# Lowes Pellet Buying Nightmare



## jrsdws (Feb 28, 2012)

I found that a local Lowes was carrying Somersets and had 10 ton stuffed away in the racks in the garden center.  I've always kept an eye on prices at this store because they're the only Lowes around me to even carry pellets and the only box store to compete with Menards.  They've had Somersets for over a year now.  Until recently, though, their prices have been outrageous at $5.97/bag.  

The price is now $3.99/bag and I have some 10% off coupons so I decided it was time to work on my stash.  I cleaned out my work car and stopped there after work for 25 bags.  They thought I was freakin nuts just for asking for 25 bags  They keep some out in the exit foyer and the bags are usually all torn up with pellets all over the floor.  When they directed me to them I refused them and told them I wanted a new pallet from the garden center.  They seriously had no idea what to do!!  They acted like they didn't even know they had them.  So after much waiting around for them to call the right people, etc., some dude comes rolling up on a lift with an old dust uncovered pallet of Somersets...leaving a trail of pellets behind him...many bags with such large holes you could see the large wet, gooey clumps of pellets hanging out.  I refused them also and asked that one of the new pallets from the garden center be brought down.  Again...they act like I'm some insane crazy man.

Finally after about a total of 45 minutes of waiting and refusing crappy pellets, they finally brought around a pallet that was still wrapped and bagged....pellet trail left behind from the bags being forked.  I got my 25 good bags...loaded into my Ford Fusion...(pellet pig wannabe) and this crazy SOB finally got out of Lowes hair.  Upon closing my trunk and rear doors I told them to pull more pallets out because I'd be coming back for more!!

All said, I wasted almost an hour but got a half ton of Somersets for $3.59/bag.  I've got more 10% off coupons and I'm gonna use em'!!


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## gbreda (Feb 29, 2012)

So mister customer that pays my salary, let me get this straight.

You want 25 bags of heat making fuel in Illinois?
AND you want bags without holes in them?
AND you want bags that dont have hard clumps in them?
AND you dont want the bag heaped in a pile that has been run over by every idiot with a cart?
AND you want me to get that big-scary-heavy pallet down from way up there?

WHAT ARE YOU? SOME KIND OF CRAZY PERSON   ???    :bug:

Good score, now get the rest before some other Pellet Piggie gets there


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## missrobo (Feb 29, 2012)

you got 25 bags in a ford fusion?


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## PA_Clinker (Feb 29, 2012)

This is an OUTRAGE! Take the clumps you peasant. %-P J/K 

Congrats, get what you PAY for, and nothing less.


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## jrsdws (Feb 29, 2012)

missrobo said:
			
		

> you got 25 bags in a ford fusion?



Uh huh...temporary lowrider.  It's a company car...I drive it like a stole it and use it for everything I can.  It's their gas


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## etiger2007 (Feb 29, 2012)

I dont burn pellets but I dont blame you one bit, we pay huge money for wood stoves and pellets stoves and the fuel we put in them, If I would have seen those pellets hitting the ground as some kid brought them to me I would be seeing money hit the floor.  Good for you.


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## naehring2000 (Feb 29, 2012)

In my neck of the woods they began this year selling individual bags for more than they would be if you bought a ton, no big surprise, lots of places do this. However because of this a ton of pellets is what they refer to as a "contractor pack" now and they denied my usage of my 10% off coupon! I told them nevermind, and that this coupon was just as good at Home Deeper and they assured me that Home Deeper also calls a ton a "contractor pack" and would most likely turn down my coupon. I drive over to HD (almost right across the street), explained my story to the garden center manager and she was MORE than happy to discount me the whole ton. 

I'm pretty much done with Lowes now, they are more expensive on most all items and after that escapade, as long as HD continues to accept competitor coupons, I will shop there.

But yes JRS welcome to big box store pellet buying, the good thing is, if I have a couple ruined bags at the end of the season, I have never had an issue returning them for credit. Even if it was my fault.


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## jrsdws (Feb 29, 2012)

This Lowes doesn't do the "contractor pack" on a ton of pellets...it's just flat out $3.99/bag.  I was fully expecting them to give me crap about the coupon but not at all.  I'm with you on pretty much all of these places, but have gotten great customer service at HD overall.  I'll still stick Lowes with multiple 10% coupons, though, and build my stash.  :coolgrin:


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## subsailor (Feb 29, 2012)

My problem is the local HD sells crap for pellets: Stove Chow and Fireside Ultra. Fortunately I've been able to buy MWP's for $219 delivered.


