Do not buy from Lowes! Please don't....For your own good. Here is my experience, which I honestly can't believe until this moment!
Tuesday March 7:
Decided on a dishwasher from Lowe's and submitted payment (add a hose and the fees for hauling away old dishwasher. Delivery is confirmed for Friday, March 10th.
Friday March 10, 8am:
Delivery right on time. The two gentlemen brought in the box to the kitchen and asked if we had the old dishwasher ready. I didn't understand, but I pointed to the old dishwasher which was still in place! This is when they both looked at me surprised and said that the dishwasher needed to be uninstalled (and a plumber would need to connect the new one)! I told them this was not indicated anywhere. But they insisted (understandably) that they just deliver. We asked them to leave the dishwasher and that I'll call Lowe's to see what the issue is.
Friday March 10, 8:32 am:
I call Lowe's customer service, and reach a representative (Myra) and I explain that nowhere on the page where I bought the dishwasher, nor the emails that we received after, was there any mention that we needed to pay (or arrange) for uninstalling old dishwashers and installing new ones. She says sorry this happened but it is known that this is how it is with dishwashers. For the following ~10 minutes we keep going back and forth- she says it should be known, and I reiterate the fact that it is not RIGHT to assume that I know. Certainly not! I know the instructions that I read. this is what I know. After the couple of back and forths, I ask to escalate, and she was OK with submitting an official complaint, but then has to go back and say that it is not their fault. I then told her to please stop saying that- they know certain things, but I most certainly as a customer shouldn't be assumed to know it. This is when she hangs up!
Friday, March 10, 8:49:
I was stunned that I was hung up on. I was not rude, I was not loud; I was just stating facts. and she hung up. My husband wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt and see if maybe the call disconnected, cause it does happen. We waited for about 10 minutes hoping to get a call back (and yes she had the order number and all the phone details were known for her). We didn't hear back, so I called again. Another representative answers and I give her a brief and ask to check the recording to confirm! She apologized on her colleague's behalf and confirmed that the complaint has actually been submitted and a manager would be calling within 4 hours. This is when I asked for them not to call back on my phone (I knew I wouldn't be able to answer), and made sure they would call my husband's phone. She made a note of that (I think) and said to wait for the call.
Friday, March 10, 1:20pm:
Of course, who do they call?! My phone! And I only see the missed call. I called my husband to see if maybe they reached out to him after, but he says no.
Friday, March 10, 3:57pm:
I call them back and again ask for them to have the call back made to my husband's phone. I didn't expect anyone to call on Friday again, but made sure it was still not to my phone.
Monday, March 13, 10:35 am:
I call back to see what the status is and I'm told that someone did call later on Friday (I didn't get any missed calls nor did I get a voicemail for that one). they said it was on my phone! Again! At that point, I asked the representative to completely delete my number and just have my husband's, since following simple instructions seemed to be an issue. She confirmed and said that someone would call tomorrow (Tuesday). I told her that this couldn't wait any longer and that I needed to speak to someone today. She put me on a hold to check and then came back to tell me someone was available to speak.
I got on the phone with one of the escalation managers and reiterate the issue. Nathan said he could connect me with the installation team and they would give me a quote which could change once the installation takes place. After hearing him out, I was still a bit confused, so asked him if we will be expected to pay for the installation? and he answered yes! This is when I told him no..I will not be paying for the installation. Had I known about this before buying I would've been OK. Just like they clearly highlighted that we needed to buy a certain hose, and we needed to buy for hauling away the old dishwasher, I expected them to tell me that I needed to pay for installation! He said this cannot be waived. I told him then I certainly don't want to keep the dishwasher and I want to return it, and this is when Nathan says we are passed the 48-hour return policy! I was stunned. This was coming from a manager at LOWES. not some random store in the middle of nowhere. LOWES! I told him I didn't want anything from Lowes at my house and needed to return the dishwasher (which was not opened of course!). And he still said that was policy and nothing could be done.
Just a few points:
we went back to the website, and ran a random transaction for a dishwasher to see if perhaps I had missed something. Nowhere does it mention that we needed to pay for installation? If it was, we would have def. paid- cause why wouldn't we!? We went back to the email confirmations received, and the vid walkthrough of how to make sure the installation and delivery are a seamless process. NOTHING! the vid even confirms that the delivery people are responsible for installation and CHECKING that the appliance is working. there are no disclaimers that perhaps said "dishwashers are different".
So now they do not want to pay for their mistake and they do not want me to return the appliance because we are past the 48-hour mark (noting again that the delays in getting the phone call back were because of their incompetence in taking simple phone instructions / following them).
I really hope no one buys from Lowe's anything. I will be posting this everywhere I can to be sure to warn anyone. My friends were the first!