What is Wrong with Harbor Freight Tools?

[ken gibbs]

I can not believe that Harbor Freight Tools is still in business. On 12 January 2011, I ordered nine (9) items from Harbor Freight Tools to refurbish an old wood lathe. They promply shipped all but one item item. Since the date of receipt of this order, I have been given five (5) reship dates of the back ordered item. These dates have all passed and I have never received an e-mail as requested when the "reship" dates pass. The latest date was 04 April 2011 and still nothing from Harbor Freight. I have sent them several e-mails trying to get their attention but it just never seems to work. When I call the customer service number, they seem to just make up a new date to get me off of the phone.
Does anybody know the name and address of the CEO of Harbor Freight? I would like to send the HF CEO a personal communication to let him know he has a serious problem. This is no way to run a business. Thanks.

Ken Gibbs

[John Coloccia]

Kids took over and forced out Dad. As I understand it, the whole thing almost fell apart a couple of years ago.

[david brum]

I once bought a HF 14" bandsaw. It wasn't my best decision, but I was new at the game and I figured that the other saws were just over priced:D. I also ordered a riser block which was listed on their site as an accessory. It was out of stock and I received a $1 off coupon as an apology. I got several post cards over a year or so, letting me know that the item was still out of stock. Then I got one that said the order was cancelled because the part was discontinued. I called HF and got a CSR who typed in the number, found it in stock and I had it a week later.

I don't know if my tale helps, other than to suggest that you keep calling until you get a CSR who is helpful. It may also help to refer to the part number without referring back to your previous order.

Another suggestion is to see if Grizzly previously imported the same lathe. They are much better about parts.

[Jeff Duncan]

Seriously???

They sell import tools for a fraction of the price a decent tool would cost. I'd bet if there were 1000 posts about how bad they were, it wouldn't make a dent in their sales. I know it wouldn't affect my buying there anyway. You want better customer service you can always go pay for it. You want the cheapest tool you can get, go to HF. I'm guessing no matter how badly they mistreat you, you'll likely still go back;)

As a guess I'd say the reason for the delays could be because all their stuff comes from China. So if things get lost or delayed in shipping they may not know when stuff is coming in......but just a guess:confused:

good luck,
JeffD

[Neil Brooks]

Kids took over and forced out Dad. As I understand it, the whole thing almost fell apart a couple of years ago.

... and turned into a huge lawsuit ....

abcnews[dot]go[dot]com/Business/wireStory?id=11218750

Pretty disgusting stuff.....

But .... supply chain issues in offshore manufacturing aren't uncommon. Yours is just a pretty extreme example.

[Mike OMelia]

Seriously??? :D

I dunno. They are a mess. But the smell of the place, while nauseating, is at the same time alluring. They should bottle it and sell as an Eau de Toilette. Then I could give it to my wife. And then... well... never mind.;)

Mike

[Don Selke]

Just like a lot of other family businesses, the Grandfather started the companty, The Son built the company and the Grandson destroyed the companty.

[Ruhi Arslan]

... When I call the customer service number, they seem to just make up a new date to get me off of the phone.
It should be "in 14 days" every time you ask where is your order, according to their standard operating procedures.
I waited over nine months for a hydrolic jack for the motorcycle lift that I got from HF which was faulty out of the box. Had my MC stuck on the lift up in the air. Every time I called they gave me a new date which was 14 days from the day I called no matter if I called in seven days or 20 days. There were times, they even told me that it was shipped to me so I should have it on my door step anytime. Eventually, local store manager, took the one from the display model and gave it to me. Several months later, I received another one too, eventually. I continued to call them just for the heck of it to be told "14 days".

[Mike Schuch]

10 years ago I bought a HF 6" jointer and 15" planer. The pot metal drive gear on the planer came cracked because the shaft it went on was not properly finished to size. I dumped the planer at the just opened local HF store and got my money back.

I still have the 6" jointer and it is one of the most used tools in my shop. I can not upgrade to a nicer 6" because there is nothing wrong with the HF 6" and I haven't come across a decent 8" jointer that I can afford. I just bought a ceramic kitchen knife for $20... it blows away all the $100+ knives in my kitchen. They sell a lot of junk and some gems. You have to do your homework and figure out which is which. I have a whole tool box full of their cheap hand tools that I take to the junk yard with me... it sure saves a lot of pain from leaving a Proto tool at the junk yard. And then there are the tools I will only use once or twice and if they do the job once or twice I am ahead!

I just spent $25 on a trailer jack... where else am I going to find one for that price? It is very sturdy and does its job exquisitely!

