I have ordered items off the back of cereal boxes that arrived quicker. I placed my order 2 weeks ago and nothing. After talking to customer service I was informed my order was not scheduled to arrive for another week. 3 weeks is ridiculous.  
 
If you can't find in a local store DO NOT buy from the internet. The wainting time is horrible. The downside is that Hrabor Freight marks price up on store items. Sometimes you can bring in a print-off of the online price and they will match the price.

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.