Ordering at Home Depot

Annalee Foley

By Annalee Foley, Product Manager

Last Updated June 12, 2025

2 min read

Home Depot has three primary replenishment/ordering types. These are: 

  • Centralized Automated Replenishment (CAR)
  • HOST
  • Store Ordered

Centralized Automated Replenishment (CAR)

With Centralized Automated Replenishment (CAR), there are set order days of at least 1/week. The CAR system evaluates each store/SKU to ensure on-hands are at target levels. See the Order Up to Level (OUTL) and Target Effective Inventory (TEI) section for more detail.

HOST Replenishment

With HOST ordering, there is no regular schedule. Rather, orders are placed by an ad hoc Store Support Center (SSC) coordinator. HOST ordering requires merchant approval to avoid overstocking. 

Even if HOST is not the supplier’s primary mode of replenishment, HOST orders can still be placed. So, adaptability and communication with your buyer are crucial.

Store Ordered (Store) Replenishment

Store ordered replenishment, like it sounds, is simply product ordered at the store via FIRST Phone by a store associate and/or a vendor. Other Ordering-Adjacent Technology.

Store Need: Order Up to Level (OUTL) and Target Effective Inventory (TEI)

At Home Depot, store need is calculated by Order Up to Level (OUTL) and Target Effective Inventory (TEI). These two terms are used interchangeably as a way of understanding ideal replenishment. 

OUTL and TEI utilize store/SKU level inventory. These are then rolled up to a single destination for a PO. Home Depot uses the following formula for calculating OUTL:

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Only CAR and ORE orders utilize this calculation.

Order Processing Support Contacts

On SupplierHub, Home Depot also provides order support contacts: 

B2B Support

Sterling Web Forms Support

CommerceHub Support

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