Very Upset With Harbor Freight....

[freudianfloyd]

The people at the closest Harbor Freight (still an hour away) left me dumbfounded today. Here is the long story.....

I finally arranged a babysitter, my wife was working but was going to meet me after she got off and we were going to go to Harbor Freight, and out to dinner. We are going on a trip with my 8 kids, in a Denali (It has a 4th row seat) but as you can imagine, it gets pretty cramped with luggage, etc. Anyway, we went to pick up one of the hitch mounted cargo boxes, I have also been eyeing the 44" toolbox for a long time, and figured I would buy it too.

I pull the tag to purchase it, and my wife goes to the register to pay for both items while I keep looking around. I can hear my wife talking about the toolbox so I go over to see what is going on.

The cashier, without asking what we drove said "it wont fit in your car". My wife said it would, and again she said it wont fit. I stepped in and said it will fit, I have seen people pick them up in much smaller cars (she still has no idea what I drove). This went on for literally 5 minutes of back and forth that it would fit. I told her worst case I can uncrate it and she proceeded to tell me that if I do that they wont help me load it, to which I said "that's ok, I can handle it" I did have help after-all.

She then said "can you come back tomorrow to pick it up when there are "some men" there to help load it. I told her no, I am going out of town and would like to get it now. Her next response was what dumbfounded me most "do you need it?" What the hell?? So I said yes, what the hell does it matter to her if I need it or not.

So after dealing with this with people in line behind us, she sends one of the girls to the back to make sure they have one, and the girl said they "have tons, but they are behind a bunch of stuff and can't get to them." By now my wife and I are laughing about the entire situation. They already told me they had a fork truck, so I know they can move the stuff in the way to get the box.

That was enough, she said if I come back tomorrow there will be some "men" there to help. I told her I lost interest in the toolbox and would not be back.

My wife called customer service and put in a complaint, and the only thing they would do to help was take $20 off of shipping. It cost $20 in gas to get there and then I would still have to pay an extra $78 in shipping to get it home when I am already at the store.

I know they are pretty nice toolboxes, but I am not sure they are worth this kind of trouble. My wife actually told the cashier and customer service rep. that she has never heard of somebody trying to talk her out of buying something and refusing to sell one to us.

Sorry for the long rant, but I was really looking forward to getting this setup. I don't want to go on the trip, this was going to give me something to look forward to when I got back.

 

[CJM8515]

Sounds like a couple of lousy employees. Id call the store and ask to speak to the manager.

 

[PelicanPines]

It's called LAZY entitled people who expect to get paid for doing nothing... and I would have told them so.

 

[ScottsGT]

Someone didn't want to have to actually work. You know, moving boxes and stuff...

 

[jd_1138]

Sounds like a lazy ahole employee. The one near my mom's house, you walk in and there's always ********* gangsta rap playing.

I was in there one day, and you know how the lines are hit and miss? If someone's farting around with returns and on the fence about joining the club or what, they can be there 10 minutes. So us customers were lined up single file and when one of the cashiers was finally open, next customer would walk the 4 feet over. Neanderthal clerk got fed up with the logic of the situation and made the customers bust up into 2 lines. I got up and explained he should've left the customers alone to do their banker's line. It just went over his head.

 

[brownbagg]

you upset with harbor freight, its harbor freight, you knew that before you left the house, how can you be upset with the stupid if you knew they was stupid before you left

 

[brownbagg]

the secret with HF is, if they more than five miles away, dont bother, if it has an electrical cord, dont bother. if it has a name that start with chicago, dont bother, if its painted any color but lime green, dont bother

 

[jd_1138]

you upset with harbor freight, its harbor freight, you knew that before you left the house, how can you be upset with the stupid if you knew they was stupid before you left

Got a point there. Why be upset when a turd ends up being a turd. However, he's still entitled to not have some idiot/*****/a-hole belittle him and his wife even if it is Harbor Freight.

I finally swore off HF last year. A friend needed a torque wrench to rebuild his mower's engine. He bought one at HF and it didn't work, so he took it back (I was with him), and after explaining to her that it didn't work and that it inconvenienced him, she cut him off after 10 seconds and just told him to go get another and she'd swap it. No apology for selling s--t and making him drive 30 miles for nothing. He just asked for a refund and ended up buying a Tekton one at Family, Farm and Home down the street.

