Do not buy from this company. With Harbor Freight, you get what you pay for and their dirt cheap prices are not worth the dirt-poor service you get in return.  
 
Highlights from my first (and last) shopping experience:  
1. My item apparently was backordered when I placed my order. However, nothing on their site indicated this. It wasn't until I emailed them 3 days later that they informed me that the item would be backordered for 2 weeks.  
2. When my item was finally "shipped" and my CC billed, the item didn't leave their warehouse for another 2 weeks.  
3. In all, it took 3 1/2 weeks to receive my order.  
4. It takes their CS department 2 business days to respond to emails.  
5. I used a $5 off coupon on my order. My order confirmation showed the order total with the coupon applied. However, my CC was billed for the full amount.  
 
In sum, Harbor Freight's low prices just aren't worth the very poor service you get. Knowing what I know now, I would have just bought the item from Sears.com (or a similar store). It would have cost twice as much, but I would have received a higher quality product, delivered within a few days, and backed up by decent service.

The prices are low at this store but its anly to draw you in. Don't be fooled. This store can backorder their products up to a year. I ordered from them two months ago and my item has been on backorder for those two months. Ontop of all that, it takes 12-14 business days for the item to get to your house from the store after they get it in stock.  
 
I will never order from this store again.  
 
NEVER...  
EVER  
 
Dont be fooled, this is a bad store with extremely bad service.

Placed order on 1/18/2004 got email conformation that order was placed. That was the last I heard from this company. No shipping information no tracking number. Credit card was billed on 1/19/2004. Contacted customer service, took 20 minutes to reach someone, then they still had me waiting. Appeared they were working with other contacts at the same time. Finally received order on 2/2/2005 and it wasn't complete some items back ordered. No way to tell on sight if items are in stock. Took 15 days for order to travel from GA. to FL. Prices of items are cheap and so is quality. Very poor service. Don't know if back ordered items will ever arrive.

I ordered about half a dozen items; they cancelled two without telling me. One of the items that came was a cordless drill, which was DOA. I called up, and was told they they would send out a replacement 7-10 days after they received back my broken drill. They would pay for shipping (ground) back and would ship (ground) back to me, CA-NY. So we're talking a minimum of three weeks roundtrip.  
 
The sales rep I talked to:  
 
-- would only tell me her supervisor's name, Lauren, after great effort on my part  
-- claimed to be unable to transfer me to her supervisor (needless to say, I called back immediately, asked to speak to Lauren and was transfered immediately to her extension)  
-- her supervisor never called me back after I left a message  
 
I eventually opened up the drill myself and fixed the broken trigger with a small screw of my own and some krazy glue. Sure, might have voided my warranty but something tells me I don't really care.  
 
It's the last time I buy from them. They're definitely cheap, but it's just not worth it. The drill itself is fine; the screwdriver bits are made of soft metal and last about a screw or two, and the drill bits aren't much better.

Ordered several products and chose for UPS shipping ground, they did let UPS deliver products after their truck drove them cross country. If they would let UPS pick up the order would have been here in 3 to 5 days but the way they did it it took 15 days. They backordered 1 product and did not even notify me. 1 product I recieved came in broke (welder) and had to be returned.

On the 3rd I ordered 35777-5VGA 17-3/4'' x 12-3/4'' x 5-3/4'' ALUMINUM CASE and 47802-2VGA SELF-CHARGE AUTO JUMPER from harborfreight.com. I haven't received any email updates, no phone calls, no letters, and not even my items. I called Harbor Freight's 800# to be put on hold for 20 minutes, finally a representative picked up and said I had to call a different 800# for customer care. On hold another 20 minutes, finally someone picks up and tells me that the Toolcase is on backorder until next month and that it takes up to 14 business days for an item to go through the shipping process. She said the auto jumper already shipped but I need to wait till at least the 28th of august before I should expect it. So I get to wait 1 month for 1 item, and then I get to wait another month for an item to come in from backorder then 14 business days for it to ship. This is unacceptable and HORRIBLE business practice. There is nothing on the website that says 14 days to ship and it DEFINITELY doesn't say anything about the Toolcase being on backorder, especially not for at least a full month. I cancelled the backorder but there was nothing she could do for the auto jumper until the 28th. I would avoid this company's online business at all costs. The only reason I ordered from them is b/c there is a Harbor frieght 2 hours from where I live and I figured it wouldn't take long to get me the items. I didn't know they were shipping from some warehouse across the nation and that they were backordered.

I placed an order for $32... However, somehow they changed my order # and added items worth $207... I used live help chat, and talked to CS rep. I gave her my original order number and she said "it has been shipped and I was charged $32..." However, My credit card statement was showing $207..  
Took me 2 hours over the chat to find out, that they have changed my order (did not send any notification )and added other stuff to my order and DID charge my card $207  
 
When I requested my money back -- she said I can dispute charges on my Credit Card, but they will not credit my credit card.............. She had no idea of what happened  
 
Unacceptable, they made UNAUTHORIZED CHARGE to my credit card and I can' t get my money back  
 
I like their tools, but I would not suggest buying them online, go to BM store.  