[BOB OLINGER]

Frankly, I won't hesitate to buy certain items at HF. I've gotten a good trailer jack, blast gates, combination wrenches, floor mats, DC piping kit, and calipers to name a few. I got stung on flashlights. The jury is still out on some 12" clamps. There are items I wouldn't buy. Bottom line, I really appreciate HF - just need to use some discretion.

[scott spencer]

I'd hazard a guess that competent CS personnel is one of casualties for striving for such low cost.

[george wilson]

The same thing seems to have happened at the Palmetto gun factory in Italy. The father(or grandfather) started making high quality black powder repros. Now that the son(s?) have inherited the factory,their quality has gone drastically down hill. I had to send a pistol back it was so bad. I notice the American importer of it has stopped carrying it,too.

We had a really good used car dealer here,too. When the founder died,the new family owners let the quality,dependability,and the service slide so badly that they soon lost their customers(this is a fairly small town). They went out of business.

[Rick Potter]

Boy, Don sure got that one right. Back in the day, I used to watch Biography all the time, and the standard progression of wealth, personal or business, seemed to be just as he says. Grandpa starts the dynasty, son improves on it, and grandson spends it.

Come to think of it, that's the way my life is going. Dad did well (depression raised), I did a bit better (war baby), my kids have already spent their inheritance (late boomer, & gen X).

Rick Potter

[Bill Bukovec]

I get the impression that Harbor Freight isn't interested in seling parts.

Bill

[David Larsen]

Low prices = low expectations.

I shop at HF on occasion. Some things are okay and some of it is junk. I don't get too worked up if something doesn't work out. I didn't expect much because I didn't pay much!

The saying I always heard was: "Man starts a business. His son successfully runs the business. The grandson runs it out of business."

[Myk Rian]

As a guess I'd say the reason for the delays could be because all their stuff comes from China.
Not at all true. USA, India, Mexico, Japan, China, Taiwan. The stuff is made all over the world.
Do your homework.

[Michael MacDonald]

I bought their popular DC a few months ago... the base plate came with holes drilled incorreectly... I was able to fix, but I ordered a free repalcement part anyway... just to punish them. was that bad thinking? dunno... now I got this huge box with a metal base in it... not sure what to do with it. Anyone in chicago need one?

[Bruce Wrenn]

Anything that is imported across the Pacific is a problem right now. The sunumi in Japan has cause shippers to alter schedules, plus ships are now running slower to make the crossing. That saves butt load of fuel, which isn't cheap right now

[ken gibbs]

Folks,

My major complaint with Harbor Freight is that they refuse to just tell me the truth about the back ordered item. IF they can't deliver an item, why can't they just TELL ME that they can not deliver? I suspect what their customer relations kids are just tell me a bunch of Bravo Sierra to make their "quota" of complaints seem less than it actually is. No way to run a business. The lathe in question was originally imported by Harbor Freight Tools way back when.

[Bill Clark De]

HF has some acceptable quality tools and it also has some stuff that only looks like tools...If you have to plug it in- or fit it together you most likely going are to experience issues . having said that I/we still go here in search of the Holy grail..
*The more you chase the Holy Grail of short term performance, the less you get in long-term results”
Walter Cabot

[Richard Wagner]

If you determine where you are going to shop based on cost and not quality, this is what you get. Maybe
you should just buy another widget at that same low price and part it out. Maybe you'll get lucky and the part you need will be good.

[Dave Lehnert]

I am impressed that you were able to get 8 out of 9 parts.

If I were a betting man I would put money on Harbor Freight being the last tool store standing. Not saying they are the best just the most popular.

[ken gibbs]

I have sent two more nastygrams (e-mails) to Harbor Freight's Customer Services wonkies and they refuse to answer my questions which are
1. When are yiou gioing to give me a reality based "ship by" date/
2. If they know that the ship-by dates are inaccurate, why do they just make a date up?
3. I am still looking for the name and contact information information for the CEO of Harbor Freight Tools. Does anybody have any contact information I could use to contact the CEO?

I do not believe this is too much to ask because I am customer of HF for the time being. Thanks.

Ken Gibbs

[Dan Hintz]

Eric Smidt, CEO... good luck finding an email address. Best bet is to send it to corporate in c/o Eric.

[Karl Card]

If you can find someone who cares about a shipment, get there name.... I have had stuff on order from them for over a year and finally just got rid of my HF stuff. Except for my drill press, I got it for cheap and it is actually on the HF list of things that actually work.. I also see alot of newer HF stuff going up in price so that some of there tools are just as high as a name brand... It is sad but I see HF stuff here on craigs list and they do not understand why they cannot sell it.