Screw them. Cheap is usually expensive. Best to at least get medium quality tools. You'll make out in the long run.

 

[Bluedodge]

I got distracted at 8 kids and a four row Denali....

 

[jd_1138]

I got distracted at 8 kids and a four row Denali....

lol, yeah I think a 4th row Denali is actually a Chevy Express van with 4 or 5 rows of seating.

 

[freudianfloyd]

I got distracted at 8 kids and a four row Denali....

I have 4 birth kids, and we are fostering to adopt a family of 4 more. My wife refuses a van and we got a good deal on a Denali, we bought a second third row seat, and after fabricating some custom brackets, we have 10 seats. Its still removable, but mounts like a factory seat.

 

[freudianfloyd]

you upset with harbor freight, its harbor freight, you knew that before you left the house, how can you be upset with the stupid if you knew they was stupid before you left

Just becausea store sells a majority of **** tools doesnt mean that they dont have a few worth buying. The toolbox gets nothing but good reviews. The fact they wouldnt pull one for me is the sad part. They flat out refused to sell it just so they didnt have to work.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

That's MUCH better customer service than what I get at both of the local Horrible Freight stores by me. Every time I go into one I see things that make me want to tell myself "never coming back HERE again". Please understand my next statement is NOT meant to be a slander towards anybody of any particular ethnic group.

I guess you can chalk the employee's attitudes up to the fact that they're used to dealing with a large constituent of illegal immigrants or bottom of the barrel single-digit-per-hour laborers that are looking for the absolute lowest price possible for whatever they need to make a living.
Every time I go to the HF stores the shoppers there are buying large multiples of basic stuff that most of us consider to be consumable items, but the ones they're buying from HF are of the lowest quality and price. They argue and haggle with the cashiers as if it was a farm market in the worst possible third world market.

Maybe the employees get a little tired of dealing with that particular scenario.

Maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way, too...

Tommy

 

[freudianfloyd]

That's MUCH better customer service than what I get at both of the local Horrible Freight stores by me. Every time I go into one I see things that make me want to tell myself "never coming back HERE again". Please understand my next statement is NOT meant to be a slander towards anybody of any particular ethnic group.

I guess you can chalk the employee's attitudes up to the fact that they're used to dealing with a large constituent of illegal immigrants or bottom of the barrel single-digit-per-hour laborers that are looking for the absolute lowest price possible for whatever they need to make a living.
Every time I go to the HF stores the shoppers there are buying large multiples of basic stuff that most of us consider to be consumable items, but the ones they're buying from HF are of the lowest quality and price. They argue and haggle with the cashiers as if it was a farm market in the worst possible third world market.

Maybe the employees get a little tired of dealing with that particular scenario.

Maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way, too...

Tommy

That may be, but this Harbor Freight is actually in a pretty yuppy neighborhood, and its not like I was haggling, I was just trying to pay for an item and leave. They just didnt want me to.

 

[PelicanPines]

I don't buy much from HF but would buy more tool boxes... given the need.

I would give them a 2nd chance after talking to the manager and setting up an actual day with the manager to pick up the box.

Their boxes are well worth it... provided you lubricate before putting the box into use. Their lube tends to dry out in the shipping containers from china.

 

[Corndoggeh]

Man, you all must go to some pretty junky harbor freights. I have two in my city and the closest one is generally good except for those really off days that everyone and their grandmother shows up to buy something and they're understaffed at the time and at that location, one manager is the best and the other one is stingy but its expected for retail.

The other one which is 30+ minutes further away is the best retail service I've seen before. Actual knowledgeable and friendly staff and when they do their parking lot sales, the manager is always willing to make some deals and help me out to push those sales out the door. That store is also pretty dang clean and organized so it must all depend on how the manager cares about the store and who they hire on as employees.

 

[bczygan]

My take is that you really did NOT want what you claim to have wanted.

Or else you would have it.

Short of pulling out a pistol, I would not have left without what I came for.

I would have killed them with all the kindness and helpfulness necessary.

I can understand some women employees not wanting to deal with a big heavy crated toolbox.

Some customers just shoot themselves in the foot. No skin off the employee.

