HF pulled a dirty sale!

[leehljp]

Following the the steps of other retailers, HF is doing what ever they can to sneak a buck into their coffers.

Yesterday, I printed out the sale of their portable metal bandsaw which was $84.99 on sale. APPARENTLY at midnight the sale disappeared and reverted to the "regular" price of $119.99, in which the 25% off coupon renders the price to be $90.00.

Do they think most people are dumb enough to fall for that?

I will go and see if they changed their sale prices off of their in-stock on-the-shelf items.

[Knottscott]

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"Naughty!"

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[JSUPreston]

I was thinking of getting a drill press today. All the ones I looked at yesterday that were on sale are now all regular priced. Guess I'll just have to stick with my benchtop unit for a while longer.

[sweensdv]

Huh? The sale price of $84.99 ended at 11:59PM on 12/31/12. Today is 1/1/13 and the new price is $119.99 before any other discount is applied. I see absolutely nothing wrong with what happened. What did HF or any other company for that matter do wrong because a customer didn't happen to buy something yesterday?

[woodturner]

Yesterday, I printed out the sale of their portable metal bandsaw which was $84.99 on sale. APPARENTLY at midnight the sale disappeared and reverted to the "regular" price of $119.99, in which the 25% off coupon renders the price to be $90.00.

I'm not sure I understand the issue. As I understand what you posted, the bandsaw was on sale through 12/31 for $84.99, and reverted to the regular price when the sale was over. The 25% off coupon, which states it is not valid on sale prices or with any other discount, results in a price of 119.99 * .75=$89.99, the same price it would have been during the sale if the coupon had been valid then.

So the sale price yesterday was lower than the sale price today.

I, too, get annoyed when I wait for a "better" sale that turns out not to have a better price, but I'm not sure how this is any different than any other sale at any other retailer?

[LCHIEN]

sales prices usually have an expiration date (except for some places that have permanent sales prices which is dirty) and the expiration date is usually posted. So what's dirty about that? So today you can use the 25% coupon so its just a little more expensive. And tomorrow you can use the 20% coupons. Act fast! Deals go to the swift. He who hesitates pays full freight.

[RAV2]

Looking at the folding ladder. Was119 a few weeks ago, then 140, and is now 170.

Like others have said, it's all in the timing and available coupons. - but fair in an open market.

[leehljp]

He who hesitates pays full freight.

Not me. They just loose a sale, and judging by JSU, another one too.

Sure, they have the right to do what they want when they want, and I do too. I did check online and there was nothing in the ad online that said the sale would end at midnight last night.

And my nearest HF, which is a new store with a new manager, - he does not allow 20% coupons on ANYTHING listed as onsale, where-as most HF stores do honor the 20% coupons on normal sale items, but not "Special discount" items. (There is a difference and it is even noted/implied on the 25% coupon. Knowing this, I was prepared to buy it at $84.99 because I do need one.

I will wait until it goes on "normal" sale again and use a 20% coupon at the store 20 miles further away!

[JSUPreston]

In my case, I have to admit that I didn't catch that the sale price ended yesterday. I was hoping to stack the coupon on the sale price and get a floor model down to around $200. I may still get the drill press. Just doing a little thinking about it and reading reviews.

[sweensdv]

Harbor Freight, for as long as I can remember, runs their "sales" from the 1st of the month to the last day of the month. If an item is on sale during the current month you can pretty much bank on it not being one sale again for the next couple of months or so. You can however take it to the bank that it will go on sale again. There are exceptions of course but generally speaking the end of the month signals the end of the current "sale" period. I still fail to see how a company runs their sales is in any way taking advantage of the cutsomer.

[LCHIEN]

He who hesitates pays full freight.

Actually that was about 33% serious, 33% in jest and 33% "I don't believe myself"

If you need it you pay the going price. Or buy it elsewhere where the competition has it for less.

If you are willing to wait these things often go on sale. Some items at HF repeatedly go on sale. Or maybe you just don't really need it at all - you are not forced to buy it at all.

I always tell my kids if they're pushing you to buy it RIGHT NOW because the price will change then you need to think again and make sure its not a pressure sales tactic. If they can sell it for X today then they can sell it for X at some time in the future and still make money. I just don't like to be pressured to buy stuff RIGHT NOW because I know the sale guys are thinking you'll go away and not buy or buy somewhere else.

[cabinetman]

I have to join the ranks that says the retailer didn't do anything underhanded. It's a simple principle of reading the advertising and its small print. Read all the print, and especially words or sentences that are marked with an * or any other notation that requires you to look all around for further explanations. It reminds me of something my drafting instructor once said: "Pay attention to the details".

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[Rslaugh]

?.....I was prepared to buy it at $84.99 because I do need one.

I will wait until it goes on "normal" sale again and use a 20% coupon at the store 20 miles further away!

Hank,

Really? Not sure I'd drive 40 miles out of my way for 500 pennies. Especially in this case where the same retailer ends up with your do re mi anyway.

I understand getting irritated at a store. I've only been to Kmart once in 30 years after they wanted a thumb print on a $29 check and I haven't been back to Sears since they hired a pair of bozos to deliver a new appliance who really pissed me off 16 years ago.

[leehljp]

In my case, I have to admit that I didn't catch that the sale price ended yesterday. I was hoping to stack the coupon on the sale price and get a floor model down to around $200. I may still get the drill press. Just doing a little thinking about it and reading reviews.

Actually, the sale price that ended yesterday, as I mentioned above, did NOT have the ending date on it. This was on their normal website that you get when you type in the item number.


Folks, you are missing something that causes the confusion. In the back of many magazines are coupons with the sale price just as they are online and in mail outs. These coupons in the catalogs often go for 3 months or so, or at least used to.

I will have to start "catagorizing" their Sales:
• which ones end at the end of the month or other day;
• which ones allow 20% coupons,
• which ones go for 3 months or so.

Still, this reminds me of the early 70's when the first "oil shortage" went into effect and the then president put a "freeze" on oil prices (and gasoline). Well, one day gasoline was 25 to 28 cents and after the freeze it was 40 - 42 cents for regular. How did that happen? The oil companies said that they were offering discounts and when the Pres froze prices, the oil companies instantaneously "removed the discount". THAT act alone escalated into a recession. And, There was something highly unethetical about that IMO.

The reason that the HF sale revocation bothered me is that I specifically looked for a date all over the page. (I could have bad eyes, so I have to give them the benefit of the doubt as I often have to scrutinize to find the product code on occasion.) However, as stated, it is their "custom" in general to end sales, outside of magazine sales coupons, at the end of the month! My bad on that.

[cwsmith]

Looking at the folding ladder. Was119 a few weeks ago, then 140, and is now 170.

Like others have said, it's all in the timing and available coupons. - but fair in an open market.

This is weird, as my son and I just came back from the local HF. He bought the ladder and I got the Forstner bit set from a Christmas gift card he had given me.

We talked about the ladder and yesterday went to HF to check to see if they had them in stock and to see if they would honor the 25% if we bought it today. I looked up the price yesterday afternoon and saw that it was $134.99. A quick calculation reflected the final would be $101.24 (before tax) with the $25% discount.

So after reading your post, I just called him to see what his receipt said. Sure enough, his before tax sum was $101.24.... but get this: It said the price was "$169.99" and that he saved something like $74 (with the free measuring tape coupon).

The math certainly doesn't add up, as 25% off of the $169.99 should have made the price, $127.50 !

Did he just luck out or what?

CWS