Sydney Tools Reviews 295

Sydney Tools used to be my go-to for tools. In the shop, they have knowledgeable and helpful staff. But I recently made an online purchase that was handled abysmally. I will not use them again. Somehow, a great bricks and mortar company has hired an online business manager who doesn't understand or care about the customer.
Here's what they could do to improve:
1) Get better inventory control and make sure the website is accurate for product availability.
2) Send out partial orders if an item is out of stock, instead of holding the entire order (especially if they are offering free shipping anyway) - everyone else does this.
3) Don't make website customers who contact the online team call around to stores to find out what is happening with an order - if an order is made online, the online team should handle it and do their own legwork.
4) If a customer, like me, gets jack of dealing with such terrible service and asks for a refund, do it properly instead of making the customer call around to shops multiple times to find out what is happening. It has taken three weeks and I still haven't been credited. Again, the Sydney Tools online team should be doing this, not the poor guys in the shops.
5) Sack your online business manager and hire someone who wants to build a business with happy customers, instead of driving them to the competition.

Staff in Sydney tools Kalgoorlie, I find it racist as they laughing so loudly about my accent simple because I couldn't pronounce properly what was I looking for,
Very unprofessional,
And expensive too.

Not going there anymore

contempt and distrust for customers from the point of entering the store. Handling problems results in malice and adversarial behaviour from the sales assistant through to the store manager. Agreement to refund product with fatal flaw results in checking bank statements for weeks to see if the bank transfer has been completed......

So I wish I'd done my research with this store. I have begun a market stall heat pressing designs on t-shirts. In June 24, months prior to my first market, I purchased a Panther 2kw generator to run my 1400w heat press. This was under the advice of a staff member. Took it home and tested it over a period of weeks for 30 mins or an hour at a time. Worked really well with the press. My first market was in mid November on a mild day and worked well for the 4 hour market. My second market was a hot one a few days before Christmas '24. The generator ran happily for 30-40 minutes then just up and stopped. Nothing I could do got it going and I had to go hire one at $100. Pretty upset, but tried it the next day and it worked fine. I rang Sydney tools and asked about warranty, got the 3 month spiel. Gave it one more try at another market mid January '25 and it stopped again after almost 40 minutes. Hot weather seems to be the problem. Took it into them, the manager at the Delacombe store didn't sound too hopeful and told me he'd contact the supplier.
Had to chase the store up after they didn't make contact back with me as promised. Manager tells me the supplier reckons the generator is too small for the task in hot weather. I argued the point about the staff member giving me guidance and the response "That person no longer works here". Store wiped it's hands of any responsibility, same as supplier.
I used the generator for a total of about 7 hrs and it failed me twice in hot weather. It's actually not the supplier at fault, Sydney tools staff didn't know their stuff when it came to offering advice.
Long story short, this place puts the customer last.

Ordered approx $4k of tools online in order to receive good boxing days sales/prices. Received 2 packages in the post and the most expensive tool/kit missing from packages.
Contacted Sydney tools who responded with all the order had been collected from the post office
After many hrs on phone and trying to convince STools that the item had not been delivered, We (not stools) found out that the item was never picked up from the wharehouse. It somehow got missed/hidden from being picked up by courier
Travelled 200kms to Stools to pick up as did not trust them .
Once picked up, no apology, Lots of guys stuffing around at checkout, didn't even know where package was when we came to pick up even though was prearranged.
What the biggest worry was that they did not even admit that the item was never sent and then accused us we had already picked it up. The item needed a con note for delivery and yet they didn't have one as it never was sent. That is how we (not them) found where it was. No notifications or updates either that the item was not sent, if we hadn't followed up we would never of received it as they were convinced that we had already collected it but we knew it had to have its own con note for delivery.

The item also had a bonus item (not redemption) and that was dishonoured after discussing with Stools when we picked up. This was a bit low for them.

Seems to be a lack of professionalism.
Will not be ordering online again, We will have to think twice about Stools as i am dreading if there is any warranty issues

I understand that we are all imperfect and mistakes are made,

Reviews are there so people can make a wise choice.
Stools have good deals and prices. Just watch with delivery and packages. If you are buying multiple items i would suggest in store select and pick up.

regards

We are farmers and we enquired about a generator for our property at Sydney Tools, Port Macquarie. We were recommended a top-of-the-line brand which we subsequently purchased because we rely on generators to live so we needed good quality ones which costs us thousands of dollars each. We'd only had it a few months but the first 3 times we tried to use it was during an emergency and it wouldn't start so we took it back as it was under warranty and the salesman, Byron said they couldn't offer a replacement and could only send it off to be repaired. It's been 3 months and we have had to call them on 8 occasions chasing it up; they have not offered any updates or phone or email communications and when we call them, they give the same story and show no care. So today, after our 9th call, we decided to log a formal complaint to ACCC Fairtrade who advised us that 3 months was excessive and that in these circumstances, we can exercise our consumer rights. I am not holding out much hope of this being reconciled considering the other reviews left on here but I do advise everyone to follow up with ACCC Fairtrade and Consumer Affairs.

