As mentioned in the title, I made the mistake of ordering a Beta Tools SuperTank rolling cabinet from Wayfair.
Wayfair invited me numerous times to join their affiliate program, but I haven’t done so.
I was shopping for Beta tool cabinets recently, and Wayfair had the C28 SuperTank for less money than anywhere else.
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I have immediate use for this. I can’t find any reviews. I still have some tool sample funds for 2025. So, I ordered one.
I’ve also wanted to get my hands on a Beta SuperTank since it looked like this.
And then it looked like this before they switched to a dark grey frame.
I placed my order a week ago. It didn’t ship yet, presumably because of the holiday.
Last night, when determining if this was the right choice, I saw that the Beta C28 SuperTank is made in China.
The smaller RSC24 rolling cabinet I tested, and the 2 more I also recently ordered, are made in Italy.
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At this pricing I can buy USA-made or even a made-in-Germany rolling workbench. Or test a couple of other storage products from other brands.
It didn’t ship out yet.
So I requested cancellation.
Wayfair sent an automated message saying they couldn’t cancel it.
I called them up.
Wayfair says that “the seller rejected the cancellation.” Huh? Wayfair makes no mention of this on the product page, that they’re not the seller.
So who is the seller? Where is it shipping from? They either don’t know or cannot tell me.
Can they tell me where it’s manufactured? Nope.
They said that I could return it after it arrives. Nope. I’m not accepting a large freight delivery, leaving it in the driveway, and then waiting for return pickup in winter.
They ultimately said they’ll jot down the order number, follow up when it ships, reroute it, and then give me a refund.
I haven’t been charged yet, it hasn’t shipped yet, and yet they cannot cancel. They can’t tell me who the seller is, or where it’s shipping from.
As if that wasn’t enough, Wayfair has been inundating me with annoying marketing emails.
It would have cost me more to order from other sellers, but it might have been far less of a headache.
I changed my mind after 6 days, that’s on me. But as the tool cabinet hasn’t been loaded onto a truck yet, and hasn’t even been charged yet, they should just be able to cancel it.
There’s more.
I emailed a Beta Tools USA contact, asking if they were the seller/shipper. The email bounced back. I emailed someone else at Beta Tools USA, and that email bounced too.
It looks like everyone I communicated with at Beta Tools USA has left the company. That’s not a good sign.
I checked my Zoro order – the smaller cabinets haven’t shipped out either, and are “delayed.” So I requested cancellation there too, but it might take a day or two to hear back. Zoro said they’re scheduled to ship out tomorrow, and if that still happens then to accept delivery and then do a return. If they arrive safe and sound I’ll keep them because they are good cabinets.
At this time I’ve got very little faith in Beta Tools USA, which might not even exist anymore outside of a shipping warehouse somewhere, and even less in Wayfair.
Looking online, all I see are negative reviews about Wayfair, and so maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised.
I thought Beta Tools was expanding their USA footprint, but it seems they’re retracting, which isn’t good if you need parts or support in the future.
Further down my shopping list was Gedore, Homak, and Sunex.
Cancelling the Beta SuperTank allows – or would allow – me to give Gedore a try, or a larger Homak.
There’s so much feedback about Harbor Freight Icon and US general, Husky at Home Depot, and Craftsman and Kobalt at Lowe’s. Plus, you can visit those stores and check things out for yourself.
So I thought it’d be a good idea to further explore Beta and then maybe other brands. Unfortunately, this experience is proving that there are reasons to stick with popular retail stores and their house brands.
I’m still going to test out more brands of tool storage, but maybe I’ll slow down with my purchasing decisions.
Frankly, I can’t understand why an order that hasn’t been charged or loaded onto a truck yet cannot be cancelled. Really, how many people are ordering Beta tool cabinets these days?
But what I find unreasonable is how Wayfair can’t tell me 1) where the product is made (Zoro says China), and 2) where the product is shipping from.
I hate buying storage products online. Even without this hassle – which I know is my own doing – it’s so stressful. When will it be delivered? Will there be a lift gate? Is there a high likelihood for shipping damage? How easy will shipping damage or other issues be resolved?
Beta Tools USA has advertised that the SuperTank workbench has “Italian design, European quality.” How was I supposed to know it’s manufactured in China?
I thought I cancelled in time, but apparently not.
“The seller rejected the cancellation.” Wayfair said they can reroute it since I don’t want to deal with more phone calls, scheduled delivery, and then scheduled pickup.
But apparently the seller is still going to place it on a truck, it’s going to go on a ride, and then end up back at the seller. I’ll get charged and then get a full refund – according to Wayfair.
And all that is apparently better than just not putting it on a truck?
Buyer’s remorse is my mistake, but it’s the overall situation that really frustrates me.
I guess we’ll see how things work out. Maybe this will end up being a positive experience with Wayfair.
Bombast
Three countries/regions named in their branding and advertising, and none linked to manufacturing. That’s a red flag I think.
Al-another-Al
Sadly, any time I see a geographic location mentioned that is not “made in”, it’s a giant red flag for being made in a cheap part of the world, nowhere near you. Even Apple did this, as if ‘designed in California’ means anything for the average person needing a job.
