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HF going after pro-tools now with ICON line.

Cheapskate

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Joined
Oct 2, 2010
Messages
219
Well there is the flip side of the story.... those that insist on buying the bottom of the barrel when they could do better... its called a cheapskate.... and yes that mentality translates over to all areas of life making life miserable for those that have to live with them... and we all know who those are. cheers

Something tells me you're no joy to live with either my friend. :lol_hitti
 
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Partsguy57

Banned
Joined
Jan 19, 2016
Messages
456
I have a feeling someone here owned a Napa store and went out of business, so is now bitter. It happens, businesses fail. Consumers are fickle and competition is tough.

Adapt if you want to succeed, HF is...
Lol sold on the top... did very well..rolled dollars into apartments, mini storage, heavy equipment, bit of logging, contract wildfire suppression here in the west, dabble in property development. Etc... do very well thank you... got out of the auto parts business simply to much time for the money. Started young with nothing, did well and it was time to move on.So yea I do have opinions based on experience...

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Negen

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Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
1,909
Location
Seatltle WA
Lol you think a local store owner makes the same profit as a chain store buying a product from a manufacturer on a national level in volume? Your ignorance is very clearly showing through... how many stores have you owned?

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I love how every post you ask how many stores people owned as if that means anything to anyone. I work for my self. I import Samsung washer and dryers a 900$ washer machine costs me 300$ to import after fees and what not. I am also going to start importing mini split systems as the units that retail around 2500$ cost me $400 after import fees for Mitsubishi units.

As a local dealer washer machines and what not my profit margins are probably higher than retail stores since I have little to no overhead.

I have never been in the parts dealing industry as from where I stand overhead is too high to enjoy profits. But when I needed parts for my iszuzu 4bd1 basically a full rebuild kit. It was cheaper to buy from an official iszuzu factory direct dealer in Japan and have the items shipped to me than to buy locally. Cost me about 1250$ total rather than 4-6000 the local dealers were charging.

Oh and how many stores did you own just one?


American companies do not have the luxury of always being able to buy direct from manufacturing plants. When it comes to most things. Consumer electronics has the lowest profit margins I have seen.

I currently own two rubber plantations in Vietnam.(own the land rent to farmers) My family also currently owns the largest dry cleaning chain in Vietnam.(probably will sell in a year or two company has been around for 15 years) It is odd to me that you are attacking people because you lost your parts dealing company if you wish to own it so bad start a new one. But if your the only person on this forum that knows how to own a parts store then I think no one will stop you from reopening your store.

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Partsguy57

Banned
Joined
Jan 19, 2016
Messages
456
Something tells me you're no joy to live with either my friend. [emoji38]_hitti
Based on what? My comments on h.f being cheap tools at cheap prices, and cheap is king in a nutshell...Lol a cheapskate is a know quality.... did you let your wife turn the heat up for Christmas eve? Cheers

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Partsguy57

Banned
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Jan 19, 2016
Messages
456
I love how every post you ask how many stores people owned as if that means anything to anyone. I work for my self. I import Samsung washer and dryers a 900$ washer machine costs me 300$ to import after fees and what not. I am also going to start importing mini split systems as the units that retail around 2500$ cost me $400 after import fees for Mitsubishi units.

As a local dealer washer machines and what not my profit margins are probably higher than retail stores since I have little to no overhead.

I have never been in the parts dealing industry as from where I stand overhead is too high to enjoy profits. But when I needed parts for my iszuzu 4bd1 basically a full rebuild kit. It was cheaper to buy from an official iszuzu factory direct dealer Japan and have the items shipped to me than to buy locally. Cost me about 1250$ total rather than 4-6000 the local dealers were charging.

Oh and how many stores did you own just one?


American companies do not have the luxury of always being able to buy direct from manufacturing plants. When it comes to most things. Consumer electronics has the lowest profit margins I have seen.

I currently own two rubber plantations in Vietnam.(own the land rent to farmers) My family also currently owns the largest dry cleaning chain in Vietnam.(probably will sell in a year or two company has been around for 15 years) It is odd to me that you are attacking people because you lost your parts dealing company if you wish to own it so bad start a new one. But if your the only person on this forum that knows how to own a parts store then I think no one will stop you from reopening your store.

