Well, we've had quite a few threads on Harbor Freight tools here, with plenty of bashing of the relatively low quality tools. Personally, I've bought quite a few simpler tools and supplies there with good success at usually unbeatable prices, although I've had less success with one more "complex" one, unfortunately.
Anyway, I've always bought the stuff at the stores.
Well, this time there was an item I needed that was on sale at a terrific price but they didn't have it in the closest store so I looked into buying it online, first time for me. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to see that not only do they ship at a fixed pretty reasonable rate, even for fairly big and heavy stuff, but on top of that I was able to find a discount code that basically cancelled the shipping fee and yet another one that got me a smallish tool entirely for free. Plus it was all shipped very quickly. So I basically got it for the same cost on sale as in the store (they've always honored online sale prices in the store for me), plus got a free tool and avoided a long drive. And got very good email info and feedback plus new coupons. (One negative is that I found that the online info on items is usually pretty sketchy as far as specs and dimensions in particular, so it may still be good to go check things out in person in the stores for critical dimensions etc if you don't want to deal with returns.)
Altogether, pretty pleased with the experience, which I may try again now, and which I thought I should point out in the interest of fairness given some of the earlier criticisms here. And suggest that it may be worth your time to check this out next time you need something. Of course, that was only one time and no doubt many of you have done much more of that already. Care to comment on your experience?
(One thing I'm wondering about, as with many other site-specific reviews of items is how much to trust them, helpful as those could potentially be, given that the site has control over what shows. It can still be helpful with specifics though. OTOH, I do really like to read the reviews on portal sites like amazon, very helpful in deciding what to get.)
(typo corrected)
Anyway, I've always bought the stuff at the stores.
Well, this time there was an item I needed that was on sale at a terrific price but they didn't have it in the closest store so I looked into buying it online, first time for me. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to see that not only do they ship at a fixed pretty reasonable rate, even for fairly big and heavy stuff, but on top of that I was able to find a discount code that basically cancelled the shipping fee and yet another one that got me a smallish tool entirely for free. Plus it was all shipped very quickly. So I basically got it for the same cost on sale as in the store (they've always honored online sale prices in the store for me), plus got a free tool and avoided a long drive. And got very good email info and feedback plus new coupons. (One negative is that I found that the online info on items is usually pretty sketchy as far as specs and dimensions in particular, so it may still be good to go check things out in person in the stores for critical dimensions etc if you don't want to deal with returns.)
Altogether, pretty pleased with the experience, which I may try again now, and which I thought I should point out in the interest of fairness given some of the earlier criticisms here. And suggest that it may be worth your time to check this out next time you need something. Of course, that was only one time and no doubt many of you have done much more of that already. Care to comment on your experience?
(One thing I'm wondering about, as with many other site-specific reviews of items is how much to trust them, helpful as those could potentially be, given that the site has control over what shows. It can still be helpful with specifics though. OTOH, I do really like to read the reviews on portal sites like amazon, very helpful in deciding what to get.)
(typo corrected)
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