There’s something wrong with Lowe’s ads on Google where they’re offering tool deals that don’t exist.
I ran into this myself earlier, and then started seeing social media posts complaining about the same.
The ads seem to be offering $100 discounts on many different types of Dewalt cordless power tools.
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But when you visit the page, such as for the Dewalt 20V Max DCF870 hydraulic quiet impact driver, the tools are full-price.
Interestingly, I’m seeing non-existent $100 discount on many Dewalt cordless power tools.
It says “price at checkout,” but the savings do not appear at checkout.
For Bosch, the Lowe’s ads are promising a 20% discount. But as with the Dewalt “deal,” you get to checkout and there are no savings.
This kind of thing has been happening with other retailers, usually when there’s an active coupon promo or offer.
But in this case, I can’t even see where the confusion is coming from.
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This could be a Google bug, or a Lowe’s bug, or maybe the responsibility is shared. I assume it’s a glitch of some kind and that nobody is doing it intentionally.
If you come across this before it gets fixed, don’t get your hopes up.
I want to say that this isn’t a big deal, but then I realized it happens so much with various retailers that I got used to it.
fred
I see that Acme is offering some DeWalt (and other) kits at 12 % off today.
https://www.acmetools.com/all/?pmid=26a019_acme_12off
Not sure about any limits – but earlier this weekend they had a 15% off on Milwaukee – with a $200 max savings limit
Will
Seems very bait and switch to me. I wonder if anyone has managed to get Lowes to honor the advertised price. I’d love to get the quiet impact for that price. Definitely a too good to be true deal.
TomD
If it’s not intentional, it still might be quite close to it; as it’s blatantly false advertising, and it is working.
Peter
How so?
Do you know that people are buying the products after discovering that the real price is much higher?
Or is it because it was posted here?
Which I think would have the opposite effect.
Will
If this isn’t Lowe’s doing and it’s tricking people into clicking, which makes the advertiser money. This could be costing Lowe’s money and upsetting customers. It could also benefit Lowe’s by just getting more people to their site, which is why bait and switch is such a common concept, many times it works. Either way, it’s dishonest and someone is benefiting from it.
Adam
This is a Google problem, not Lowe’s. I had it happen at other retailers as well. It figures the best price based on a coupon, BOGO deal, or other savings that is not a direct in cart price.
I absolutely hate it too, but as much as Lowes knows how to blow, this is on Google.
Rick
I agree. This is Google, not Lowe’s, causing this. But I’m not sure I fully agree with your explanation on why it occurs.
Here’s a counterexample to support that view: go to Google Shopping and search for “DWE7485″ which is the model number for DeWalt’s 8 1/4” table saw.
The first result I see is Acme Tools selling the saw with a direct cart price of $349. That is a good price. But Lowe’s, Home Depot and Amazon also have the same saw on sale at that direct in cart price, yet none of them are included in the search results!
Given that, I find it problematic to accuse Lowe’s (or Home Depot or Amazon) of skullduggery. Why (and how) would Lowe’s and Home Depot and Amazon deliberately exclude something they have on sale from Google’s search results?
For me the larger issue is whether Google Shopping is simply poor at finding useful results, or it is deliberately suppressing certain matches in favor of sites with which they have some form of special association. Both can be true of course, but I strongly incline towards the latter.
Amazon is honest enough to tag some prominent search result hits with “Sponsored”, but I have never seen that done by Google.
The Google Shopping site used to be really poor. But since they revamped it they have managed to make it even worse.
Stuart
@Rick, all of the product ads at the top of a search page are Google sponsored listings.
I assume their shopping ads are similar to how Google’s other ad networks work, where advertisers automatically bid for placement and the highest bidders win more prominent placement.
Katie
It also sounds like an AI problem. AI is like an unreliable friend who makes stuff up that sounds impressive, but it’s just someone who you learn not to trust what they say.
