Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[DFB]

re Chinese clones, knockoff goods, patent enforcement. Here's a WSJ article:

Alibaba's Taobao (huge, similar to Ebay or Amazon) said



I think Taobao listings is where HF finds stuff to import, and compares manufacturer's prices.

I see a similar article at NYT too
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/22/business/alibaba-ustr-taobao-counterfeit.html



Hahaha I bet at HF they have their own agents sourcing and procuring goods too!

Geez since I have been doing the cheap tool tent sales at my summer market my boss always has me looking around for deals. Closeouts inventory reductions etc for our benefit. Mostly local stuff though. Pretty amazing what you can find sometimes at certain retailers

And of course he makes his semi annual purchases in bulk from big distribution warehouses too so lately i'm always looking around a lot at different tool bargains even online but still its all stateside

But have you ever looked at Alibaba and wondered about buying something in wholesale purchase

Just about anything has a direct Chineese factory connection :laughing:

Just for grins take a look at cordless impact wrenches or "electric wrenches" they seem to refer to them.
Amazing can even get your own name put on them.


Crazy! :confused2:

Cordless Impact Wrenches-Cordless Impact Wrenches Manufacturers, Suppliers and Exporters on Alibaba.comElectric Wrench

 

[California]

have you ever looked at Alibaba and wondered about buying something in wholesale purchase.

Just for grins take a look at cordless impact wrenches

Cordless Impact Wrenches-Cordless Impact Wrenches Manufacturers, Suppliers and Exporters on Alibaba.comElectric Wrench

Wow! $15 and up, quantity 1. It would be interesting to order one just to see it. If you are a flea market seller why not give it a try?

I've ordered from Ebay sellers who seem to list these Alibaba products, possibly as drop-ship. Reading a little I learned the government of China strongly supports export sales by 1) providing postage rates that must be way below cost, and after postage is paid there in China there is no further postage cost for the US half of the trip,

And 2) there are strict controls over anyone selling for export to assure the vendor actually ships, as advertised. So the risk of nonperformance is less than you might expect. Quality however .....

 

[dirtymartini]

Wow! $15 and up, quantity 1. It would be interesting to order one just to see it. If you are a flea market seller why not give it a try?

I've ordered from Ebay sellers who seem to list these Alibaba products, possibly as drop-ship. Reading a little I learned the government of China strongly supports export sales by 1) providing postage rates that must be way below cost, and after postage is paid there in China there is no further postage cost for the US half of the trip,

And 2) there are strict controls over anyone selling for export to assure the vendor actually ships, as advertised. So the risk of nonperformance is less than you might expect. Quality however .....

Curiosity got the best of me...I searched Alibaba for chain saws. I found a Stihl MS660 clone for $200!

 

[sw99]

I love the Pittsburgh Low Profile 3 Ton floor jack! One of the best floor jack I have found for the price.

 

[DFB]

Wow! $15 and up, quantity 1. It would be interesting to order one just to see it. If you are a flea market seller why not give it a try?

Maybe :confused2:

I've ordered from Ebay sellers who seem to list these Alibaba products, possibly as drop-ship. Reading a little I learned the government of China strongly supports export sales by 1) providing postage rates that must be way below cost, and after postage is paid there in China there is no further postage cost for the US half of the trip,

And 2) there are strict controls over anyone selling for export to assure the vendor actually ships, as advertised. So the risk of nonperformance is less than you might expect. Quality however .....

I know I have ordered from some Amazon vendors and had the item direct shipped from China in 14 days or so.

Returns pretty much don't think they're really gonna happen

I did have a slight issue with one transaction (all were electronic items btw) and for me not having to go thru the motions of returning the item for replacement I agreed to pay a nominal S & H charge to have a replacement one sent out and still kept the original.

Still waiting for RTR to test the HF along with the Ryobi impacts on his equipment (at one point he said he would arrange that) be great to see the actual numbers on them. Yesterday a Snapon/Milwaukee cordless high torque comparison video was released.

