Where to get Makita tools besides Home Depot?

[Greg Woloshyn]

My early Christmas present arrived today that was bought online from Home Depot and shipped to my house. A Makita LS1016L 10" sliding miter saw. The box was a disaster, and once I opened it I found the tool bag open with parts scattered everywhere, damage to the back end guides because they popped out of the box during shipping, and no blade in sight. Tool was immediately returned to my local Home Depot. And here's the best part - the return cashier didn't bother inspecting the box, or caring about the damage, she just asked for order number and issued a refund. Seems the problem with Home Depot is they just don't care..

I want this saw, but can't seem to find it local. And I'm hesitant to order online through a place like Amazon.

[Joe Spear]

Where to get Makita depends on where you are. I know that Hartville Hardware in Ohio carries the brand in their store. Google "Makita sales" and list your zipcode in the inquiry. That should tell you if there is a place near you that sells the brand.

[Stan Calow]

some of the pro-dealers around here carry them, but not at a Home Depot price.

[scott vroom]

Amazon has that saw for the same price as HD. Free 2-day shipping if you're a Prime member. I've ordered numerous power tools through Amazon and don't recall any damaged goods. And if there were an issue, a quick phone call to amazon and they'll ship a new one right away while sending UPS to your house to pick up the damaged one the next day.

[John Lankers]

I have no idea where you live but Makita is a common brand and available at most hardware stores, home centers and tool stores. I bought a 12" Bosch Glide at HD this last spring, they had it on the shelf for $799 cdn and price matched it to the lowest cut throat deal in town minus 10% of the difference, I paid under $450 (roughly $300 US). Just something to consider.

[Van Huskey]

First, I am surprised you can't find one locally, it is a pretty mainstream brand.

Second, you aren't going to find etailers using bombproof packaging because it eats into their bottom line and power tools have a small margin to begin with. What they do is monitor the situation and find the best packaging to profit margin so there is going to be a certain number of damaged shipments ESPECIALLY this time of year. We make 300-400 Amazon orders a year and while the packaging often seems less than stellar (like what I got in today) I can't think of anything I got in that was damaged in the last year or so, the last thing I remember was a pad on a Bessey Revo maybe 18 months ago.

Third, I kinda understand your issue with the return at Home Depot but you have no idea what the clerk did or didn't do after the return and you were entitled to the return under their policy damaged or not. Would you have rather stood there for 30-40 minutes while 3-4 people inspected the box? Quick and easy returns are usually a selling point not a reason to avoid a retailer.

Stuff will get damaged in shipping, but in my experience it is rare and the odd time one has to return a product due to damage is worth the "once in a blue moon" hassle for the overall savings we get from buying online. Just get back on the horse and pick a local or online seller and buy away, if you are really shaken by the experience you may want to wait until after the holidays to buy, the chances of damage drop significantly.

[Andrew Kertesz]

Factory Authorized Outlet has $25 off $100 on select Makita tools with free shipping over $49. I ordered the Dewalt DW611PK which is supposed to deliver tomorrow. There were a few members that said they had favorable experiences...

[Van Huskey]

Factory Authorized Outlet has $25 off $100 on select Makita tools with free shipping over $49.

Amazon and most other major Makita (Dewalt and Bosch) retailers have the same 25 off 100 deal going, it happens every Nov/Dec. On rs Amazon if the item is part of the promotion you will see the $25 removed when you get to the checkout page. I bought a Dewalt 611 as well and it was $135 on Amazon. The Makita 1016 is part of the promotion and is $473 on Amazon.

[glenn bradley]

Why the trepidation about Amazon? I order items, large and small without issue. Once a very small item went missing (probably nicked off my porch) and they replaced it immediately. They also supply return labels with the shipment if they source the item. Easy-peasy.

[Peter Kuhlman]

If you order it from Amazon and at checkout claim it is a gift, you can select to have the factory box shipped inside an Amazon box for free for many items. I have ordered many large tools from Amazon and never had damage that required a return.
I have received two different Makita sliders from Amazon without issue.
It is the small heavy items that just get thrown in a shipping box that I have had damaged. Never was able to get router bits from Amazon that weren't busted out of their plastic boxes and with the edges chipped from banging into each other.

[Paul Follett]

Another vote for Amazon, I have the same saw I bought from them a couple years ago arrived in perfect shape.

[John K Jordan]

...Tool was immediately returned to my local Home Depot. And here's the best part - the return cashier didn't bother inspecting the box, or caring about the damage, she just asked for order number and issued a refund. Seems the problem with Home Depot is they just don't care..

A Home Depot employee told me that was their company return policy - refund all returns, no questions asked. Give store credit if no receipt. Don't even check the item for a Lowes tag.

This could be good or bad. I know of people without scruples who buy tools, use for the job, and return, "free rental". Shame on them. I will not buy anything from the big box stores which has evidence of being opened. I once bought a sprayer which was clogged with dried deck stain.

JKJ

[Hoang N Nguyen]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet since I'm not reading through all the comments but I order a lot of tools from toolnut. Free shipping and no tax outside of NY. They carry every major brand of tools. I get all of my festool tools from them. For the most part, they ship same day and I get it in 2 days, same as my Amazon prime orders. I ordered my powermatic jointer from them a few years back when powermatic had their 10% sale, free shipping and no tax. A much better deal than buying local.

[Greg Woloshyn]

Lots of good advice here thanks for the info. I will give amazon a try, and wait until after Christmas. I am in NY. Makita website only shows Home Depot as a local seller. I checked Grainger because there are a few nearby but they priced it $200 higher than HD and Amazon.

[Tom Ewell]

One can also order online to have items shipped to a local store for pickup.
This may not preclude getting a 'used' item but it will help with out-of-stock stuff.

I've also not have had problems with direct ship online stores. If there is a problem 9 times out of ten, free return shipping is provided for either refund or replacement.

For a long time, shipping via catalogue order was the only way for me to get anything not provided by the local lumber yard which had a very limited selection of tooling.

Rotary dial phones on party lines were very common at the time and locale too