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Can you not read? Nowhere did I say I lost my partstore.. sold at the top and rolled dollars into businesses that are more profitable for less time.. Smart business would you not agree? My observations are based on personal experience dealing with people when I owned a very successful parts store.. I don't miss it.. why simply the time involved.

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Negen

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
1,909
Location
Seatltle WA
Can you not read? Nowhere did I say I lost my partstore.. sold at the top and rolled dollars into businesses that are more profitable for less time.. Smart business would you not agree? My observations are based on personal experience dealing with people when I owned a very successful parts store.. I don't miss it.. why simply the time involved.

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I cannot read posts that have not been typed yet and that post was typed while I typed mine. It was there after I hit enter and the page refreshed.

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M6erfan

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Joined
Dec 6, 2014
Messages
10,170
Location
'Merica!
Lol sold on the top... did very well..rolled dollars into apartments, mini storage, heavy equipment, bit of logging, contract wildfire suppression here in the west, dabble in property development. Etc... do very well thank you... got out of the auto parts business simply to much time for the money. Started young with nothing, did well and it was time to move on.So yea I do have opinions based on experience...

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Sounds like you made all the right moves. Your posts come off as very bitter. Maybe it's just your nature?

Anyway, wishing you a Merry Christmas!
 

Partsguy57

Banned
Joined
Jan 19, 2016
Messages
456
Sounds like you made all the right moves. Your posts come off as very bitter. Maybe it's just your nature?

Anyway, wishing you a Merry Christmas!
Not bitter lol I find it amusing that some base their opinions on zero experience with something.... the demand for cheap has vastly changed the automotive market from what it was. ( most markets have seen same the sort of thing go on... ever been to Wally world?) Go talk to your local auto parts store owner or even auto repair shop owner and they will confirm what I have said. The key is owner here... merry Christmas to you also. Cheers

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ChrisLS8

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Joined
Jan 16, 2015
Messages
1,964
90% of the posts are either gloating or immensely arrogant. At the 100th time of mentioning your store I think the enamor is wearing off. There are plenty of successful people here and it's getting old, we get it you Pat yourself on the back daily
 

Partsguy57

Banned
Joined
Jan 19, 2016
Messages
456
90% of the posts are either gloating or immensely arrogant. At the 100th time of mentioning your store I think the enamor is wearing off. There are plenty of successful people here and it's getting old, we get it you Pat yourself on the back daily
Thin skinned? Here I'll help you feel better.. h.f tools are of high quality bought at deeply discounted prices.... cheers

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Farmall450

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Joined
Dec 23, 2011
Messages
13,370
Location
Marengo, Illinois
I dunno those 5.00 grinders ($9.99 with coupon virtually year round) are pretty popular :lol_hitti

One of my largest volume of tool table flips :beer:

I've been beating the hell out of the cheapest grinder with a wire wheel cup for 3 years now. It's outlasted 3 cups ran until most of the wires were gone (mostly used on rusty tractor rims).

I'd say it's a good buy :beer:
 

Negen

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Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
1,909
Location
Seatltle WA
Harbor freight tools are not deeply discounted though still sold with profits being made. The lower prices are results of lower wages for the factory workers and less cost of regulations in coo. It is amazing how cheap items become when there is only one small piece of red tape rather than millions. Imagine an American working in a tooling factory without insurance or lni let alone no smoke or bathroom breaks. Cost of manufacturing is low when you take out human rights or dignity.

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ChrisLS8

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Jan 16, 2015
Messages
1,964
Thin skinned? Here I'll help you feel better.. h.f tools are of high quality bought at deeply discounted prices.... cheers

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No, you're just boastful in most your posts and it's annoying mostly. Nothing wrong with being proud of your accomplishments however being arrogant gets on most people's nerves
 

dogdog

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
12,711
Well there is the flip side of the story.... those that insist on buying the bottom of the barrel when they could do better... its called a cheapskate.... and yes that mentality translates over to all areas of life making life miserable for those that have to live with them... and we all know who those are. cheers

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A tool is just a tool in a hand of a fool, plenty of professionals use HF tools, and plenty of people think they are pros laugh at other pros that uses HF tools. Don't just say you own some parts store since 19 and you have worked at the part store since 16... ... that don't mean anything. A technical feedback, or User experience or your professional wrenching experience ?

