Harbor Freight deal revisited.

After reading through the entire thread on the Harbor Freight "deal," I knew that one more post would never be seen or read. So, here goes.....

There are MANY circumstances like this that come up every day. This incident does not necessarily make mongo a thief. Nor does it completely exonerate him.

How many attempts must one make to "make things right" before you just plain give up and accept what has been handed to you???

I had a situation come up several years ago. I had a scan tool that I used quite a bit. The display was becoming unreliable. I needed a replacement. I looked online, and found several high priced, outdated, and worn out scan tools on eBay. All were priced way more than they were worth. So, I tried out Craig's list. There was ONE ad for the scanner that I was looking for, and it was over a month old. So I responded to it just in case it was still available. Surprisingly, I had included my phone number, and it rang within the half hour of my sending the message. The guy still had the tool. He told me how much he wanted for it. We agreed on the deal, and I went to pick it up the next day, as arranged. When he presented me with the tool, I immediately saw that he had way more than was in the ad. Literally over a thousand dollars worth of accessories in addition to the tool. I told him that I could not make the deal that we had discussed the previous day. He asked me why. I told him that it was not a fair price to him. There was way more value than was advertised, and that I would have to give him more money. He refused with the statement that he had already gotten more than his money's worth out of in in saved repair costs, and that he wanted it to go to someone that would appreciate it for the value. I made him tell me what it should be worth to be sure that he knew what he was selling for about 10% of what it was worth. He told me exactly what I thought to be a more correct value for the item. Since I now knew that he was not being taken advantage of, and that I was getting what ZI came for, I finally took the deal.

Also, bear in mind that companies like Harbor Freight have built in margins of error to cover such mistakes. People are people, and people make mistakes. Personally, when I see such a mistake, I do try to get it corrected whether it is in my favor or the seller's favor. As others have said, I want what is mine, but I do not want what is not mine.

I agree with your thinking on this thread and was waiting for the fire storm to blow over. If I am not mistaken, if the store price or what you paid or what the register did, as you walk out the door, that is the price. Another word could be bait and switch. In NJ this doesn't fly folks! I have gotten a couple of items for a little off of the price because of miss marked prices. It is the stores fault and not yours. The marked price IS the price. Price on the shelf sticker is LAW.
There was a guy who worked as a gas pump jockey and I would tell him the amount of money to fill. He would now and then filler up to the top and then give you some bozo excuse. Well I figured this is enough. I had my mini tape recorder with me next time and VERY clearly told him 10 dollars worth of regular. He filled the tank. I walked inside and played the tape for the manager. He payed the other 20 dollars. Guy almost got fired. No more over fills.
Another was when I used to work on equipment in the field. I filled out the paper work and called the office to do the figures. I presented the bill to the lady manager. She went and got the money and just pluked it on the counter. NOW... I always count out the payment. ALWAYS. She had over payed $100.oo dollars. I counted again and it was still wrong. So I went over and told her I think there is a problem that you over payed. Her reply :NO I gave you the correct amount don't you think I know how to count"?????? Well I counted it on the counter in front of her and what do you think happened. She just went with a snippy voice,"Oh" and grabbed the hundred and walked away. I will not get onto the PC correct train tonight cause my head starts to hurt.
They made a good faith and reasonable try to fix things. What happened with the manager is a conflict situation. I would have left too. What could also have been done is call HF main office in the morning and nicely explain everything. I am willing to bet they would say thanks we will fix it have a nice day and keep it for your trouble. I really hate it when people start to preach their way or how they see things and then everyone wonders how isis got so far. Rabbid is rabbid. My two cents but if you read those replys your hair stands up. Think a little bit of a lynch party mentality? Way to many people type and hit the button before they read it over once or twice and do a little common sense edit.

Just read the majority of the thread.

While I agree with doing the 'right thing' there is a time when the right thing becomes the wrong thing to do. In this case the guy posting tried to make things right in the beginning, and got rebuffed by the manager. Personally I'd have done the same thing he did and just left. I would also call later and try to make things right, but if rebuffed again, it's their problem, not mine. I have enough problems of my own without having to insure their inventory, prices, etc are all correct.

About 6 years ago I ordered a few boxes of tile from one of the big box stores. What showed up wasn't $100 worth of tile, but well over $1000 worth of PIG oil absorbent matting.

It was all I could do to get them to take the stuff back because, according to their computer I didn't order it, therefore I couldn't send it back to them. I got so frustrated after half a dozen calls I had decided to just keep it, and reorder the tile...but decided to try one more time.