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## naehring2000 (Feb 29, 2012)

subsailor said:
			
		

> My problem is the local HD sells crap for pellets: Stove Chow and Fireside Ultra. Fortunately I've been able to buy MWP's for $219 delivered.



MY HD had MWP at the begining of the season this year. Now they have Fireside ultras which I will never buy again. I'm hoping with the new Oakanagan bagging plant in upton, ma that we may see some oakies at either HD or Lowes.... I'm praying anyways.


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## DV (Feb 29, 2012)

I stopped by home dee pot today and asked if they had pellets. First guy says " whats that?" so he asks another guy and he says " no " So I leave out the side entrance and drive by 3 pallets of stove chow. Pretty hideous.


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## naehring2000 (Feb 29, 2012)

DV said:
			
		

> I stopped by home dee pot today and asked if they had pellets. First guy says " whats that?" so he asks another guy and he says " no " So I leave out the side entrance and drive by 3 pallets of stove chow. Pretty hideous.


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## osagebow (Feb 29, 2012)

Way to stick to your guns - had a similar incident last year, went to TSC and got hooked up.

"Contractor pack?" What would a contractor use freakin' wood pellets for ?
 :lol:


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## DV (Feb 29, 2012)

osagebow said:
			
		

> Way to stick to your guns - had a similar incident last year, went to TSC and got hooked up.
> 
> "Contractor pack?" What would a contractor use freakin' wood pellets for ?
> :lol:


 Thats a great question? Hard to mix em up and pour a patio.


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## DexterDay (Feb 29, 2012)

Nice.... Thats 5 more than I ever carried in my 11 Focus. 

Way to stick your guns bro... No sense in paying for junk, when the other stuff (dry and holeless) is the same price..

Good score.


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## VTrider (Feb 29, 2012)

I think all of us pellet piggies are living large scooping up deals like this at the big box stores, there will come a day when the rest of society will catch on and then the party will be over - hopefully we will all be burning the next latest and greatest bio-fuel at that point - and still be piggies of a different sort.  I thoroughly enjoyed my latest pellet pig raid at the local home depot, when some silly yard manager decided to sell 'all' of their pellets for $3.90/bag!, probably to make room for Spring garden supplies.


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## naehring2000 (Feb 29, 2012)

VTrider said:
			
		

> I think all of us pellet piggies are living large scooping up deals like this at the big box stores, there will come a day when the rest of society will catch on and then the party will be over - hopefully we will all be burning the next latest and greatest bio-fuel at that point - and still be piggies of a different sort.  I thoroughly enjoyed my latest pellet pig raid at the local home depot, when some silly yard manager decided to sell 'all' of their pellets for $3.90/bag!, probably to make room for Spring garden supplies.



And for now, I take full advantage! First ton I bought in August I paid $3.56 a bag! with a 10% off coupon it came to $178 for the ton.


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## ScotL (Feb 29, 2012)

When some unsuspecting customer buys those ruined pellets and has problems with them, the store will charge back the manufacturer for them. Even worse, if the customer has smoke issues with their stove - because if they didn't know enough not to buy wet pellets, they might just try to burn them - the store will then expect the manufacturer to insure the store against damages.


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## Weird tolkienish figure (Feb 29, 2012)

osagebow said:
			
		

> Way to stick to your guns - had a similar incident last year, went to TSC and got hooked up.
> 
> "Contractor pack?" What would a contractor use freakin' wood pellets for ?
> :lol:



Pellets make good concrete filler. ;-) 

Hd around here are flat out of pellets, the hd near the liberty tree mall in Danvers had fireside ultras. I know they're an ashy pellet but whatever, better than nothing. Think I'll start hitting lowes for pellets. Met a "pellet pig" last night stocking up on like 20 bags of ultras.


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## SXIPro (Feb 29, 2012)

I thought I was pushing it carrying 1.3 tons of Okies in my 1/2 ton Dodge.

25 bags in a Fusion??? I bow down to thee, oh great one.


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## mfglickman (Feb 29, 2012)

jrsdws said:
			
		

> This Lowes doesn't do the "contractor pack" on a ton of pellets...it's just flat out $3.99/bag.  I was fully expecting them to give me crap about the coupon but not at all.  I'm with you on pretty much all of these places, but have gotten great customer service at HD overall.  I'll still stick Lowes with multiple 10% coupons, though, and build my stash.  :coolgrin:




I am jealous of y'all finding ANY pellets for $3.99/bag. Lowe's here has North American for $5.XX/bag, HD does not seem to have any at all, and the mom and pop shops charge $6/bag no matter the brand...


