How would you improve Harbor Freight?

[Too_Many_Tools]

With this discussion on Harbor Freight, it reminded me that I wish there were some changes there.

One that comes to mind is the line of casters they carry...I really wish they would expand their offerings.

How about you?

TMT

[Elninio]

Why would you want to improve Harbor Freight? Let them flop and another -better- competitor will naturally arise.

[Dr Stan]

When I taught at the vo-tech I bought quite a few items form an industrial supply house in Ft. Smith AR. They had a house brand they called IQ, or Industrial Quality manufactured in the US at considerable savings over the name brand. The drill bits were Cleveland Twist, the wrenches were Proto, the taps were Regal Beloit, etc.

That's what I'd like to see happen at HF, even if I know better.

[lazlo]

With a large satchel charge.

[Too_Many_Tools]

Why would you want to improve Harbor Freight? Let them flop and another -better- competitor will naturally arise.

My own vested interests....when Harbor Freight came to town, the local vendors were forced to become more competitive...even Home Depot and Lowes. ;<)

Even when selling junk, Harbor Freight has had a positive effect for the consumer on the competitiveness of the local market.

I was pleasantly surprised.

I should add that the various "dollar" stores that exist are having the same effect on Walmart..it forces them to be more competitive.

TMT

[Tinkerer]

With a large satchel charge.

Ah the Al-Qaeda school of business management.

When we say sales are BOOMING we mean it.

[darryl]

'how would you improve harbor fright- sink the supply ship before it leaves the chinese port-

[winchman]

My friend is a careful shopper at HF, and he's yet to be disappointed with any of his purchases. He only buys when things are heavily discounted, sometimes using an on-line sale price in combination with a 20%-off-any-single-item store coupon.

Most of the purchases have paid for themselves with their first use. Others are priced significantly below the cost of materials required to build anything of similar function and usefullness.

He's got quite a stock of those nifty little flashlights, and I get one every time I go there with him, too.

[dp]

They need to have some consistency between the postal mail literature and the brick and mortar stores. And inventory at the stores should match the flyers. As it is now, if you see something you'd like in the latest mailing, you cannot depend on that item being in the store, or if it is, that the price will match. Unless that store is the source of the flyer.

That happened to me recently when I went in to buy a toe kick saw - which turned out to be a pretty good saw.

[Too_Many_Tools]

They need to have some consistency between the postal mail literature and the brick and mortar stores. And inventory at the stores should match the flyers. As it is now, if you see something you'd like in the latest mailing, you cannot depend on that item being in the store, or if it is, that the price will match. Unless that store is the source of the flyer.

That happened to me recently when I went in to buy a toe kick saw - which turned out to be a pretty good saw.

Good point.

I am having the same problem with Walmart...advertised specials not being in stock...repeatily.

TMT

[MTNGUN]

My friend is a careful shopper at HF, and he's yet to be disappointed with any of his purchases. He only buys when things are heavily discounted, sometimes using an on-line sale price in combination with a 20%-off-any-single-item store coupon.

Ya, my friend pretty much equipped his entire shop with Harbor Freight stuff, right down to the shop stove. He even ordered one of those $300 surface grinders.

My friend would like to see his backordered items actually ship, instead of disappearing into a black hole. And he'd like to be able to order repair parts online.

[ADGO_Racing]

'how would you improve harbor fright- sink the supply ship before it leaves the chinese port-

That is sooo useful on many levels... Sink enough supply ships BEFORE they leave the Chinese ports, and they will not be able to ship anything. A rather effective solution to the trade deficit...We then only need to restrict UPS and FedEx from flying into China.

[Too_Many_Tools]

Ya, my friend pretty much equipped his entire shop with Harbor Freight stuff, right down to the shop stove. He even ordered one of those $300 surface grinders.

My friend would like to see his backordered items actually ship, instead of disappearing into a black hole. And he'd like to be able to order repair parts online.

Actually this raises a question that I have been expecting in the other current HF thread....if HF goes bust, where do you get parts for its machines?

TMT

[Too_Many_Tools]

That is sooo useful on many levels... Sink enough supply ships BEFORE they leave the Chinese ports, and they will not be able to ship anything. A rather effective solution to the trade deficit...We then only need to restrict UPS and FedEx from flying into China.

Or we could just only buy "Made in America" stuff and accomplish the same thing.

If the demand was there, it would be made here.

TMT

[MTNGUN]

.if HF goes bust, where do you get parts for its machines ?

The same place we get them now -- Grizzly.