harbor freight. good grief.

[SteveJ]

Today I was reminded why I don't often shop at Harbor Freight:

I went to HF to buy one of those little 30 inch belt sanders but
they didn't have any on display, despite them being listed in the catalog.

So, I asked one of the clerks about it, but he couldn't be bothered by me as he was busy discussing a recent party with three young women.

After I explained what I was looking for to a second clerk, he turned (without
saying a word) and walked away. I didn't know if he was going to search for
the sander or was just leaving.. After waiting about five minutes I found him
talking to another clerk. I think they were talking about where the sander might be found. I don't know, but neither one seemed to be in any great hurry to find it for me. I approached him and he started treating me like a new customrer, till he finally remembered I was the belt sander guy. I told him to forget it.

I went to the checkout (only one checkout on a busy Friday afternoon) and
after waiting while the checkout clerk did her second price check I just said screw it and left. Honestly, where do they find these people?

Through it all, someone was constantly shouting into the PA system which was turned up so loud it could have damaged our ears.

I have some Harbor Freight tools in my shop which I bought used and they're not too bad, but I'd rather pay higher prices somewhere else, than shop in an HF where the customers are treated as an interruption in an otherwise boring day.

Steve

[jnesmith]

We don't have a HF here, but I've been to the one in Jacksonville several times. Pretty much the same experience. It must be a corporate culture.

[final_t]

Fairly non typical from the HF's here. I've been treated like you have at Woodcraft and Rockler, which is why I avoid those places except for sales & etc.

[just4funsies]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I have two HF's in town, and I've always gotten surprisingly good service there. Much better than my local BORG's or Lowes. It is tough to know where they stash some of their merchandise, but they are always quick to find it or get it when I ask. YMMV.

[bmyers]

There are a few in town here (Phoenix) and I had similar results at first. You have to figure the people stocking the shelves at HF are making 10 times what the people who actually made the tools earned. Even still, I doubt they make much more than min. wage.

Next time just do a quick check of the store. If you can't find what you were looking for, just head up to the register and tell them to find it for you while you pay for it. They'll send a stock boy (or girl) to find one if the computer says they have it. If not, you're already near the exit doors.

Failing that, look for the person who is over 30 years old, thats probably the manager. Tell them about your difficulty find something to spend your money on and they'll go get stock "person" that won't ignore you.

Do that enough times and the stock people know that if they don't help you, their boss will be along shortly.

[cgallery]

My favorite HF experience was when I was looking for a specific set of carbide-grit hole saws. I had the part # from the web site and called the store to see if they stocked them. The clerk looked them up and said, "No I kinda doubt we would have those." That seemed like a strange response, I was expecting a "nope, not stocked locally" or "computer shows we have one or two, let me check or you can come and check yourself."

When I asked him if the computer's inventory wasn't providing a number but rather referring him to a Magic 8-ball, he said "Well, the computer shows we have eight of them, but that seems like such a small number I can't believe we'd have ANY."

So I went there, found eight sets of the hole saws on the shelf, and purchased one.

The hole saws, BTW, turned out to be absolute crap. But that is due to the poor arbor design.

Thanks,
Phil

[Joe Lyddon]

My experiences in their store is about the same... very hard to find / get any help... good help.

On the other hand, I have had good experiences shopping through their on-line web site... The last time I bought some stuff, it arrived in good time, a good part of the stuff was obviously just plain JUNK while some was OK.

I called their Customer Service dept, gave them my invoice#, and told them about the stuff I was not happy with. As I went from item to item, she was preparing a Credit Memo to my account... When I was all done, she told me "OK, pack all of those items into a good box and wait for the shipping co. to pick it up." You mean I don't have to ship this stuff back? I don't have to go anywhere? It doesn't cost me a penny? And you're going to Credit my Credit card without a two month wait?! I don't even have to put an address label on the box or have an RMA# written on it?! She said "That's right! Just set the box aside. The shipper will pick it up within a couple of days, you give it to them, they will have a label to put on it, and it's all done! When we receive the box and check the contents, your Credit will be issued. Thank you for shopping at Harbor Freight." I told her "Thank you for such an enjoyable way of returning unwanted merchandise!

[jnesmith]

I will say this about HF, customer service wise. I've mail-ordered quite a few things, and I have never had a problem with getting a relacement when something arrives in less than perfect shape, or quickly breaks.

[JimD]

I don't like to mail order from HF due to slow delivery (at least by my standards) but have always had pretty good luck in their stores. They sometimes do not have sale items for very long but the service has always been good. When I ask a question, I get help. They even come around offering to help. Checkout is sometimes slow but no worse than anywhere else and better than most.

Jim

[LCHIEN]

The HF near me, I've always had satisfactory service.
They match prices, they gve rain checks, they tell me where stuff is and they look things up on the computer and tell me if they carry it or not and get the "valuable" items from wherever they keep them locked up.
They're usually quite busy but wil help me when I flag someone down.
usually they'll ask when I check out if i founbd everything I was looking for and help me if i say no.

[Scottydont]

I have always had good service at the HF's in Washington and Oregon. I guess I'm lucky. I guess that with a store that is built upon "cheap", I imagine the wages are cheap too.

[wreckwriter]

The HF folks here speak an average of about 12 words of English so you might not have it so bad

[JR]

The closest HF to me is at the HF corporate HQ. That store has the exact same staff problems as the others. On the right day it's entertaining. On the wrong day it's infuriating.

The one saving grace is that I can go to the register with the SKU for anything in the catalog. They'll write me a will-call slip which I can take to the warehouse door 75 yards away for pickup.

JR

[gmack5]

Mixed Bag

Some time ago, when the 18 Ga. Brad Nailer went on sale, I couldn't make it to the Store during the Sale (80 miles away) so I called them and ask if they could set one aside for me to pick up the next time I was in the area.
I gave them a specific date I would be there and they agreed to hold it for me untill then.

When I walked into the Store, I asked for the Nailer by Item Number and waited by the Register while someone went and got the Item for me.

The Checkout Clerk proceeded to run it thru the register and told me I owed "Full price". I reminded her that I had called and had the Item set aside and she then began again and this time got it right.

All in all a Good experience and I'm now the proud owner of a $15 18 Ga. Brad Nailer that is giving me good service.

My experience with their "Mail Order" however has been less than pleasant and I just don't order over the web from them any more.

I had to wait for 9 Weeks for an order to arrive and that is just too dang long by my standards.

[TomBar]

I have had much better service and help from HF than either Lowes or HD.