Harbor Freight — Local services in Ponderay

I’m leaving a negative review due to the way I was treated by the staff at this Harbor Freight location. I’ve been a loyal customer and have always had positive experiences with the male employees at the store. However, today was a different story—it was all females working there. I live an hour away and came in to return a 224cc engine. When I purchased the engine, I was told I’d receive a full refund, but no one mentioned a $26 restocking fee, which was frustrating.

What upset me even more was how the staff handled the situation. When I was asked if I had drained the oil and gas, I said “yes.” They opened the box, stuck their finger as far into the tank as possible, and claimed “there was still gas in it.” One of the employees started arguing with me about it. I explained that I had drained the gas thoroughly by holding the engine upside down, shaking it out, and using the drain line connected to the carburetor. I said, “If there was any remaining gas, it was only a few drops that are impossible to remove entirely. The tank was dry—there wasn’t even a sloshing sound when shaken.”

These employees clearly lacked knowledge about engines and shouldn’t have questioned me after seeing how empty the tank was. Their behavior was unprofessional, and I don’t plan on shopping at this location again. I’ll take my business to Home Depot instead. If these employees don’t get proper training, they’re likely to frustrate more male...

I bought an Avanti AV-100 sprayer. ($79) In about 3 minutes while using it started to drip and spit. Try to adjust the nozzle a few times and it didn't work. Waisted paint and time for cleaning. Returned it and I was charged a $16 restocking fee because I didn't want to exchange it for another one. I don't have time to test their products. They sell knowingly low-quality products and I guess they predict that people will return so maybe they making money on the restocking fee. It is not fair that I had to pay for not working equipment. The staff is nice but the return policy is not...

Employees are very friendly, fairly knowledgeable but not pushy. I've never acquired an item that was horrible quality but I'm pretty sure their return policy is good if you do. Some items may not be the best quality but are identical to other big box stores so unless you're buying direct from Lincoln or other specialty companies you're getting the same. The prices are why I give 4-5 stars, allowing those of us who cannot spend $2,000 on one item to get...