My wife signed us up for Blue Apron last September for my birthday, partly because she had heard me grumbling that I was tired of making the meals that I usually make. We have continued receiving the meals since then, except for a period where we suspended the service while moving. Some of the meals are quite good, some in my opinion miss the mark. I do like that they include all of the needed ingredients, but like others here I dislike all of the packaging they include, especially the honking big ice packs that are included every week. Another complaint is that each recipe calls for adding salt and pepper at least six different times.

Albspam, don't let it go. HD surely has a contract with that delivery company. If customers like you get horribly mistreated, and don't complain, the contract will be renewed next time it comes up. I would ask to meet with the store manager, and explain in exactly the way you listed it, and said you didn't think that was the level of service that HD should be proud of, and you want his input on why you should consider dealing with HD in the future. If he asks what you want, I would ask for a nominal gift card ( $25 to $50 ) and assurance that there will be some communication from HD to the vendor to get things straightened out so the next customer doesn't get caught up in the same trap.

Sophie Wheeler's post is interesting. My aunt used to travel in an RV for a regular route of specific animal shows. She did colored chalk portraits of breeders' dogs and cats, and was very good at it. She'd start a basic portrait on site and finish it up at home, mailing it to each client. Over the course of the 2-3 days the show was open, she usually had at least 4-6 commissions for work. It didn't take her long to get a very good rep (she was a good businesswoman, always meeting her deadlines and very sociable by nature). After a short while she received a regular flow of commissions for portraits of kids, grandkids, etc., as well as pets. She started having to limit her business because she really only wanted to do it part-time. I have to say that the OP's product might be interesting to an older market (my MIL would have loved it), but I can't see any of our Millennial friends being interested in the slightest. They enjoy their homes, but their artistic tastes wouldn't extend to a photo or painting (real or simulated) of it.

FOAS, it's funny that you wouldn't let someone pick you a cauliflower from Whole Foods, where they're all lovely, but would take blind boxes of Imperfect Produce. :) I'm picky about my veg too, but if I'm pushed to order in groceries I'm more grateful to have something decent than to worry about whether there was a better one I'd have chosen if I were there. Re bricks and mortar vs. online, many years ago I was in e-commerce. We started around the same time as Amazon, but we didn't want to be Amazon. I learned a lot. My prediction at the time, which has been coming true faster than I expected (this applies specifically to places with a certain level of population density)--Indistinguishable products will mostly be sold by big box stores and large online retailers. Interesting, unique, and unusual products will be sold in boutiques. They make be in town centers rather than malls, but shopping neighborhoods will create a draw for these seeking these lower sell through, higher ticket items. In fact, there is now a company that specializes in creating false towns rather than traditional shopping malls, that are comforting destinations for adult shoppers, with higher end dining and entertainment, mixed with some chain boutiques and some smaller local stores. Parking lots, yes, but not the traditional anchor stores of the late 20th C. shopping malls. As to delivery, everything old is new again. When I was small the milkman came into the kitchen to put away the milk and dairy products. There was a bakery van that came around daily, and a vegetable man. The laundry man came to pick up and deliver the linens. The water man brought the bottles and changed the one on the water cooler. The Fuller Brush man came regularly to sell mops and combs and all. Many ladies made their side money selling Avon or Mary Kay cosmetics in the home. The laundry man still does pick up and deliver. Nowadays, we're not home as much, and there are jumbo stores like Amazon which will deliver milk, tortillas, nuts, water, mops and lipstick in one box, but it's not really new.