What Does Lowes Do With Old Plants?

Being a plant lover, you must have visited Lowe’s multiple times. They have a huge stock of plants, perennials, shrubs, succulents, flowers, tropicals, etc., and most of them get sold. But have you ever wondered what Lowe’s does with the old plants that are not sold? Let’s find out. 

Lowe’s gives their old plants the last chance to get sold in the clearance sales. After that, they throw them away because these old plants will ultimately die. So, the employees will get rid of these plants by placing them on sale and throwing them away if not sold. 

There are many other things to understand here. Keep reading to gather detailed information about what the Lowe’s do with the old plants.

What does Lowes do with old or damaged plants?

Lowes is quite a big store where you will get thousands of plants.

However, most of them get sold before the plant deteriorates and turns old.

But what about those plants that don’t get sold?

Put them on sale for the last time.

Lowe’s puts the old plants on sale for the last time when they still have some life.

They also feel bad about dumping the plans straightaway. 

Therefore, instead of simply tossing them, they give these plants the last chance to get sold. 

Lowe’s gives good deals on every plant during the sale, where these get an opportunity to get sold for the last time. 

Sometimes, some plants might not be doing well for weeks, and the company needs to stock new plants.

So, the old plants might be occupying a large space. 

They give them some time to get sold at a great discount to get rid of them and then throw them away.

Though it is sad to hear, especially for plant lovers, there is no other option.

You can try dumpster diving in the hope of getting some treasures.

If you don’t want to find plants in the dumping areas, visit Lowe’s after every busy weekend or during holiday sales.

You not only get the chance to find some treasures at a good deal, but you also give the plants the chance to return from their doom.

Throw them away

The old plants that never get sold remain in the stores and become old and wary over time.

So, Lowes first clears these old plants and keeps them aside from the others. 

In most cases, after the last sale of these old plants, they throw them away. 

If you’re wondering why they do this, here’s why:

Suppose they sell these plants, and by any chance, a customer receives a plant that dies within a few weeks.

In that case, they will have to refund the money, and they might lose their reputation, which is further a loss in their business.

Does Lowe’s give away old plants for free?

Lowe’s is a famous and huge plant store, and they will never offer any plants for free, even if they are old or damaged.

As mentioned, once a plant becomes old and remains unsold, the company puts them on the sales floor on the upcoming sale day to give them the last chance to get sold. 

The company will even offer a good discount, and you get that plant for a few bucks.

Once the sale is over, they will discard the plant. 

However, you can bargain with the employee to decrease the cost of a plant if it does not have some branches or if they are drooping.

Usually, you can get such plants marked down by 50-75% and receive these for a few bucks only. 

They don’t risk selling these plants to the customers after that because if a plant turns out to be dead within a week, the employees have to face angry customers, and the company may face a loss.

So, if you want to get these plants for free, you must go dumpster diving to find them and take them home.

Or else, visit the store whenever there is a sale.

Also read: Buying Plants From Home Depot Vs Nursery

When do Lowe’s plants go on sale?

If you want to buy new plants, or those old plants put on the sales floor for the last time, Monday is the best time to visit Lowe’s.

There will rarely be a crowd, and you can choose plants peacefully.

Another good day is Friday.

Lowe’s gets their plants every Friday.

So, Friday is the best time to receive the best new plants.

However, you must contact them before visiting because they need time to arrange, organize, and care for the plants. 

Most people buy plants on Saturdays and Sundays.

Since the new plants are stocked on Fridays, weekends are also great for buying plants.

But, I would not recommend it because weekends will be crowded.  

The best day to receive those old plants is before new plants are stocked in Lowe’s.

On Wednesdays and Thursdays, they put those old plants on the sales floor for the last.

After that, they dump them off. 

The company generally puts the plants on sale after a big holiday to get rid of the old plants and even the newly bought plants. 

The sale doesn’t remain very high during winter due to cold weather.

Most plants do not favor cold weather.

So, they declare sales in the fall to sell maximum warm-weather-loving plants.

If you visit the store after a major holiday, you may get some leftover old plants at a discounted rate.

It will be a good deal for you if you are a plant lover and want to save those plants.

If you want to know when Lowe’s stocks new plants on Friday, one cannot confirm.

But to be approx, mostly it is during the afternoon. 

It would be best to be attentive when buying old or leftover plants.

Every store, not only Lowe’s, will try to get rid of these old leftovers at a specific time.

So, check the plant properly before buying.

How often do Lowe’s go on sale?

The sale frequency in Lowe’s depends on the stores’ holidays, weekends, and plants’ condition. 

Generally, sales go after big holidays or long weekends.

Other than that, the store will declare a sale if they want to get rid of the old plant stocks to introduce new plants in the store. 

Sometimes Lowe’s will declare sale daily at a good discount if they are in a hurry to sell the old stocks in a short time. 

By all these predictions, I can claim that Lowe’s goes on sale whenever the store needs to sell the old ones at a specific time. 

Lowe’s sometimes even sells the plants at a lower price during the later fall and winter.

These plants grow best during warm weather. 

So, the store will want to get rid of these during the cold weather, so they don’t have to waste extra time keeping them healthy. 

However, the price may differ depending on the location you live.

A person staying in Florida may not receive a good deal like the one in Illinois. 

Can I return plants to Lowe’s?

The store will take back the plant if you are unsatisfied with the results. 

Generally, you have 90 days to return the plant. 

A good advantage of buying plants from Lowe’s is their easy return and replacement policy. 

If your plant does not have good results or dies within 3 months, the company will take back your plant.

You will get a refund or a new plant in exchange for the old one. 

Another advantage is they won’t get extra money if the new plant is higher than the old one. 

If they don’t have the same plant at the same price as the previous one, they will help you find a good plant at the same price. 

Some plants have a one-year warranty period.

If it dies within one year, the policies are the same. 

How will Lowe’s take back your old plant?

As mentioned earlier, Lowe’s has an easy return and replacement policy. So, they will take back your old plant. 

Their standard return policy dictates the following statements:

• Customers unsatisfied with the product can return it within 90 days from the date of purchase. 
• Customers have to show the receipt to make the return successful. 

There is also a 365 days return policy, provided you use the following payment methods for purchase:

• Lowe’s Commercial Account (LCA)
• Lowe’s Advantage Card (LAC)
• Lowe’s Business Advantage (LBA)
• Lowe’s Business Rewards (LBR)

Once you confirm with the receipt that you bought this plant within the right time, there are two ways to begin the return process:

• Online
• Offline 

You must visit the required site online, log in with your account, write down the order type, confirmation, and number, and then follow the instructions. 

The offline process is easier.

Take the plant along with the receipt and visit the store. 

Share the problem, and tell them whether you want a refund or exchange. 

The employees will take the necessary steps, like credit card payment, account number, Lowe’s card used, and cell number. 

Exceptions

If you don’t have any receipt, the representative will access a copy of the receipt if you provide them with some information: 

• Credit card number
• Account number
• Lowe’s card
• Mobile number

Final thoughts

Lowe’s doesn’t throw away old plants immediately. First, they shortlist and keep them aside to put them on the sales floor for the last time. After that, they discard those old plants.

You can try dumpster diving to get some treasure if you are late in the sale. But, to get hold of these plants, you must visit the store whenever there is a sale or before new plants are stocked on Fridays, i.e., on Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

If you wish to return any plant, it has to be within 90 days. You need to show them the receipt and other information. They will give you the same plant variety, but a new one, or they’ll help you get a plant at the same price.

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Sources: Effects of Plant Growth Retardants and Pot Sizes on Plants, Pot size matters.