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Harbor Freight Tools

Engaged employer

Must have a thick skin - Anonymous employee Harbor Freight Tools Employee Review

2.0
5 Nov 2012
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Some people are fun to work with, management can be very easy to talk to on a normal level, can make the environment very loose.

Cons

- Operates on a bare bones staff leaving usually just a cashier, a manager and a 3rd body/ floor Mon - Thurs with maybe an extra body on the registers and floor on the weekends at any given time. - The floor associates are usually expected to do customer service, carry outs, warehouse and stocking. The stocking starts with the store outs which are expected to be pulled and stocked rather quickly within 4 hours of opening, but are near impossible for the 3rd body/ floor to accomplish in their entire 5 hour shift because of the fact that they are doing customer service, carry outs and cashier back up if they are trained to do so (which 95% of them are). - If you are too hard a worker, you may feel like you are held back in the trenches because they can't afford to lose a hard worker to less demanding physical responsibilities such as supervising or office work. They need every hard working worker they can keep in the trenches just to have a chance to be if even 75% efficient with what is expected in store. - Outside of the 6 primary jobs (store manager, assistants, pricing coordinator, head cashier, warehouse supervisor) there are maybe 20 some part time employees getting between 5 - 25 hours, most averaging around 15-20 a week. - Pay is almost as low as it can get, but commissions are a plus, if your store is in the right demo. Some can be poorly placed for warranty sales.

Explore other reviews about Harbor Freight Tools

5.0
23 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

love it best place to work

Cons

no cons nothing to complain about

4.0
16 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great benefits, fast paced environment, good teamwork. I liked the hours, you get an education about tools, whether from your coworkers or the customers. And speaking of the customers, they were on the better side for retail. Most are down to earth and easy to converse with.

Cons

Supply chain issues, many parts would never be replenished, despite being featured, advertised, and on display. That would often lead to tensions with customers. Aggressive time constraints on tasks. Sidewalk sales, holidays, and also coincidentally inclement weather days, can be quite busy and therefore stressful. Especially if there's call outs, but if you have a good management team, you'll have good staff that will want to work for them.

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