2,927 reviews
AI reviews summary
Feedback for Sydney Tools indicates a significant divide between positive in-store interactions and a highly problematic corporate service model. While individual floor staff are frequently praised for their technical knowledge and helpfulness, the company faces severe criticism regarding its restrictive refund policies, stock management, and online order fulfilment.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Sydney Tools is a viable option for in-person purchases where the buyer is certain of the exact product required and can verify stock and pricing on the spot. However, consumers should be extremely cautious regarding online orders and high-value items due to a rigid return policy that frequently conflicts with standard consumer expectations and reported difficulties in obtaining refunds for faulty or "not fit for purpose" goods.
Very Disappointing Experience I ordered a DEWALT 54V DCG418N-XJ Angle Grinder with a bonus battery and charger. The grinder arrived without the original box, wrapped in bubble wrap, with scratches, dirty marks and a missing part. I took it to the Pakenham store today. After checking the grinder, the staff member brought out a new sealed box of the… Read more
same model, opened it and took out the missing part for me. When I asked why he couldn't simply replace my grinder with the brand-new one, he said the sealed box was a kit worth more than $500 and that I would have to refund my purchase and pay more than $500 for it. I explained that it wasn't a complete kit because there was no battery and charger in the box. I also pointed out that the two grinders were exactly the same, but he still refused to swap it. When I asked to speak to the manager, he said he was the manager. However, he then said he wasn't sure whether the grinder I received was actually the one they had sent me. He wanted to check the CCTV and find out who had packed the order, and asked me to come back on Monday so he could speak with the store manager and decide what to do. This was very confusing and contradictory, especially after he had already told me he was the manager. I refused to make another trip because it is 15km away from my home and said I would wait at the store. He eventually called the manager and agreed to replace the grinder. However, they only swapped the grinder and still didn't provide the original box. Very frustrating experience. This could have been handled much more simply and professionally from the beginning. I'm sharing this review because I hope the store can learn from my experience and improve its customer service and processes. I don't want other customers to have to go through the same experience I did.
Terrible customer service. Both employees were sitting at the counter when we came in. One of their friends then came in and stood at the counter chatting with one of the employees, while we waited for the other employee to finish serving so we could ask for help. Another customer came in looking for help and ideas. The employee who had been… Read more
sitting there chatting with his friend acknowledged him, but didn’t even get up from his seat to assist him or show him any options. He simply gave a response from behind the counter and went straight back to chatting with his friend.
Meanwhile, we were still waiting to be helped and weren’t acknowledged at all. It was very disappointing to watch an employee prioritise a personal conversation over customers who were clearly there needing assistance.
Extremely poor customer service.
Went to purchase a couple of items... grand opening today new store.... two people didn't have a clue if they had what I was looing for... can you bring it in from a different store ?? "NO, we don't do that" Show details
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Reviews with attachments
Anthony was very knowledgeable and had the patience and time to direct me to the required isles for mechanical tools (considering I’m a plumber). Tools for Upper:Lower ball joint replacement Very helpful Thanks Show details · 1
Blake at Sydney Tools Tuggerah continues to impress - bought 2 Makita electric chainsaws Models UC4041A & DUC353PT2 for tree trimming and firewood processing. Very happy with the outcome.......also purchased a grease gun yesterday and a fuel tank for a GX390 engine today. Thank you, Blake for your product knowledge and customer service.......Ash Show details · 1
LOOK FOR MITCHELL OF SYDNEY TOOLS – I bought over $2000 of gardening tools from Sydney Tools Brookvale. They promptly replaced the lawnmower when I returned it unused, possibly damaged in shipping. Good Service. After I left the shop, and unpacked the unsealed replacement box, i found another part was missing- the blower extension. I made 3 phone calls, first 2 calls, received… Read more · 1
promises but no action. On my third call almost end of day, I spoke to Mitchell. He was very helpful - A legend. Mitchell called me within minutes when he found the missing part in their store. Sydney Tools could do very well with Mitchell' s attitude . Great service.
