# Harbor Freight return policy, as experienced



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Okay, I'm coming off like an HF booster. I have NO financial, personal or other connection with them.

Most of you 'tool forum' guys probably know I am an HF afficianado. Cheap tools at a cheap price that 'get er done'.

A month ago or so, I bought one of their 100' 12ga extension cords. (3 wire w. gnd). Paid 50 bucks + Honest Obe's take. I'd just bought a new B&D electric tiller and its manual warned over and over and etc to get a 12ga cord. I figured, not caring to do the math, okay, $50 vs $200, okay, a risk I don't wanna run. So I laid my money down and got a cord as specified. Then, I get to reading the current draw the cable will support @100'. Turned out _by their numbers_ a 14 ga will do as well, that is, carry 8 amps.

Studied both sets of data. Got my Clamp-Amp meter out, piled a ~20# sandbag on the top of the tiller and had wife plow to the max with it. Load it to the hilt. I have a wife who knows some shtuff about 'guy work'. Should: for 40 years, she's hung in there, shoulder to shoulder, with me. She laid it on, believe me. I couldn't read more than 7A on the worst dig, not including a stall, which the machine wouldn't do. (Good for B&D, the 'not too able' tool co.) It kept climbing out of the hole.

P/O? C'mon. Safety issues aside, I don't care to be juiced (pun intended)







.

So I got out my own garage-sale special 14ga/100' and ran that sucker. Petal to the plastic, and all that modern stuff. I Kept feeling the 'hot air' exhaust (well aware internal temps are higher, but being able to judge this is the difference between being around the block twice, and not.) Warm, not hot.

By now I realized I'd overbought myself, and decided that $50 was hard to eat. So I took it back, but I didn't have my receipt anymore. All my HF stuff, if it's bad (And their cheap drill bit grinder is a serious POS, but you do get a beveled stone + motor.) So, I eat it. Helps keep the price down, maybe.

I walked inside the door, stopped, and called to one of the help: "I have a bring-back, and no receipt." You never know. (Ask if you want a really nice story of how this older lady warned a kid on a dollar bring-back headlight, about not just getting in line. Tells the timeframe, too.) 

This gal motioned me over. I was all ready with how I'd screwed up and bought the wrong thing, but she just called for an 'Okay' and gave me my $64 (Obe's included) price back. Said, "Can't give you money, it'll be a gift card. You don't have to spend it all at once." I said, "What's the difference between a gift card and store credit?" She said, "Nothing."

And lo, there I stood with a piece of plastic, no questions asked, worth $64. And me inside Harbor Freight. Oh, boy! It don't get no better! Found money! Aw, Go ME!

I visited my next victim, the adjustable speed scroll saw with the cool air tube that directs the dust right to your face. Way cool. Yeah, I can get a speed controller and do my Garage Sale doobie the same. Overheat the motor. Then I worked my way down to the sliding miter/chop saw. (Wood). I told wife, "Some day, I'm gonn own one of these," thinking of garage sales. Gotta be patient. I picked up the tag, which read, "Special, $99.99."

I read that tag a coupla times. I turned to Wife and said, "That's not a helluva lot more than $64, is it? What if I but it?" (Plus the usual BS stuff one lays on one's wife).

She said, "Buy it, I don't care." I said, "But, I don't need it. I have two table saws and two chopsaws, but if I had this, I wouldn't have to use the small table saw so much. Hardly ever." Like , 'oh, the savings!' 

"Go for it."

Whatta wife.

So I did.

Moral: Have a problem with HF? Take it back, get a refund, no questions asked--how many of YOU remember when SEARS ROEBUCK had that sales philosophy?


----------



## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Hehe! I'm definitely not a Harbor Freight fan but that was an excellent and well written story. Enjoyable and gave me a happy chuckle or two. A word to the wise though...don't go into a women's clothing store with your wife anytime soon. I guarantee she's laying for you now.


----------



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the "actual" laugh out loud! Loose in Harbor Frieght with a $64 piece of plastic Hee hee hee, I am envious.

Contrary to the previous advice... take that woman, that georgeous hunk of feminity to a dress shop (or any store she likes!)... (I am whole lot more envious of you in this realm.) She deserves everything you can give her.


----------



## Mike O (Jan 2, 2008)

Les, 

Great story. Great wife. You are a lucky guy. 

Thanks. 
Mike


----------



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Les, maybe you're not on the payroll at HF, but after reading that story, maybe you should submit it to HF's Home Office. The might be interested in hiring you.


