In July of 2008 we purchased vinyl fencing and gates to surround and protect our in ground swimming pool. The gates failed within a few months (Broke apart) and the installer returned and glued them back together. (See the video on Youtube.com of the gates breaking) Shortly thereafter the gates broke apart again. We contacted the local Lowes (Latham, New York) in the spring of 2009 and they said the installer would return to repair the gates. After repeated telephone calls and trips to the Lowes store the installer was schedule to repair the gates on July 9, 2009. He was a no show. At the end of July of 2009 my wife was again in the local Lowes and was approached by an installation person. "Are the repairs done" she asked. "No" replied my wife " the installer did not show." My wife than informed her that it did not matter now as it was too late to open the pool for this year and to just get the installer there when they could. The installer showed up in late September of 2009 to make the gate repairs. The backyard and swimming pool remained closed for the entire season of 2009 because of the broken gates.

The gates failed again shortly after the repair and in the spring of 2010 we again approached Lowes requesting they fixed the faulty safety gates. They acted surprised that the gates were again broken. I informed them that I had checked the Internet and others were having the same problems with the vinyl gates. They assured me that the problem would be taken care of immediately! A little upset I contacted the local building department and requested they look at the installation and the product they were selling to protect an in ground swimming pool. The building inspector examined the product and installation and informed me to keep the backyard and pool covered and closed as the gates and fencing were: 1) Of questionable quality to be used as safety gates; 2) gates opened in the wrong direction; 3) the gates were not self-closing; 4) latches did not meet code; 5) and the fence was installed too high from the ground, all in direct violation of New York State Building Code and illegal!

Armed with this new information I confronted Lowes installation staff when they again came to my home. The following question and answer transpired between LOWES employee G####, The Installation Supervisor, and John Thornton:

MR. THORNTON: “I’m going to ask you a question – how would you like having your kids living on this street with fu##### gates like this with an in ground pool? You would be scared sh##less wouldn’t you.”

GLENN: “Yep”

MR. THORNTON: “I’ve been living like this for almost two years…”
(Transcribed from tape recording of this conversation)

They agreed to have the installer remove the defective product and reinstall the product correctly to meet building codes. This was finally accomplished in late May of 2010.

I than requested that Lowes reimburse us for the loss of our backyard and swimming pool for the year of 2009. Lowes informed me that my wife told them in 2009 that she was not going to open the pool anyway (they had two witnesses to this statement) and I suffered no loss. They offered $500 dollars because I was a good customer after dictating to me the fine points of "contract law." Note: They also informed me that I could not use the audiotapes of their admission of liability and shabby workmanship because they "did not give me permission to tape them." The tape recordings contain admissions that the product used was questionable, installed improperly, and in violation of State law. They also include the installer stating the gates were junk and breaking at most installations he had done and he was tired of fixing them. I can understand why they would not like to have anyone hear the tapes! As an aside, my wife had paid a local pool company a $50.00 deposit to open the pool and clean the decking in May of 2009, a deposit we lost because the pool could not be opened.

I refused the $500.00 and left the local Lowe’s as I do not intend to allow a company to hide behind "contract law" after the "circus" that occurred at my home.

I intend to seek legal relief and expose the “Lowes Shuffle” for what it really is to would be customers.

We were promised great coordination for a new kitchen and bathroom rennovation because we bought all 25, 000.00 dollars worth of cabinet countertop flooring and installations exclusively from Lowe's. Well they did not deliver to say the least. Counter top parts were missing. The shipper had no contact info for home delivery and the counter tops sat in a warehouse for a week. The flooring contractors made a huge amount of dust with no attempt to countrol it or isolate or exhaust it. They left the ac running so every surface of the house is covered with fine dust as well as the inside of all ac ductwork and ac coil. The first stove had a gash in it. The counter tops were left outside and the driver said he was not authorized to bring them into the house. No person from Lowe's was there to assure quality parts were delivered for the counter topps, however they do come out and check the cabinetry as it's taken out of the box. Kitchen counter tops came with insatllation included. Bathroom counters did not include installation!!! One cabinet that was measured for a counter never had one made for it further delaying the finish of the job. Lowe's has very poor coordination between their sales folks, the contractors, the manufacturs and the shippers. Maybe it's too many players to get things organized. Upon hearing complaints most Lowe's staff were rather indifferent and have zero listening skills. Too many players and too many mistakes to pinpoint what went wrong. Lowe's is lying if they claim they oversee the whole project from start to finish. They are basically a showroom and sales floor. The rest they can't do well. Go to an independent cabinet and countertop company and stay away from Lowe's!!!

I was In Lowes about a week ago. Wanted to buy a swing and went up to a women that worked there named Connie, to ask for help, she and another lady employee was there talking non work related. So I said excuse me can someone help me i have a few questions. An Connie said cant you see i am busy you will have to find someone else to help you. So if you ask me this is poor customer service and i went to home depot and they were happy to help me. So lowes has lost my bussniess due to your employee Connie. I drive all the way to South Ridge when i live in East bank West Virginia. It takes me 25 minutes longer, but i dont care. I dont want to ever deal with someone like her again.

I recently got tired of home depot lack of customer service so i went to lowes my first purchase was a bbq to be assembled for pick up the next day . When i went to pick it up they dumped a box in front of me . so i sait it was supposed to be assembled they said sorry we will have it for you tomorrow morning well i called it was not done i explained the day before that i had to be some where and needed it for a party on sunday and that was the only time i would be home well they promised it would be delivered free the next morning by 7am well 8am i called the store they said there was no time on the delivery strike three the manager went to see if it was done he said it was but there ws a big dent in the front of it . who thinks its ok to deliver a damaged product. they are not even trying to get my business and they wont any more.

I purchased a Sam sung refrigerator on 5/30/10 (Memorial sale).(Sherman, TX) I paid $1, 999.20 on sale. I was told it was in stock. My husband scheduled to pickup the refrigerator and was there on 6/2/10. He was told they only had one left in stock and they were holding it for someone and tried to talk him into waiting. They sold it to us due to stock available and if they didn't have one we would have purchased one on sale at Best Buy.

They offered to refund our money.. However, none of the other stores had theirs on sale. They didn't care and management tried to sale another brand. I purchased the Sam sung for a reason. They told my husband they would let him have the floor model and discounted it due to dents on one side and one on the top of door. The manager told my husband he could only discount $300.00 because of their cost in the refrig. Why would Lowe's accept damaged merchandise from it's vendors. I did "NOT" want the refrig with dents, however, we didn't have a refrig and my husband wasn't going to get the one in stock. I found additional dents on the bottom front door when he brought it home.

I spent a large sum to remodel my kitchen. I didn't purchase a damaged product and didn't want it in my kitchen. I didn't purchase it for a cabin it's for my home. Then when my husband brought it home and I found additional dents in the front door. I'm sick!! Lowe's is acting in "Bad Faith business practice". No integrity... They lied to me and my husband and I have spent thousands of dollars in Lowe's. I have remodeled my home, rental property and this is how they treat me. I don't want a damaged refrigerator, (at any price) I want a new one. I don't want it at a discount...Buyer BEWARE! They will tell you anything to get your purchase and after the sale your on your owe.