home depot vs lowes which is better
Home Depot Vs. Lowe's - Which is Better?
Home Depot and Lowe's are both prominent American retailers. This Buzzle article takes a comparative look at these home improvement retailing giants and will tell you which one is better among the two.
Did You Know?
As per the analysis done by Bidness Etc, Home Depot performs better than Lowe's during times of economic recovery, but Lowe's performs better during recessions.The Home Depot
- It is an American retail store that deals with construction and home improvement products and services.
- It was founded by Bernard Marcus, Arthur Blank, Ron Brill, and Pat Farrah in 1978.
- It began with an aim to build a massive superstore that dealt with home improvement services.
- As of today, its headquarters are located at the Atlanta Store Support Center, Cobb Country, Georgia, Greater Atlanta.
- Globally, it has stores in the United Kingdom, South America, Mexico, China, and Canada.
Lowe's
- It is also an American retail store dealing with home improvement products and other appliances.
- It was founded in 1921, by an Anglo-American, Lucius S. Lowe.
- The store initially focused on hardware and building materials, and later expanded to car dealings and groceries.
- Its headquarters, as of today, are located in Mooresville, North Carolina.
- Worldwide, it has stores in Canada, Mexico, and Australia.
Products Manufactured by Both Stores
- Home décor: Doors, blinds, window treatments, skylights, awnings, shutters, furniture, shelves, wallpapers, chandeliers, pendants, bulbs, tube lights, indoor, outdoor, commercial, recessed, and flushmount lighting, LED light fixtures, and track lighting.
- Appliances: Refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, heaters, coolers, filters, ceiling and portable fans, fireplace, thermostats, HVAC parts, ventilators, and geysers.
- Bath: Faucets, shower heads, sinks, basins, bath fans, toilets, toilet seats, vanities, cabinets, bathtubs, and saunas.
- Building and Construction: Concrete, cement, masonry, ladders, fencing, roofing, ceilings, fasteners, lumbers, composites, insulation, decks, and sheets.
- Electrical: Electronics, cords, door bells, smoke alarms, switches, motors, and intercoms.
- Flooring: Area rugs, laminate flooring, tiles, carpets, and vinyl flooring.
- Kitchen: Dining and entertainment, water dispensers, filters, sinks, cabinets, crockery, coffee makers, toasters, griller, ovens, blenders, countertops, and kitchen islands.
- Outdoor: Patio furniture, sheds, grill, playhouses, hot tubs, decks, fencing, and railings.
- Paint: Interior and exterior paints, caulking, sealants, brushes, rollers, cans, solvents, cleaners, coatings, primers, sandpapers, and paint samples.
- Plumbing: Pumps, pipes, fittings, faucets, drain openers, and garbage disposal.
- Hardware: Power tools, hand tools, air compressors and other accessories.
- Garden: Mowers, power equipment, planters, pots, flowers, and garden tools.
- Storage: Closets, shelves, garage, storage bins, organizers, tool storage, and work benches.
Factors of Differentiation
| Home Depot | Lowe's |
| Products | |
| Consumers reviewed it to be better for hardware, tools, plumbing, storage, and building and construction materials. | Consumers reviewed it to be better for appliances, gardening stuff, kitchen, heating and cooling materials. |
| Quality | |
| Quality of products is great. Some reviews, though, suggest that lampshades, heaters, etc., may be of a slightly compromised quality. | Quality of products, like garden tools, stepladders, window fashions, kitchen knobs, hangers, lamps, etc., has been reported to be excellent. Other stuff, like plywood, lumber, cinder, etc., are also of a good quality, but it is preferable to buy these at its competitor. |
| Marketing | |
| It has brilliant marketing strategies. In 2008, the company marketed its 'New Low Prices' campaign, which featured discounts in more than 1000 products. In 2009, the slogan, 'More Saving, More Doing', was introduced. It also advertises via email newsletters, clubs, online ads, and DIY workshops, and garden clubs. | It is not far behind in advertising either. One of its supposedly signature moves is to tap the power of women consumers. It keeps coming up with newer strategies, along with using the traditional ones, like television ads, radio, internet, catalogs, campaigns, etc. |
| Customer Service | |
| Reportedly, it has great customer service staff. Most of them are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the product, and the installation services are said to be fairly quick as well. | It seems to have pleasant service staff to handle your queries; however, some reviews say that they are not fully well-versed about the product. But they are trained enough to efficiently market the items, and though you may not get information about the intricate details of your product, the staff there is better equipped to make your experience satisfying. |
| Brands | |
| It caters to brands, like BEHR Paint, Homelite, Sur La Table, Martha Stewart Living, etc. | It caters to brands, like Portfolio, Kobalt, Crosscreek, etc. |
| Credit Card Application | |
| Buying a credit card here will give you convenient buying power. It has special financing offers on each category as well, but there are certain terms and conditions, and you have to confirm all the available offers from the staff every time you buy something, or else you may end up footing a humongous bill. | Here, you have an option to choose 5% off every day, or you can select from two financing offers (on a minimum purchase). It provides consumers with more financial power and flexibility. |
| Prices | |
| It has comparatively low prices. Of course, this also depends on the quality and market share. | Some of its products are slightly expensive, as compared to its competitor. |