Harbor Freight Free Flashlight and Work Light Question

[LouB]

+1

[DerbyDad03]

I have to agree.

Long before HF began issuing the "free flashlight" coupon every other day, in every available print and on-line medium known to man, I bought a package of them at HD.

I forget what it was, something like 6 flashlights with batteries for $9.95.

I have them tossed in various places, such as the glove compartments of both cars, my tool boxes, kitchen junk drawer, etc. I can finally put my hands on a flashlight just about when ever I need one.

Other than dead batteries, I don't think I've ever had one fail due to workmanship or abuse.

[LouB]

I went to HF today - a 40 minute drive. They were giving out the red or blue jobs. While wandering thru the store I saw sets of two of the same units being sold in a blister pack for $8.95. Those are the SAME units they give away. How do I know? I was at the register when one of the staff brought a box of the blister packed duals up front and started to rip them open.

[aemeijers]

ISTR $3.95 on the 2-packs. 8, 3, easy to get them confused. I think the black ones in the single packs were $2.95, which would be about right.

Of course, they buy them by the bazillion from China for maybe a quarter apiece. This giveaway has been going on for close to a year at this point- they wouldn't have gone this long if the loss-leader wasn't bringing the sheep into the tent.

[krw]

Huh. I've been in their tent several times (though not as often as when there was a store across town) and never got a freebie.

[aemeijers]

Gotta have the coupon in your hand when you get to the register. Look in your sunday newspaper magazine, or Google old HF threads on here for links to print coupons on-line.

[LouB]

I was surprised only cause I figured they bought in bulk (not blister packed)

[DerbyDad03]

My guess is that they usually do but perhaps ran out of the bulk ones.

They've saturated the marketplace with their coupons and perhaps people are really starting to notice.

[aemeijers]

I doubt the factory produces anything but the (ultra-cheap old-style wraparound over cardboard) blister packs. In a tub, the lights would get all scuffed up bouncing off each other on the container ship, and egg-crate or foam shipping packs would be no cheaper. Not to mention, retailers want stuff like that on cards to reduce inventory shrinkage- naked lipstick-size flashlights are too easy to pocket in the back room. I usually get the black ones still in the blister pack. The colored ones come naked because they peel them apart to hand out when they run out of black ones. I've had a clerk peel a pack open in front of me and ask which color I wanted.

Big Lots, 2 doors down in my town, has what looks like exactly the same light, but in camo with different printing on the hang card, for 3.95 for one. I imagine that Chinese OEM sells a dozen different versions to different low-line stores. (and who would want a tiny light in camo? After dark with the light on, camo means nothing, and if you drop it in the grass during daylight, you'd never find it.)

[Stormin Mormon]

I've seen lights similar to these in Real Deals Dollar store, machined aluminum.

And some in Dollar Tree that look like tube aluminum, with rolled end, adn some rolled in threads. The ones at DT are too small to take the alkaline batteries I use.

Good thought, on camo.