I had a very disappointing experience at the DeKalb Illinois Harbor Freight location on Sunday evening.
I arrived around 5:50 PM to purchase a generator. I was greeted at the front and told the store was closing soon, but I explained that I was only there to buy the generator and was directed to the back to grab the ticket. When I returned to the front, I was stopped by the supervisor who told me I could not purchase the generator because he was not willing to perform a carryout. He said it takes two employees, they only had three workers on shift, and he had too much to do. He told me I would have to come back the next day.
I asked if he was serious and he confirmed that he was and again stated that I would not be allowed to make the purchase. When I asked why the approach felt aggressive, he said he was 6'4 and probably comes off aggressive but was just telling me how it is.
I requested contact information for a store manager or district manager and was only offered the corporate 1 800 number. They gave me the store managers name, and surprisingly I knew the person from a past life and mentioned that he a good guy and I know he believes in good customer service. At this point the female front cashier stated that they did not care if I know him, called or FaceTimed anyone and repeated that the store was closed and I could not purchase the generator. At that point the tone from all three employees became increasingly aggressive and I chose to leave rather than escalate the situation further.
I had driven from Rockford specifically because this store had the generator I needed in stock due to ongoing power outages. While I understand I arrived close to closing time, I was ready to make an immediate purchase of a high value item and simply needed basic assistance with the carryout.
I am very disappointed by how this was handled and by the lack of professionalism and customer support shown during this visit. This experience did not meet the expectations I have for customer service and unfortunately left me with little confidence in returning to this location read more