Why Harbor Freight Won't Sell You Its Floor Displays (And What To Buy Instead)

Like many retail businesses, Harbor Freight makes regular use of floor models in its physical locations. It's a good old fashioned way to show off large products like storage cabinets and work benches, but unlike some hardware chains, Harbor Freight has a hardline stance on the sales of its floor models. No matter how much you ask and haggle, Harbor Freight won't sell you a floor model, at least not until that product has reached the absolute end of its lifespan.

Harbor Freight's policy stipulates that floor models are not for sale, as the chain cannot realistically guarantee that the product in question is in good working order. It's unfortunate, as buying floor models from other chains is generally a good way to get a quality deal, but if you're looking for comparable sales from Harbor Freight specifically, there are other avenues to pursue like Scratch and Dent sales and Open Box and As-Is products.

As stated on Harbor Freight's customer support FAQ, no store in the chain will sell you a floor model, full stop. Since floor models are assembled in-store and left sitting for an indeterminate period, the chain cannot guarantee that it's currently in a fully-operable state, or if doing so would be safe for users. Selling a user a product in this uncertain state could be a potentially major liability for the company. According to current and former Harbor Freight store employees posting on the Harbor Freight subreddit, this policy is iron-clad, and one of the few that even a manager cannot override. 

Besides the liability concern, there's also the practical concern that selling the floor model would require an employee to assemble another one for display, which the company would lose money on. This policy does, however, have a single exception built into it. Users claim that, in the event the product that a floor model represents reaches its end of service and every other one in the store's inventory has been sold, only then can the floor model be sold, specifically as an Open Box sale. This sale can only be initiated with permission from corporate, though, so if the floor model is still being used as a floor model rather than sitting with other discounted products, don't bother asking.

While it's a little disappointing that you can't buy floor models at Harbor Freight for a discounted rate, that's far from the only potential avenue of getting discounted tools and products from the chain. Harbor Freight offers several discount-centric initiatives for shopping on a budget, including Scratch and Dent Sales, As-Is items, and the aforementioned Open Box items.

Harbor Freight offers a small, regularly-rotating selection of its products with minor cosmetic damage in its Scratch and Dent Sales. You can get large products like cabinets and benches for up to 40% off the recommended retail price, and even have them shipped to you for free. Even some damaged Harbor Freight tool boxes can be worth buying. These products are specifically sold through an online catalog, so you'll have to call to order them. Just remember that all sales on these particular products are final, so you can't return them.

For a wider selection, you can peruse the Open Box and As-Is offerings at your local Harbor Freight location, but be aware of the differences between the retailer's Open Box and As-Is tools. In short, Open Box products have been previously opened and may be gently used, but they're otherwise in like-new conditions. And if you ever wondered what happens to tools returned to Harbor Freight, look no further than the retailer's As-Is selection, where returned products go through a screening and testing process before being relisted for sale. Both of these product categories are only available in physical Harbor Freight locations, though, and come with a strict five-day return policy.