This time I got someone with some common sense. Once I explained the situation, the lady said she would arrange for me to ship it back. Thing is we were living in the wife's house at the time, and it's in a neighborhood. They wanted me to just leave those three BIG boxes sitting out in front of the house until UPS decided to pick them up. I told her that wasn't going to happen as it would more than likely be stolen.

If I remember right, I finally had to take it to a shipping store to ever get it back to them.

Sometimes it's just accidental. When I was in college, 6 of us piled into a car and went to a movie. On the way, someone started a political argument that became quite heated. We walked into the theatre still arguing loudly. The movie was half over before we realized that nobody bought tickets! Never went anywhere with those guys again.

Sometimes it's just accidental. When I was in college, 6 of us piled into a car and went to a movie. On the way, someone started a political argument that became quite heated. We walked into the theatre still arguing loudly. The movie was half over before we realized that nobody bought tickets!

Starting to make it right and actually trying are two different things. When he actually tried he got it done so all is well. "Oh, did you forget something?" was not an unreasonable response to someone who had just checked out and loaded and came back in the store. My guess is both parties weren't having the best day.

Yes, the replies were probably a little harsh but your example is not in any way the same. You guys agreed on a price knowing exactly what was being sold and bought. He knew shat he was selling and what it was worth. I have had the chance to buy things where the seller didn't know the worth and I pay them a fair price that is more than what they are asking. If a store charged you guys $175 too much would you just say it was their mistake and it doesn't matter? Would you just walk away if they thought it was to much work to give you a refund. Yes, stores know there will be losses due to theft and errors so they build it in and all of us pay more to cover it. Bottom line is you have to be able to live with yourself either way. If the mistake is a couple of bucks, their time is probably worth more than correcting the error. If it is $175 you need to make it right, like the poster did, even if it is difficult.

It is likely true that both parties were not having the bast day, but that does not excuse the fact that the poster left with an item more expensive (must have been a lot more expensive if it nearly paid for his parts) than what he paid for. I understood it to be a completely different type of item - I don't buy the bait and switch excuse for a second.

Regardless of the manager's attitude, the poster stole the difference.

Now, I understand the frustration of trying to make it right and being rebuffed so I am not so harsh on him for that. But what really gets me is that he came here to brag about it. I cannot understand, or respect, that. I would not have such a man as a friend.

I'll still politely disagree. MN is also a state that says the sticker is the price if the store made a mistake and under priced the item. At that point I have no sympathy for the store and pay the marked price. In this case they had the wrong PCU in the computer. So no intent to steal was there. The closest Wal Mart to me had an employee deliberately mismark expensive items then had a friend come in to buy them. They were caught. Deliberate attempt to steal. Big difference.



I think some should read a certain book they are always trying to push. It says "DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS" and "JUDGE NOT LEAST YE BE JUDGED".

Rick

sometimes you cant win for trying. a snow bird tractor buddy of mine winters in benson arizona. he got a wendys coupon for a free chili with purchase of a burger. he goes to wendys, orders a burger and gives the gal the coupon for the free chili. she gets his order, he pays with a 20 dollar bill. she gives him 2 tens, a five and a single change. he said, pardon me, but you gave me too much change. she said no, thats what the register said, he said no, i gave you a 20 and you gave me 26 back. she had to get her manager. he asks, whats the problem? he said, i got a burger and a free chili with a coupon and gave the girl 20 dollars, she gave me 26 dollars back, manager says, sorry but the transaction already processed, there is nothing he can do, but here is 10 dollars for your trouble. he was totally baffled. he got a free hamburger, chili, got his 20 back, plus six extra dollars and a ten dollar bill for his trouble. so he got a free lunch and made 16 dollars. he got so mad he said he will never go back there again!!

I agree 100%, Jeffcat. The guy I like is the guy who will find a dollar bill (or even a penny) in the parking lot on his way out to car and take it back in to the cashier(in case someone there lost it) and he wanted to sleep that night AND then slipped on the ice in front of store and hurt his back so sued store for negligence because they hadn't salted it enough. My advise is this : if you have NEVER stolen or lied OR just let a perceived "wrong" be what it is...then don't start now. Sainthood is a very "relative" state.

Or in other words,

" Let him without sin cast the first stone."

