Hi All,
I've been going out to the Home Depot web site weekly since I first posted this in April to find the “500 Watt Halogen Work light†(Model #L-18P / SKU #521896) as in the second post here. Different stores around my area showed anywhere from 1 to 21 lights in stock. I went to a few of them to find nothing on the shelf. After a few times going to the stores I just started calling only to be told that they had nothing on the shelf. I have been expanding my search to where I am now into neighboring counties.
Today I found a Home Depot in the next county that showed 21 in stock. I called to make sure. The person in electrical looked and said he had 21 in stock. I drove to the store, went into the electrical department to the area that they keep the work lights and found nothing on the shelf.
A little upset I went looking for the person working the department to "explain" why I was upset. The fact that I called to check.. the responce from the person who said he was helping me... the fact that he said he checked and there were 21 in stock.... my gas wasted..... my time wasted.....
The unsuspecting employee I found, it turns out, was the one I spoke with on the phone. When I asked about the work light he asked if I was the one who called. I told him I was and asked where they were! He took me to another area of the store which you would not have thought of looking for the work lights and there they were; all 21 of them.
After calming down I explained to the little angel that I have been looking for these for two months. I have gone to several stores that showed they had them in stock to find empty shelves; even started calling first only to be told that they did not have any on the shelf (no matter what it showed in stock).
The extremely smart and intelligent salesperson told me that these are what they consider "seasonal". If it is not the season they are put off to the side, maybe in another department or on the top shelf (where you wouldn't see them) to be stored for later. If the person working the floor does not know that, they would go to the section were they show the work lights (as I did), and assume (incorrectly) that they do not have any in stock.
What the young man, who I am sure will be making his way up the corporate ladder, told me was that if it shows in stock but is not on the shelf to ask the person in the department if it might be in another area where they store there seasonal items. You might get lucky.
Happy Fathers Day!
Mark