Continued looking around on Alibaba turned up this unit. Almost frightening how it looks so extremely similar in many aspects to a Milwaukee 1/2 drive brushless compact impact wrench right down to battery light indicators.

And a Milwaukee 2 battery kit normally retails over $300

18v Brushless Wrench Cordless Impact Wrench Recharge Able Wrench - Buy Electric Impact Wrench,Li-ion Battery Impact Wrenc,Impact Wrench Product on Alibaba.com

I also made a request to RTR to test that particular Milwaukee model too so I'm hoping they do.

 

[Pixguy]

I love the Pittsburgh Low Profile 3 Ton floor jack! One of the best floor jack I have found for the price.

I picked one of these up recently and am very impressed.
Actually it's picked up my boat and trailer to put on blocks and my tractor to put on new tire chains. Very nice for the price.

 

[sixdogs]

I bought a small Amazon electric item from amazon for $1.90--free shipping--and it showed up having shipped from China. Huh? I can't drive to my neighbor for $1.90.

 

[California]

Continued looking around on Alibaba turned up this unit. Almost frightening how it looks so extremely similar in many aspects to a Milwaukee 1/2 drive brushless compact impact wrench right down to battery light indicators.

And a Milwaukee 2 battery kit normally retails over $300

18v Brushless Wrench Cordless Impact Wrench Recharge Able Wrench - Buy Electric Impact Wrench,Li-ion Battery Impact Wrench,Impact Wrench Product on Alibaba.com

I think you need to be at HF's scale to gamble on that one. Minimum order (200 units) will cost $21,860 per month.

I bought several different kinds of Chinese mailorder LED light bulbs before the prices for common US brands - FEIT etc. came down to affordable. None lasted long, some buzzed, some dimmed, a couple let the smoke out, all had really weird color (all different) that became obvious when I retired them to a chandelier over the dinner table that stays on for hours. I had hoped to find a couple suitable for front and rear porch lights that run all night, I liked the idea of the cost savings and color wasn't important. But I concluded all weren't really merchantable for use as advertised. I suspect you are also playing a game of 'some work, some don't' on these Chinese tools nobody has heard of. Buying them through Harbor Freight with a good return warranty minimizes the gamble.

But if you are buying for resale at the flea market and your markup is sufficient to cover warranty returns ... why not give them a try?

 

[DFB]

I think you need to be at HF's scale to gamble on that one. Minimum order (200 units) will cost $21,860 per month.

:laughing:

Gee even my boss isn't THAT free with his money.

These impact tools are getting immensely popular though

But if you are buying for resale at the flea market and your markup is sufficient to cover warranty returns ... why not give them a try?

My sales experience with many people is they more often than not will hesitate making a single large dollar buy (and not just inclusive to unknown like that tool) but instead routinely will make multiple less expensive purchases.

And I do have many repeat customers. Some come weekly and a lot of time some ask me to source different items Mechanics tools are immensely popular especially impact sockets, ratchet/wrench sets, screwdrivers, and large breaker bars along with the consumables like paint supplies, brushes, rollers, sanding materials and such. Then there yard an garden tools and gloves. Loads of gloves

There is a target range that works quite well and within the right range wholesale costs ratio to retail markup even including space to move on price can make money and the customer is satisfied.

So everybodys happy!

You know what they do ask for the most often with power tools if I have them cheap grinders

Lot of used power tools to found often at flea mkt some good some bad.

I have all winter here in the Northeast to think about it I guess. I would like to find that right tool/manufacture that would enhance my business though. It be cool. Also have to be okay with I'm marketing I just don't dump junk on people. Not if I want to keep my business going. I really enjoy what I do most all of the time. Some days I give more advice than a hardware store

And before I thought all the questions on fruit and flower sales side were bad.

 

[John_Mc]

Still waiting for RTR to test the HF along with the Ryobi impacts on his equipment (at one point he said he would arrange that) be great to see the actual numbers on them. Yesterday a Snapon/Milwaukee cordless high torque comparison video was released.

Where can you find that Snapon/Milwaukee video?