Thank you Randy. Another thing that happened last year at the Home Depot in Berlin.NJ. I was walking out with my purchase about this time of year. There on the ground was a NICE big fat wallet. I picked it up and it was loaded with I would guess six or more $100.oo bills. Boat load of credit cards and all kinds of ID. I just put it in my pocket. Let us see how many people swallow their gum at that one!!!!!
No I walked back into the store and had them call the manager. He was very happy to get someones wallet back and would take care of it. Now here is the thought that went through my mind. "If I keep this I could run up the cards and spend the money, BUT I was not the same color as the guy in the drivers Picture ID!!" I added another response to another on here, go find the story about Best Buy!!!!!!!!

People like you are few and far between my friend. BUT I've done that a few times my self. Jim in New Mexico

Here's a whopper, Several years ago my wife was down at the lake with our dog. The dog comes running up with a soaking wallet in his mouth, She bring it home and we take everything out to let it dry out. The next day we call the phone number on something in the wallet, woman answers and said Just "Send" it to me. NO I want to talk to the man, she says"He doesn't live here anymore" She does give me his number and I call. Their divorced now, I get his address and send him all of the dried out stuff in a large envelope. He said,"Just keep all the money in the wallet" I said no. A couple of weeks later we got a "Nice" thank you card in the mail. NOW that made my day. PS he told me he lost while fishing three months earlier.

I guess it's confession time.

Years ago, back when I was poor, broke and didn't have much money, I went to Sears to buy an air compressor.
Picked out the one I wanted, like $300 back when money was money.
Told the cashier what I wanted and she yells to somebody, "What's the price in that air compressor?"
Somebody yells back "199.95"
And I kept my mouth shut and handed her my credit card.
Sears more than made up for that $100 in all the stuff I bought from them in the last 50 years.

Another time, I went to the credit union and got $250. Five brand new bills, which I folded and stuck in my pocket.
Went I went to give the money to my son, I had six 50's.
Took one back the next day and gave it to the cashier.
That was my good deed for the day.

Confession time over. No reply's needed, won't change anything.

Hey Glennster you are really going to love this one!! This is a long but a good story folks. Four years ago , NOPE it is now five years ago, my little 23 inch color TV went thuooop and the vertical drive went out. That means a picture that is about 1/2 inch tall. Very colorful 1/2 inch line and it wiggles! anyhow you can't get those fixed anymore cause of the six shops I knew of in SJ ALL of them are gone. So I said to my self , "Self I am 61 years old and I am going to buy what "I" want."!!!!!!! Do you get the story so far? I went into the kitchen drawer and pulled out a tape measure. Measured the living room wall and went to Best Buy. Well I bought the biggest damn thing I could hang on the wall. Big as I could go was a 55 inch flat screen LED set.
So far so good. That week Best buy was having a special package deal on a Samsung 3D TV and a Smart Blue Ray player and the special glasses are in the TV box. I bought the wall rack for like $70.oo bucks, the TV and player for a finance total of like $2,2oo dollars. I had my new TOY!!!
Good thing I was just a little slow to get everything hooked up. The TV I bought was the Samsung 7000 model. It is an awsume TV but I waited because the price of the wall mount was just toooo much. Went on flebay and found an even better one for $23.oo
NOW three days latter I mount the bracket to the studs in the wall at just a little above eye level so it is a very comfortable viewing level. The night before I had gone on the net and looked this TV up in reviews. Now this is a 55 inch LED, 240hz refresh rate, 3D movie capable set. Big time bucks. Thing is I have not even opened the box yet. Now back to the review.
All of them are just in love with the set but for one guy. He said he took his back because he found out about the 8000 model set. It has a better screen and systems so when the picture is black it is COAL INK BLACK! In TV talk that would be +1. SO now here is why I am telling such a long story.
Back at the store I walk up to the return counter and fill the girl in on why I want to bring it back AND yes they have the model 8000 in stock but it costs more. Yes I know and there is no problem. By the way I know the player is a package deal and I want to keep it and pay the difference so I will just pay for it. She says no problem. Well she starts typing on the terminal and I am shooting the breeze with another customer. Then another and another and.... she is still fooling with the computer. She calls over Sandy who is a VERY savy lady and she starts in typing. It is now getting to about 20 minutes of standing in line. Well the next thing is now the store manager is here. NOW my first TV is in the back already and the new 8000 TV is there on the shipping cart. All of a sudden the manager just throws his hands in the air and says in a pretty loud voice "JUST give it to him"!!!!
I am standing there like a Bambi in the headlights. All of this typing and waiting is the result of a screw up in the main computer of the Best Buy corporate chain.
I now have my 8000 TV on the cart, the player I want to pay for and keep is out in my Explorer. Sandy is pulling money out of the till under the computer terminal and hands it to me. "You are ready to go so see you next time you stop in" Ready folks cause here we go. The 8000 TV costs just a little more than the first one but it is like $20.oo difference. The program in the computer says the Blue Ray player dose not exist. It is part of a package deal and does not exist. Not only that, the store owes ME money! When all was said and done I got a fantastic TV, It is LED 240 refresh rate, got the special glasses, The Blue Ray player does not and never did exist, AND AND they had to pay me $150.oo for the Blue Ray player. Crazy as this sounds it is for real. SO Best Buy payed ME for the first two monthly payments on the set. Still an awsume TV. I walked out of the store almost in a half daze. Can anyone tops this nutty story?

