I frequent Home Depot OFTEN….and by often I mean 2-3 times a week. A lot of my hobbies include tools and supplies you’d get from a hardware store, but where I’m located I couldn’t even name you a local one within 50 miles. You MIGHT find an Ace, but other than it’s all Home Depot’s.
With that, I have learned the HD return policy is essentially non existent. Tools, equipment, power tools, ANYTHING….they will take it back within 90 days with a receipt OR picture of your receipt. First test of “hey just how hard can I milk this cow?” went as follows: I “purchased” a skillsaw, used it, and went right back in for my return. The associate even joked they saw me using it and had a feeling I’d be back inside when I was done.
Use Home Depot as a rental service you don’t actually pay for. I’ve heard first hand about HORRIBLE mistreatment from corporate towards employees (long hours, aggressive management, understaffed, bullshit policy designed to maximize profit) and you aren’t breaking the law doing this. As long as they are riding off the backs of working class folk, get back as much as you can. There is no legal dilemma to returning an item you no longer need (now if you swap old bulbs in a new bulb box for a return, I’m not saying it’s immoral, but it’s definitely illegal/fraud.)
Lastly, PLEASE take this with a grain of salt, they could very well have policy’s for certain items that will leave you high and dry. Think of this when you need a shop vacuum, a screw driver, that one tool you need now but never again, a ladder, a wheel barrel, ect. Possibly test the waters around you locally before spending $300, their website states “most new, unopened merchandise…” but this is horse shit. I’ve returned plywood with nails in it, however who knows what your local establishment could accept.
p.s: LAST-lastly, if you use something like a shop vac empty your contents before return. Corporate loses out on the $, but it would very likely be an underpaid employee cleaning it.