# Lowes and Harbor Freight



## Padre (Mar 7, 2010)

A FYI:

I really wanted a scroll saw for doing scroll work but also to cut the barrels on more fragile pens like some of Constant's laserlinez creations.

You can always print out a 20% off one item coupon from Harborfreight, so I did and headed off to my local HF.  I went and look at their scroll saw and they only had one and it was a return. So I headed off to Lowe's, because I heard on another site that they will honor HF's coupons.

I found their new Porter Cable scroll saw with stand for $179, the regular price.  I went to the service desk and showed them the HF coupon for 20% off and asked if they would honor it.  They said "yup, we will, but not on stuff on sale."  I went back and got the last new scroll saw, and walked out the door with it at 20% off.

Thank you HF and Lowes.:biggrin:


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## TellicoTurning (Mar 7, 2010)

Chip,
If you make a fuss Lowe's will probably also honor the coupons on sale items... they are so afraid of losing a customer that they'll even let you steal stuff and not say anything.:biggrin::biggrin:

I did a short tour of duty in a store here in East Tennessee... we had a guy walk out with a drill in the case... naturally it set off the buzzer and when the clerk asked the man to see his receipt with the statement, "I'm sorry sounds like we forgot to deactivate the inventory control device... may I see your receipt?".... they guy said "Nope, I stealing this" and turned and walked away... all the clerk could do by store policy was watch him and report it to her supervisor...  We also had a guy who would steal from one store, then bring the stuff back to our store and swear he bought from us, but didn't have the receipt.... he wanted to return it for cash.... they paid him.

I got so frustrated with their customer service and employee policies that I quit after about 6 months.

That is good to know about the coupons though... Lowe's is about 30 miles closer than either of the HF's in my part of the state.


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## Padre (Mar 7, 2010)

Chuck,
He just walked away????  Holy Cow!  Wow, I wouldn't have been able to stay there either.


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## jttheclockman (Mar 7, 2010)

A porta Cable scrollsaw???  Now that is a new one to me. I have to check this out. I thought i was up on all the scrollsaws out there. Thanks for mentioning it. Good luck with the scrollsaw. Hey if you want to use the best blades on the market try the Flying Dutchman blades. See Mike at www.mikesworkshop.com He will even send you some samples if you tell him what you are going to be cutting. great guy to work with.


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## JimB (Mar 7, 2010)

TellicoTurning said:


> Chip,
> If you make a fuss Lowe's will probably also honor the coupons on sale items... they are so afraid of losing a customer that they'll even let you steal stuff and not say anything.:biggrin::biggrin:
> 
> I did a short tour of duty in a store here in East Tennessee... we had a guy walk out with a drill in the case... naturally it set off the buzzer and when the clerk asked the man to see his receipt with the statement, "I'm sorry sounds like we forgot to deactivate the inventory control device... may I see your receipt?".... they guy said "Nope, I stealing this" and turned and walked away... all the clerk could do by store policy was watch him and report it to her supervisor... We also had a guy who would steal from one store, then bring the stuff back to our store and swear he bought from us, but didn't have the receipt.... he wanted to return it for cash.... they paid him.
> ...


 
Chuck - I've worked in retail for 28 years and I can tell you that you are very wrong in your thinking. Shop lifting is a huge issue for retailers. There are many reasons why stores don't stop people like that but I will tell you the 2 biggest reasons. First, people like that can be very dangerous. They often carry weapons of some sort. I know employees who have been seriously hurt trying to stop people over a $20 item. Second, stopping a shoplifter, even a real shoplifter can be VERY expensive. It can be extremely hard to prove someone is shoplifting, even in the situation you describe. The shoplifter will then turn around and sue the company. Some shoplifters will even deliberately setup the employees for this scenerio.

Bottom line is the company you worked for was protecting YOU from harm and a lawsuit. They were also protecting themselves. You should be HAPPY they have these policies.


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## Oldwagon (Mar 7, 2010)

I worked for a store and I know they figure so much into theft.That is pushed off on the people buying products in that store.I watched a women bring in a box of things wanting a refund.Part of that stuff was from a hardware store.It had their price tags on them.She still demanded a refund saying she bought it at the store I worked at.So people do crazy things.Bottom line is we all pay for the thefts.  Todd


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## OKLAHOMAN (Mar 7, 2010)

Chuck, I've been with Lowe's in management and now on special assignment after I retired. Jim is spot on. If we suspect a person is shop lifting we customer service them to death, we help them to total distraction but once they leave the front door for the associates safety they are to leave them .


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## woodman928 (Mar 7, 2010)

*avatar*

This is off topic but I just notice you avatar Chip and that is one of  the funniest video clips I have seen I watch it over and over.


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## Padre (Mar 7, 2010)

Thanks woodman, I love it too.  I first came across it when the kid to made the first 'sound' posted it as "Harley vs. Japanese bike" as a sound clip.  It exploded from there!

Crazy frog is one of my favorites!


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## wolftat (Mar 7, 2010)

TellicoTurning said:


> Chip,
> If you make a fuss Lowe's will probably also honor the coupons on sale items... they are so afraid of losing a customer that they'll even let you steal stuff and not say anything.:biggrin::biggrin:
> 
> I did a short tour of duty in a store here in East Tennessee... we had a guy walk out with a drill in the case... naturally it set off the buzzer and when the clerk asked the man to see his receipt with the statement, "I'm sorry sounds like we forgot to deactivate the inventory control device... may I see your receipt?".... they guy said "Nope, I stealing this" and turned and walked away... all the clerk could do by store policy was watch him and report it to her supervisor... We also had a guy who would steal from one store, then bring the stuff back to our store and swear he bought from us, but didn't have the receipt.... he wanted to return it for cash.... they paid him.
> ...


