It is poor planning. The store can't be expected to take responsibility if the truck driver doesn't show up on time.
Menards and Lowes don't need appts. They have planned to have a big enough, and staffed enough receiving dept.
Also, in the LTL transportation industry, the standard for appts. would be a 2 hour window, not an exact time. Thus if HD says the appt. is at 1400. Our window is 1200-1400. When I show up at 1300 and am told I have to wait till 1400, this would be considered by all LTL companies as being 'detained' and the company would have to take the responsibility of paying detention time by the quarter hour.
I do agree that if I show up at 1401 and am told that I will have to wait until there is another opening, that is fair. Although as stated earlier, Menards and Lowes do not even need appts. Odd too, since Menards stores only have 2 dock doors (newer stores have 3-4), Lowes have 2 dock doors (some have 3-4), and HD has 4 with 3 of them not in use because of garbage and freight blocking them.