Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[dragoneggs]

On your pc search 'hf coupon database'. There are pc and android versions, I don't see apple mentioned.

This is the site for any recent and still valid coupon. Not hosted by hf but rather by a third party.

Often better prices than the coupons that hf emails to you.

Harbor Freight Tools Coupon Database - Free coupons, 25 percent off coupons, 20 percent off coupons, No Purchase Required coupons, toolbox coupons

 

[PJSprog]

On your pc search 'hf coupon database'. There are pc and android versions, I don't see apple mentioned.

This is the site for any recent and still valid coupon. Not hosted by hf but rather by a third party.

Often better prices than the coupons that hf emails to you.

Harbor Freight Tools Coupon Database - Free coupons, 25 percent off coupons, 20 percent off coupons, No Purchase Required coupons, toolbox coupons

Yup. As I recall, the guy who maintains the database is a TBN member.

I have the site saved in my iPhone browser, and search it before going into the store. When I find a coupon I want to use, I just save the image to my pictures, in case I can't get good reception in the store.

 

[Diggin It]

Just a general word of caution. Lowes used to issue coupon codes by email and some other places. They kind of got taken advantage of by people sharing coupons and finding ways to generate their own codes. Couple of years back, they changed their system to thwart some of that. Then they changed no longer issue as many coupons that way and started printing them on register receipts at checkout. You have to present the physical piece of paper, no phone images.

If you've noticed, the list of exclusions on the HF %off coupons keeps growing. You also see the same items at the same coupons prices for months at a time which implies it's just an advertising gimmick and those are more or less the everyday prices. Sometimes the former 'free' items are now on coupon for .99 or so. You also see coupons on that site that never show up in your local emails or printed flyers. That tells me at least some of them are only offered regionally or in other forms of circulation and aren't intended for everyone. I'm sure they know about that site and probably monitor it. They may weigh how much business they get on coupons posted there to see if it works as free advertising to their advantage.

But with their changes to some higher dollar items, I see the potential for changes to their coupons systems and policies. I see a day coming where they may not accept coupon images on phones that aren't somehow tied to the person using them. They keep nagging for your phone number for example and one of the clerks mentioned recently that some coupons may not work if you decline to give them your number. They may be testing such a system and may at some point make it mandatory to provide a phone number in order to pass a coupon image on a phone at all. If they do, it may reject coupons that were not sent to you.

Pure speculation, but considering how other retailers have altered their systems, it may not be too far out there.

 

[Oaktree]

This is the site for any recent and still valid coupon. Not hosted by hf but rather by a third party.

Often better prices than the coupons that hf emails to you.

I never think to look there, just took a look and there is a much bigger selection of "free" items (though it's still pretty much the same ol' stuff). Dunno about other parts of the country, but around here the only free item on the flyers these days is the blue flashlights. They used to have 2 or 3, and they'd rotate but not anymore.
I don't seem to get coupons in my email. They have my address because I get a copy of my receipt everytime I buy something.

Just a general word of caution. Lowes used to issue coupon codes by email and some other places. They kind of got taken advantage of by people sharing coupons and finding ways to generate their own codes. Couple of years back, they changed their system to thwart some of that. Then they changed no longer issue as many coupons that way and started printing them on register receipts at checkout. You have to present the physical piece of paper, no phone images.
(some snippage)
I see a day coming where they may not accept coupon images on phones that aren't somehow tied to the person using them. They keep nagging for your phone number for example and one of the clerks mentioned recently that some coupons may not work if you decline to give them your number. They may be testing such a system and may at some point make it mandatory to provide a phone number in order to pass a coupon image on a phone at all. If they do, it may reject coupons that were not sent to you.

Pure speculation, but considering how other retailers have altered their systems, it may not be too far out there.

It wouldn't surprise me, though it seems the majority of items they have coupons for (at least in the flyers) are the same items again and again...it seems you almost need to try to pay full price for that stuff.
Curiously, is there any cross-reference in their database that checks to see if you're actually an inside track member if you try to use one of the IT coupons from the coupon site?

I don't have a smart phone, so I have no experience with scanned coupons, but I've had problems printing out some of the on-line ones, though that may have been more the fault of my old printer than HF.