Absolute thieves! I purchased a cordless brush cutter and battery. Total amount $640. Prior to purchase, I was told by a Sydney tools staff member & the Manager Steve Liston that the running time of the cordless product would be at least 3 hours and that it would therefore be suitable to cut shrubs and grass in my large back yard.
Instead the running time of the cutter 1/2 hour. It is simply not powerful enough.The product was purchased based on the information given to me by Sydney Tools. I went to the store to return the useless product and they were disgustingly rude and arrogant about my wanting a refund. They agreed to refund me for the battery but NOT the brush cutter. (try and work that logic out...) I have not received any money for the supposed battery refund and they have the brush cutter which they say I am not entitled to a refund. I have nothing. It is clear the manager is trying to cover his backside for the wrong information given. Some how they think they're going to get away with it. These guys don't mind selling products on false pretences. STAY AWAY FROM THESE THIEVES!!

PS - I see I'm not the only one that's had a problem with these thieves.

Do NOT trust this company. They can’t get their most basic functions correct, they pass huge price markups onto their customers and their ‘Customer Service team’ do not respond to any requests for assistance.
To summarise my experience:
I bought a 72-inch Daytona workbench from them.
They quoted $380 to deliver the item to an address 8km away.
I obviously opted to instead hire a truck. They said they’d move the item to the storeroom so I could return any time the next day to collect it.
Returned the next day with a hired truck and a friend only to be told the bench had been resold and given to another customer in error.
They said they might be able to get another store to deliver the item however it needed an approval from “head office” as this would cost them $120-160.
This delivery cost is much cheaper than what they quote their customers for a shorter distance. It’s a 138% markup.
Left the store with an empty hired truck and only a conditional guarantee the item will be delivered at some future date.
Got a call the next day and was told as there was no more stock, the bench would have to be shipped from interstate.
They asked for a 48hour window where I’d be available to accept the delivery within the next 7 days. No more specific timeframe was available, so I gave them a window near the end of those 7 days (Thursday and Friday).
I asked whether they’d be something like a discount voucher as compensation given the costs I’d incurred. I also pointed out that this delay was causing logistical issues for my shop refurb. They responded “head office” would have to approve this as interstate shipping would cost them $400. Keep in mind this was completely their fault, and they were more than happy to charge their customers almost the same amount to deliver the item to an address 8km away.
I got no further updates, so I called them again on Thursday to confirm whether the item was coming that day or the next. Staff couldn’t tell me and said they’d call “head office” and get back to me.
They phoned back to say the bench was dispatched via Northline Logistics and gave me a tracking number. I was then told this tracking number was currently “inactive”.
On further questioning, staff revealed there were delays securing a courier so the item was only dispatched within the last day. I was told delivery was possible Friday and latest delivery date would be Monday 08-01-24. No update was given when they couldn’t get a courier.
It obviously didn’t come on Friday, so I emailed their Customer Service Team via their website. I outlined the situation, acknowledged staff can only perform as well as the company's systems allow and requested their help to ensure all reasonable steps were being undertaken to resolve the issue as soon as possible to get the purchased item delivered.
There was zero response from Sydney Tools Customer Service.
I then contacted the courier company directly who were great. The item was delivered on Tuesday, a full nine working days after I’d gone to the store expecting to pick up the item I’d purchased and after the “absolute latest” delivery date I was given.

A similar Item was available elsewhere and cheaper, but I went via Sydney Tools as I needed it without delay. I would say never buy an item from Sydney Tools unless you can walk out with it the same day. However, as they can’t even carry out their most basic functions and there is no support from Customer Service to fix their mistakes, I’d say don’t buy anything from Sydney Tools. A company with such low competence will probably go under before the warranty on your tool expires.