High Praise for a Job Well Done – I purchased a laser level from Zack at the Virginia store. Great guy very helpful, respectful, knowledgeable and honest. Needed a stand as well with the attachment to read the numbers in the daylight. Not only did he work through all the pros and cons of the different machines but found some that were on sale. We have used it numerous times and… Read more · 1
its a great product. Sydney tools is my go-to and looking forward to going back to purchase some more items for our construction business. Festool is my next brand to work towards !
Return of goods service – I made a mistake when ordering with incorrect model number, Toni was happy for me to return and get them replaced. Show details
Sure they have a no returns policy which i didnt realise. But $100 purchase same day return untouched goods without even offering credit just does not cut it as far as im concerned. Bunnings offer an excellent return policy, same goes for Tradetools never had issue with credit. I've burnt $100 on something i'll never use. I got a gratuitious reply… Read more
from rep along the line of, "..thanks for concern... well take it onboard..". Sorry I find it hard to believe you will, i've now read other comments online about people who have had a similar experience. Publishing.
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On Friday 13th March I received an SMS text from Sydney Tools advertising a weekend sale. One of the products advertised on their sale website was a Husqvarna 530iPT5 36V pole saw reduced by more than 50% (https://sydneytools.com.au/product/husqvarna-530ipt5-36v-liion-cordless-brushless-254mm-10-pole-saw-skin-only). The advert noted that it was in… Read more
store only so I I went to our local store to enquire if they had any in stock and was advised that these items were not sent into WA at all and that they were only stocked in small numbers at few shops. I was encourage to contact eastern states stores however I could only find two stores with any of the items and was advised that it would not be possible to ship these to WA. I was further advised that they were only advertised as part of the sale to clear a small qty of old stock. The web advertising did not make clear the fact that WA was excluded from this sale, nor that the company held almost no stock of the advertised product. This is a clear example of Bait Advertising.
On the 14th March I emailed Sydney Tools and explained the situation. They actually confirmed that they had very limited stock of the item with the reply:
"Good Afetrnoon, Thank you for your email. I sincerely apologise about this matter. I can confirm in the screenshot you have provided it does 'in store only', this is due to the limited amount of stock being available. I understand your frustration with this matter, and your feedback is greatly appreciated. I can advise you we have taken this feedback on, and will ensure this does not happen again."
I was curious to see if they would take any action, so, on the 19th March I checked their website and found the same advertised special, but could not find any store with stock.
I checked again on the 23rd March and the product is still advertised at the same price.
If Sydney Tools have old floor stock that they want to clear, it should not be included in a nationwide advertising campaign as part of a promotion because this is misleading. It should either be clearly disclosed on your website or it should not be included in the campaign. And if after a customer points out that their advertising is misleading and they do nothing about it then it is pretty clear that they dont care. Im pretty sure I wont buy from these scammers again.
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Be aware that Sydney Tools may display items in-store at prices lower than what they are actually willing to sell them for. I recently attempted to purchase a workbench that was clearly ticketed at $1,499 on the display item, with all details (including the model number) matching correctly. However, the sales assistant advised that the “correct”… Read more
price was $1,699, as listed on their website. While they acknowledged the ticket price was their mistake, they would not honour it—only suggesting they might “take a bit off” given the item was a scratched display model. Two days later, I returned to the same store and found the item still advertised at $1,499. On this occasion, the sales assistant consulted with the Area Manager, who declined to honour the displayed price. After leaving the store, I contacted Sydney Tools customer service. I was informed that their policy is to sell items at whatever price they scan at the register, and that signage to this effect is displayed in-store. However, I was also advised that, to comply with ACCC guidelines, if there is a discrepancy between the displayed price and the scanned/website price, the store should either honour the lower price or remove the item from sale until the issue is resolved. Based on my experience, this process was not followed at the Carrum Downs store. Overall, a disappointing experience and not what I would expect in terms of pricing transparency or customer service. On the up side - I have now found an equivalent items for sale at Bunnings at a lower price!
