Jack's Small Engines now a Northern Tool Company

[RolandW]

Ugh. I've had good experiences with Jack's but will try to avoid them now. A few years ago I bought a Honda replacement engine from Northern. It has worked out well. I took a lot of time to compose and send a detailed review, complete with pictures. I mentioned that one of the engine's dimensions in the online description did not agree with what a Northern rep told me on the phone. Quite a mild criticism, and I thought it might be helpful for potential buyers if I stated exactly what the spec was on the engine I received. I still gave the product 5 stars. Immediately I got an email back from them saying the review was inappropriate, and that I should have taken my "complaint" up with customer service instead of putting it in the review. After seeing how they censor even the slightest criticism, I recommend never trusting their reviews. Their catalogs now go right into the trash.

 

[CHDinCT]

Ugh. I've had good experiences with Jack's but will try to avoid them now. A few years ago I bought a Honda replacement engine from Northern. It has worked out well. I took a lot of time to compose and send a detailed review, complete with pictures. I mentioned that one of the engine's dimensions in the online description did not agree with what a Northern rep told me on the phone. Quite a mild criticism, and I thought it might be helpful for potential buyers if I stated exactly what the spec was on the engine I received. I still gave the product 5 stars. Immediately I got an email back from them saying the review was inappropriate, and that I should have taken my "complaint" up with customer service instead of putting it in the review. After seeing how they censor even the slightest criticism, I recommend never trusting their reviews. Their catalogs now go right into the trash.

That's my experience too. Bought a Northstar generator from them a few years back. It was one that advertised clean energy with low harmonic distrotion, etc. When I got it and had the need to run it, my UPS that I set up to provide continuous power to my cable box keep clicking on and off as if it sensed a power loss. Submitted a review giving it 4 stars and mentioning the UPS issue as well as it lacked a fuel gauge. Overall I thought it was a positive review. They never posted it and never even told me why. Since then, I don't trust the reviews on their site for their own products. If it's an non NT product that I can go elsewhere for honest reviews I MIGHT consider buying from them, but mostly I don't buy from them anymore.

 

[caver]

I recall in the past if you mentioned NT on the Forestry Forum an automatic link would be inserted as to why they don't support NT. NT copied a design from one of their vendors and sold a poor knock-off. I believe it was LogRite.

 

[ultrarunner]

Bought a lot from Northern years ago but had an issue with backorders.

Went maybe 15 years with no order and Christmas before last I bought 5k in generators for friends and family...

Also bought a solar battery charger as a Christmas gift with order going in November... said it was 10 day back order... no problem.

I said don’t need it if not here for Christmas... kept in touch every week and then cancelled the same day it shipped... arrived after New Years... sat here for almost a year because I was not going to pay to ship it to Washington when the plan was to take it with me...

Never did use the bonus dollars because only available after item ships...

 

[Tony H]

I hope it goes well with Jack's. But I doubt that it will.

At one time I was an avid NT customer. Bought a $3K lawn mower from them about 15 years ago. Second set of mower blades I stopped in to buy I discovered that they doubled the price for the same mower blades! (Which wasn't cheap to start with.) I asked how they could justify doubling the price - their response was that "corporate had told them they had to increase profits, and so they did just that".

That, of course, was foolhardy. They not only lost a sale right then, but also ended up losing a long-standing customer. Back then NT carried both quality goods but cheap ones as well. Now it's mostly the low quality stuff. (IMHO naturally.)

That's sad. I liked NT. I wish they had stores by me 'cause Harbor Freight only sells junk

 

[Lena]

Never bought from Northern tools. May not now

 

[Diggin It]

Never bought from Jack's. Used their parts diagrams and look ups a few times, but they're prices weren't so great.

My biggest beef with NT is an odd policy on 'buy on web, pick up in store'. My nearest store in close to 90 miles away. I can't order on the web for pickup at that store because I live too far away according to them. They key off the buyer/shopper Zip Code and exclude those beyond a certain radius. CS couldn't (or wouldn't) explain why if I was willing to drive the distance.

 

[5030]

That's sad. I liked NT. I wish they had stores by me 'cause Harbor Freight only sells junk

Not true. They do sell junk if you want cheap junk but their premium line like Icon is top shelf. NT sells junk too. Me, I prefer HF as I don't have to pay shipping.