Bought a Bosch drill with bonus of 2 (1 through Bosch redemption, 1 in-store) charger and 8.0ah batteries and chargers through Hamilton branch online. After paying, checked reviews following day - then asked bank to reverse payment LOL. Drill was delivered to house 6 days after order, picked up 1 battery/charger set in store. Followed Bosch online redemption process for 2nd battery/charger. All legit (have to wait up to eight weeks for Bosch to post, but told more likely a month).
Drill skin alone $230 cheaper than anywhere else, plus $700 worth of free batteries. Great communication from store during my week of panic too 😂

I bought a pressure washer in July after no more then 10 HRS usage the pump stopped working returned it to store on 24th September then they denied warranty saying its users fault and I don't know how to operate a pressure washer mind you I have been using them for years they then returned item because they couldn't find replacement parts for a machine they sell also to begin with when I 1st purchased through click and collect I got to the store to find out it had been sold to someone else and had to wait several days for a sales rep to find another machine.

Finally got my item but I can't recommend at all.

Can not recomment Sydney Tools at all.Ordered an item online.been told it was not in store, So I told them I come and get another similar item.Went to the store got s imilar item and been made to pay for it,That was at the beginning of September, since then I been waiting for a refund for the online order.its end of October and so far I got Not a cent back.This Business is run by crooks dishoness thhough and through.Reported to Fair Trading

We are having to take Sydney Tools to tribunal and have now learnt of others having to do the same (and winning because Sydney tools are not above consumer law). I have been advised by ACCC that if they get 10 seperate complaints on sydney tools they will start investigating the company and sending fines as well. During the investigation it could result in more hefty fines if (more like when) they find anymore proof of Sydney’s tools illegally doing business against consumer law.
I will do everything I can to legally bring justice to this shonky scum company. Everyone with negative reviews - fill out the online form on the ACCC website so Sydney tools can be fined and investigated! They shouldn’t be in business. Thugs.

I would suggest you refrain from using their web site for purchases as stock levels are (in my personal experience) inaccurate. When purchasing items DO NOT give them your mobile number, they will spam you incessantly.

I don’t want to give any stars for Sydney Tool as I purchased a wet stone grinder and did not received what was ordered I’m sick to death of phoning them and get told they will ring you back ( they don’t ) so I drove 300 ks to talk to them face to face just to be told they haven’t been able to get hold of the supplier and couldn’t show me any product the same or what was advertised but then promised to get in touch with me before I drove home that did not happen so now if 20 cents pieces were on sale for 10 cents I wouldn’t buy from there ever . I don’t think they care to much because they have a terrible lot of bad reviews the company must be very proud 🥲

If your thinking of buying from these outlets? Take a look at the shocking reviews online throughout Australia & if you want to be ripped off suffer staff abuse to you or your wife they don't give a sh-t about females 100% FACT near assualted my wife.
Then enter at your own risk, we did just this buying a supposed 15hp 6400 Psi Jetwasher. We own Dun-Rite, a building maintenance company on the Goldcoast with one of the best reputations with masses of perfect reviews. Bruce trolip the staff here, sold us this jetter with a warranty !! Well you could pee more powerful than this 6400psi jetter, but it's got a warranty we will be fine !! Sydney tools warranty given, is an in house warranty system. They don't tell you this on extracting money of you for goods & they do whatever they like on time it takes do anything regards warranty etc. They couldn't give a sh-t about you being without item etc, the Manager Leo said he doesn't care about bad reviews online etc. Staff dont care about your needs or consumer gaurantee laws.
The jetter on being persistent ends up at Sydney tools burleigh the so called repair department apparently, well on return it doesn't work still. "NOTE" this is a highly dangerous bit of equipment, easily kill a person. The repairs job sheets stated what had been done in person by John, this guy told us on the phone. If John or Richard f-ck up the repair !! Then we can put that in our online complaint report, on this jetter going back to burleigh with John the repairer coming out to me plus my wife with its fixed out the back good to go !! On seeing this guy John alarm bells went off with us, doubt he could build Lego let alone be allowed to work on high pressure jetters etc. We wanted to test this jetter & then he stated I LIED GUYS ITS HISTORY NOW SO LETS JUST MOVE ON !! I HAVEN'T FIXED IT ALL, I STUFFED UP !! Just take it & go. He just wanted us gone, so to hide his deciept on repairs sheets printed out. I suffered injury from this machine scarring me for life on my right arm & he rants it's history just forget about it. My wife said you put us in so much danger with faulty jetter & the cause of so much bad treatment from staff in two outlets. He started being really aggressive to my wife & he was ripping the jetter lance from her its our property. I intervend saying they better call the police with his violence to us & more male staff came out 4 in total with aggressive attitudes to us both. My wife was really upset & in 35+ yrs building exp, ive never experienced this ever. His lies didn't matter just leave, we have reported all dealings to other agencies who will let companies get away with this. We have video evidence plus clear voices involved in incidents & our advice to everyone in Australia is to AVOID SYDNEY TOOLS LIKE YOU WOULD COVID. It's ok for staff to near assault women & abuse them plus partners. Offer warranties that are useless & pursue a daily routine of extracting clients hard earned money with Fake Promises. Shop elsewhere everyone as they have plenty of competition, but as in bad reviews left they don't hive a sh-t. SCAMMERS IS THE ONLY WORD FOR HERE.

