HDThe internet has a new hobby: vendor shaming
Influencers are urging Home Depot and Lowe's to drop their contracts with Flock Safety, the maker of automated license plate readers. Flock says it has more than 5,000 private-sector clients, which is a nice way of saying the company's tech is now everywhere and therefore easier to complain about.
Why investors should care
This isn't a classic earnings mover, but it is the kind of reputational static that can make a perfectly ordinary vendor relationship feel radioactive. If enough consumers decide a company’s contractors are a brand problem, management can end up spending time on damage control instead of whatever else it had on the to-do list.
The bigger picture
For Home Depot, the risk here is less about a sudden financial hit and more about being pulled into a broader debate over surveillance tech. In 2026, that can turn a back-office procurement choice into a front-page headache faster than you can say "customer experience." Big picture: sometimes the story isn't about the product — it's about who your customers think you're helping.