While I typed up the other reply I can add another form just last week. I wanted to hook up my generator and I have the whole house wired up to do it. The power cord 10/3 is long enough to have the generator by the side of the house about ten feet away. I always thought is would be batter if I put it out front down wind of the house but the cord is too short. Two years ago I priced out what another cord would cost and it was like $ 3.35 a foot! Never got around to it. Looked again early last year and it was still in the high twos. Now about two weeks ago I was in Lowes and up on the shelf was a special "end" roll of 10/4 cable 300 volt 30 feet long. I asked the price and the guy looked at his little smart phone and told me. I blanched. Went back the next day and told them to get the roll down and I carried it up to the front counter. Now I like to go to flea markets and haggle so I asked the lady if she could ask the manager if this is the best price. I got the 10/4 cable for not what they had on it but for 20 CENTS a foot. So Like $6.50 I walked out with the spool of wire. Here is where it gets even better. I get home and a couple of days latter I measure out the wire with my surveyors wheel. I have just purchased 58 feet of 10/4 cable for $6.50 cents!

Went to Sears Store(owned by a friend) and ordered a hammer drill not in the store. Delivery time to house 10 days. 10 days passed, then 20, and then 30 and no drill. Went and talked to Ron who checked and said it was sent within 3 days of order so he does some calling, no joy.re order drill and recieved in 5 days. Great, lets go to work! Thjree days later another package on porch. Another Hammer drill. Back to store to return one of the drills, and lo and behold there is no way to do it. There is no record of the first order anymore etc! Said to Ron, keep it and sell it here. He says he cant do that because it is not in the computer inventory so send it back. I can't because there is no record of it anyplace. Had 2 drills for the price of one. Gave one away to another good friend

Went to McDonalds in Myrtle Beach and ordered a Big breakfast. It came and I noticeed no hash browns. So I told clerk. She says we are all out. I say"but I paid full price and was expecting a correction." Loooks at me like was an idiot and repeats"we are out of hash brown" and proceed to SERVE GUY BEHIND ME. i ASKED FOR THE MANAGER. Here she comes and I could see the chip from a distance. "Whats the problem" I stated my coomplant and she says"what about we are all out dont you understand" I stated I paid for hash browns and no correction was made.'"She says a big breakfast includes hash browns" and I agreed. Then " once more , weare all out of hashbrowns.
She then reached into a cash drawer and grabbed a handful of change and proceeded to throw it at me and told me to get out or she would call the cops. Was told later this sort of thing was common at that McD's and locals never go there

I read it all thru the day and just shook my head.What really gets me is the people that defend the manager who made the real mistake.

Guy who bought and payed for it went back and got the attitude.And then to top it off the gal says that isn't the first one she sold that cheap.You would think the boss would have an idea of what shes selling.

Ive tried to get parts from Habor Freight. That's a joke in itself. Email for parts never works and they don't answer the 800# either. Went to the store in Ferguson Mo. to get some help. The manager there says SHE is payed to run the store not the web site.

There's a new store being built that I can see from my house. I'll drive to the next town over that has a store that sells AMERICAN MADE high quality tools .

I went in a shoe store one time and bought two,pairs of boots and some other things. When I got to my car , I checked my receipt and they had not charged for one pair of boots. I went back in and the cashier said do tou have a problem already. I told her no problem, but I owed her for a pair of boots. It confused her , but she finally got it figured out and let me pay her. Another time I bought gas maybe about $12 and some change. I paid with a twenty and got about 14 back. The girl tried about 4 times to get it right and we finally got about a dollar apart and I gave up and left. Tommy