More stores opening everywhere. To many will not last. Prices have gone up to support this new growth. Liked the old business model ten years ago. Like Popeye says, "I am what I am".
Harbor Freight
- Thread starter Stmar
- Start date
Newlyme
Active member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
M4900 w/loader, finish mower, tiller, auger, rake. BX24 w/loader, backhoe
Not a big fan of Harbor Freight here. Although you can get crap anywhere even when paying full price. I ordered this Porter Cable belt sander online. Arrived yesterday. Ready to play with today. Put the dust bag on and the opening to the room is larger than the opening to the dust bag. The service manual recommends going to the website with any issues. It shows me the closest service center is 48 miles away. Oh no way. I dig up a phone number and speak with a human. They're going to send me a new bag. Hopefully it's better. If not it looks like I'll be practicing my sewing skills. Sander assembled in Mexico, accessories from China.
coachgeo
Well-known member
Equipment
L225 w/woods Few Mowers & Back Blade, D722 in Motorcycle (Triumph Tiger), LMTV
Good place to start the grand kids out with cheap tool set. Kids will be kids and if they loose or leave a piece somewhere, no big deal to get replacement. When they get to the point of taking more care of their stuff, I'll up the quality for them.
I buy little, very little at Harbor Freight and am a firm believer in, you get what you pay for.
Last thing i did buy there (4 years ago) where a set of 4, 3 inch swivel coasters and put them on the shelf. Come to find out they dont swivel worth a damn when i went to use them. Oh well.......not happening again.
Last thing i did buy there (4 years ago) where a set of 4, 3 inch swivel coasters and put them on the shelf. Come to find out they dont swivel worth a damn when i went to use them. Oh well.......not happening again.
jmf78
Member
Equipment
BX23S W/ Factory Deluxe Cab, 60" MMM, 60" BX-2612 Snow Blade & BX-2816 Blower
I've purchased quite a few things from them. Angle grinder, reciprocating saw, breaker bar, jack stands (used only for redundancy), etc...
Just tools for use around the house and garage. Good savings for such items.
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
Just tools for use around the house and garage. Good savings for such items.
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
One thing that turned me off of HF was their practice of raising prices during the Holiday season, then offering a "sale" just after Christmas-which was exactly the same price as it was before the "season". I called the local store out on this and got thrown out of the store. So I went a little further up the ladder, or at least as far as I could. Come to find out, the Federal Trade Commission had known of this issue and had also warned HF of doing such practices. But did their warning do any good?
I was buying storage boxes for nuts & bolts, was getting them for $4.99 each (I bought 34 of them over a length of time). Well got closer to Christmas and went in to get a couple more, and they were $7.99/ea. I asked why the increase, store manager says they were always that price. So I grabbed a receipt and showed him the SKU and then he says it was a different item. I know what I bought and how much I paid for it, looked to me as if the manager wanted to avoid the conversation so I disengaged. I didn't buy them but I did pick up an air hose reel that my brother wanted for Christmas. While checking out, the manager mentioned to me that the SKU I bought a week prior was discontinued. It kinda set me off because the SKU on the storage box in stock was exactly the same, as was the advertised price of $5.99 in their flyer, so I mentioned that to him, and he said I was not welcome in his store anymore. LOL. Big loss. So that's when I went on up the ladder a little, leading to a letter to congressman.
Makes me wonder how many other businesses use that practice, and I wonder it's legality.
I was buying storage boxes for nuts & bolts, was getting them for $4.99 each (I bought 34 of them over a length of time). Well got closer to Christmas and went in to get a couple more, and they were $7.99/ea. I asked why the increase, store manager says they were always that price. So I grabbed a receipt and showed him the SKU and then he says it was a different item. I know what I bought and how much I paid for it, looked to me as if the manager wanted to avoid the conversation so I disengaged. I didn't buy them but I did pick up an air hose reel that my brother wanted for Christmas. While checking out, the manager mentioned to me that the SKU I bought a week prior was discontinued. It kinda set me off because the SKU on the storage box in stock was exactly the same, as was the advertised price of $5.99 in their flyer, so I mentioned that to him, and he said I was not welcome in his store anymore. LOL. Big loss. So that's when I went on up the ladder a little, leading to a letter to congressman.
Makes me wonder how many other businesses use that practice, and I wonder it's legality.
Lugbolt, I don't have any specific proof as you did, but I think many stores have a "sale", but only change a few prices that they show pictures of in the flyer and state prices. So the consumer thinks everything in the store is on sale and go in shopping and buy things they normally wouldn't ...buying them because they think the sale price is real good!
In HF catalogue you can find the same item listed twice (at least) with same code number and different price.
In HF catalogue you can find the same item listed twice (at least) with same code number and different price.
Lil Foot
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
The only real trouble I've had at HF was years ago when there was only one store in the valley. I had been in the store several times (maybe 20?), always with my dog Einstein. (possibly the most intelligent, well mannered, & friendly dog on the planet)
I had a flat bed cart loaded with a metal lathe, a combo sheetmetal roller/brake/shear, and some other stuff, about $1200 worth. An employee came to me & said that I have to leave because of my dog. I asked to see the manager so he could explain why, and the manager would give no reason, but insisted I had to leave. By now, several other customers had jumped in on my side, as Einstein was very popular. Seeing no alternative, (other than a swift kick to a sensitive area) I started towards the door. As I approached the door, the manager pointed to the cart, and said "What am I supposed to do with this?" (really?
)
I gave him specific instructions on what he was supposed to do with it, and received a standing ovation from the other customers. Never been back.
I had a flat bed cart loaded with a metal lathe, a combo sheetmetal roller/brake/shear, and some other stuff, about $1200 worth. An employee came to me & said that I have to leave because of my dog. I asked to see the manager so he could explain why, and the manager would give no reason, but insisted I had to leave. By now, several other customers had jumped in on my side, as Einstein was very popular. Seeing no alternative, (other than a swift kick to a sensitive area) I started towards the door. As I approached the door, the manager pointed to the cart, and said "What am I supposed to do with this?" (really?
)I gave him specific instructions on what he was supposed to do with it, and received a standing ovation from the other customers. Never been back.
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Like a lot of purchases, I read the reviews on harborfreight.com. If the reviews are less than stellar, I avoid the product.
I do try to go at off hours. I've waited in lines there that are beyond frustrating.
I do try to go at off hours. I've waited in lines there that are beyond frustrating.
Lil Foot
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
Amen brother.
And the usual scenario is 30+ people trying to check out with 2 cashiers, while 2 or 3 other employees stand back & watch. ("Oh, I'm not a cashier, I'm a manager")
Of course, that also happens at the bank, grocery store, Home Depot, etc, etc, etc.
I have a Lowes & Home Depot that are a couple hundred yards from one another. I was a Lowes guy for the longest time. It's only been in the past year or so that I have switched to Home Depot. I just have found it to be less crowded and I can get in and out quickly. I also like that they have self-checkout.