Even more restrictions on HF 20% Coupons?

[IQRaceworks]

Just a heads up to those of you who are getting ready to use one of the 20% Harbor Freight coupons on something.....apparently now in addition to them not applying to tool boxes, welders, trailers, jacks, and a few other things.....now they have changed the fine print so that they don't apply to around a dozen or more of their "house" brand items.........including the Bauer portable band saw that I just bought today.

Regular price was $139...so it was still more that half of what the Milwaukee version would have cost me, but I walked into HF expecting to save almost $30 with the 20% off coupon....so I was a little bent out of shape when I found out it didn't apply.

....just a heads up for those of you who frequent HF often. It seems like every year their tools get better, but their deals get worse.....funny how that works.

 

[ducksface]

A good attitude in a situation like that gets you a managers 15 percent off and free club membership.

 

[upgrading]

I believe this has been going on for a while now.

 

[trekgod3]

I believe this has been going on for a while now.

Yes. Old news. It started as soon as they rolled out their new house brands, a few months ago I believe.

 

[zendriver]

Just a heads up to those of you who are getting ready to use one of the 20% Harbor Freight coupons on something.....apparently now in addition to them not applying to tool boxes, welders, trailers, jacks, and a few other things.....now they have changed the fine print so that they don't apply to around a dozen or more of their "house" brand items.........including the Bauer portable band saw that I just bought today.

Regular price was $139...so it was still more that half of what the Milwaukee version would have cost me, but I walked into HF expecting to save almost $30 with the 20% off coupon....so I was a little bent out of shape when I found out it didn't apply.

....just a heads up for those of you who frequent HF often. It seems like every year their tools get better, but their deals get worse.....funny how that works.

$139 is still not a bad price for a portable band saw.

They have good market share. No really good need to fight to attract customers any more.

They have them.

 

[IQRaceworks]

A good attitude in a situation like that gets you a managers 15 percent off and free club membership.

I was polite, but the guy at the register didnt budge. If there weren't 5 people in line behind me I might have pushed the issue. $30 wasn't enough for me to throw a fit about and hold up the line for all of those other people....my fault for not reading all of the fine print I guess.

And like others have said....$140 for a decent portable band saw still isn't a bad deal. The Milwaukee version is $300.

 

[metaldad]

yep. got phucked by a 20% off.
needed the large car canopy, without sides.
it was $119. clerk told me 20% starts the next day.
walk in, grab the item card, note that the price was 129, overnite.
clerk processes the card, i give him the 20% coupon............. does not apply to that item.
i was hosting a large party two days later, i needed it.
feel like a real sucker and a chump
they can pound salt up theirs, i aint going there anymore

 

[laser3kw]

^^^
and now you know why they get so many "returns" / DUI's ( done using item)

I think they would have fewer DUI's if they didn't practice the "Not today" "Not that item" or the revolving price / discount thing

 

[IQRaceworks]

I thought about using my saw for the project I need for and returning it a few days later.....but I figured that's a pretty crummy thing to do, and I'm sure I'll use the heck out of this thing.

 

[JonnyMac]

So I'm heading over to NY in a couple of weeks and I'm planning to get the tube roller which should fit in my spare suitcase. What's the deal with the discount coupons? Where can I get one? Thanks people...

 

[bczygan]

So I'm heading over to NY in a couple of weeks and I'm planning to get the tube roller which should fit in my spare suitcase. What's the deal with the discount coupons? Where can I get one? Thanks people...

hfqpdb.com

 

[dnschmidt]

This is what happens when you appeal to the least common denominator. They get pissed when they can't use a 20% coupon. I wonder if Stahlwille, Hilti or Metabo worry about such things. HF is already half the price of anybody else and when they exclude something from a coupon war breaks out. This is also likely the reason people get stampeded at Wal-Mart on Black Friday and that just doesn't happen at Nordstrom's. Wonder why?

 

[buckwheat_la]

This is what happens when you appeal to the least common denominator. They get pissed when they can't use a 20% coupon. I wonder if Stahlwille, Hilti or Metabo worry about such things. HF is already half the price of anybody else and when they exclude something from a coupon war breaks out. This is also likely the reason people get stampeded at Wal-Mart on Black Friday and that just doesn't happen at Nordstrom's. Wonder why?

^^
This all day long.