This review was modified by its author, gendos, on 6/4/04 10:33 AM.

I placed an order on 3-21-04. I called two days later, to check on the order. Customer service said the order was processing. After the fourth day, I called back . They said the order was cancelled. I did not receive an email notice or  
phone call. I had to call them to verify. This is very unprofessional. I asked the CSR,"Why was  
this order cancelled?" She said, " She did'nt know." Now ,I am behind schedule on my projects, because Habor freight "dropped the ball."  
I thought other consumers should know about Harbor Freights "no excuse cancellation policy."

One of the worst companies I have had to deal with. Placed an order for one item. Four days later I cant even check the status of the order "doesn't exist". I email customer service and their reply was that they didn't get authorization on my credit card (actually bank debit card with plenty of funds). They replied that my order was canceled and I would have to place it again. Needless to say I will not be placing the order again and I will not be ordering anything else. If they wanted your buisness, maybe they would contact you if there was a problem...but they didn't.

I order two simple tool cases on the 22nd of June. One month later and I still haven't received them. I call up their customer service, who by the way are rude, and I try to get to the bottom of this. After translating the ebonics, I understand that the tool cases were on backorder, but they never had the urge to tell me. Well anyway, I finally received these China-made pieces of crap on the 23rd of July. I would never order from them again.

As a long time customer and user of Harbor Freight tools, I am appalled that even while they know their shipping process has been and remains broken, the company seems uninterested in fixing it.  
My in-store experiences have all been good, but the internet ordering process has been abysmal.  
My lathe drive belt failed and a replacement belt lasted for only 1.15 hours of use. Ordering a replacement belt on 17 November and two more on 18 November, Harbor Freight states all were shipped via HFT shipping on 18 & 19 November and charged my credit card for three belts.  
As of 6 January 2009, none have arrived. With the lathe being inoperative for nearly two months I was finally able to find a U.S. supplier for the belt and cancelled my order at Harbor Freight.  
I am now awaiting some sort of letter from them, (their estimate of 5 days) which I must sign and send back to them(my estimate of 5 days) for a refund. Glad I don't respond to my customers in this manner.  
 
 

It's a love hate relationship with Harbor Freight Tools. I love their tools and prices yet I hate their shipping practices. I have been a faithful customer for many years yet every time I place an order, they always fail to deliver everything I ordered. I place my orders on-line so there is absolutely no excuse for not alerting customers as to what is actually available and what is no longer in stock. Everyone else doing business on the Internet lets you know what is available yet Harbor Freight does not. I almost think it is an intentional effort to get customers to reorder on a regular basis. If you plan to do business with this company, expect to not receive everything you ordered. I have yet to receive a complete order from them.

Shipping from this company is terrible. I ordered on 5/24 and the item is not here yet, 6/12. I was told the item was shipped on 5/24 via fedx ground. Obviously it was not. To get my business again they need to improve customer service by delivering orders in a timely manner. I would rate this company poorly in it's ability to deliver customers orders. I can't comment on the quality of their products, as it is not here yet.

I wish that I had checked resellerratings.com about this place BEFORE I ordered from harborfreight.com insteaf of after becoming curious to see if other people were left in the dark about their orders, too.  
Same problems as everybody else:  
I place an order and get an automated e-mail response.  
After checking my order status several days later and my invoice number comes back as being invalid, I contact customer service.  
42 HOURS LATER, I get an e-mail from them telling me that my order has "shipped" and to please allow 10-14 business days for delivery. Checking the order status now shows my order as "shipped" and I get a FedEx tracking number.  
After 10 business days and the FedEx tracking number is still coming up as invalid in their system, I e-mail FedEx customer service and get an immediate response that the information is correct - the tracking number I was given is invalid.  
I e-mail customer service at harborfreight.com with my concerns that my order has not actually shipped yet even though THEY IMMEDIATELY CHARGED MY CREDIT CARD WHEN I PLACED THE ORDER, and get a response a couple of days later reminding me to allow 10-14 business days for my shipment to arrive.  
Well, it got here today via the United States Postal Service Parcel Post (hence the 10-14 business days, I suppose) and not via FedEx.  
The item was well packed and it was all there. I surely hope that it works because I don't want to deal with their customer lack-of-service department on a return - I'd rather go through a divorce from my first ex-wife again.

I've shopped at the local retail store several times and the service is always great. I honestly expected the online experience to be the same... Well, it's been over a week now and the package still hasn't been delivered to UPS, the CS rep directed me to a faq that states processing can take up to 4 days, delivery to the carrier 2 weeks and another 2 weeks in the hands of the carrier. Thats worst case time in real days vs. business days, But either way a month to get a product from CA to TX????? It reminds me of that commercial of the fat guy running with the Gateway box! Their prices are great but if you really need the product I'd suggest looking for a local supplier.  
Thanks again to the guys at the San Antonio store for amazing service, I wish corporate new the value of customers!