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## saladdin (Feb 29, 2012)

jrsdws said:
			
		

> I found that a local Lowes was carrying Somersets and had 10 ton stuffed away in the racks in the garden center.  I've always kept an eye on prices at this store because they're the only Lowes around me to even carry pellets and the only box store to compete with Menards.  They've had Somersets for over a year now.  Until recently, though, their prices have been outrageous at $5.97/bag.
> 
> The price is now $3.99/bag and I have some 10% off coupons so I decided it was time to work on my stash.  I cleaned out my work car and stopped there after work for 25 bags.  They thought I was freakin nuts just for asking for 25 bags  They keep some out in the exit foyer and the bags are usually all torn up with pellets all over the floor.  When they directed me to them I refused them and told them I wanted a new pallet from the garden center.  They seriously had no idea what to do!!  They acted like they didn't even know they had them.  So after much waiting around for them to call the right people, etc., some dude comes rolling up on a lift with an old dust uncovered pallet of Somersets...leaving a trail of pellets behind him...many bags with such large holes you could see the large wet, gooey clumps of pellets hanging out.  I refused them also and asked that one of the new pallets from the garden center be brought down.  Again...they act like I'm some insane crazy man.
> 
> ...



I wonder if you get the SKU, order them online thru ShopDiscover you could get 5% cash back on top of that.


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## Waterbug (Mar 1, 2012)

Lowes in Traverse City, Michigan has the Somersets for $3.85 a bag. (no price break for a ton).  The Lowes in Gaylord 50 miles away has PrestoLog pellets for the same price.  Bought a ton of Somersets and a 1/2 ton of the PrestoLogs, since I've never burned them before.  Didn't have any issues at either store.  I'll probably buy another ton of the Somersets, if they still have them the next time I go to town.  They had 16 tons in stock several days ago.


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## KINGOFTHENORTH (Mar 1, 2012)

Our Lowes has crap for almost six bucks a bag.Nice score! ;-)


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## Eatonpcat (Mar 1, 2012)

KINGOFTHENORTH said:
			
		

> Our Lowes has crap for almost six bucks a bag.Nice score! ;-)



Don't ever buy at $6.00/bag, I will sell you all the crap you want for $2.00/bag...My dog will provide the fuel


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## rkshed (Mar 1, 2012)

Remember to use your military discount (if active or retired) at Lowes or HD.
Both stores are staffed by slack jawed troglodites but 10% off is worth the hassle.


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## bcb1 (Mar 1, 2012)

Lowes and HD are just like any other big box store.  They vary tremendously from town to town, depending on the management and quality of workers.  To say that all Lowes suck (or all Home Depots, or Best Buy, or Petsmart, or whatever) is a bit unfair.  And they change from year to year.  Our Lowes started out as a smaller store when it was first built in the early 90's, and relocated to a huge stand-alone location several years later.  Service has been up and down.  One time I remember buying a load of plywood (or was it drywall?) and I literally could not get anyone to help me load it into my truck, even after asking several times.  Terrible service.  But in the past couple years, I've seen a big improvement in their customer service.  Probably something to do with the Home Depot that opened about 15 miles down the road 

I do try to always deal local when I can, though - for plumbing, electrical, auto parts, I use local businesses.  Same for my John Deere and Honda parts and service, I always use my local JD dealer.  That's just more of a personal thing though, I've always liked supporting local businesses, farmers markets, etc whenever it's possible.


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## The Other One (Mar 1, 2012)

Damn, I never think to use those 10% coupons when I buy the pellets!  I will be stocking up for next winter as soon as my tax check comes in!  Now they will be $180 a ton or $3.60 a bag


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## save$ (Mar 1, 2012)

bcb1 said:
			
		

> Lowes and HD are just like any other big box store.  They vary tremendously from town to town, depending on the management and quality of workers.  To say that all Lowes suck (or all Home Depots, or Best Buy, or Petsmart, or whatever) is a bit unfair.  And they change from year to year.  Our Lowes started out as a smaller store when it was first built in the early 90's, and relocated to a huge stand-alone location several years later.  Service has been up and down.  One time I remember buying a load of plywood (or was it drywall?) and I literally could not get anyone to help me load it into my truck, even after asking several times.  Terrible service.  But in the past couple years, I've seen a big improvement in their customer service.  Probably something to do with the Home Depot that opened about 15 miles down the road
> 
> I do try to always deal local when I can, though - for plumbing, electrical, auto parts, I use local businesses.  Same for my John Deere and Honda parts and service, I always use my local JD dealer.  That's just more of a personal thing though, I've always liked supporting local businesses, farmers markets, etc whenever it's possible.