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I went with my son to the store at Hoopes crossing, and we were shocked by what happened. We saw an item clearly priced at $19, but at the counter, they charged us $38. When I questioned it, they refused to refund the money and wouldn’t even offer store credit. They told us we had to buy something immediately or get nothing. My son was so… Read more
disappointed, saying he didn’t expect this kind of behavior in Australia. It felt like they had no intention of fair service. This was a terrible experience for both of us.
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Would give no stars of if I could. I bought gas torch online that was advertised as reaching 2400 degrees Celsius, I come to find out this was actually meant to be Fahrenheit. Tried to email them and all they did was immediately change their website description of the torch and proceed to ignore me. I rang about 3 times trying to talk to someone… Read more
and on the 3rd time got onto a very rude person who insisted I was wrong and that they couldn’t refund me just because there was a unit wrong on their website. I was told it was only $40 so to just deal with it. When I said I’m legally entitled to a refund they proceeded to say they didn’t agree with me. Will never shop here again and will be reporting to the ACCC.
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Latest follow-ups
Jayden T Helped source my request. Made arrangements for payment and where to collect from another store. Very easy. Show details · 1
Follow-up · Follow up I purchased replacement components for my canopy jacks. Jayden arranged parts, pick up was easy.
Selling items they dont stock – They do not respond to my emails and are selling items they don't have in stock, I can not cancel the order and go 10 minutes up the road and buy directly from the store.
Follow-up · I brought a 8kv generator from them and its been fine. I was able to go in and pick it up the same day. Just will never order anything on line from them, it appears to be common with most tool suppliers they say things are in stock and never are.
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I’ve been a loyal customer of Sydney Tools for many years—long before Sydney Tools even opened stores in Adelaide. Whenever I needed tools, Sydney Tools was always my first choice. Even when prices were the same—or cheaper—elsewhere, I chose Sydney… Read more
Tools because of their service and price matching. However, I recently had a disappointing experience that’s made me reconsider my future purchases. On 18th June, I purchased a Festool FS WA from Sydney Tools. Unfortunately, the item didn’t fit with my system. I returned it in brand new, unused condition, hoping to make use of what I believed was a 14-day return policy for peace of mind—something I had previously seen on a laminated printed paper in the store. When I brought it back, the staff were helpful and processed a Festool 30-day money-back guarantee form. However, Festool rejected the form. I was then told that Sydney Tools had recently changed its return policy and that the 14-day change-of-mind return is no longer offered. When I bought the Festool item from Sydney Tools, I was not aware that the return would depend on whether Festool accepted it. I thought I was dealing with Sydney Tools—not Festool. Now I’m left wondering—if I buy other brands like Makita and DeWalt from Sydney Tools, are returns also subject to whether those companies say yes or no? If Sydney Tools are unable to control the return process, they should tell the customer at the time of purchase. I understand that staff were simply following the current policy. That said, I was disappointed to find that a policy I had relied on in good faith was quietly changed—especially when no clear notice of that change was given at the time of purchase. The lack of clear communication about the new return conditions and who actually decides on the return was incredibly frustrating. From now on, I’ll need to think more carefully before making future purchases at Sydney Tools. Retailers like Total Tools still offer a more flexible reliable return policy, including for used items that turn out not to be suitable. I hope Sydney Tools will consider reinstating a more customer-friendly return policy. It’s unfortunate to feel let down after many years of loyalty.
Final update:
Sydney Tools replied to my review with an apology and said they would take my feedback on board. However, when I replied again—directly asking whether I could return the item or what steps I could take—they never responded.
I have since checked their returns policy again, and it has now changed to a strict "No Returns" policy. According to their website, all sales are final, and they no longer accept returns, exchanges, or refunds unless required by law. Any returns now depend on warranty claims or manufacturer policies.
In comparison, Total Tools currently offers a 30-day change-of-mind policy for unused items in resaleable condition (with some exclusions).
Given this, I strongly recommend that anyone buying from Sydney Tools carefully review their return policy before purchasing—especially if you are used to more flexible policies elsewhere.
Final update part 2:
I contacted Festool directly and explained what happened. Festool themselves were surprised and even asked me, “Can they not even give you store credit?”