How many time have you use those HF tools to give a honest feedback? instead of jumping on the COO bandwagon without any technical facts to back up the claims? Spending your $$$ wisely is not called cheapskate... it's called smart spending, I don't hackle, don't rob, and don't beg for the prices... If I needed a tool, I'll go get the tool to do the job right. What I don't do is to spend unnecessarily on brands names, I'll have no problem spending if it justify my ROI.. if Snap-on happens to worked out in the decision, I have no problem getting a set of snap-on. So far, I don't needed them to fix my cars, machines, or house.... and of cause they don't needed me as their customer, I am not in their target market.
 
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Strouty

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Joined
Mar 21, 2010
Messages
38,217
Location
Southern Maine
I am still convinced that anyone that uses low quality tools professionally lives where there is no rust. Maybe the icon line will change my thoughts?
 

Partsguy57

Banned
Joined
Jan 19, 2016
Messages
456
A tool is just a tool in a hand of a fool, plenty of professionals use HF tools, and plenty of people think they are pros laugh at other pros that uses HF tools. Don't just say you own some parts store since 19 and you have worked at the part store since 16... ... that don't mean anything. A technical feedback, or User experience or your professional wrenching experience ?

How many time have you use those HF tools to give a honest feedback? instead of jumping on the COO bandwagon without any technical facts to back up the claims? Spending your $$$ wisely is not called cheapskate... it's called smart spending, I don't hackle, don't rob, and don't beg for the prices... If I needed a tool, I'll go get the tool to do the job right. What I don't do is to spend unnecessarily on brands names, I'll have no problem spending if it justify my ROI.. if Snap-on happens to worked out in the decision, I have no problem getting a set of snap-on. So far, I don't needed them to fix my cars, machines, or house.... and of cause they don't needed me as their customer, I am not in their target market.
Relax... seem to be a little worked up... sorry to disappoint the pros in general don't use h.f. that doesn't just include automotive, ( welders, plumbers, electricians, contractors etc) I have had personal experience my brothers fathers in law had a shop full of h.f stuff and let's say much of it was lacking in performance... will the new stuff be better? Time will tell. I base my observations on personal experience based on growing up in a repair shop, ( my fathers shop) me owning a full service auto parts store and machine shop. And now owning a very large amount of heavy equipment and rigs in general I don't like cheap.. Part of h.f base is the cheapskate.. the guy who could easily afford better but chooses not to. You keep bringing up snap on as that is all I own and expect others to own. Wrong plenty of other good brands.... the fact is you can't get past what is self evident , h.f is cheap tools at cheap price and you get what you pay for... example you can't hardly give h.f. type tools away at auctions, yard sells etc, but premium always have value, can you explain why this is?


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dogdog

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Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
12,711
Relax... seem to be a little worked up... sorry to disappoint the pros in general don't use h.f. that doesn't just include automotive, ( welders, plumbers, electricians, contractors etc) I have had personal experience my brothers fathers in law had a shop full of h.f stuff and let's say much of it was lacking in performance... will the new stuff be better? Time will tell. I base my observations on personal experience based on growing up in a repair shop, ( my fathers shop) me owning a full service auto parts store and machine shop. And now owning a very large amount of heavy equipment and rigs in general I don't like cheap.. Part of h.f base is the cheapskate.. the guy who could easily afford better but chooses not to. You keep bringing up snap on as that is all I own and expect others to own. Wrong plenty of other good brands.... the fact is you can't get past what is self evident , h.f is cheap tools at cheap price and you get what you pay for... example you can't hardly give h.f. type tools away at auctions, yard sells etc, but premium always have value, can you explain why this is?


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Something tells me you're no joy to live with either my friend. :lol_hitti
^^^^
LOL

I think this guy is regard as a pro to many... his tools does include HF stuff... as well as other brand other than snap-on... maybe... but sure....

 

derosa

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Joined
Oct 19, 2010
Messages
1,078
Location
Oceanside, NY
In king county you can buy from Tacoma screw , grainger, and fastenal all of which are located everywhere.