MM
Google misunderstands sales and pricing regularly, especially if there is some kind of “buy more save more” promotion involved. I recall a time last year when Google’s search results claimed that Acme was selling Dewalt hybrid bar clamps for $14 each. In reality they were $44 each, and there was a deal where if you spent $300 on select Dewalt products you’d get $30 off your order. So technically I suppose you could have bought one of those clamps for $14 instead of $44, but only if you ignored the $256 worth of additional merchandise you’d have to buy at full price to qualify for the deal.
Rick
@Stuart
Yes, what you suggest certainly fits the facts on what is being displayed. But it’s worth noting that when I go to Google Shopping today to repeat my search for “DWE74845” the most prominent exact matches are for Lowe’s and Home Depot, and the Acme Tools deal is not shown (although a bundled deal including that saw is shown). And the equally good Amazon deal is not shown at all.
My takeaway is that Google Shopping is untrustworthy, misleading, and not worth using. As a consumer the reason(s) for that don’t really matter – just avoid it.
A straightforward Google search yields slightly better results, but if you are spending a few hundred dollars on a tool the best approach is probably to individually check all likely sellers (HD, Lowe’s, Amazon, NT, ToolUp, Acme, etc.) for the best deal.
Weldon
And as a corollary to Google’s long-lived ad services practice, which is quite profitable, they now are moving toward incorporating their AI service Gemini into new areas. Matt Stoller’s subreddit “BIG” which is monopoly-focused, detailed how Google just made 3 announcements. The first was that Gemini will have full access to your Gmail, as well as your data in their other company projects YouTube, Photos, and Search. You may see this as good, or bad, or something in the middle. The second was that Apple Siri, and Apple Foundation Model, will use Gemini as its engine model and the Gemini cloud., ‘Nuff said. Third and lastly, related to this thread here, is that they will launch an ad service based on Gemini and protocols ” to create personalized surveillance pricing” for sellers in the economy. I refer you to the subreddit BIG for more insight into his thoughts on these issues. But the degree to which pricing is no longer a matter of guessing what the market will bear, and the degree of collusion this infringes upon, is flashing a ” Danger, Will Robinson” alarm in my mind. Will this be the straw for the proverbial camel, driving commerce underground that doesn’t bend the knee to Google? You can see why this issue concerns him and it is no simple thing.
Ga
This goes along with my observations. Lately, in trying to “deal” with Lowes in my area, their sales program, locker retrieval service, return policies, marketing confusion, low customer count and weak store management (attitudes, dirt, unkempt properties )spells a limited future for lowes. Any other observations?
Mark S
I have found in the last maybe 24 months that any Lowe’s I go in, different towns, different days, different times…..they are always DEAD. Very few customers. Not even that many employees. Its confusing. How do they survive? Maybe its just me. I would say I’ve been in about 10 different locations all across Albany NY and within 50-75 miles from there. I dont get it.
Bonnie
That’s been my experience with Lowe’s for the last decade. I just assume they make all their money on online sales and holiday junk.
I’ve bought a few appliances from them, for delivery, because they do tend to run pretty good holiday sales.
Farmerguy
Yes, Lowe’s had been frustrating to me. I bought online a Klein item that stores didn’t have on 12/21. Tracking to store said delivered 12/24. Never got an available status, stuck on arriving soon, then delayed. I called 1/2 and there horrible AI phone system won’t even recognize my voice prompt if anything I said and just went silent for minutes. I was in town 1/2 so stopped in the store and went to customer service desk. They told me “it will message when available, we don’t have order here”. (When showing them the tracking). I call worthless AI phone again 3 days later after no update without response from AI. I chat few days later maybe 1/9, chat regurgitated the delayed message and “we’ll prioritize your message to customer service”. A week later 1/16 I do the chat again (b/c only way to contact) “chat will escalate customer service”. I get a human call me hour later. “Yes, this is store. Yes. Your order was delivered, but the envelope was empty. Do you want me to cancel the order and you can place a new one?”. No reship nothing, just cancel. Then later that afternoon different human from store calls and repeats same message. I express displeasure including worth less than nothing AI phone system. They say “sorry about that please consider buying from us again.”