----------



## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Gee wizz Les, you are the luckiest guy in the world. No for the $64 card, but your sweetheart. She knows "guy's work"? I bet she can shoot a gun, drink beer out of the bottle, and drive a stick too. 

And you got a new scroll saw out of the deal? You a lucky dude.


----------



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By Richard Smith on 01 May 2010 04:32 PM 
Hehe! I'm definitely not a Harbor Freight fan but that was an excellent and well written story. Enjoyable and gave me a happy chuckle or two. A word to the wise though...don't go into a women's clothing store with your wife anytime soon. I guarantee she's laying for you now.  






Rich,

Nah, she's pretty much like me, but thanks for the kind words, it's nice to know I've put a smile on someone's face. 

Les


----------



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 01 May 2010 05:02 PM 
Thanks for the "actual" laugh out loud! Loose in Harbor Frieght with a $64 piece of plastic Hee hee hee, I am envious.

Contrary to the previous advice... take that woman, that georgeous hunk of feminity to a dress shop (or any store she likes!)... (I am whole lot more envious of you in this realm.) She deserves everything you can give her. 



C.T.,

FWIW, she likes fishing rods better'n dresses. The only woman I know of whose rods & tackle cost more than the old man's. Thanks for the kind words. She's had a stroke, and we're putting it all back together one day at a time. She used to shoot a S&W .357 at the range but that's kinda over with. And yes, she deserves more'n I can give.


----------



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Mike, thank you for the kind words.


----------



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By rlvette on 01 May 2010 06:03 PM 
Les, maybe you're not on the payroll at HF, but after reading that story, maybe you should submit it to HF's Home Office. The might be interested in hiring you. 



Randy, HF doesn't have a peon-to-mgmnt link. Anyway, they couldn't afford me. Heck, *I* can't afford me, which is why there's so much undone stuff ... undone around here.  Thanks for the kind words.

Les


----------



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By xo18thfa on 01 May 2010 07:31 PM 
Gee wizz Les, you are the luckiest guy in the world. No for the $64 card, but your sweetheart. She knows "guy's work"? I bet she can shoot a gun, drink beer out of the bottle, and drive a stick too. 

And you got a new scroll saw out of the deal? You a lucky dude.





Bob, thanks for the nice things you said. It's been a tad rocky of late, but hey, for working with me, we spent our wedding night in the hog barn delievering little piggies. Dozens of 'em. Walked to the house as the East was getting bright. The temp was hanging near zero. She made me breakfast, hair still up. I have a pic somewhere of her in a pair of my bibs with her hair still up from the wedding.

FWIW, though she never will admit it, when we were dating I taught her how to throw a split-shift on a two-speed (vacuum, the timing's a tad slower than cable or electric). She could indeed drink beer (me under the table, for worst-case), shoot guns (see my previous post re the S&W magnum.) But ladies didn't drink from the bottle in our day, that's how you could tell the difference: they required a glass. They got one, too, w/o asking.  

It was a slider miter saw. Going to sell the little 8"er.

Still laying plans for the scrollsaw.   Think of it as 'on layaway', sorta. 

Les


----------



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I always buy the largest conductor size extention coard I can fine. Some times I make them my Self. I have 2 100 FT with # 8 wire. One has a twist and lock ends. Depening on which adapter I put on the end I can have 110 or 220. Most of my others are # 10 I never worry about excess voltage drop or Curent load.


Harbor Freight does have some bargins. I have never taken anything back.


----------



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Les on 01 May 2010 04:20 PM --how many of YOU remember when SEARS ROEBUCK had that sales philosophy? 
Um, you mean they didn't ALWAYS argue with you that there was 'no way Sears ever sold such a thing' because it 'isn't in the computer'? Or handed you a 'reconditioned' tool in worse condition than the busted one you brought in as a warantee exchange? 

Or try to convince you that whatever service/part is on sale this month is desperately wrong with your car and it won't be safe until you buy it? 


Plus, I don't make enough $$ for their credit card, either, but now they also try to fob one off on me when I buy cheap crap at K-Mart, too.


----------



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Mik on 02 May 2010 08:36 PM 
Posted By Les on 01 May 2010 04:20 PM --how many of YOU remember when SEARS ROEBUCK had that sales philosophy? 
Um, you mean they didn't ALWAYS argue with you that there was 'no way Sears ever sold such a thing' because it 'isn't in the computer'? Or handed you a 'reconditioned' tool in worse condition than the busted one you brought in as a warantee exchange? 

Or try to convince you that whatever service/part is on sale this month is desperately wrong with your car and it won't be safe until you buy it? 


