This looks very much like a vendor posting reviews about their own product. I am sure Home Depot doesn’t encourage it, but it’s impossible to prevent. The fact that you noticed these reviews and exposed them is a testament to the ability for wise users to ferret out this kind of stuff.

The fact that Home Depot took the time to comment on your blog is very professional. Most companies are completely ignorant of what is written about them in the blogosphere.

Nobody says, “I’m going to THE Home Depot”. Ask anybody. They’ll tell you they’re going to Home Depot, without the THE. Only Home Depot employees, and perhaps even only the corporate and marketing people, say the name like it’s written in those comments.

Awesome find, dude! I would say it is either home depot or the manufacturer doing this… a customer isn’t going to be that concerned about emphasizing they got it at “home depot” over and over…

Well after reading several people’s comments I just had to speak up…I have bought several things from Home Depo ranging from fans to chainsaw and never had any trouble returing anything that was broke and I can say the guys in the Lumber and Commercial service dept have helped me alot with details on building my own retirement home. since doing this myself and being a woman which regardless what women say its hard for anyone to do I have been very happy with the service, products and overall knowlege that these people at my home depo have. sorry everyone isnt as happy.
satisfied in Houston TX.

I’d like to think that a big corporation would be smarter than that, but I guess one can never tell.

oh for crying out loud…are you serious? you got the right name of instigator. now i am wondering if your not just talking out your tail regarding the problems you received at home depo.

Danielle it is quite possible Sarakastic didn’t read all the comments, and maybe you also missed the multiple comments left by Simon Rodrigue of Home Depot, and replies by Ben.

Ben noted a potential problem, Simon investigated and provided lots of information on how things like this are handled.

I think there was great professionalism on both sides. Whilst it is true that Ben has a “good eye for a story”, I have never known him to be malicious or unprofessional.
Having a “good eye for a story” just makes his content unique, and his blog successful.

oh I agree that he sure stired up comments and yes that does make for a sucessful blog. just be aware that when people post something possitive and then get called a fake because of their happy experiences..you better be prepaired for the back lash that might follow…dont dish out what you cant take.

Satisfied customer in houston tx.

This is interesting i stumbled upon this searching through google, I am currently doing a marketing project on this growing issue. I buy on-line probably more than at typical bricks and mortor stores and i have been seeing this for quite some time. Travel sites are notorious for this behavior but it seems that the bad commerce practice is spreading. As had been previously posted by Scott there are even jobs offered such as “Web publicist.” payperpost.com, is a company i came across that sets up random people with on-line companies needing their products positively commented on. scary, but i don’t think it will last too long: http://www.bizreport.com/2007/02/flogs_to_be_banned_in_uk.html

Also, an interesting point of view. Basically claiming where would the laws end..

http://www.intuitive.com/blog/eu_makes_fake_blogs_and_comments_illegal_are_all_bloggers_liable.html

Sounds a little Stepford to me if you know what I mean. I purchased a mop bucket from home depot based on the “comments”. Might wanna think twice next time…glad I stumbled upon your blog today!

Although made by different companies the 3 rugs could all be from the same whole-saler which is supplying homebase and it could be this company which is trying to boost the sales on their products?

That kind of thing annoys me not because of the sneakiness of trying to falsify reviews, but because they can’t even put any effort in. How hard would it have been to make up 3 different stories. A new one for each rug.

Any project/plan can fail if you don’t pay attention to the details…including the under-handed ones it seems

In light of this article there also appears to be some negative publicity regarding Home Depot in my neighborhood involving building supplies.

With the recent housing market plummeting and 50% drop in earning for the 1st quarter, I would say they are in a bit of trouble now..

I agree 100% that the comments are probably from an “imaginary’ source. But I doubt anyone in Home Depot from a management level up did it. I suggest that a store associate might have done it, to make their department look better (at least in their mind). I don’t think a vendor rep would devote the time it takes to do it. But if someone has that kind of time…as you say, it looks fishy, but for better or worse, it caught your attention. And, shifting subjects, Cindy, whose post I am reading, is right too – when you go in a Depot now, see how they have diversified and are selling clothing, candies, sodas (other than from a machine)to keep people coming in. Many sales there are based on the ability of the individuals to create trust and familiarity with their local market, but with the bread and butter housing industry slowed, they are hurting, but with over 350,000 employees and a fortune 15 position, they sure aren’t going to tell you. Plus they own many of the brands they sell, and other brand name products are watered down versions of the manufactured originals. Okay, posted a lot, but whatareyougonnado? They are a big company, and like a celebrity, will always attract positive and negative attention.