No one is forcing you to go there. Once you walk in, its their rules, so why would anyone feel a need to get upset over it? God forbid a company put restrictions on a promo so they aren't losing their shirt on some things....

 

[IQRaceworks]

I agree...their store, their rules. I was just pointing out that this is something that they have started doing recently, and it will catch you off guard if you have been going there foe years and using their coupons on stuff.

I don't know about you....but I don't read the fine print on every single coupon or sales add I get from stores.

 

[bcradio]

$139 is still not a bad price for a portable band saw.

They have good market share. No really good need to fight to attract customers any more.

They have them.

Except they'll lose them quick if they stop fighting to keep them. They need to remain competitive with quality tools at better prices than the competition. Start slacking in the price or quality department and customers will jump ship quick.

 

[nmk_61802]

Thanks for the heads-up, I had missed this new fine print. So many exclusions, not sure what you CAN use the coupon on now.

 

[ducksface]

Thanks for the heads-up, I had missed this new fine print. So many exclusions, not sure what you CAN use the coupon on now.

15,000 or so items is my guess.

 

[Falcon67]

I was kinda bummed about the tool box restrictions, but then the side cab I was looking at for $179 is a way superior part than the Cman unit at $309.

"Your discount is in the price"

 

[nmk_61802]

15,000 or so items is my guess.

My store seems to be shrinking lately, I doubt they have a total of 15,000 items in the whole store.

While done for awhile, the exclusion of Welders, Compressors, Jacks, Storage Cabinets, Chests, and Carts removes about 1/4 - 1/3 of what my store stocks. The exclusions of the premium brands removes another 1/8 -1/4 as they slowly convert their specialty tools over. The exclusion of Predator takes out all gas power motor options.

To me the 20% now is only good for hand tools and consumables, neither of which Harbor Freight particularly excels at IMO.

For me Harbor Freights purpose has always been the larger ticket items and the low use specialty tools that I could not justify purchasing for a project otherwise.

Unfortunately they are slowly pricing themselves out of that niche when compared with used premium brands on Ebay.

 

[IQRaceworks]

$139 for their portable bandsaw...plus their $40 "3yr insurance plan" puts them mighty close to the price of a Dewalt portable band saw. They are going to start losing customers if their prices keep going up and discounts keep going down.

 

[dnschmidt]

Nonsense on the losing customers idea. LOSING THEM TO WHOM? Sears is dead, independent tool stores are dead, That leaves the HD, Lowes and Amazon as the ONLY competition and they are twice the price of Harbor Freight. I would like them to eliminate the coupons completely and simply charge whatever it is they have to charge just like a normal store so that I don't have to stand behind customers tearing out coupons while waiting to check out. Kill the gimmicks and just sell your Chinese **** straight up. Screw the free flashlights, magnetic trays, tape measures, DVM's and all that ****. Just charge what you need to and forget about the clown games.

 

[IQRaceworks]

EBay.....lots of vendors on eBay now selling harbor freight brand stuff and the same or lower prices.....and no sales tax and free shipping. For bigger ticket items ($100+), people are finding better deals online. Now on small stuff like hand tools....yes, I agree with you.

 

[ducksface]

Someone who cares more and is better at searches can find an old thread about.
Lumber liquidators(I am so bad at brand names. It was the guys recently in the news for formaldehyde) having a half asked selection of hf quality tools, like grinders, at considerably less than hf.

 

[md21722]

This is what happens when you appeal to the least common denominator. They get pissed when they can't use a 20% coupon. I wonder if Stahlwille, Hilti or Metabo worry about such things. HF is already half the price of anybody else and when they exclude something from a coupon war breaks out. This is also likely the reason people get stampeded at Wal-Mart on Black Friday and that just doesn't happen at Nordstrom's. Wonder why?

I think the complaint is that folks have been trained to clip the HF 20% coupon and get 20% off. It used to be pretty much anything was 20% off. Who reads the fine print on the coupon each time to see if its changed? It's not like they restyle the coupons, just change the fine print. Instead you get to the store checkout and get annoyed when "another item has been added to the excluded list".

 

[ducksface]

I think the complaint is that folks have been trained to clip the HF 20% coupon and get 20% off. It used to be pretty much anything was 20% off. Who reads the fine print on the coupon each time to see if its changed? It's not like they restyle the coupons, just change the fine print. Instead you get to the store checkout and get annoyed when "another item has been added to the excluded list".