Frank D.
Wayfair is not our first stop for online ordering; but they have been good to us, with a couple products that had issues and also with freight shipping damage. But then the products were either from their warehouse or direct from a manufacturer warehouse in the US. Issues were resolved favorably.
But I don’t like hearing that an unshipped order cannot be cancelled and that seemingly nobody has contact with the reseller or manufacturer.
Avi
For everytime we catch it there will always be one time we get bit. but in hindsight it should be obvious that anytime it says
Designed in location A
Or location B quality
It is anything but location A or B and it’s just legalese marketing hyperbole
And everything about it is the worst case scenario
I first remember seeing designed in USA on a motorcycle jacket in 2008
avi
*edit
And that doesn’t make it right or just. It just is the way of the world
Terry S
I have had mixed experience with Wayfair in the past, but I am talking about furniture and a big double vanity for a bathroom. I have seen the toolboxes advertised but was always skeptical of buying a toolbox from a company that specializes in other domestic hard goods.
But back to toolboxes. May I suggest the Tekton line of tool cabinets? The design is more conventional than the Beta, but they are made in Canada by Rousseau and the drawer carriers (they are not technically “slides”) are pretty clever.
I bought one a few years ago when I got a bonus from work (the good ole days, alas) and they Tekton was giving 20% back in cash to spend on their tools. I have the seven-drawer, 60-inch cabinet. The price has increased 25% (fun times with tariffs) but it is also three inches deeper than when I bought it.
I can’t afford or justify a Snap-On box, and the Waterloo/Craftsman boxes are just not that beefy. So, a Canadian-made box scratches that itch for me. The goal was to make this the last tool cabinet I ever purchase, and I think this one will do just that. I am very satisfied after spending a ridiculous amount of time researching and comparing boxes, including seemingly every name under the sun and used boxes from the tool truck guys.
Stuart
I still haven’t parted with my Tekton test sample – https://toolguyd.com/tekton-rolling-tool-cabinets-raise-the-bar/ .
I considered another Tekton, or a Rousseau Metal box from MSC Direct or elsewhere.
The Tekton has wheels but is not very mobile – it’s a massive heavy box. It’s also taller and not suitable for certain types of work.
The SuperTank has different mixed storage type options, and that always appealed to me.
“Will I work behind it?” If not, there are plenty of mobile cabinets with drawers on one face and solid back. Some have pegboard or similar on the sides.
As for the depth, Tekton has 27″ and 30″ depth cabinets.
In the past year and a half, the 60″ x 30″ split bank went from $4750 to $4950, which isn’t dramatic.
Tekton drawers can be divided, but I also like having smaller drawers for certain categories. They’re not soft-close and the depth doesn’t work well for certain things. That’s fine for most tools and supplies, but if I want a drawer for precision measuring tools, there might be no option but to have it shared with socket and wrench sets that can add a lot of mass to the opening and closing.
Ordering Rousseau cabinets – they make the Tekton boxes – is an option, but then I need to figure out leveling feet options or building a platform, custom ordering, and long waits.
I also know I can recommend Tekton without much reservation, and felt compelled to try something new.
I’ve been pining for a Beta Super Tank for more than 16 years, https://toolguyd.com/beta-tools-now-available-via-small-parts-amazon/ and that clouded my judgement a bit.
That said, I might order more Tekton cabinets in place of wall cabinets, as they can be moved if (seldomly) needed.
Av
Stuart – I think it’s worth emphasizing here that Wayfair has it for MUCH cheaper — $1000 less than other retailers like Amazon. Because my first impression on the title was “why the heck would he order tools from Wayfair?” (immediately followed by “should I be ordering tools on Wayfair?”)
When you look at Wayfair’s title for the sister RSC24 cabinet, it says “Beta RSC24 Heavy Duty Rolling Tool Cabinet, 7 Drawers, Ball Bearing Slides, Rubber Mat Liners, 5″ Casters, Anti-Fall Edge Worktop, 1760 lbs Load Capacity, Made in , 29.13″ L x 17.52″ W x 38.15″ H” and it never completes the country of origin.
Finally, this tracks with the issues I have had with other retailers like eBay. Even when I select “North America only” for sellers on ebay, retailers from China still show up in my searches. And because of eBay’s draconian return policy to China, it becomes *critical* to identify the point of origin before I buy.
My point to all of this is that I am encountering that Amazon is quickly becoming the only major online-only retailer that has a return policy worth a damn, and it’s been driving a lot of my recent non-tool or fringe-tool purchases to either Amazon or brick and mortar stores.
Stuart
Zoro with 20% coupon ($500 max savings) almost came close, but the difference was still enough for me to take the risk with Wayfair.
The RSC24 is made in Italy – I was able to confirm this last year, and Zoro also advertises it as such.
For the tool cart sold at Tractor supply, “designed and manufactured in Italy.”
Amazon can also be difficult with returns. There were 2 instances last year where I had to do credit card disputes because they processed the return and wanted me to wait 30 days for a refund.