Will Harbor Freight Become a White Whale

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Originally Posted By: CT8
I doubt Harbor freight tools would hold up with commercial use.
Some of their tools do. The flat black impact sockets,Plastic coated ratchets, air tools and tool boxes are great.
 
I don't think it would work out.....Most shops I've worked at can only support 2 tool trucks.

I have seen a few Gearwrench trucks around.....So they will already have competition in selling Off-Shore tools to professional mechanics.
Gearwrench HAS a decent reputation in the industry while Harbor Freight has a bad one.
 
All they have to do is offer a 100% Taiwan made line. That is what Gearwrench used to be.

Princess Auto has that here and their professional line is pretty good. Better than USA or Europe? maybe not, but you can trust them to not break or damage anything, and they are cheap enough to not worry about losing them in the scrapyard or leaving them in/on a car.
 
An HF tool truck with easy warranty repairs? Unfortunately yes. But I'd suspect the overhead would cause the price point to rise, at which point the value proposition may not be as obvious.
 
Originally Posted By: maxdustington
All they have to do is offer a 100% Taiwan made line. That is what Gearwrench used to be.

Princess Auto has that here and their professional line is pretty good. Better than USA or Europe? maybe not, but you can trust them to not break or damage anything, and they are cheap enough to not worry about losing them in the scrapyard or leaving them in/on a car.


Is that enough to change the perception of the brand? Also....Let's not assume that Gearwrench mobile tool franchising will succeed like Snap-on & Matco, MAC has struggled for years. Cornwell seems content with what they have.
 
Their business model is working, I doubt they'll change it much. They also seem to be stepping up the quality of certain items a bit, and are slowly bringing in some higher quality goods.
 
It would be funny to see a HF truck that was representative of their tools. Just a cheap truck with no bells or whistles that didn't break down unless really pushed.

I'm very pleased with all my HF tools.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Their business model is working, I doubt they'll change it much. ....

This. At the rate they're opening new stores, unlikely to require or want "tool trucks" and the added expense/overhead incurred.
 
My sense is that the easy financing is what drives some younger techs to buy $90 ratchets from the Snap On guy instead of going to a retail outlet and paying $25. I do love shiny tools, and have spent plenty of money on the Snap On and Matco trucks, but can't justify it any more, given that the biggest repairs I do now are brake jobs on my kids' cars.

Harbor Freight is at the polar opposite end of the market from the tool truck "professional" brands. I would be astounded if they attacked that market.
 
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Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: CT8
I doubt Harbor freight tools would hold up with commercial use.
Some of their tools do. The flat black impact sockets,Plastic coated ratchets, air tools and tool boxes are great.


"Some" is not good enough for Tool Truck vending. Consistency is paramount; buyers want to know how long the tool will last, period. It doesn't have to be "forever" although there is a place for such tools, but it has to be a number they can get their head around and one that is proven in the field.

Harbour Freight ... we have a similar store called House Of Tools (aka "House of Chinese Tools") ... they don't vet the tools they buy closely enough to offer that. If some tools happen to be excellent, that's actually worse as it skews the inconsistency higher than if they were merely adequate.
 
I guess the chain saw business isn't going well so no logging industry for HF.
Seriously, their tools are nowhere near good enough for pro use with very few exceptions, the few things they do have would not fill a tool truck.
 
While most HF tools are not professional grade, they are perfect for diy guys who may use them only a few times a year or even just once. The HF truck would go around neighborhoods instead of garages. Men would hear the music and come running down the street with handfuls of cash and 20% coupons.
 
Like a big ice cream truck.
lol.gif
 
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