Two hurricanes recently made landfall in the United States, leaving paths of devastation in their wakes.
Now that these hurricanes have largely subsided, cleanup efforts in the country have begun. However, this has been made more difficult due to issues regarding supplies; those affected by the hurricanes report difficulties getting necessities like food and water, and in Florida, residents are reporting problems getting fuel.
One of the silver linings of the latter hurricane, Hurricane Milton, is that it was not as severe as initially thought. While experts noted that the hurricane was a category 5 before it touched down, by the time it hit Florida, it had subsided to a category 3, meaning that its impact, though still dramatic, was not as devastating as it could have been.
Those who prepared for the worst are now facing an issue: what are they going to do with all of the hurricane preparations they bought? According to one TikTok user, some of these people have found an answer: try to return them.
Why are people returning generators to Home Depot?
In a video with over 426,000 views, TikTok user @fishtales321 documents what some people are doing with the things they bought to prepare for the hurricane.
“And, just like that, the storm is over. Everybody’s returning their generators,” he says, showing a line of generators still in their boxes. Some have been opened; others appear untouched.
In the caption, he adds, “Same thing every year. Panic buyers buy em all up then return em the same week.”
This TikTok isn’t the first to note such a phenomenon. Earlier this week, another TikTok user sparked discussion after showing herself returning numerous items in the days following the hurricane.
Policies on this vary from store to store. A 2017 article from South Carolina’s 7 News noted that, while it may be smart to simply hold onto one’s hurricane supplies in the event of another storm, one can also return some of the things they may have bought to prepare. That said, there may be limits on what stores choose to accept, though Home Depot’s website notes that most items can be returned within 90 days of purchase.
@fishtales321 Same thing every year. Panic buyers buy em all up then return em the same week. #hurricanemilton ♬ original sound – Fish Tales
Commenters say it’s common
In the comments section, users from around the affected areas discussed the return patterns they’ve seen at their local stores in the days following the storms.
“HD near me will not take back open box generators,” said a user.
“All my HD & Lowes have a no return policy on hurricane supplies bought before a hurricane. That’s the way it should be,” added another.
“I use to work at homedepot the only way they will take it back is if it hasn’t been open and there is no fluid inside. I also find it ridiculous that they are returning them,” offered a third. “You should keep them.”
That said, some expressed understanding for those returning their hurricane preparations.
“They are a HUGE expense for some. If they ended up not needing it, good for them. They might need the money to help cover other post-storm expenses, etc.,” explained a TikToker. “I don’t see the problem, really.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Home Depot via email and the TikToker via TikTok DM and comment.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
