Depending which product line, Bruce flooring can have a lot of finishing imperfections. The off the shelf stuff like Marsh and gunstock will have finishing imperfections. A nlot of shorts in the bundles and mill work is meh. You would need to purchase 15-20 % extra.

"95% of anything on the shelf in a box store is now a product made specifically for the box store."

Again, to state 95% is made specifically for a box store is pure bunk. Unless of course you have numbers and facts to back this up? And I have next to zero use for box stores so that is definitely not a concern.

From what i have observed, big box WILL have their specific models made for them only. I specifically avoid those. But the other models that are available elsewhere, i consider those in a case by case basis depending on quality and price and no shipping costs and ability to pay with credit card etc many factors….i have also occasionally found stuff on clearance ( brand new - NOT open box) that makes sense to give it a shot.

Probably private labels or skew numbers, I am sure they would not go to the expense of making a complete line of floors just for Lowes. Again I am not sticking up for or stating the Bruce floors are any good because their quality was dubious 25 years ago.

That helps answer part of my original question - are Bruce floors worth considering. regardless of where u buy, seems general consensus is NO

how about Malibu? Mohawk?

3birdy , what is your budget per SQ FT for the flooring? Sometimes working backwards from there will help you figure out what will work for your project. Many times I've seen clients realize that $8 per SQ FT just isnt going to give them the look and quality they want, then they adjust their budget and quickly find a product that suits them.