So you've explained a known change in circumstance.

It's evolving. You all know it's evolving, you all know the simple cure is to simply read the coupon, but you(as in a collective 'you all') simply refuse to simplify your simple lives by simply reading a simple coupon?

I have no way to understand nor explain how some foist their foibles on anyone but themselves, every time, without fail.

 

[Ign]

My store seems to be shrinking lately, I doubt they have a total of 15,000 items in the whole store.

While done for awhile, the exclusion of Welders, Compressors, Jacks, Storage Cabinets, Chests, and Carts removes about 1/4 - 1/3 of what my store stocks. The exclusions of the premium brands removes another 1/8 -1/4 as they slowly convert their specialty tools over. The exclusion of Predator takes out all gas power motor options.

To me the 20% now is only good for hand tools and consumables, neither of which Harbor Freight particularly excels at IMO.

For me Harbor Freights purpose has always been the larger ticket items and the low use specialty tools that I could not justify purchasing for a project otherwise.

Unfortunately they are slowly pricing themselves out of that niche when compared with used premium brands on Ebay.

Agreed. As for the coupons, I dunno. They can do what they want, but I think they should allow it to apply to anything. HF is about budget deals, so keep it cheap and KISS

 

[md21722]

I see it as a case of the merchant making things more complicated for customers so customer's are going to complain. HF should have done more to make the coupon changes more obvious and customer friendly.

If you are the type of guy that reads the fine print on every coupon you bring to the grocery store then you are one odd duck.

 

[bubinga]

Just a heads up to those of you who are getting ready to use one of the 20% Harbor Freight coupons on something.....apparently now in addition to them not applying to tool boxes, welders, trailers, jacks, and a few other things.....now they have changed the fine print so that they don't apply to around a dozen or more of their "house" brand items.........including the Bauer portable band saw that I just bought today.

Regular price was $139...so it was still more that half of what the Milwaukee version would have cost me, but I walked into HF expecting to save almost $30 with the 20% off coupon....so I was a little bent out of shape when I found out it didn't apply.

....just a heads up for those of you who frequent HF often. It seems like every year their tools get better, but their deals get worse.....funny how that works.

Thanks,
It don't surprise me though.

 

[bubinga]

I'm going to say too,
Some people got plenty of money. Others Don't.
Others are forced to spend more time shopping around and looking for discounts than They spend using the tools.

 

[anndel]

I walked into the Las Vegas HF Store 4 years ago, no one except 5 sales guys behind the counter were there. They didn't say a word and 3 of them went in back to hide. I left without buying anything and I still don't order anything from them at all. I receive their catalogs one in a while and they go to the garbage to energy incinerator here on Oahu.

 

[ducksface]

I walked into the Las Vegas HF Store 4 years ago, no one except 5 sales guys behind the counter were there. They didn't say a word and 3 of them went in back to hide. I left without buying anything and I still don't order anything from them at all. I receive their catalogs one in a while and they go to the garbage to energy incinerator here on Oahu.

They used to have a cute and talented girl manager in Vegas. Would double up your coupons and do manager specials. She raced some sort of track out there in a girl class. Very pleasant and could make the cash register dance in your favor.

 

[-Brent-]

This is what happens when you appeal to the least common denominator. They get pissed when they can't use a 20% coupon. I wonder if Stahlwille, Hilti or Metabo worry about such things. HF is already half the price of anybody else and when they exclude something from a coupon war breaks out. This is also likely the reason people get stampeded at Wal-Mart on Black Friday and that just doesn't happen at Nordstrom's. Wonder why?

To be fair to the "LCDs," Harbor Freights business and brand was built on those coupons. Everyone sort-of expects to be able to go in and use them.

My wife is a Nordstrom fan and, dude, the people there go nuts during the annual sale. They're no more sophisticated than a Walmart shopper when it comes to a deal on a $75 tee shirt of $200 jeans.

 

[XabuJr]

If you are the type of guy that reads the fine print on every coupon you bring to the grocery store then you are one odd duck.

If you don't read the fine print, then it's on you, not the business. That goes with every fine print, coupon or not. It spells out everything you need to know.

Just like people who used to cash those checks and things, then get pissed off because doing so signed them up for a service because that "free" money wasn't free.

 

[zendriver]

Silly old harbor freight.

