6 blades. Consider your décor and decide what color and style of fan would fit in best. You'd hate to buy a new Harbor Breeze fan that ended up looking out of place in the room you're putting it in.

One additional cost to consider is the price of having any extra wiring done that you may need in order to install the fan. A fan that is for cooling only will probably work using the wiring you already have for your overhead light. However, if you still need that light and purchase a fan with a light kit, you'll need additional wiring in order to run both features. You should also consider whether you want the extra expense of buying a remote for your fan.

Looking Into Harbor Breeze Ceiling Fans From Lowe's

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Seeking Financial Support With the Help of Lowe's Scholarship Program

Scholarship programs nowadays are getting more efficient due to the various organizations that provide funds for this type of program. Lowe's scholarship program is one of those organizations that give out scholarship programs to those students that need financial support for their studies. In fact, they are planning to award more than $ 600,000 worth of scholarship programs to various students in the communities they do business. The good thing about their scholarship program is that, they are able to reach various families who are suffering from financial crisis within the community. Moreover, they are adding more support and hope to those students that needs educational benefits.

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In fact, Lowe's will give out one hundred forty scholarship offering programs to different high school seniors who want to study for the school year 2009-2010. The said program is offered to both community and Lowe's employees and staff. On the other hand, LCBS (Lowe's Carl Buchan Scholarship) are also giving ,000 worth of scholarship offering program to those full and part-time workers of Lowe's with at least 90 days of service in their company. Like other scholarship programs, their qualifications are based on the academic performance, leadership, working experience and community involvement of the student.

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The scholarship also requires a minimum of 3.25 Grade Point Average (GPA) in order to qualify for the scholarship award program. The awards that they will receive can be used at any accredited two or four year college course in a university or technical school. The amount can be used for the tuition fee cost, books and other school supplies. However, the scholarship awards are not renewable. The Lowe's scholarship award programs are supported by Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation. The said foundation is managed by ISTS (International Scholarship and Tuition services). In order to know more details about their program, you can use the internet to browse on different scholarship websites that affiliates with Lowe's.

Gathering more information about different scholarship award programs can also give more opportunities on availing one. Many organizations out there provide scholarship college programs for students. If you do not manage to avail a Lowe's Scholarship program, you might as well try another.

Seeking Financial Support With the Help of Lowe's Scholarship Program

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