Big Richard
This one is real though, the new 20v 10″ miter for $299 -https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-20V-XR-10-In-Dual-Bevel-Miter-Saw/5015801599
Big Richard
EDIT: Deal is over, back to $369.
Mark S
I cant recall the exact item, but this happened to me too. Price was about $50 less than reality on the Lowe’s site. Weird.
S
I’d be curious about Lowe’s price matching policy in this case.
Bonnie
Yeah. I’ve had success in the past at other retailers if I can show they still have an expired ad posted somewhere.
I’d be more surprised if it works here, but no reason not to try.
Reflector
If they keep this up it’d qualify for reporting to the FTC for false advertising.
DH
I see and have seen this very often! Its the new age we live in of massive marketing and false advertising. The reasons, well there are a plenty lol
EBT
I received a letter from Lowe’s lastweek, thinking it was some bill or updated Lowe’s Card. Instead it was Lowes bragging about their 6month to 24month financing with 0% interest to loyal Lowes Rewards Card holders. But then the last paragraph made me mad… because they also remind you that you miss one payment (a 25-Day window) and its 31.99% on.
With current postal delays, intentional closing or rerouting of distribution centers, you will get your Lowes Mailed bill with less than 10 days to pay, and then even if you drop off at postoffice, no guarantee it will be postmarked, and will arrive late (there is a reason Lowes sent this new mailing out). Ofcourse they want you to pay direct ACH or online.
If there is a good deal and I can finance 0% and not have to worry about being late, ok. But Lowes pairing with Synchony Bank is a septic smell to me.
Katie
There are three Lowe’s I go to. Two are in a small city and one has a poor reputation, the other is ok. The third is in a rural area and they are normally great. The first two have a competitor big box home improvement stores nearby. The rural one has no competitor stores and they are busy. Great employees and efficient. Only once did I get a newbie who was clueless even though I had a sale price ad on my phone and it was lunch so no knowledgeable person available.
I will say that the very best values I’ve ever gotten were when Lowe’s was closing out a line they were no longer carrying. I have an impressive number of Bessey parallel clamps, all were 75% off list (I checked everywhere), and some other Bessey clamps and vises at the same closeout. They they carried the Irwin pliers and cutters that were identical to the expensive German brand, and I got them on a special. This season it was Skil 12 volt drill and flip drill driver for $35 each. Both great. Also this season it was Jorgensen parallel clamps at much less than normal.
I did have some of the problems people mention, when you order it, the order appears to go through and then you get a message it’s unavailable. Someone who worked at Lowe’s admitted to me, that this can happen when an employee sees it, wants it, pulls it from your order and buys it for themselves. Weird, but true. I’m sure there are other explanations, but that’s one possibility. Maybe they don’t pay enough or monitor enough.
drewski
I saw a bogus ad last week for Lowes selling 12v Skil tools which Lowes has cleared out at least a month prior. I had considered these back aboout two months ago when Lowes was clearing them out via their daily deals.
Will
Ironically, Lowes had the Dcf870 on a daily deal for even less than this Google ad. 100 bucks and they were out of stock within a few hours.
Big Richard
I ordered mine at around 0700 CST and it said there were like 34 available to ship. When I got to work around 0745 and checked again they were sold out. Don’t know how many there were to start with, but as soon as it was posted on the DeWalt subreddit, it went quick. Crazy good deal though.
Will
The were over 500 at 3:50am cst when I ordered one. Glad I didn’t hesitate. Best deal this year, so far.
Big Richard
It was, even if it was part of a bogo, the prorated price likely would not be that low. Mine comes tomorrow, I’ve got some pocket screw framing projects to test it out in my echoey garage.