Stay away from Sydney tools NZ!(Christchurch store). Months and months ago, I purchased a couple of items online. I received a completely different product, which was far from what I had ordered. After weeks of getting a hold of customer service and finally being put through to dispatch and the manager of the Christchurch store, I was told that I was a liar and that they had security footage of them packing my order. I was furious. I then got hold of the national manager who promised he would fix everything. He provided a return label for the incorrect product, I sent it back, to then receive a blunt email saying that they don’t sell the incorrect product they sent me and that they don’t know what to do. After weeks and weeks of back and forth, arguing with the manger, being called a liar and trying to either receive my correct tools or be given a full refund; I was then told by the national manager that they were going to get the authorities involved to investigate what has happened on NZ post’s side. Absolute bullsh#t. I’ve called back a couple of times since then (which has been months) and absolutely nothing further has been done. I am absolutely over this whole debacle and have given up calling. I have never received a refund, nor my tools that I PAID FOR. Absolute waste of time and money. Buyers beware!

Avoid purchasing any major equipment from the Kewdale store.
The customer service is shocking.
We purchased a high pressure cleaner a few months ago. We purchased the model recommended by the store based on the volume of work we do.

It broke down multiple times within the first few months.

We returned it to the store and were told we were not entitled to a refund and that they couldn’t help us until they sent it off for warranty repair. They don’t offer rental machines while servicing brand new equipment they’ve sold that breaks down.

Our business would stop without a working pressure cleaner so we had no choice but to purchase another machine while we waited for this one to be serviced. We purchased our new machine from Jetwave, who advised us that we needed a machine two models up from the one that Sydney Tools sold us, to cope with the volume of work we do. Which may explain why the first machine failed after only a few months (even though we had not used it that heavily yet).

Over a month went by with no call or update. We finally made time to get into the store and were told that the machine was not back from repairs yet and they could not give us a refund, even though we bought the machine on their recommendation and it wasn’t suited to our purpose. The customer service rep told my partner his only option was to collect the machine when it does eventually come back from repairs, and then on-sell it himself if he doesn’t want it.

Per their own returns policy (and general consumer law) we are entitled to a refund if the product is not fit for purpose, (not to mention this machine didn’t last more than a couple months with moderate use) but apparently they don’t follow their own policies.

So in summary they have ~$3k of our money, and we have no product. Avoid these guys if you are purchasing any major equipment for your business.

My partner went into the mornington store today and said he left feeling very uncomfortable and also potentially unsafe as at least 3 of the staff members were loudly and constantly swearing and sounding very aggressive in there communication with each other. He felt very uncomfortable engaging with them for customer service and having to listen to them “loudly dropping the f-bomb with nearly every second word” was just a bit too much to handle and he would never be going back. In this current climate of rampant toxic masculinity, is it too much to ask for regular people to be able visit their local tool store without having to be subjected to such inappropriate and downright backwards behavior? The constant vulgar and inappropriate language that he described was so intense that I had to reach out and say something. He felt as though he could not point out to them how inappropriate they were being because they were being so vulgar he felt he would be judged and potentially either verbally or physically attacked if he had have asked them to “ tone it down.
He’s been to multiple other Sydney tools stores in the past and always had good customer service and was happy with the experience. This was no where near the case today. The staff were being just feral.

On the 21st June 2023 , I purchased a Bayer 50 Tonne Log splitter High powered for the amount of $2750.00 . After very little use it broke down. On the 20th October 2023 I put it in for warranty. I have been back to the Mackay store numerous times spoke to reps , and Townsville Manager and still haven't received a copy of the warranty claim details, why they don't replace and fix the log splitter.
I was hoping not to go to QCAT but after talking to consumer affairs they have advised for me to start the proceedings.
I hope this review may help my case.