Home Depot vs. Lowes Online Review

Shopping for home improvement items is more entertaining than in the past. In the old days, all we had were hardware stores: small, quiet, boring places that didn't always have what we needed and that couldn't hold our attention for much longer than the time it took to grab what we needed and make a quick exit. A trip to the hardware store was something to avoid- an activity in which to partake only if something essential was desperately needed.   

Times have changed. Today, there is a new type of store that has made the hardware store obsolete. These stores have much more than hammers, nails, screwdrivers, and a few power tools. These stores have all of this and much more, including doors, windows, appliances, a garden center, lighting, cabinets, etc., etc. I am talking, of course, about home improvement retailers and two biggest players in this game are Lowe's and Home Depot. These home improvement operations offer huge retail outlets than can be found all across America. They also offer online shopping, with the ability to order what you want and have it delivered or, in some instances, order what you like and then pick it up at a local store. Both online stores have something to offer, but is one clearly superior to the other? Let's take a look:

What Do These Web Services Offer?:

Lowes.com and Homedepot.com are both known as home improvement superstores, just like the retail stores they represent. These two online stores offer products and services in areas such as:

• Appliances
• Indoors
• Bath
• Building Materials
• Electronics
• Flooring
• Kitchen
• Lighting
• Lawn & Garden
• Paint
• Storage
• Tools/Hardware

How are These Web Services Similar?:

Judging the Lowes.com and Homedepot.com reveals more similarities than anything. Both services offer thousands of products for sale; both can be personalized by entering your zip code to search for goods at your local Lowes or Home Depot stores; both offer free shipping on orders that are greater than a defined amount (presently, the threshold for free shipping is $49, but this could change at any time); and both offer a free newsletter update, delivered to your e-mail inbox, showing special offers and other promotions offered at the time.

Many people worry about setting up online accounts with their personal information stored on- line. With both Home Depot and Lowes online stores, there is no need to setup an account to complete an order. You can proceed through the check- out at Lowes.com or Homedepot.com without setting up an account, making it a good choice for those who want to complete their order quickly and/or those who are wary about inputting personal data and storing it in web site. No credit card info is stored, provided added peace of mind.

How are These Web Services Different?:

Lowes and Home Depot online are slightly different in their setup and search functions. Home Depot has more visible links, and this can make it easier to find what you want in a shorter period of time. Lowes, in contrast, has broader search categories that must be narrowed down further to find what you want. Home Depot also has a more efficient search function.

With shipping, Lowes offers shipping via UPS, USPS. Lowes also offers shipping through Lowes itself, or through store pickup. Home Depot offers Fedex and UPS, and Home Depot will deliver items itself. But Homedepot.com doesn't offer an in- store delivery option. If you want to pick up something directly from a Home Depot store, then you must visit a store in person and shop in the traditional manner.

Another key difference between Home Depot and Lowes online is the use of gift cards. With Lowes.com, customers can pay for their purchase using a gift card. With Homedepot.com, gift card holders must visit a Home Depot store directly, to use a gift card.  

Home Depot returns cannot be made to a local Home Depot store. They must be made via the mail. With Lowes.com, returns can be made directly to your local Lowes Home Improvement Store. There is no need to repackage and ship the defective product through the mail.

Bottom Line Viewpoint:

This comparison review is strictly between the online web services for Lowes and Home Depot. It is not a comparison between the actual stores. If I was comparing the actual stores, I would probably give the nod to Home Depot. I am more familiar with Home Depot and with the exception of appliances, I have had better luck finding what I want when I visit a Home Depot store.

Judging the web sites, however, reveals some key differences that cannot be overlooked. Starting with the web site itself, Home Depot has a slightly more intuitive design and the layout of the main page makes it easy to find what you want in reasonable time. Lowes online store requires a few more clicks, but some people will like Lowes.com better because the home page (and other pages) is cleaner, with fewer ads and fewer links. Still, if I had to rate based on first impressions and searchability, Homedepot.com would win the battle in this area.  

Both Home Depot and Lowes online have high shipping charges on some items and this fact needs to be strongly considered before placing an order. If there is no way to get free shipping on your order, you will probably be better off, in many instances, if you shop at an actual store. A good example would be things like lawn fertilizer and mulch. These items are generally inexpensive, but they are heavy and added weight translates into high shipping costs. There is a good chance that the shipping charge will be greater than the cost of the item itself, making the online shopping method impractical. These high shipping costs are about equal in both sites. They can be high, but they can also be free depending on what you order and how much you spend. However, there is one key factor that gives Lowes.com the edge in the shipping category: Lowes.com offers the option to shop, order, and pick up your order at a Lowes.com store. Homedepot.com offers no such option.

With returns, Lowes.com is also superior. If you don't like what you received or it's defective, you can return your item directly to a Lowes physical location store. With Home Depot, this is not an option. The item must be returned via mail (with a few exceptions). This added in- store return convenience makes Lowes.com the better choice in this area.

Yet another key difference between Home Depot and Lowes online is the use of gift cards to make payments. Home Depot does not allow gift cards to be used to pay for online purchases. Lowes online does allow them and encourages their use. So, again, Lowes.com scores more points than Homedepot.com in this respect.

And the Winner is.....

Home Depot has slightly more products for sale in its online site, a more intuitive web site, and a better search function. Prices are about the same in both online stores and both offer free shipping at the same price threshold. Lowes, however, offers an easier return policy, the ability to order online and pick up items at a Lowes store, and the ability to use gift cards to pay for online purchases. So, when you add everything together, the winner in this online battle for the best home improvement superstore is:

Lowes.com

I like Home Depot's physical location stores better, but when all the pros and cons have been tallied, Lowes.com is the slightly better place to shop online. Its web site isn't quite as user- friendly, but Lowes.com beats Home Depot online in most other areas, making it the better choice for your home improvement online shopping needs.