[Todd Trebuna]

I bought the mortiser. Missing pieces, the manager gave me the fence off the display model. I got the other pieces 4-6 weeks later as expected. I also have their dc and just picked up a lathe second hand. Both function perfectly and have all their pieces. The DC, I had to take back and go back twice because they couldn't find their stock. I didn't have the collet wrenches for the lathe, so I bought 2 10 inch crescents for 3.99 apiece. :)
Every time I have been in there, the managers and cashiers have been pleasant and as helpful as they could be. I would not buy a car from them if they sold them but for the most part, I know what I'm looking for when I go in. I can't afford top quality, but I steer away from cheap junk.

[Mark Churay]

I just bought their 16 speed floor drill press w/1hp motor. The run out was only .0005 " as measured by a Starrett dial indicator (the $10 HF DI also had the same reading). During assembly I noticed that the thin steel belt cover was damaged. Took the head back to the store and they gave me a whole new drill press. Took the extra parts back. When I turned it on it vibrated badly. Changed out the belts with segemented belts and now it purrrres. Very pleased with the results, and price. On sale with 20% off coupon it was $281.00 and I can get the speed down to 200 rpm. I added a $ 36 laser crosshairs and I still did not break $325. I could not afford a Delta or a Jet. The table is not as nice, but I'll make a table for woodworking and will have saved a bundle.
Mark

[David Jones]

My experiences with Harbor Freight have been pleasant as long as I don't have to deal with "Customer Service" which can be very frustrating. I just needed to keep reminding myself that the "Customer Service" agents were trying to do their best, even though at times it didn't seem that way.......good luck with your order!

Aloha,
Dave

[Neil Brooks]

2. If they know that the ship-by dates are inaccurate, why do they just make a date up?

There was a recent Grizzly thread where this was addressed.

I did run supply chains in a previous life. A thousand things all have to work perfectly for manufacturing to be on time. One delay ... one interruption ... one materials shortage ... one parts delay from one of your hundreds of vendors, and ... suddenly, the date that you gave, in good faith is now wrong.

Meanwhile, everybody is promising the manufacturer (HF, in this case) new delivery dates ... in good faith, .... until the next thing goes wrong.

They may not be leading you on or lying about ETAs.

Things may just keep happening that -- sadly -- they can't control.

This happens in US-based manufacturing, too, incidentally. What's on the shelves is easy to buy. What has to be built ... can be a nightmare to get your hands on.

Good luck !

[David Hostetler]

While HF is far from perfect, they are nothing more and nothing less than Grizzly, Delta, Powermatic etc... except that they have a chain of their own stores. They simply import cheap asian tools with their name and color paint slapped on them, a few tweaks to make them "theirs" and shove them out the door...

The supply chain issues you are dealing with are nothing new, look at all the Grizzly / Delta / Powermatic / Laguna rants. The problem isn't HF per se, it's getting products across the ocean from Asia to here...

FWIW, I have a shop full of Harbor Freight tools, and most so far have been good performers. I have heard people fuss about HF's power tools, but so far they have given me nothing to complain about. So far I have the 14" band saw, 12x36 cat iron lathe, 12" sliding miter saw, and 2HP dust collector, and they all do what they are supposed to reliably, and accurately. Would I have liked say fully restored old American iron? Is the Pope Catholic? I would have loved to have picked up old U.S. iron and rebuilt it, but good stuff doesn't come up for sale around me very often, and when it does, it is usually gone before I even see the ad... Yes I hot rodded the snot out of my band saw, but straight out of the box it worked fine. And my SCMS absolutely required a good blade as the HF blade stinks worse than a landfill in Houston in August... and of course the DC got upgraded with a Wynn filter prior to me ever even plugging it in... But those shortcomings were easily, and inexpensively fixed...

As far as being put off on the ETAs repeatedly, all of these companies are doing that these days. Your best bet is to try to find out of say Grizzly sold the same machine under their brand name, and order parts from them. Grizzly has been very good at least with me for getting repair parts out...

[ken gibbs]

At last Harbor Freight Tools (HFT) confessed today. All of your bad posts about HFT were factually correct. The customer service supervisor actually called me back after getting the old HFT run around since 12 January 2011. We had discussed all f these issues, especially the HFT run around about providing revised "ship by" dates. They were in fact just looking at a calendar and adding 14 days to their previous dates.
The HFT supervisor then said that their supplier had stopped doing business with HFT so no delivery would be made. And then I asked her why I had to drag this information out of HFT. They should have confessed whrn this fact became evident to them.