Orchard Supply Hardware

VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE: As the official «light bulb changer» of our HOA community, I purchased a mercury vapor bulb (~$ 25) from OSH to replace one of our exterior lights. After two weeks, the bulb suddenly burned out one night. I returned back to the store with the blown out bulb and the receipt (no packaging, since I didn’t think it was going to fail so soon). I spoke to the woman behind the Return’s Counter and let her know the situation, and she called over the manager for support. Now perhaps it is the policy of all hardware store to NEVER allow a return of a burned out light bulb, but apparently it is at OSH and the manager felt the need to berate me for trying to do so. After explaining to me that «he» could not accept a return on a bulb since they would be unable to resell it and the store would lose money, I asked him if it seemed right that I would be the one who would be losing money then. His response: «Not my problem.» Ummm, ok. «So what am I supposed to do with a blown out bulb??»… «Not my problem.» «Oh, I see, so then it’s not your problem if I don’t shop here anymore?»… «Not my problem.» For a split second I thought about dropping the bulb on the floor and proclaiming ‘Well, now it is your problem’, but I assumed one of the other employees would be forced to clean it up and this guy wouldn’t be inconvenienced one bit. So instead I left bewildered as to what I had done to offend this guy. In any event, I went to another OSH the next day and returned a bunch of other bulbs that I had purchased just a few hours before from the same OSH. Home Depot and Lowe’s it is from now on.

OSH’s best attribute is its convenience. It’s nearby, parking is always available, and it’s rarely a mad house like the usual suspects (Home Depot and Lowes). A smaller store means it’s generally easier to find things. If you’re coming for something you know they carry, it will probably be on hand. But don’t go to OSH for anything specialized, nor anything high-​end. E.g., plan to buy your lighting and bathroom fixtures elsewhere. They also carry very little by the way of building materials — a limited selection of PVC, a few small sheets of «handy boards» (plywood, MDF), etc.
The main reason I’m writing this review is that they (at least the Palo Alto location) seem to be dog-​friendly, and I wanted to get that message out. The check-​out cashiers will even offer a treat. So, if your shopping trip requires a stop by a hardware store, and you have fido in tow, OSH is a great place to pick up that hose nozzle or trimmer spool. Ironically, OSH is (at present) owned by Lowe’s, which revoked fido’s invitation back in 2012 along with the other big-​box.

This is hands down one of the least useful hardware stores that I have ever been to. Their selection is lacking in all areas except chintzy decorations. Employees are generally less knowledgeable than the folks who work at either Ace Hardware shop in the area.
Today for example, on the phone I was told that they had sheets of plywood they could cut down to half sheet size. After taking the time to drive to Orchard Supply Hardware, it transpires that all they have in the entire store is quarter sheets of «craft» plywood. What a waste of my time!

Worst experience ever. I went to this cool in-​store kiosk to have 3 keys made. I went to the kiosk because I’ve had keys man-​made there that didn’t work. Keys looked great, but they didn’t fit. The machine used the wrong blank. I went back to OSH to get the correct keys and was told it was a third-​party kiosk and I would have to contact the key company for a refund. It’s not the money, it’s the time I spent and the realization that OSH does not stand behind their products. Boo for OSH.

The store said they had four garage shelving in stock and couldn’t find any. Asked if the y could check another store inventory and they gave me a number.
They also had returned items on the shelf that were clearly missing pieces.
When I called their other store that supposedly had three in stock they were also out.

Amazing customer service and expert advice. I love this place. There’s a greeter as soon as you walk in to direct you to whatever you need. Each department knows its stuff and I’ve gotten great advice from the garden and paint areas, each going above and beyond to find things for me. One noticed that the hose reel I was about to purchase was cracked and replaced it. Really impressive service.
However, there’s a literal night & day experience: at night and weekends, it’s good luck to even track down an employee, and when you do, they either seem annoyed or just ignore you. It’s outright funny how incredible the contrast is.

Maybe I just lucked out, but I ran across three very good natured and helpful people at this store yesterday. The young lady who helped me with fluorescent light bulbs for our kitchen was especially knowledgable and nice. It is odd that I’m writing a review about a hardware store as the mother of a toddler with almost no spare time! However, nice, helpful people put me in a good mood and make my day better. We should give them credit where credit is due. Thank you!

Good supply of home repair parts, but … not a good supply of people working there. For the past year it has been hard to get any help. Today was the worst. I’m going back my local True Value.

Bought 246 garden rock retain wall in Jun.
Since Orchard didn’t have enough so they made a special order. I was expecting Orchard to call or write in 2 or 3 weeks. After one month I didn’t hear anything. I called and came to the store to talk to customer service. They didn’t have any clue what’s going on. The gentleman told me he made the order asked me to check back in 2 or 3 weeks. I didn’t hear anything in 2 weeks came back again. Same thing happened. Then the 3^rd time I came back and encountered the assistant manager Megan Campbell. She’s like an interrogator asked the names of those sales or customer service. I couldn’t remember and she told me then she couldn’t check anything. I couldn’t believe what I heard. The technology should allow them to check all the orders and transactions… Well, the total impression I had for this store is «incompetent «. I made a mistake to buy the rocks at Orchard because it’s close to where I live. Today I went back again after another 3 weeks. They still don’t know when the rocks will come in. Finally I gave up and got the refund. I had good experience with people who work in garden dept. But the management definitely has problems.
The summer is gone. A big pile of soil is still in the mid of my yard. I don’t want to come to orchard any more.