Bill

 

[James-W]

I would have asked to talk with the manager and if he/she wasn't there at the time I would have asked for a phone number to call him/her. The attitude shown by the sales staff is just not acceptable by any reasonable standard.

 

[Whiskeymike]

Yep, I would go back and talk to the manager when you get back and get the box. The toolbox is worth it.

My store has an awesome manager that always bends over backwards to help or do the right thing. The lower level folks, not so much.

 

[lutter94]

I got a 3 door cabinet from HF once, it was in the back in 2 boxes. Went back there and helped carry to the front. No biggie. I imagine they would have allowed heavy lifting to be done by others.....

 

[mfewtrail]

I guess I'm lucky in that every HF I've been to around here has been very accomodating. I even got invited by a manager into the stores overflow storage next door at one location that led to a smoking deal on a band saw for my relative that accompanied me to the store.

 

[SMKS]

Bad luck on the OP's part. That can happen with any large retailer.

I understand why you're pissed. I would be, too. It *****, but such is life.

I had no problem picking mine up.

 

[FigureItOut]

Not typical, as noted. My experience wasn't typical either. I called before I went to pick up my 44" bottom, top, and both sides to see if I'd need a trailer. They said no, just any truck should do it, and they actually said I could skip the line, pull right up to the back and pay there. When I got there, all four pieces were already staged waiting for me. I was pretty blown away.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk

 

[risc]

I had a similar experience when getting my 56". I brought my trailer because it was going to be a lot easier to unload at home. They had a forklift but no way to get it off the loading dock. The female manager kept pulling the exact same line, can you come back during the day tomorrow and some men can load it. I eventually convinced her that I wasn't going to take a day off of work to buy a tool box and she pulled some straps from inventory and loaded it with the fork lift.

 

[metalmagpie]

The problem is that the OP had actual expectations from a Harbor Freight store.

Think about it.

When I go to Harbor Freight I have absolutely no illusions. I expect a nightmare and occasionally am surprised and somewhat pleased.

If there's something there I like and buy, whoops, they don't carry it anymore. Like their gallons of Evapo-Rust, or their highly polished pro series wrenches, or their magnetic MIG gun holders, or damn near all of their machines. I bet they don't carry 5% of the items they've listed at various times in the last 10 years.

To be fair, I have to say that the $8.99 heat gun I got there, the $20 infrared thermometer, and the $39 SDS rotohammer have all been great for me. My advice
is to go buy a heat gun right away because they're going to figure out that it actually
works and re-engineer it so it breaks in a week.

Anyone seen their 110 lb steel anvils lately? I didn't think so.

metalmagpie

 

[Sh40674]

i picked up the bottom chest in my truck, and went back down to get the top a couple weeks later in my work car.. a 2 door pontiac sunfire (i had already taken the measurements from online)

i bought the box, they never asked what i drove. when i pulled the car up the manager looked right at me and said "you're ******* kidding me"

i said nope, it'll fit.

i can tell you this, it only went in and out 1 way haha.

***** about your situation, its definitely all the employee there. she's completely lazy

 

[555]

I've never had a problem with the employees in any Harbor Freight. We just got a new one and as near as I can tell the manager and employees are excellent. We still have the long lines at checkout and I told my wife to never buy anything electrical at the store. However, to be fair to the OP, I've heard employees tell people "it won't fit" several times. Bad enough they continue to argue instead of trying to see if it will actually fit.

 

[PugetDude]

Typical. They think they are "entitled" to $15/hr, but don't have the skill or will to do the job required. The "come back tomorrow when we have male employees to help you" attitude is priceless.

It's only coincidental that it was a HF store. I see this **** all the time at all kinds of retail stores here.

 

[WWShop]

Typical. They think they are "entitled" to $15/hr, but don't have the skill or will to do the job required. The "come back tomorrow when we have male employees to help you" attitude is priceless.

It's only coincidental that it was a HF store. I see this **** all the time at all kinds of retail stores here.

Agreed. This was my exact thought when I read OPs story. Just because it is HF and they sell low end tools doesn't mean their employees should act in a low end manner. They are being paid to do a job, so do it.