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Sorry, who are these? :headscrat
Actually never heard of Tacoma screw, assume that's a NW company.
While the local fastenal to where I am now is decent they're still not really user friendly and don't keep anything more then a bare bones stock of their own, overpriced brand. And they're an improvement to the one that had been local to where I was living previously that was horrible, and more like most fastenals I've been in but at least I had the satisfaction of seeing that one go under.
Grainger from my experience is very overpriced and user unfriendly.
None of these three really give Proto any exposure what so ever to users who will walk in the door of a HF and be interested in a premium line. I found a really nice industrial supply place in Syracuse that had Wright and that I found worth the effort to drive an easy 50 min to so I could fondle the tools before buying them. Since moving to Long Island I haven't found anyplace within a 30 min drive that sells wright, SK or Proto that I can walk in the doors of and get a decent price and hold the tools. The same can't be said of HF where I can find 4 of them, Lowes where I can get to 1 and HD where I can reach 2. If these brands really want to compete with HF, and soon they may need to start doing so, then they need to get where the public is especially if HF starts stealing more of the professional space through their upgrades.
 

M6erfan

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Joined
Dec 6, 2014
Messages
10,170
Location
'Merica!
... I have had personal experience my brothers fathers in law had a shop full of h.f stuff and let's say much of it was lacking in performance... will the new stuff be better? Time will tell. I base my observations on personal experience based on growing up in a repair shop, ( my fathers shop) me owning a full service auto parts store and machine shop. And now owning a very large amount of heavy equipment and rigs in general...

Wait, did you own a auto parts store and machine shop at some point? Couldn't tell...Howabout you tell us 12 more times?

:rolleyes:

Broken record...
 

DFB

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Joined
Sep 7, 2016
Messages
5,765
Location
Southern VT/Western Mass
I am still convinced that anyone that uses low quality tools professionally lives where there is no rust. Maybe the icon line will change my thoughts?

Strouty care to expand on that any? Being a tool guy I'm curious to any specifics of known name branding (beyond the in question Harbor Frieght :D) that don't make the muster :headscrat
 

Negen

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Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
1,909
Location
Seatltle WA
Sorry, who are these? :headscrat
Actually never heard of Tacoma screw, assume that's a NW company.
While the local fastenal to where I am now is decent they're still not really user friendly and don't keep anything more then a bare bones stock of their own, overpriced brand. And they're an improvement to the one that had been local to where I was living previously that was horrible, and more like most fastenals I've been in but at least I had the satisfaction of seeing that one go under.
Grainger from my experience is very overpriced and user unfriendly.
None of these three really give Proto any exposure what so ever to users who will walk in the door of a HF and be interested in a premium line. I found a really nice industrial supply place in Syracuse that had Wright and that I found worth the effort to drive an easy 50 min to so I could fondle the tools before buying them. Since moving to Long Island I haven't found anyplace within a 30 min drive that sells wright, SK or Proto that I can walk in the doors of and get a decent price and hold the tools. The same can't be said of HF where I can find 4 of them, Lowes where I can get to 1 and HD where I can reach 2. If these brands really want to compete with HF, and soon they may need to start doing so, then they need to get where the public is especially if HF starts stealing more of the professional space through their upgrades.
That was the point I was trying to make earlier. Harbor freight may sell OK mediocre tools some may border high quality. If the other guys took tektons direct to consumer no frills warranty, then they may improve competition. It is hard to hold real estate and be a retail store for things that last a lifetime. I still believe from what I have seen that these new tools are the same new tools that all the other brands have. Stores that used to retail gear wrench have started to drop that brand. My father manages a public bus depot that nearly all the diesel techs have hf 3/4 drive tools and wrenches. I am not sure if they are pros because they get paid salary and not hourly/job. Tools vary trucks that come around are Cornwall,Mac,snap on. Snap on is the only truck those guys really buy from since most tools on the other two trucks seems to nothing worth the price. I had a good conversation about tools with them at the holiday dinner.

Now outside of automotive when you start getting into aviation or power plants, clean rooms , medical hvac or other jobs where a single job is millions of dollars on the line I suspect people are more careful about tools. Heck even high end cars and custom rods tools that won't mar up a fastener becomes quite important.

Bottom line is harbor freight ( on the backs of a slave market) are bringing decent tools to people who may want something a bit higher quality. If once Taiwan has their $15/hour strikes I am sure the market will change again..

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