I have never been inside an Orchard store but I was in search of a very specific bougainvillea plant and had to stop by.
When I went to the insert section, I found my plant and yay. I was excited! …however, the poor plant was buried under some bushier plants so it clearly wasn’t getting much sunlight. Anyway, I wasn’t sure whether to get it or not but a helpful associate there named Justin was Awesome!!!
He trimmed the plant and checked his computer to see when more were coming in. Then he called his manager, who was off duty, to see if more plants would come in, if I could get a discount since they had a promo the week before, and to see if he could request the shippers to send at least one more of the plant I wanted just in case I didn’t want this one. After he trimmed the plant, it looked a lot better and since the store guaranteed my money back if the plant died and gave me a discount, I had to take it.
Needless to say, I will definitely return to the store for my plant and gardening needs in the future. Great service!
So far so good with the plant!

This is not like Home-​depot and that’s both a good thing and a bad thing. Don’t expect the same selection or price as Home Depot, but the staff is much more friendly and the location is so much more convenient.
Plus, the store has recently completed a major remodel and looks so much nicer, better organized, and with more selection. I prefer to shop at this store for basics as it is much faster and less stressful.

What a convenience to the neighborhood! I really enjoy the rich supplies and knowledgeable staff.

Yep, this is an OSH. I am writing a favorable review because it has recently had a makeover, and is new and shiny. The staff here is helpful, like most OSH locations. I prefer going here rather than Home Depot if I can help it because it seems like I can get in and out pretty quick.

I came here this afternoon because Orchard is the only store that carries the Main Line drainer solution that I love. When I walked in, I was immediately greeted by an employee. While attempting to find what I was looking for, I found another friendly employee that directly me to the product. Less than 10 minutes, I was in and out of the store. What I disliked about this place is their parking lot. Each aisle is quite slim.

Much nicer newer! It is much larger to shop here so it feels. But it is over staffed and wonderful as you can always find help. I feel this Orchard supply is my home store. I am so happy they remodeled it. Ask for David, he is great! I also noticed the store has a Tri fold that shows the store manager and a map of the store! Good job lowes, yes it is a lowes store now!

On hold now for 25 minutes. 10 minutes someone picked up and then before even giving me a chance to speak — boom routed to hold another eon.
Totally unacceptable. I have been in store and although the experience was better, it was nothing to write home about. Home depot here I come.
There is a reason this place is losing relevance.

This place is under construction… So messy and disorganized. I assume it will all be nice once the work is finished.
I usually like going to orchards over Home Depot or Lowe’s because they’re smaller and tend to have better customer service.
The customer service here is not the greatest. I went there on a weekday morning and there were very few customers at the store. I had a few questions and needed some help, but no one around to help out. When I finally found the item I needed, check out cashiers give me the runaround. When I went to one line they sent me to another. I went to the the second line, and they sent me back to the first one. The original line was about to send me to a third line, but I said they needed to figure out which line was working so she agreed to check me out.
Anyway, luckily I had a small item. They had a bunch of Halloween decorations but I was not inclined to stay and browse.

Anytime I come in here I have a «lost» look on my face & I always get good help. Its a little hard to find, but the people that work here definitely go the distance.

Love love love the place.
Great customer service and a good selection. Become a member and you would not need to keep receipts for returns.
Here is just one story:
I bought oblong rectangular plastic planters for my balcony. The «saucer» beneath the planter was very shallow and the water would often overflow. I had them on my balcony and sometimes I would need to water just a bit several times a day to avoid overflowing.
Then I checked the rules of our association and found out that planters need to be raised off the surface (yeah I should have read the rules before I bought the planters, my bad). The rule about having planters and pots on risers makes sense — it prevents dry rot.
There were no risers for the rectangular planters in the selection at OSH. I had to buy regular round pots for individual plants and round risers for each pot.
I replanted everything, washed the old planters really really well so they looked perfectly new and still had a price sticker on them and took them back to OSH.
The lady at the returns did not want to take them because I bought them in March and was trying to return them in September. I asked for her manager. The guy came and listened to me attentively. I explained that the planters with such a shallow saucer (dish, whatever you call what is supposed to catch the drip) should have a warning next to them — the warning should say that such planters can be put directly on the ground or, perhaps, on concrete patios, but not on wooden decks. And, I added, all
I wanted is a store credit and not a refund to my AmEx.
The manager accepted my argument and the lady at the customer service desk issued me a store credit card for the full value of the planters.
***
The store does have a feel of a small neighborhood place. I recognize the faces of most salespeople now, and I have been a regular client only since the beginning of 2014.
***
Oh, and they have the greatest thing for us not-​so-​tall-​folks. A bottle with a long plastic «neck» that you can squeeze to water high hanging draping plants without climbing on step stools. So convenient!!!

I avoid Home Despot… I Mean Home Depot… like the very plague. I think it has to to with spending 20 minutes once wandering through a maze of aisles just to get a packet of #10 flat head screws.
So OSH is my store. you can always find someone on the floor and they always know where s**t is. And if they don’t have it, they tell you straight out (and maybe tell you where you CAN find it).
That said, this location is one of the poorer OSH’s out there. Mainly due to the up-​front staffing. Lines here can be long and terrible if you hit the timing wrong, and nobody working there seems to care about speeding things up.