 

[bawb]

Am I the only one thinking equal pay for the same job means he shouldn't have to come back when the MEN are there.
Any competent employee should have been able to help him!
Playing the helpless female is ********. If the princess is afraid of breaking a nail she should try waitressing.
I've worked with plenty of women who could handle a forklift and get the job done . That manager should fire the lazy broad and replace her with someone who don't need a man to babysit her

 

[Hybridss]

The two near me are fantastic. I would file a compliant via email and i would call the store manager.

I wrote a scathing letter to Home Depot about 4 months ago regarding a female employee in the paint dept going bananas on me and my wife for asking questions about some paint. The Site manage for that facility called me 2 days later hoping to "fix" the situation with some gift cards or something. I told her to fix her employee.
I have had great luck emailing corporate. I also do this because I know what works best in my job...you dont want corporate calling.

 

[four.cycle]

It's only coincidental that it was a HF store. I see this **** all the time at all kinds of retail stores here.

^ this.

Indifference, incompetence, and ineptitude have become the accepted norm by the majority of customers in a retail world in which the primary concern is cheap, cheap, and cheaper.

Retail customers vote with their wallets - the reason high-end retailers like CC Filson, Nordstrom, and LL Bean continue to thrive while surrounded by Walmart, Costco, and other lowball retailers.

A retail sales clerk actually telling a customer "come back tomorrow to buy it" screams of incompetence and unprofessionalism.
"You get what you pay for" doesn't always apply only to the product itself.

 

[TK-421]

I'd call the manager and let him/her know what happened, and then call corporate and let them know as well. Try and get her fired if at all possible, it's quite apparent she needs a wake-up call. If she doesn't want to do her job then her job should be given to someone who does want to do it.

 

[PugetDude]

Anyone seen their 110 lb steel anvils lately? I didn't think so.

No demand.
If there was, they'd be importing them by the boatload and excluding them from the 20% off coupon.

 

[Jerm137]

Typical. They think they are "entitled" to $15/hr, but don't have the skill or will to do the job required. The "come back tomorrow when we have male employees to help you" attitude is priceless.

It's only coincidental that it was a HF store. I see this **** all the time at all kinds of retail stores here.

Hit the nail on the head here.
Customer service ***** a$$ now days everywhere.
I've had good service at my harbor freights, both good and crappy at home depot and lowes. I know its easy to say but the key is stop it before it goes too far. By then you are going to want to kill them. If you keep your temper, take names and times and email the store. I have good results from that. But over all it has come to the point where if you get good service you actually think its awesome service because everyone else *****. I try to let people know when they do a good job because they seemed surprised that others don't.Let's not start talking about self check outs, I'll lose my mind....

 

[Jerm137]

^ this.

Indifference, incompetence, and ineptitude have become the accepted norm by the majority of customers in a retail world in which the primary concern is cheap, cheap, and cheaper.

Retail customers vote with their wallets - the reason high-end retailers like CC Filson, Nordstrom, and LL Bean continue to thrive while surrounded by Walmart, Costco, and other lowball retailers.

A retail sales clerk actually telling a customer "come back tomorrow to buy it" screams of incompetence and unprofessionalism.
"You get what you pay for" doesn't always apply only to the product itself.

I agree. This is the reason I think Quick Trip gas stations are everywhere. Clean, bright buildings and restrooms and they pay a little more to their employees. If a cashier is eating Cheetos while waiting on people I just freaking leave.

 

[bushmechanic]

Am I the only one thinking equal pay for the same job means he shouldn't have to come back when the MEN are there.
Any competent employee should have been able to help him!
Playing the helpless female is ********. If the princess is afraid of breaking a nail she should try waitressing.
I've worked with plenty of women who could handle a forklift and get the job done . That manager should fire the lazy broad and replace her with someone who don't need a man to babysit her

BAM!

I'll bet she considers herself "independent", and demands to be treated "equally".

Bugs the hell out of me.

 

[Parabellum]

Only ordered one and final time from Harbor Freight. Took forever to get my oil pump.

 

[freudianfloyd]

I would have asked to talk with the manager and if he/she wasn't there at the time I would have asked for a phone number to call him/her. The attitude shown by the sales staff is just not acceptable by any reasonable standard.

They were not available. But customer service said they would have the store manager get in touch with us today or tomorrow.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys...