Business Profile

Hardware and Tools

Harbor Freight Tools

Headquarters

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Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Harbor Freight Tools's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Customer Complaints Summary

348 total complaints in the last 3 years.
114 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

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The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

Initial Complaint
Date:01/23/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a ***** micro torch from Harbor Freight. Found out it didnt work while in the middle of the project. Went to Harbor Freight to return it I was told it was a non returnable item. No where does anything say that. I was then told I need to buy butane for it. If the item doesnt work with out purchasing other items it should say that on the box.
Business Response
Date: 01/27/2025
With respect to Mr. ******* ******* concerns as referenced within his complaint,
We have contacted the customer directly to address his issue and offer a resolution.
Initial Complaint
Date:01/17/2025
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
We purchased the Generator Predator 3500 online Nov 2023. We had never opened it until today 1/16/25 because we purchased it for our Ice House last year but our weather was so warm we were never able to use it in the Ice. Today we put gas and oil in it and could not get it started. We called customer service and they troubleshoot over the phone. We noticed the spark plug harness was busted and we noticed the cover that goes over the spark plug was broken off inside the generator. The person in customer service said that the only thing they could do is send us a spark plug. That will not help us when the cap to the spark plug is busted off inside the generator. We also have another piece of plastic that were not even sure where that is from that is broken off. We have a $800 generator that has never been used and theyre telling us there is nothing that they can do except send us a spark plug which does us no good. This is not acceptable response. If this item has never been used why are they going to leave a customer with a bad product.
Business Response
Date: 01/23/2025
With respect to Ms. ******** concerns referenced in this complaint, after further review it appears that the customer was in direct contact with customer service on 01/17/2025 and may have received the assistance needed. Should Ms. ****** have any additional questions or concerns he may contact us at **************.
Customer Answer
Date: 01/24/2025

Complaint: 22822458

I am rejecting this response because: they are only sending the part and we are having to pay to get it fixed. This item has never been used since purchase. Not a happy customer!

Sincerely,

******** ******
Business Response
Date: 02/17/2025
Hi There,
I am in receipt of the complaint filed by ******** ******. In response to the rebuttal on the initial communication we have reached out to the customer to provide options of full replacement of the generator based off the 2-year emissions warranty and attempted troubleshooting with replacement parts provided. Please note I have contacted by customer by phone however there was no answer, so a voicemail was left. Additionally, an email was sent to ********************************* and ********************** providing the guideline in which to proceed.
I would like to thank you for providing us with the opportunity to respond to ******** ******** complaint.
Thank you.
Initial Complaint
Date:01/15/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
23 July 2024, $1,339.16.I started a credit account, bought some stuff. I JUST realized that every month, they've taken multiple days (up to a week it looks like) to process my payments. Except for this month, I've gone to their website and sometime from the 1st of the month to the day the payment is due, I've paid. It doesn't matter what day I pay, it matters when they decide to process the payment and when they've decided to process the payment is when they count me as paying. So, I have a couple of hundred dollars of late fees, because they just don't process the payment until days after it is due. This happens with no one else and this CANNOT be legal.
Business Response
Date: 01/21/2025
In response to the complaint filed by Mr. ******* I am sorry to hear about the issues he has been having with getting his credit card payments processed. For any credit card issues, we ask that Mr. ****** contact our Synchrony credit card partners at phone number *************** available Monday through Friday from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm PT, and Saturday through Sunday from 5:00 am to 2:00 pm PT. I would like to thank you for providing us with the opportunity to respond to Mr. ******** complaint. Thank you.
Initial Complaint
Date:01/13/2025
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a brake bleeder system from the Harbor Freight store in Commack. The tool was missing parts. I purchased the missing parts to try and use the tool but it did not perform as intended. The brake bleeder was supposed to create a vacuum on the brake line and to pull the old fluid form the system. Instead it pushed air inside the brake lines requiring hours of labor and another tool for the procedure to be completed. The store refused a return of the item because it was used. I tried to explain that the tool was not working as intended to the store manager to no avail.I request a full refund.
Business Response
Date: 01/29/2025
Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to assist Mr. ********** with his concerns. In response to the complaint filed, we have reviewed his concerns, and it appears that Mr. ********** has been in contact with the District Manager for the store mentioned in this complaint and that his concerns have been addressed. If this is not correct or if there's anything else we can do to assist, please let us know. Thank you.
Customer Answer
Date: 01/30/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

******** **********
Initial Complaint
Date:01/06/2025
Type:Delivery Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Total nightmare. Went into my local store and ordered 4 us general pieces. I was told that nobody can check what is in stock. They stated to me that its best to place an special order as it only takes a few days. I placed the order on a Saturday and the following Monday I call for an update. The representative could not give me an update but stated I would get a call back later that day. I never received a call. I call back to get an update and probably cancel. This took nearly a hour of arguing on the phone and being transferred to a supervisor. The supervisor was the only somewhat helpful person and seemed to get it resolved even after small hiccup with the cancellation. After all of this I drive all the way to the store when I was out of town to purchase new ones. We got the boxes and all pieces going to two different stores. Upon unpacking the hutch I noticed a large dents in 3 different areas of the hutch. Including the handle is bent. One of the side pieces have dents and the drawers dont close right on the main toolbox. I am beyond disappointed with my experience.
Business Response
Date: 01/08/2025
Good afternoon,
With respect to Mr. ********* concern as referenced in this complaint, we've reached out to the customer directly to discuss his concern and provide options for resolution.
Thank you.
Initial Complaint
Date:12/19/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I bought a generator on December 13th from the York SC store. The generator is not running properly and shuts off after 15 to 20 minutes of use then it has to be restarted. After doing this several times I sent my business partner to exchange it at the ********* store and he said they would not exchange it (not sure why). Therefore he had to just go ahead and buy another one and they said we would have to take it back to the store we bought it from (York store). I tried to take it back to the York store and theyre trying to charge almost $400 restock fee even though we bought another generator at the ********* store because this one was not running properly even after explaining the situation to them.
Business Response
Date: 12/26/2024
With respect to the complaint filed by Mr. **** *****,
We have contacted the customer directly to address his concerns with his recent generator purchase.
Initial Complaint
Date:12/18/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
PURCAHSE A MOBILE SERICE TABLE PART# ************************* ****** CTY GOT HARD TIME ''NEED SOME BOLTS 3 NO PARTS NO HELP GETTING THEM CALLED 800 NO HELP TOO
Business Response
Date: 12/26/2024
I am in receipt of the complaint filed by Mr. ******* I am sorry to hear about our customer's recent experience. To ensure we provide the best service possible, we ask that Mr. ****** provide us with additional information regarding the Bolts mentioned, specifically the size of the bolts. Additionally, upon further review, it appears that the product was purchased within 90 days. To avoid any further delays, we also recommend that the item be exchanged at any of our Harbor Freight Tools stores. Thank you for providing us the opportunity to respond to Mr. ******** concerns. We look forward to assisting him once we receive additional information. CT
Customer Answer
Date: 12/31/2024

Complaint: 22701267

I am rejecting this response because: THIS COMPANY DOES NOT CARE CLAIM SENT NEW BOLTS HAVE NOT RECIEVED
NOTE IWILL NEVER DO BUSINEES WITHNTHESE FOLKS AGAIN THEY CARE THERE OPTIONS AND SUGGESTILN WHERE TERRIBLE PLEASE LET FOLKS KNOW THEM DONT CARE

Sincerely,

**** ******
Business Response
Date: 01/08/2025
In response to Mr. ****** concerns. I am sorry to hear about this. Upon further review our records show that Mr. ****** was in contact with a Customer Support team member on 12/27 and it looks like we shipped a Nut and Bolt Assortment 240 Piece that might work for his needs. Upon tracking the package, it looks like the package was delivered on 12/31 by ****. TRACKING **************************. if our customer did not receive the package i ask that he contact us at **************** so we may review and assist.
Initial Complaint
Date:12/09/2024
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I bought a product at your store in *******, *******. It was defective and it failed I went back to the store with my receipt and asked for an exchange. I was informed that I have to join the mailing club advertising list to return it. The original receipt was bought without giving out personal information and wasn't forced to join if I don't care to.I was unsuccessful. I ask to be told where I can find an item... and 1 of the two employees point down the row and keep talking. I asked for help, and they both said, "we have to stay up front at the door where people come in. Just sounds illogical to me. Never had any problems anywhere else across the nation. I can't return the defective item or can I argue with unprofessionally trained management or employees. So, with my phone, I took a picture with the two (defective and new) with the receipt sitting on the cashier table. I WAS IMMEDIATELY YELLED AT and thrown out of the store and told not to come back! I don't know why all this happened!
Business Response
Date: 12/13/2024
With respect to the concerns Mr. ***** ******* has listed within his complaint, we've reached out to him directly to resolve the matter and reimburse him for the product he was not completely satisfied with as per the standard return policy that's shown on our website.

Customer Answer
Date: 12/14/2024

Complaint: 22654854

I am rejecting this response because: they have not reimbursed me... they gave me a portion of my loss in a gift certificate good only at their store whic I'm no longer allowed to enter.
They have deceived the BBB and the public who will read this feed back.

Sincerely,

***** *******
Initial Complaint
Date:12/02/2024
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Please see attached detailed complaint. $120.00 restocking fee charged on a unit (generator) that was returned because it didn't work. A re-stocking fee should not apply to broken or non-working items. How can you re-stock something that is broken.
Business Response
Date: 12/10/2024
Hello,
I am in receipt of the complaint filed by ****** *****. In response to the complaint, In response to ******** current complaint. Some items do carry a 20% restocking fee. The policy is listed on the shelf below the price tag, on the receipt, and on the website, under Product Overview. If you have any further questions regarding the policy. It can viewed here: ******************************************************************************************

The policy states the conditions under which we waive the restocking fee:
Item is unopened and in new condition
Item is exchanged for an upgraded product in the same category
Item is replaced under an **************** Plan
Item is replaced under Manufacturer Warranty

It none of those conditions are met, the return is subject to a 20% restocking fee. We apologize for any frustration or inconvenience this causes.

Please let us know if you have any additional questions. Thanks again for contacting Harbor Freight.

Thank you as well for providing this opportunity to respond.
Customer Support at ********************** - Returns and Exchanges

Customer Answer
Date: 12/11/2024

Complaint: 22628011

I am rejecting this response because: The unit DID NOT WORK. You can't possibly know if a unit is in good working order unless you try to use it. Very unreasonable to expect that a brand new that does not work has a re-stocking fee. Nowhere on the receipt does it state anything about the 20% restocking fee. We're supposed to read everything written underneath a stocked item? Very strange indeed. ************ needs to be accountable for the merchandise they sell.

Sincerely,

****** *****
Business Response
Date: 12/17/2024
Hello,
I am in receipt of the response to original filed by ****** *****. In response to the complaint, I have reached out to the customer via email and in a good faith effort to resolve this complaint, we offered send the customer a $120.00 gift card for the amount that was implemented for the restocking fee.
I would like to thank you for providing us with the opportunity to respond to ****** Moore's complaint. Thank you.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/19/2024
Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
the store has a sale price displayed for an item I wish to purchase. The display has tickets for the item and the ticket reads TAKE ONE, ***** (item number) 1400LB 12IN x 84IN ARCHED LOADING RAMPS, 2 PC To purchase this item, please take this ticket to a sales associate So I took the ticket to the cashier to purchase the item and I was told that this item is discontinued and is no longer available. So I asked, "if it is no longer available, why is it still advertised for sale?" I was told that he (the cashier/store manager) could check to see the availability of this item at other stores. He told me the 2 ********* stores each have one. Then he was very hesitant to call the other stores to double check if they had this item since their computer system says they have one each in their inventory. He was told that the items is discontinued and they only have store display units and they 're not allowed to sell the display units. Then I asked him again, isn't that false advertisement, displaying a sale price for an item that is no longer available. I told him that if he will not honor the sale price that is displayed in their store that he needs to take the tickets for said item down and not advertise them being for sale. He told me he cannot do that and refused to offer me an alternative item. He claims that there is no guarantee on discontinued/clearance items. Yet no where on the display does it state that this is a discontinued or clearance item. I am simply asking to purchase said item for the in-store advertised price and if they won't sell the item as advertised then they should remove the in-store advertisement for this item
Business Response
Date: 11/24/2024
This issue was addressed and escalated to our district management team in a feedback. In the picture provided it does show clearance at the top of the tag in black, that is why the item was priced as it was. The feedback would be to try and address the speed at which we take those tags down once we do not have the item any longer, the number of tags does not follow inventory. The store however cannot sell what they do not have and if an item is clearance we will not be getting any more in to provide later.. Thank you.

Customer Answer
Date: 12/03/2024

Complaint: 22576684

I am rejecting this response because: if the item is not available, then they shouldn't be advertising this item for sale on the sales floor. When I took the ticket to the cashier, I was told that there is NOT a store with-in 100 miles that has this item for sale, I was also told that the two Green Bay stores show one each in their inventory, they claim it is the display model and they do not sell the display models. SO that leaves me to ask, "If the item is not available for purchase or for sale. Why is the ticket on the sales floor?" The manager in the Manitowoc store refused to remove the sale tickets from the sales floor telling me that they are told by corporate to have the sales tickets on the sales floor. So if the item ticket is on the sales floor, then the item MUST be available for purchase otherwise it is FALSE ADVERTISING. Having CLEARANCE labeled on the ticket is one thing, but to continue to advertise the item once the item has been sold out is FALSELY advertising it. Upon my discussion with the store manager that day, I requested that he remove the tickets from the sales floor, and he told me that he cannot do that per corporate policy, because they still have the item for sale in other stores (but not with-in *************************************************) I asked if they could sent the item to the Manitowoc store so I could purchase it and they refused. I offered to purchase one of the units from either ********* store, they refused, telling me that they have no idea if all the parts are with the display unit, so I offered to purchase both units from each of the **************** AS IS for 50% of the advertised price since I am pretty sure between the two sets I could come up with one full set. They then told me that would have to be approved by corporate and they refused to contact corporate to see if corporate would accept my offer

Sincerely,

****** *****
Business Response
Date: 12/11/2024
Hello,
I am in receipt of the complaint filed by ****** *****. In response to the complaint, regarding the item availability and in a good faith effort to resolve this complaint, we have offered to send the customer a $30.00 digital gift card to ********************** and are awaiting response.
I would like to thank you for providing us with the opportunity to respond to ******** complaint. Thank you.
-***** C
Sr Contact Center Associate

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Harbor Freight Tools is NOT a BBB Accredited Business.