As a contractor in the Pottstown, Pa area I must speak up about the Home depot there. I took my clients to the store to pick out kitchen cabinets, Big mistake!!!!!! When the cabinet arrived they were the wrong sizes, missing part, broken cabinets that were glued and sent out to the project. After all of the problem we ask to have one of their managers come out to the project, He did and stated to the owner mother and the other contractor that were there that we will take care of the home owner and we will also take care of the contractor., Well to make it short I’m out $4,000.00 because I believed the Manager his name by the way is Cory in Kitchens and Bath. So If you ever have the chance to do business with that store BE CAREFILL OF WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO AND IF THEY MAKE ANY KIND OF PROMISS GET IT IN WRITTING

With home depot posting poor results, with a poor outlook for 2008, you would think they would work harder on improving their pofile, at present it is falling like a stone

I have been to Home Depot many times and wonder sometimes why I keep going. No one there to help. Once I did get some help and I purchased blinds from them. We had the installer come back 3 times and each time he made a miss of things by not doing what the manager had instructed him to do. In the end after the last muff up, I asked him to leave my home. He refused. I placed his tools on the front step and asked him again to please leave my home. He refused. I made me sign his work order where I quickly recounted he mistakes and he refusal to leave at which point he finally left. The department manager then come in and reinstalled the blinds and repaired the damage but still to this day… two years later… they still are too long for the space… they do not work properly and are in fact had to be removed a few weeks ago and were returned to the manufacturer for repair. At the moment I have no privacy in my home because those $1,200 blinds are not in the window and in for repair.
I have also had bad experiences in with other items purchases or when trying to purchase from the Home Depot. I know shop Rona and speciality shops… much the wiser in Toronto.

I just have to ask after reading these boards. I feel sorry for the employees of home depot. The pay sound to be a tad on the low side. But once you get into decent pay you have to work 55 plus hours. I guess you cannot have a family, life, hobbies or anything else when you have to work that many hours. Do you know that the USA work there employees more hours then ANY country in the “free” world”. That is a fact just research it. I do not understand why someone would want to throw away the best part of there life working so many hours. Have you guys looked into unions? I am not pushing a union or saying it is the best thing. I do know and it is a fact that unuion people tend to make an average of 34% more money. Just something to think about. And no a company cannot fire you for trying to get a unuion. If they do you will become very rich because it is against the law for any company to try to stop you from joining a unuion.. Do as you want it if your future and you only live once. Enjoy it with better wages and benifits.

Click here: Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)

http://phetermine.zblog.ru/

Very true, Mike. I knew a guy who had worked in Home Depot for years throughout school and eventually decided that he wanted to keep working there in higher positions (as opposed to pursuing the “rat race”). He ended up leaving and going to an office job because they required 10-20 fewer hours every week than the Home Depot job, plus the pay was better.

I have worked at Home Depot for a little over a year now. I went there because I had always heard it was a good place to work and they pay better than the competition. I soon came to realize that it probably was that way ‘in the beginning’ but it certainly isn’t true now.

From what I can gather it appears things took a turn for the worse when the founder retired turning over the reins to others who are interested ONLY in the bottom line and their wallets. They really do not give a rat’s patoot about the assiciates who are in the trenches. They, like many other retailers, have cut their staff and expect those who remain to take up the slack with no additional compensation. This is the main reason why a customer may go there and not find anyone to help them. If they do find help then quite often that associate is not fully knowledgable about the product or service.

Please don’t jump to the conclusion that the associate doesn’t care. THD makes big promises in terms of ‘making a career.’ Take training for example. They tout excellent training. But it’s all web-based with cartoon characters talking smack. There is no real-world, hands-on training. You view the tedious session and take a multiple choice quiz then that’s it! You’re thrown to the wolves! They expect you to help cover multiple departments. I work in the hardware department. I quickly found out I had a great deal to learn there and even after 14 months I still find myself stumped. Next door is plumbing where at least 50% of the time there is no or at least inadequate coverage for numerous reasons (someone called in sick, someone quit or was fired and nobody has been hired to replace them, they worked overtime sometime in the past week so they had to leave early to ‘cut’ that overtime, etc etc) so, because of my close proximity to that department, I get asked for help in plumbing; “Excuse me sir, can you help me over here in plumbing”? My stock answer is, “Well, I’m willing to try but I really don’t know much about it”. The worst is someone with the stem out of a faucet that they want to replace. What a sad joke. There are so many variations on things like that and THD can’t begin to stock them all. Add the fact that I have no experience in repairing faucets and you have an extremely frustrating exercise in futility, for both the customer and the associate. Are there people out there with that knowledge who THD could hire? You bet there are. But they didn’t gain that knowledge overnight, it took years. And are they going to share that knowledge and experience while putting up with the corporate mindset and resulting frustrations for $9 an hour? Not for long.

Sorry, just venting. But try to keep all this in mind when you shop anywhere, not just at Home Depot. Working retail is no picnic.