Plus, I don't make enough $$ for their credit card, either, but now they also try to fob one off on me when I buy cheap crap at K-Mart, too. 



I have taken a 2.5lbs hand sledge to Sears to BUY a replacement (because "I" broke the handle due to repetitively missing the mark and hitting the handle on the concrete wall I was making hole in, I don't expect them to warrantee for MY inept abuse) and the sales clerk would not let me buy the replacement, but gave me a new one, FREE. 

My son has retrieved Craftsman tools from the trash that someone threw away because they broke it and didn't want to mess with the return process. He takes the tool to Sears and gets a new one in exchange! Ratchet wrenches, hex sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, you name it, he has a new one from Sears because someone was too lazy to return the item for an exchange.


----------



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By Mik on 02 May 2010 08:36 PM 
Posted By Les on 01 May 2010 04:20 PM --how many of YOU remember when SEARS ROEBUCK had that sales philosophy? 
Um, you mean they didn't ALWAYS argue with you that there was 'no way Sears ever sold such a thing' because it 'isn't in the computer'? Or handed you a 'reconditioned' tool in worse condition than the busted one you brought in as a warantee exchange? 

Or try to convince you that whatever service/part is on sale this month is desperately wrong with your car and it won't be safe until you buy it? 


Plus, I don't make enough $$ for their credit card, either, but now they also try to fob one off on me when I buy cheap crap at K-Mart, too. 



Mik,

Heh. You pretty much got it on the dime. I took an electric drill back for a bad chuck. They said, "We don't sell that model anymore. Sorry." I said, pointing to a chuck on the rack, "Fine, just give me that chuck, it'll fit nicely." They said, "We can't, because that chuck isn't listed as a replacement part for this drill in our computer." I just looked at the guy and said, "Someone sure did some heavy thinking to get out of standing behind the warranty, didn't they?" He just shrugged.

Beware of a Sears credit card. They can come after your house if you get behind. Ask me how I know that. 

Remember when Sears got in trouble for selling out-of-round tires? They'd shave it 'round'. The guvmit made 'em quit.


----------



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By John J on 01 May 2010 09:12 PM 
I always buy the largest conductor size extention coard I can fine. Some times I make them my Self. I have 2 100 FT with # 8 wire. One has a twist and lock ends. Depening on which adapter I put on the end I can have 110 or 220. Most of my others are # 10 I never worry about excess voltage drop or Curent load.


Harbor Freight does have some bargins. I have never taken anything back. 








John,

I'dve done the same if I could've found some good, heavy braided 10 or 12 ga. wire and the plugs that'd carry the load. By then I'dve had more in it than what I paid for a new one. Go figure. But for me, and I'm gettin' old, I really don't need that heavy stuff anymore.

It's like getting your ehaust system fixed: CarX can do it for less than I can buy the stuff at a parts store and put it on myself. This economy is getting pretty well refined. The new economic symbol ougth to be a big screw, maybe a lag bolt.


----------



## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 02 May 2010 10:10 PM 
Posted By Mik on 02 May 2010 08:36 PM 
Posted By Les on 01 May 2010 04:20 PM --how many of YOU remember when SEARS ROEBUCK had that sales philosophy? 
Um, you mean they didn't ALWAYS argue with you that there was 'no way Sears ever sold such a thing' because it 'isn't in the computer'? Or handed you a 'reconditioned' tool in worse condition than the busted one you brought in as a warantee exchange? 

Or try to convince you that whatever service/part is on sale this month is desperately wrong with your car and it won't be safe until you buy it? 


Plus, I don't make enough $$ for their credit card, either, but now they also try to fob one off on me when I buy cheap crap at K-Mart, too. 



I have taken a 2.5lbs hand sledge to Sears to BUY a replacement (because "I" broke the handle due to repetitively missing the mark and hitting the handle on the concrete wall I was making hole in, I don't expect them to warrantee for MY inept abuse) and the sales clerk would not let me buy the replacement, but gave me a new one, FREE. 

My son has retrieved Craftsman tools from the trash that someone threw away because they broke it and didn't want to mess with the return process. He takes the tool to Sears and gets a new one in exchange! Ratchet wrenches, hex sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, you name it, he has a new one from Sears because someone was too lazy to return the item for an exchange.




They must've just started that in the last few years, then. It's been about that long since I darkened their door. Maybe they got someone running it whith half an ounce of brains, again, because that's how they made their rep: good-enough tools, & stuff, no-questions-asked return policies, and good prices for the quality. Just like HF. My dad divided his disposable income between Sears and Montgomery Wards.


----------