Most companies just give out coupons now and then but they've had a regular 20% off one for as long as I can remember, seemingly at least 20 years.

It's amusing, that harbor freight has given out that 20% coupon for so long that many now view it as an "entitlement".


How dare they make restrictions to MY entitlement!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[IQRaceworks]

I don't think you understand the reason behind this thread. It's not to ***** about their coupons that HF's customers should be "entitled" to...its to give a heads up to those of us who have used those 20% coupons for years, but now in addition the the broad brush they used to exclude ALL welders, jacks, trailers..and so on, now they are singling out specific brands of products......and yes it's in the fine print, but don't try to tell me that part of their strategy isn't to lure people in for deals on stuff with those coupons only to tell them at the counter.."sorry, that brand of impact isn't covered by that coupon".

I was just hoping to give others a heads up...that's it. I'd rather have NO coupons from them than ones with all kinds of restrictions that you don't find out about until you show up at the store and wait in line.

 

[ducksface]

Did you all check the fine print expiration date?
I bet you do.
Why did you all stop at the expiration date and not just bother to spend the additional part of a second to see if your purchase would be excluded?

1. You all read the expiration date
2. You believe there is No blame on you for doing a half assed job.
3. If this is the type of work you do for yourself, what type of work do you all do for others?
4. You all justify your poor work here.

Maybe if you all just took on this one slight responsibility without the need to blame others life would go better for you... Or at least your next harbor freight trip.
Please continue to post about how you'll continue to not read the fine print and let us know it works out.

I can never figure out those who post from a point of weakness as if it is a value.

OP is exempt. He did what he did to educate us and has not threatened to boycott hf because of his shortcoming.

 

[jeeper46]

So I'm heading over to NY in a couple of weeks and I'm planning to get the tube roller which should fit in my spare suitcase. What's the deal with the discount coupons? Where can I get one? Thanks people...

Just about any car/ motorcycle hobbyist magazine has a HF ad with a 20% coupon every month.

 

[zendriver]

I don't think you understand the reason behind this thread. It's not to ***** about their coupons that HF's customers should be "entitled" to...its to give a heads up to those of us who have used those 20% coupons for years, but now in addition the the broad brush they used to exclude ALL welders, jacks, trailers..and so on, now they are singling out specific brands of products......and yes it's in the fine print, but don't try to tell me that part of their strategy isn't to lure people in for deals on stuff with those coupons only to tell them at the counter.."sorry, that brand of impact isn't covered by that coupon".

I was just hoping to give others a heads up...that's it. I'd rather have NO coupons from them than ones with all kinds of restrictions that you don't find out about until you show up at the store and wait in line.

My bad, I was not referring to anyone directly, just making a not-so-funny comment.

Fair enough, for me personally, i have noticed a few more "name brands" being added to the coupon exclusion list, which coincidentally is more pricier items, like higher quality air tools and test equipment, like an $80 radiator test kit.

As far abandoning the coupon complete, 20% off a common $20 item is still $4.

Now that they have a large market share, it would not be surprising if they wanted to have the coupon go away completely, but that could be a long process, as we are creatures of habit.

 

[jonesg]

Just a heads up to those of you who are getting ready to use one of the 20% Harbor Freight coupons on something.....apparently now in addition to them not applying to tool boxes, welders, trailers, jacks, and a few other things.....now they have changed the fine print so that they don't apply to around a dozen or more of their "house" brand items.........including the Bauer portable band saw that I just bought today.

Regular price was $139...so it was still more that half of what the Milwaukee version would have cost me, but I walked into HF expecting to save almost $30 with the 20% off coupon....so I was a little bent out of shape when I found out it didn't apply.

....just a heads up for those of you who frequent HF often. It seems like every year their tools get better, but their deals get worse.....funny how that works.

Dunno, yesterday I got an alum 1.5 ton racing jack for 59 with a coupon,
reg price is 79.

 

[md21722]

I always read the fine print warning labels on batteries.

The folks that are blaming the consumers are basically supporting corporate legal **** and deceptive business practices. They are no better than the corporate leeches. Let them be the trolls that they are.

They'd probably also support 'lifetime warranty' in big letters on the box that doesn't mean lifetime warranty in all cases, and not writing in to get the full details of what that means. Because they want to be argumentative or are in the marketing departments for these shady operations.