 

[rbstern]

Just a general word of caution. Lowes used to issue coupon codes by email and some other places. They kind of got taken advantage of by people sharing coupons and finding ways to generate their own codes. Couple of years back, they changed their system to thwart some of that. Then they changed no longer issue as many coupons that way and started printing them on register receipts at checkout. You have to present the physical piece of paper, no phone images.

If you've noticed, the list of exclusions on the HF %off coupons keeps growing. You also see the same items at the same coupons prices for months at a time which implies it's just an advertising gimmick and those are more or less the everyday prices. Sometimes the former 'free' items are now on coupon for .99 or so. You also see coupons on that site that never show up in your local emails or printed flyers. That tells me at least some of them are only offered regionally or in other forms of circulation and aren't intended for everyone. I'm sure they know about that site and probably monitor it. They may weigh how much business they get on coupons posted there to see if it works as free advertising to their advantage.

But with their changes to some higher dollar items, I see the potential for changes to their coupons systems and policies. I see a day coming where they may not accept coupon images on phones that aren't somehow tied to the person using them. They keep nagging for your phone number for example and one of the clerks mentioned recently that some coupons may not work if you decline to give them your number. They may be testing such a system and may at some point make it mandatory to provide a phone number in order to pass a coupon image on a phone at all. If they do, it may reject coupons that were not sent to you.

Pure speculation, but considering how other retailers have altered their systems, it may not be too far out there.

I think your Lowes example is accurate as a template for mainstream retailers.

I don't think HF fits that mold. They've very deliberately cultivated a coupon culture with their marketing, and I think it's one of the key drivers for their business. Yes, they'll put restrictions on, as economics dictate: Low margin/high demand items as exclusions, some items becoming too costly to give away as freebies.

Policy-wise, over the years, I find HF has become more liberal in loosening coupon acceptance rules. My last visit to a local store, I asked for the free flashlight because I had a coupon. They were out. Cashier said she had free scissors; I didn't have the coupon for that one. She just threw one in my bag, without the coupon and apologized for not having the flashlight.

Ten years ago, the store manager at another HF location wouldn't accept the 20% off and a free coupon in the same transaction. Now they accept both universally.

They've spent years and millions building the coupon culture. I don't think they'll start giving customers a hard time about coupons.

 

[California]

Somebody posted - I don't remember if it was here or over on Welding Web - that he edited ITC coupons from that Coupon Database to cut off the ITC banner at the bottom of the coupon. Then he was able to use them without joining ITC.

HF could implement tighter restrictions on coupons - match coupon code to phone # etc. They have the technology. Their credit card/drivers license/phone # match illustrates that. But I think they have chosen not to. With the incredible margins that have made Smidt rich, it seems more important to HF to just get a customer back in the store as often as possible.

 

[bcp]

Ten years ago, the store manager at another HF location wouldn't accept the 20% off and a free coupon in the same transaction. Now they accept both universally.
.

I asked a manager about that many years ago. He said their register would not allow more than one coupon input per transaction.

Bruce

 

[Gregster613]

Since we're talking about coupons here, I've a curious question - Practically always they show an item but have 3 - 4 different sku #'s below it with (shown) next to one of the #'s; how does one know if that is the preferred item to get or should one enter one of the different sku #'s??? I realize it's always a crap-shoot either way but often an item gets good claims on TBN but I often wonder if it's actually the item sku (shown) that's referenced?? Can anyone share a thought on that?
Thanks, Greg

 

[Diggin It]

Ten years ago, the store manager at another HF location wouldn't accept the 20% off and a free coupon in the same transaction. Now they accept both universally.

I asked a manager about that many years ago. He said their register would not allow more than one coupon input per transaction.

I've never had a problem using a %Off, a Free Item and several other item specific coupons on one transaction. I've even been able to us a %Off, go outside, come back in and use another %Off at a different register.

 

[LD48750]

Policy-wise, over the years, I find HF has become more liberal in loosening coupon acceptance rules. My last visit to a local store, I asked for the free flashlight because I had a coupon. They were out. Cashier said she had free scissors; I didn't have the coupon for that one. She just threw one in my bag, without the coupon and apologized for not having the flashlight.

My last time to HF they were also out of the blue flashlight.
It was the only freebe offered on that coupon sheet.
Today I got 4 more coupon sets & every one of them ONLY offered the blue flashlight that they don't have.