Are Harbor Freight discount coupons gone for good?

[Oaktree]

I would drop in specifically to get my free trinket. Then would grab anything else that was needed. It was very effective. They used to give away a 25’ measuring tape, which was actually a decent tool. I have a bunch of those, along with the blue LED lights. HF is still a fantastic store. People like to gripe about the Pitssburg tools, but with a lifetime warranty, what’s the problem?

Same here, and I'd suspect a lot of people did the same. I'd get my freebie, maybe 20% off something else and maybe buy another item at full price. You'd think that the small loss on some $3 item offered for free would be more than compensated for by a larger "while I'm here" purchase.
I don't go anywhere near as often as I once did, and often as not I leave empty handed.

Supply chain economics and JIT is totally screwed up today (example is the lack of IC's for automotive use, resulting in curtailment of auto production as in no parts)... HF is no exception. When your product is coming from China for the most part, it's hit and miss and HF is changing their buying format.

Good point. Back in the 80s I worked at a manufacturing facility and JIT was the buzz term of the day. The attitude seemed to be that since the Japanese did things this way, that was how we should do it too. Well, look at Japan's economy today, and for the last 25 years or so.

I get that HF might want to get away from the constant "sales" and freebies, but to take that away and not offer anything in return doesn't sound like a good business move to me.

 

[ericm979]

Their web site shows a bunch of stuff is on sale. Maybe not quite as much as back in the coupon days but still a significant amount.

I hated finding and clipping coupons. I'd rather the stuff just be on sale. I do miss having a catalog around to browse though.

 

[5030]

So do I actually. I'm a catalog junkie.

 

[BoylermanCT]

They released a phone app which is pretty good. I was just there and bought all of the LED shop lights for my new barn. The manager said the 20% coupons are no longer valid.

 

[caver]

I stopped going for many of the reasons listed. Often I just find it on ebay or straight from a vendor. Anymore I avoid amazon and only use as a last resort.

 

[buck12]

HF is not the same when the prices essentially increased 20% over night. Their prices are now not really better than other places with cheap tools. I seldom got the freebies because i do not like clutter. The loss of freebies is not a big deal to me but the huge price increase is a deal breaker.

 

[Cycledude]

The loss of discount coupons has definitely led to me buying less stuff from Harbor Freight but I never was a very big buyer anyway.
Having to pay a membership fee to get a discount seems like a bad joke but it seems like all the sellers are attempting stuff like that these days.
Harbor Freight does carry a lot of nice stuff at reasonable prices so hopefully they will be around for a long time, I do mostly enjoy going there.

 

[buck12]

The loss of discount coupons has definitely led to me buying less stuff from Harbor Freight but I never was a very big buyer anyway.
Having to pay a membership fee to get a discount seems like a bad joke but it seems like all the sellers are attempting stuff like that these days.
Harbor Freight does carry a lot of nice stuff at reasonable prices so hopefully they will be around for a long time, I do mostly enjoy going there.

I am with you on the membership fees. Why make a customer pay to shop.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Manpower availability on top of inflation issues is changing things it seems. If the baby boomers would get back into the work force things would be more normal. HF along with other businesses in general are losing ground one obituary at a time. A birth rate of 1.7 changes things.

 

[Frankenkubota]

This is interesting....to me. I have to pour 2 extra footings for posts because the trusses were made longer than dwg so my front porch posts miss the original footings. Turns out I like the look so no problem.

I calculated about 5-6 bags per hole and i'm thinking about a little pad for my BH so I went shopping for a cement mixer.

Internet search brought up this from Amazon. It was labeled....generic imported mixer. $380.00

Then I went to Harbor Freight and found this.....$180.00

Looks to me to be the same unit....looksto me to be the SAME PICTURE!