Reader Scott really wanted to give Lowe’s some money to install a new door in his house, but, sadly they were just too incompetent to actually do it. After a month and a half of incorrect orders, botched installations, and having to cancel his credit card because an employee from Lowe’s called him up to ask for his mother’s maiden name, Scott finally got a refund and vowed never to do business with Lowe’s again.

I have just recently put this nightmare to a close, but I thought I would share with you my story. After all, I used your site to get to the Executive Customer Service of Lowe’s before I finally got any resolution.

It all started when I visited Lowe’s of Roeland Park, KS back in May. Our house needed a new door and I knew they sold Pella doors and windows and did the installation as well. Off I went in May to get a new door and was told they would come out and measure the door and inspect the frame so they could verify the dimensions and estimate the installation costs all for just $35 which would be deducted from my purchase.

June 1st arrives and I go back to the store to purchase the door and setup installation. The salesperson I spoke to was confused, mainly because all the customers in the store kept asking him where other things were. After a few minutes and a few “no, that’s the wrong door” comments, I believed we had a door and installation setup. The door had to be custom ordered and I was told I would get a call back to schedule the installation within a few days.

That same day the Installation Team called to say that our door was ordered and it should be in “ready for pickup” within a few weeks. I just expected they didn’t read it was for an installation and let it slide. Sometime later, the installer calls to say he can install it on the 24th.

Install day arrives and the installer takes off our old door and then realizes the new door is the wrong size and was ordered incorrectly. He happily places our old door back in place and tells us they will need to reorder the correct door and that it will take another 3 to 4 weeks. So much for the $35 fee for them to measure for the right size when the salespeople can’t pay attention.

In the meantime, my credit card statement arrives and I notice another charge from Lowe’s for $960. They ordered the second door on my credit card without my authorization and without refunding me for the first door. I call the store and speak to a manager who claims he will call me back in 15 minutes. Three hours later and no call, I call him back and he passes me off to someone else who says they “will personally look into it”. Of course, that manager tells me to call back in 30 minutes and when I do I was told he went to lunch 30 minutes ago. So I speak to a third manager who tells me that the normal process for this type of issue is to do a refund and reorder, but they didn’t process the refund. He assures me that come Monday I will hear from someone regarding the issue. Although not very happy, I still need a door so I wait for a call.

I then get a call from a Customer Service rep who insists they refunded me the original door and that I need to check with my credit card company. I insist that since she is the merchant, they can call and do the same and that I have already verified they have not. Ten minutes later I get another call from “Jessica” who as it turns out is the only helpful person at this entire store. She said she would call the credit card company and look into it. However when she calls back she informs me that another manager gave her my credit card number and wants the first 4 letters of my mother’s maiden name just so she can contact them. At this point I contacted Executive Customer Service with the issue.

Two days later and no word from Lowe’s, I cancel my credit card because they obviously are giving it out to anyone that asks. Executive Customer Service states they will get to the bottom of it, which they do to some extent but the new door won’t be here until July 24th. Since I need a new door, I wait. I explain to them what a pain it has been to find someone with any knowledge of how things work in their store and how dissatisfied I am with their responses. They offer an apology and to try and get the door in faster and refund the original incorrect door to my credit card.

Monday of last week and yet another person from Lowe’s calls to say that he doesn’t know the whole story, but he’ll check into it and get back to me. Apparently he was the manager of the store and the phone was unavailable for 3 days. Executive Customer Service calls me yet again to assure me the door is being built. However, another person from the store calls to say she will personally see my door arrives on 7/24 and that it is a “product variance”.

At this point, I’m tired of speaking with people about it and a complete lack of communication between anyone at Lowe’s. I call her to ask what a “product variance” is and she isn’t sure. Not wanting a rushed door and a company so incompetent to install it I finally cancel it and tell them they can keep their “product variance” and issue me a full refund including the new door, the $390 in installation costs, the $35 fee for “measuring” and the materials. She then offers me a discount, which is basically an insult at this point. Where was the discount for jerking me around for a month and a half? I explain that I refuse to do business with them and request the refund, to which she hands off to another person.

Sure enough all of it but the materials are refunded a few days later and a last call to get the materials refunded and all is done. I call Executive Customer Service one last time to say I’ve cancelled the order and that they need not call back because I won’t be doing business with Lowe’s ever again.

We’re happy you were able to get a refund, and let’s face it — you’re probably better off shopping around a little to see if there’s a local company that’s more competent than that particular Lowe’s location. As a wise man once told me, “You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em. Know when to walk away, and know when to run.” Here’s a handy flowchart that illustrates this important concept.

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