 Chuck, I have to admit that at the local HD, I got so tired of the cashiers not doing their job that I refuse to stop if a buzzer goes off after I have paid for the item. Once, fine, twice, okay, three times, annoying, every other time I shop, unacceptable. When asked to stop I tell them no and keep walking. The last time they asked me to come back in the store, I walked to the return line and got a refund and went elsewhere, it's too bad there are so few "elsewheres" left.


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## Texatdurango (Mar 7, 2010)

I find this all really hard to believe.

So you are telling me that I can just walk into a Lowes, pick up a pack of drill bits or whatever, put them in my pocket and simply walk out of the store and no one will make any attempt to stop me or if they say anything, I just keep on walking!  Or I can throw a brand new boxed skillsaw under my arm and waltz right out.... somehow I doubt it!


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## EBorraga (Mar 7, 2010)

Well Text, it happens everyday. Once your out the door they have their hands tied and can't do anything. I work in retail and is a sad situation. Has gotten worse over the last two years.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Mar 7, 2010)

Tex, sad but true. If an associate stops a shoplifter and gets his butt beat the store is responsible has to pay all doctors bills, all rehab and the associates salary.Most big retailers are self insured. Stopping a shoplifter for a hundred dollar drill could end up costing thousands.


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## jimm1 (Mar 7, 2010)

Who wants to go to Lowes with me?

Just kidding. This is sad.


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## snyiper (Mar 8, 2010)

I work there part time and yes it is true all they want is the product back. We cust service you to death if you are suspected and that in itself is usually enough to freak out most thieves!!!! We are not allowed to stop you for any reason other than to make sure you found everything alright. We also post our 2 biggest guys at the exit to thank you for shopping Lowes once they figure we are on to them. Most will go through the store and drop their bounty after all that!!!


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## markgum (Mar 8, 2010)

very sad, but I'm printing HF coupons and will head to Lowes. :biggrin:


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## JimB (Mar 8, 2010)

It is sad. However, even though we do not stop people at the store we do work with local law enforcement. We provide video and still pics of shoplifters and we work with other retailers. Not apprehending someone at the store does not mean doing nothing. Since we are a national retailer we also work with law enforcement and other retailers to track and prosecute national shoplifting rings. Yes, the pros are well organized, travel the country and can be very dangerous.


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## gvanweerd (Mar 8, 2010)

That scroll saw Is a decent saw.   first thing to do is to replace the the upper blade tightening knurled nut with a thumb screw. you can take the one off the hold down guard.  and you'll find unless you have small hands there is very little room for your hands under the table to tighten the bottom blade hold down screw. i just take off the plastic panel. and I've had to replace the on and off switch couple of times. it seems the it goes out allot.  

I hope you enjoy your new saw. I've done a lot of plaques with mine.


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## TellicoTurning (Mar 8, 2010)

JimB said:


> Chuck - I've worked in retail for 28 years and I can tell you that you are very wrong in your thinking. Shop lifting is a huge issue for retailers. There are many reasons why stores don't stop people like that but I will tell you the 2 biggest reasons. First, people like that can be very dangerous. They often carry weapons of some sort. I know employees who have been seriously hurt trying to stop people over a $20 item. Second, stopping a shoplifter, even a real shoplifter can be VERY expensive. It can be extremely hard to prove someone is shoplifting, even in the situation you describe. The shoplifter will then turn around and sue the company. Some shoplifters will even deliberately setup the employees for this scenerio.
> 
> Bottom line is the company you worked for was protecting YOU from harm and a lawsuit. They were also protecting themselves. You should be HAPPY they have these policies.





OKLAHOMAN said:


> Chuck, I've been with Lowe's in management and now on special assignment after I retired. Jim is spot on. If we suspect a person is shop lifting we customer service them to death, we help them to total distraction but once they leave the front door for the associates safety they are to leave them .



Guys< I know and understand this.. you are right.
It's just that there are some other methods that could have been employed to prevent some of this, but my experience with Lowe's was that they didn't want to take those steps because it might inconvenience the customer... other stores do take the steps and doesn't seem to hurt their business..


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## TellicoTurning (Mar 8, 2010)

Texatdurango said:


> I find this all really hard to believe.
> 
> So you are telling me that I can just walk into a Lowes, pick up a pack of drill bits or whatever, put them in my pocket and simply walk out of the store and no one will make any attempt to stop me or if they say anything, I just keep on walking!  Or I can throw a brand new boxed skillsaw under my arm and waltz right out.... somehow I doubt it!



George,
If you have the brass to do it, you probably would get away with it... likelihood is though that the loss prevention management would take your license number and call the police... as Roy said, the store doesn't want to take the risk of an employee getting hurt, but they will let the police take a risk... In the incident I mentioned, the woman who was working the front as cashier supervisor watched the man go to his vehicle, but did not follow him to the parking lot.. again too dangerous.  She reported to the loss prevention manager.  What action he took I don't know... I wasn't high enough on the ladder to be advised.  

I would never try anything like that.... I have a major aversion to jail time, don't want to be Bubba's girlfriend...


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## Fred (Mar 8, 2010)

Just the other day I had a general manager of HD her tell me that if a shoplifter makes it to the front door and is outside they let them go without detaining them at all.

All this 'info' was given to me just after a dude wheeled out a Rigid vaccum cleaner with several add ons. Nobody did anything but stare at him ...

Guess we will see an increase in pricing for these things.


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