I also asked Festool whether I would have been able to return the item if I had bought it directly from the Festool website, and Festool confirmed yes, if I had purchased from the Festool website directly, I would have been able to return it.
Moving forward, I’ll be buying direct from the Festool website instead.
Follow-up · I bought it at the Sydney Tools Parafield, it not hard to return, but I can't return, I never used it, and I didn't take it out of the box
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Positive reviews
Hey there I brought a lincoln compressor about 15 months ago and it failed I rang south Nowra and it couldn’t be fixed under warranty after about 6 phone calls they said that they couldn’t help me out so I rang Wollongong store and spoke to Zac and he sorted it out in 1 phone call and parts were on there way Big wrap to Zac for helping me out Show details · 1
Happy with my service from Sydney Tools Lonsdale S.A. I was served by Cody & Shane. Both very helpful, helping me match nails and staples for the tools i purchased. 10/10 Cheers Lads :) (I hope this review reaches them) Show details · 1
Ashton from Ballarat was really helpful and answered all my questions and tried his best to find an adaptor for my chainsaw and was good to talk to and new his job great service 10/10 Show details · 1
Negative reviews
When I was in the Regency Park store today with my husband a staff member approached me and told me that I had to leave my handbag at the front counter. I was quite surprised and asked, “You’re joking? My handbag?” He responded that yes, anything bigger than an iPhone had to be left at the counter. My handbag contained my purse, keys, clear… Read more
glasses and sunglasses, and there was absolutely no room inside it to put anything from the store. I actually found the instruction unnecessary and quite confronting.
Most importantly, I felt as though I was being treated as a suspected criminal rather than a genuine customer. I had been in the exact same store on the weekend, got help from a salesman, made a purchase, and had not been asked to leave my handbag at the counter. I was surprised by the request, and being singled out on this occasion was particularly uncomfortable. I would have been more than happy to show staff members the contents of my bag upon exiting the store on either of my visits.
I also did not feel comfortable leaving my handbag, containing my personal belongings on a counter where somebody could potentially simply pick it up and walk out of the store.
I would have expected that, if Sydney Tools has a policy requiring customers to leave larger bags at the counter, there would be a secure or supervised place for customers' belongings to be stored. As well as additional signage at the door advising of the policy.
Don't get me wrong, I completely understand that retailers need to have measures in place to minimise theft, and I have no issue with reasonable security procedures. However, the way this was handled made me feel uncomfortable, targeted as a thief, and unwelcome, particularly when there was no apparent reason to believe that I intended to put anything from the store into my handbag.
I left the store feeling embarrassed and as though I had been treated with suspicion simply because I was carrying a handbag. I also feel like this is singlingout women. That is not the type of experience I would expect as a customer.
Such a shame because it is set out so much better than bunnings etc but I can say with certainty that I will not be returning to that store.
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I’m very disappointed with my cancellation experience with Sydney Tools. I placed an order and paid by American Express, including the credit card surcharge. The order was subsequently cancelled and the purchase amount was refunded, but Sydney Tools has refused to refund the associated card surcharge. Their explanation was that the American… Read more
Express surcharge had already been remitted to American Express and was therefore “non-refundable”. I find this very difficult to accept. Having previously operated an online store myself, my experience was that when a transaction was cancelled and refunded, the associated merchant/card processing fees were also dealt with as part of that reversal.
What is particularly frustrating is not the amount itself, but the principle. If a customer no longer receives the goods because the transaction has been cancelled, I do not believe the customer should be left paying a surcharge attached to a purchase that ultimately did not proceed.
I have raised this with Sydney Tools, but up to now they still refuse to refund the surcharge.
A very disappointing customer service experience, and one that has certainly affected my confidence in buying from Sydney Tools again.
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Find out how Sydney Tools compares to other Hardware Shops
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Purchased cordless dewalt grinder as part of a dewalt promotion. Came with bonus battery and charger. Sale went through no problem. A day later was emailed to say sorry we have no stock we will restock from supplier so there will be a delay. Three days later I am told I will be getting a refund. That whole time I could have gone to Bunnings or… Read more
Total tools or any other shop to get this deal and they refund me after the deal is finished. Unbelievable. Sydney Tools is now on my blacklist. I don't care what deals they have.