Very much agree, but if allowed, would like to also state that those workers in the big box stores are also you neighbors, and they too are buying things and paying taxes.  Also, that big box store is getting taxed at amounts that would scare most of us. Also,  I know our local Walmart is always making donations to community functions.  What I don't know, is do the box stores offer employee benefits.  I don't know of any of the Mom and Pop stores here that offer any benefits beyond an employee discount.     One store was allowing free meals for his employees,  but when the state got wind of that, that benefit had to come to an end.   Same thing happened with gift certificates.   The state insisted they be included as wages so taxes could be collected on the value.


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## ScotL (Mar 1, 2012)

save$ said:
			
		

> bcb1 said:
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I remember hearing about that. The owner of some Subway stores in Maine was being charged for back taxes on free meals he provided to his employees. This was about 5 years ago. Not good publicity for bureaucracy in Maine but when is it ever (good that is). That old saying may be true in Maine: "No good deed goes unpunished."


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## Panhandler (Mar 1, 2012)

rkshed said:
			
		

> Remember to use your military discount (if active or retired) at Lowes or HD.
> Both stores are staffed by slack jawed troglodites but 10% off is worth the hassle.



Some HDs no longer honor the military discount. Best to check first.


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## will711 (Mar 1, 2012)

save$ said:
			
		

> bcb1 said:
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To answer your ?? do big box stores offer benefits, yes they do. I worked part time at HD a few years ago and had holiday pay vacation pay and if I need retirement plan, insurance ect... I thought this was pretty cool for a part timer, usually all you get is a pay check.

I stopped buying pellets at the big boxes as most newbies are finding out they stop carrying pellets in Feb. out come the lawn mowers grass seed ... I buy from the local stove shop = sometimes better prices than big box, quality pellet locally produced and they help me load them on my truck. It works for me


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## Hitch (Mar 1, 2012)

DV said:
			
		

> I stopped by home dee pot today and asked if they had pellets. First guy says " whats that?" so he asks another guy and he says " no " So I leave out the side entrance and drive by 3 pallets of stove chow. Pretty hideous.



I went to HD one day this past fall in search of pellets.  I asked two workers there if they could direct me to the wood pellets.  The first guy looked puzzled and the other guy said follow me.  I followed him down one aisle and he pointed at some biscuits for wood working.  

Those would be some expensive, auger jamming "pellets".


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## save$ (Mar 1, 2012)

The regular man in the dept that sells pellets at Lowes, Augusta Me told. Me they carried pellets all last year and intend to keep them in stock all of this year.  At least one of those brands is from a local plant,  Maine Choice.   I could get those and use my veteran's discount, but I still prefer MWP from SIB.


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## Pellet-King (Mar 1, 2012)

mfglickman said:
			
		

> jrsdws said:
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Dude look where he's from Illinois, that and Ohio are giving away everything cause it's a almost poverty level for most people living out there, record no job's and half the houses are foreclosed


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## Waterbug (Mar 2, 2012)

Pellet-King said:
			
		

> mfglickman said:
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DUDE your stereotyping.  You're from Ct where all the Wall Street fat cats live.  Sorry !! Just had to throw that back at you. I realize that Ohio and Illinois are fly-over country, but we aren't all destitute.


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## Pellet-King (Mar 2, 2012)

I forgot to add Michigan is even poorer than Illinois!!, messin with ya!, hope all you guys with the good deals all the best luck and wealth in the future!!


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## Waterbug (Mar 2, 2012)

Pellet-King said:
			
		

> I forgot to add Michigan is even poorer than Illinois!!, messin with ya!, hope all you guys with the good deals all the best luck and wealth in the future!!


That's OK.  Some day fresh water will be selling for $10 a gallon.  We'll build a big dam at the east end of Lake Erie and you'll come beggin' us.


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## DexterDay (Mar 2, 2012)

Pellet-King said:
			
		

> I forgot to add Michigan is even poorer than Illinois!!, messin with ya!, hope all you guys with the good deals all the best luck and wealth in the future!!



Ohio. Home of the $175/ ton Somersets 

Not all of us are broke..... At least the ones who have a little, seems like its a lot. ;-P


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## StuckInTheMuck (Mar 2, 2012)

Panhandler said:
			
		

> rkshed said:
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This article points out some of the  issues with the discount..  http://paycheck-chronicles.military.com/2012/01/22/lowes-and-home-depot-revisited/


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## 1Dtml (Mar 2, 2012)

Wow, I guess we are all kind of hurting, no?

But I'm an optimist, for at least the governments' are letting us use some of their money, no?

Pellets or food, hmm me likey pellets, for its good for my diet plan.  ;-P 

1D


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