C-19 strikes Home Depot!

[Mark Daily]

Yesterday I went to my local HD to get some parts to fix a leaky water pipe. I was shocked to see people lined up at the main entrance waiting to get inside. It turns out they were told to limit the number of customers by square footage. In this case they were limited to 150.

The employee at the front door was counting and apparently was communicating with somebody who was telling her when customers left the store.

I waited for about 10 minutes to get inside- normally I could’ve been in and out in that time.

Anybody else seeing something similar?

[Mike Kreinhop]

This has been common place for large businesses in my area of Germany for quite a while. Stores are requiring all shoppers to use the store shopping carts, as this forces separation in the checkout lines. Store employees serving as gatekeepers provide freshly sanitized carts to the shoppers as they enter or queue.

[Steve Schlumpf]

They are doing the same thing here with Meijers and Walmart. Wouldn't be surprised if Menards starts doing the same thing.

[Adam Grund]

Yeah here in northeast Ohio the depot near work will be doing it shortly, they already had the signs up yesterday. Luckily I work right next to Depot and Walmart, and can see the parking lots- and work is dead- so if I need to go to either I can watch and go at less busy times

[Mel Fulks]

If there are too many people in the plumbing aisle ,you are directed to the garden hoses

[Kev Williams]

If there are too many people in the plumbing aisle ,you are directed the garden hoses... ... for a beating...

Sorry, trying to be funny... ;)

Had a customer Friday tell me he drove to a place 30 miles away to get something he was going to get a Harbor Freight, he said it was faster than waiting, as they were only letting like 5 people in the store at a time, when one came out, one went in...

[Rod Sheridan]

Yesterday at I went to HD, the lineup was a couple hundred long, spaced 2m apart.

The person near the front had waited more than an hour, I went home.

[Stephen Tashiro]

Anybody else seeing something similar?

Yes, saw the same procedure enforced at Lowes Hardware yesterday.

Big hardware stores usually have a section of household products. Did your Home Depot have paper towels?

[Mike Soaper]

It seems Home Depot is offering free delivery of online orders over $45.

[Mark Bolton]

This was released corporate the other day along with reduced store hours to allow for full sanitization at the end of the day. I want to say HD was closing at like 630pm. Lowes has done similarly but less aggressively. Slight reduction in hours and this morning I had to swing by on the way to the shop and it was on full lockdown protocol, one entrance, one exit, and there were several local health department officials inside in full uniform, walkie talkies, etc.. (oddly they were unmasked).

I think everyone is feeling like this is apex month.

[Andrew Joiner]

I'm betting soon the stores will require face coverings or masks be worn to enter. With the latest news the store employees will want it that way.

[Mark Bolton]

... for a beating...

Sorry, trying to be funny... ;)

Had a customer Friday tell me he drove to a place 30 miles away to get something he was going to get a Harbor Freight,

My guess is Covid19 can likely survive for a year or two in whatever it is that causes the stink in that place. Im guessing every container that comes into the U.S. from this point on has a potential to have a few creepy crawlies impregnated in the cargo/cardboard/stink.

[Jim Becker]

This is normal for box stores that are open as essential businesses and an important step to help shoppers get what they need and still have the opportunity for proper social distancing. Hopefully, they are also enforcing the same on the folks in line waiting...

[Brian Elfert]

It seems Home Depot is offering free delivery of online orders over $45.

Home Depot has offered free shipping at $45 for years on their website. It doesn't help if you need lumber or sheet goods.

A small lumberyard I go to is now offering free delivery to try to keep sales going.

[Grant Wilkinson]

In Ontario, Canada, effective this past saturday, HD is restricted to offering curb side pickup or delivery. Same deal with auto parts stores and pet stores.

[Brian Elfert]

I was at home Depot yesterday around 10 am and no line to get in at all. They were set up to have a line including a number of canopies to shield from the weather.

[lowell holmes]

I went to Whataburger and bought three burgers with no issue, the attendant had a mask on. I paid with cash.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Last week, employee of local Lowes tested positive. Unfortunately because of privacy laws, store couldn't tell customers when he/she worked (only his last day,) or in what department. We're trying to limit shopping to once every other week.

[Rod Sheridan]

In Ontario, Canada, effective this past saturday, HD is restricted to offering curb side pickup or delivery. Same deal with auto parts stores and pet stores.

Hi Grant, I tried the order on line bit however I needed the sheet of melamine cut in half. There’s no field in the online order for special instructions or comments so I called the 1-800 number, and waited for half an hour and then hung up.

I then tried texting them on Sunday, received a response Monday, apparently I could place the order on line then phone the store with special instructions.

Tried phoning the store, lines are busy, don’t need that material that much. What a lousy system.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Rod: I've not needed to test my local HD's system, thankfully. I'm sure that they were caught off guard by Ford's new rules. The grocery stores here, at least, have had curb pickup for years, so other than increased demand, they are seeing nothing new. Stores like HD and Canadian Tire are going to need time to get into the game. Since, for many items, their websites aren't worth a damn, they will have a long hard road, I think.

[Myk Rian]

..
Anybody else seeing something similar?
Not uncommon. Don't you listen to or read the news?

[bill epstein]

Lowe's today was a case study in cashier protection. Very well done with screen doors fitted with plexiglass sheets between the back-to-back cashier stations and sneeze guards between cashiers and customers with just an opening for payment. The cashiers were not bagging.

From yesterday at the grocery with a few customers masked to today, most customers were masked.

It's sinking in even with very few reported cases in Western North Carolina. As you'd expect here, everyone is very respectful of the distancing etiquette. It's not just about Mt. Biking and Beer in WNC, my adopted home.

I sure miss spending time with my darling granddaughter
429714

[David Cramer]

Mine started almost a week ago in Macomb, Michigan. Per the Fire Marshall, it's only 50 people in the store at a time here, not 150.

[Michael Weber]

My son is currently working 50 hours a week at HD. I worry a lot. Glad to hear they are at least taking it serious.

[Bill Dufour]

Three HD's within 5 miles of my home. The one in the nicer part of town has limits on customers. The other two do not.
Bil lD