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Recent reviews
Don’t make the same mistake I did! Sydney Tools sold me an $869 karcher pressure washer that doesn’t work. I returned it to their Fyshwick ACT store within 30 days as per their website instruction and was told it was a special order and I couldn’t get a refund. They would get a karcher rep to collect it and fix it. No offer of a replacement since… Read more
apparently they don’t make the machine anymore. They assured me someone from the store and their karcher rep would be in contact with me on the Monday to confirm. 1 week passed and zero contact, I called them and was assured someone would call back, nothing, tried calling again, same thing happened. I also tried emailing them and contacting the store where the order was picked but received no reply. I finally got an email from the Fyshwick store requesting to put me in direct contact with a karcher customer service rep so that they could then collect the machine from the Fyshwick store?!? I thought this had already happened as this was the story they told me initially. After requesting a refund they said they would need to take the request to karcher for approval?!? And that ‘they would be back in contact with me’. Going on previous performance, I’m not liking my chances of any proactive action. I’ve now reported this company to the ACCC since under consumer law the customer has the right to a replacement or refund, both of which Sydney Tools are making very difficult to receive.
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A mixed bag with this mob, one salesman was a waste of time him being there, another visit to the Warragal store the salesman was great, then a few days later ordered a 300 dollar product, with click and collect, well that should be click and WAIT and WAIT, after ordering and paying for what I wanted i received an email that they would email when i could pick it up, well a week later I am still waiting,
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Over the last 20 years I have bought from Sydney Tools. I always bought brand name machines and the team at Sydney Tools was great. This week, I bought a Daytona kit to remove ball joints and tie rid ends. Within 30 minutes of use, the tool failed and cracked. It is pretty obvious that the poor quality casting is not fit for purpose. I returned… Read more
it to the shop, and after waiting an hour, I was told that the tool had been abused. I wanted to return the kit for a refund or store credit, they refused. As a good-will offer, they replaced the broken items.
So I now have a kit that I know will break if it is used as "designed" and I understand that it isn't a good idea to buy the shop brand (Daytona), or to trust the warranty return process at Sydney Tools.
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Charged $20.88 service fee for using Amex. There was a surcharge sticker on the device, but it was faded so badly that I couldn’t see it. I asked the assistant (John) before swiping if they accepted Amex, he could have warned me about the fee but chose not to. The assistant then went on to say that I could get the fee back by complaining to… Read more
Sydney Tools. I did this and got nothing. Greedy assistant just after the sale. I will not be shopping here again.
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I had a great experience dealing with Anthony Masciocci. I originally had a different Milwaukee combo set in mind, but Anthony took the time to understand what I actually needed and recommended a much better-value option. Instead of just selling me the more expensive kit, he found a combo set that offered more tools and better overall value for… Read more
the money. His product knowledge, honesty, and willingness to help made the whole process easy and stress-free. I really appreciated that he focused on getting me the best deal rather than just making a sale.
Be careful when you buy something from Sydney Tools and you would like to exchange it. They have a seemingly strict no returns policy for change of mind. Which now has influenced me to shop elsewhere.
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Purchased a ego lawn mower set from a promotion online on the 8th May. Received the order confirmation on the same day and later on another email saying that 2 items are out of stock. I have been trying to get an update, at least give me an ETA, for almost a month now. They dont' reply my email at all. When contacting the order@sydneytools.com.au… Read more
they ([Names Removed])give me the same reply. Thank you for your email. I can confirm that I have passed your inquiry onto our Forrestdale branch. They will contact you accordingly. If there's anything else I can assist you with, please let me know. When you try the live suport, [Names Removed] gave me the same reply and the live support even went offline when I asked to cancel my order and have a refund.
I have filed a dispute with Afterpay as I have no idea whether I will ever get the items I ordered. 3 mistakea made... 1. Not doing research of the merchant before placing an order. 2. Assuming I won't be able to place an order when the item is not in stock. 3. Using Afterpay as payment method. Lesson learnt.
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