Harbor Freight Kudos

[BFBOB]

Credit Where Credit Is Due Dept.:

It snowed 3" last night. Maybe that's relevant, maybe not. But, this morning I went to my friendly neighborhood HF store, only to be greeted at the door by a clerk who told me their computers were down. Oh, I said, so you're closed. Not at all, she said, I just have to mark the prices on your merchandise by hand. So, we got the two things I wanted (she gave me the sale price on one, for a sale that doesn't start 'til January!), and I went to check out. I wasn't sure I had enough cash, but the clerk said it was no problem, they just had to phone in credit cards!
So I got the stuff I wanted, paid by the method I wanted, and it just took a little longer. Got a handwritten receipt!

Now, that's impressive. I've been in other stores where they just say, Computer's down- we're closed.

 

[fitz11]

When I worked there we did the same thing during a power outage. Tell us what you wanted and we grabbed it from the dark store with a flashlight. We sold over 20k in generators that morning all with phoned in credit cards and hand written receipts.

 

[G_P]

Do they no longer use the old style credit card machines that used carbon paper to make an imprint of the card?

Probably too risky these days to let a store make a copy of all your card info.

During storm Sandy when power was out for over a week several stores in town ran a small generator outside and had a cord running to the cash register. Credit cards were useless as most phone lines were downed by trees and the cell towers were very unreliable if they were even working at all.

 

[scaron]

i think the only place i still see the slide-back-and-forth card imprint machines in in taxi cabs. barring that, i think they died out in the early 90s. those are receipts you definitely do not want to lose!!

 

[BFBOB]

Do they no longer use the old style credit card machines that used carbon paper to make an imprint of the card?

>>>Yes, they used the ol' knuckle-buster with all the info handwritten (except the impression of the card) and a handwritten receipt.

Probably too risky these days to let a store make a copy of all your card info.

>>>So many ways to be scammed with and without paper I just can't worry about it.

QUOTE]

 

[fitz11]

Do they no longer use the old style credit card machines that used carbon paper to make an imprint of the card?

Probably too risky these days to let a store make a copy of all your card info.

During storm Sandy when power was out for over a week several stores in town ran a small generator outside and had a cord running to the cash register. Credit cards were useless as most phone lines were downed by trees and the cell towers were very unreliable if they were even working at all.

That is part of the phone transaction. You imprint the card and fill out the receipt then call and enter the information and get and authorization number that goes on the receipt as well. You need all of the information because it has to be entered into the pos system when the computers are back up.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Credit Where Credit Is Due Dept.:

It snowed 3" last night. Maybe that's relevant, maybe not. But, this morning I went to my friendly neighborhood HF store, only to be greeted at the door by a clerk who told me their computers were down. Oh, I said, so you're closed. Not at all, she said, I just have to mark the prices on your merchandise by hand.

Was she hot????

 

[kunkernator]

We still do card imprints at O'reillys if the computers are down. It is hard enough to find parts in the paper books. The hardest part is finding the price on the part.....nothing is marked.

 

[General Geoff]

I'm surprised they didn't store supply one of their own generators and use it to power the lights and registers. They could even sell it at a reduced price as a demo model later.

 

[Sureshot]

Was she hot????

I like the way you think!! I am hungry for some chickentuna.

 

[Rakoprtr]

Was she hot????

This /\ /\ is awsome

 

[justanengineer]

JMHO, but if I walked into a store known for misplacing credit card info and they wanted to call in a credit card payment, I'd be thanking them and shopping another day.

 

[Davefr]

I'm surprised they didn't store supply one of their own generators and use it to power the lights and registers. They could even sell it at a reduced price as a demo model later.

It probably wouldn't start.

 

[Sureshot]

It probably wouldn't start.

It would start but the crappy power would fry the electronics

 

[GreenNV]

It appears that the HF computers are down nationwide; I shopped at the local store here and they had to write everything down on the credit card receipt. Yes, they were using the old style machine that imprints your credit card number. They did not call in the number at the time of the transaction which means they would be liable if your card was stolen. They computed everything with a hand calculator.

Since I spent my entire career in the computer industry, it put a smile on my face. I was told the computers were down for the second day. I left saying it could be worse; you could be trying to get health insurance on the goverment's website.

 

[sammerdog]

Was she hot????

Yeah, but she was covered in a thin layer of oil and had that certain plasticy smell to her.

 

[crbassassin]

Yeah, but she was covered in a thin layer of oil and had that certain plasticy smell to her.

She's made in China?

 

[jd_1138]

I was in a fast food restaurant once, and the computers were down. The manager was trying to work out the sales tax. He was over there brainstorming with his assistant manager.

"This doesn't make sense. Tax is 7% but when we multiply 7 times $5.00, it comes to $35! We are going to have to shut down!"

"Um, you have to multiply 0.07 x $5", I replied. They didn't understand basic math. Sad.

 

[dowmace]

She's made in China?

Women are my favorite things made in China.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

[Sureshot]

Women are my favorite things made in China.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

And not lasting long would be a plus. Just buy another

 

[itguy08]

Was she hot????

Doubtful. At our HF the women are all very scary looking. Some seem nice but definitely far from hot!

 

[monomach]

We still do card imprints at O'reillys if the computers are down. It is hard enough to find parts in the paper books. The hardest part is finding the price on the part.....nothing is marked.

I sold parts before computers were widespread. After finding the part number in the book, we had to go through an enormous book with the list price for every number we carried...and then had to use a calculator to figure each account's discount from there. Good times.

 

[Rakoprtr]

Doubtful. At our HF the women are all very scary looking. Some seem nice but definitely far from hot!

Haha u got screwed our harbor freight is full of chics working there way thru college at csu there's only like two dudes that work there I love it

 

[txz28]

My harbor freight had the same problem. They said all of the registers at all stores nation wide were down. They were doing the best they could, but they were clearly stressed out. The were making up manual receipts for all purchases and running credit cards on the old school card imprint machines. I paid cash.

 

[Danglerb]

Doubtful. At our HF the women are all very scary looking. Some seem nice but definitely far from hot!

Lady at my store is nice, but I'd bet she carries a straight razor and knows how to use it.

Not a HF, but another industrial supply type store, I am pretty certain hires only excon's.

 

[NC-Shaun]

I wonder if they are up and running full speed today?

 

[NC-Shaun]

They are back up to speed today....

 

[kenburkholz]

Say whatever you want about Harbor freight, but I have never been treated or helped better by any other retail store. Ken.

 

[CWP1616L]

I like the way you think!! I am hungry for some chickentuna.

With that avatar, you're gonna be hungry for a long time.