Sears Selling Craftsman Brand

[sixdogs]

Stanley black and Decker should breathe new life into the brand, once sears produced in China it was all downhill. I'd like to see the craftsman power tools with the stanley/Dewalt 20v lithium ion, maybe even the 60v flexvolt l. That tired old 19.2v needed to be retired, making the 19.2 lithium ion only made it smaller, not stronger.

Yeah, once they decided to sell Chinese stuff and take on Harbor Freight but at twice the price and half the service, the end to this story was written. Management looked too comfortable. Lesson; never get cozy in the job and always hire better than you are. In reality, Sears started to trend down in the mid-late 1970's when they stopped selling many traditional items and started lowering quality. It was obvious they were just trying to kick the can down the road a while longer.

Time to look to the next leader. Online? Walmart online? Amazon? EBAY? I'm thinking WalMart online with lots more USA stuff or maybe Alibaba or but it's early. At least now we know how it will settle out 75 years from now.

 

[Soundguy]

Yeah, once they decided to sell Chinese stuff and take on Harbor Freight but at twice the price and half the service, the end to this story was written. Management looked too comfortable. Lesson; never get cozy in the job and always hire better than you are. In reality, Sears started to trend down in the mid-late 1970's when they stopped selling many traditional items and started lowering quality. It was obvious they were just trying to kick the can down the road a while longer.

Time to look to the next leader. Online? Walmart online? Amazon? EBAY? I'm thinking WalMart online with lots more USA stuff or maybe Alibaba or but it's early. At least now we know how it will settle out 75 years from now.

yup.. if your tools are made in china, and HF's tools are made in china.. and both have a lifetime warranty, and yours cost 3-4x more than harbor freights, and they both look about the same. yup.. people gonna stop buying your tools. go figure.

 

[JESSE1]

Several months ago I needed a set of long metric sockets so I went to Sears. Found a set I wanted, looked closer and saw the "made in china" lettering. Sales clerk came by and asked if I needed any help. I said that I was headed to Harbor Freight because if I had to buy imported there wasn't any sense in paying three times as much for the same tools.

 

[sixdogs]

Several months ago I needed a set of long metric sockets so I went to Sears. Found a set I wanted, looked closer and saw the "made in china" lettering. Sales clerk came by and asked if I needed any help. I said that I was headed to Harbor Freight because if I had to buy imported there wasn't any sense in paying three times as much for the same tools.

Plus you to have to deal with the Sears attitude, assuming you can find someone to wait on you. It pains me to say this but some of the HF hand tools are really pretty high quality.

 

[s219]

I needed to find a 10mm flex socket for 1/4" drive to get to a tough bolt on my wife's car. Sears showed one in stock at the local store for $8.50, so I went by, but that particular peg was empty and we didn't see the socket anywhere else on the rack. Checked three other stores (not Sears) in the area and they don't even carry that type of socket. Checked the local Ace that sells Craftsman and they don't stock that socket. So I had to order a different brand from Amazon and wait a few days.

This suggests we will have a big problem if/when Sears disappears. Around here, they are the only source for oddball tools like that. I can remember 4-5 times over the years when I needed just "one size" of a particular wrench or socket, and Sears was the only game in town. Well, the game apparently hasn't changed -- they are still the only game in town for oddball stuff. I won't have any choice but to order this stuff online in the future I guess. That sucks for those projects when you need that special tool "today".

Funny thing -- when I was in Ace, I asked the clerk, and he said why not just use a u-joint swivel socket adapter with a regular socket. I told him if it was that simple I wouldn't be driving around town all day. The bolt I need to get to (on the back of a power steering pump) is in a tight spot and the only option is a flex socket.

 

[Soundguy]

I needed to find a 10mm flex socket for 1/4" drive to get to a tough bolt on my wife's car. Sears showed one in stock at the local store for $8.50, so I went by, but that particular peg was empty and we didn't see the socket anywhere else on the rack. Checked three other stores (not Sears) in the area and they don't even carry that type of socket. Checked the local Ace that sells Craftsman and they don't stock that socket. So I had to order a different brand from Amazon and wait a few days.

This suggests we will have a big problem if/when Sears disappears. Around here, they are the only source for oddball tools like that. I can remember 4-5 times over the years when I needed just "one size" of a particular wrench or socket, and Sears was the only game in town. Well, the game apparently hasn't changed -- they are still the only game in town for oddball stuff. I won't have any choice but to order this stuff online in the future I guess. That sucks for those projects when you need that special tool "today".

Funny thing -- when I was in Ace, I asked the clerk, and he said why not just use a u-joint swivel socket adapter with a regular socket. I told him if it was that simple I wouldn't be driving around town all day. The bolt I need to get to (on the back of a power steering pump) is in a tight spot and the only option is a flex socket.

And that's part of why they went broke.

stocking their shelves with expensive 1-off tools that someone once a year needs...

 

[svenlylethor]

My first job out of college was at Sears Corporate in Hoffman Estates. They lured students in from top universities with high salaries but after a year or two they'd all split.

I remember when I had my flyout they picked me up in a stretched limo... I thought to myself "If they didn't blow money on stretched limos for college students, maybe they wouldn't be in such a bad situation".

I was only there for a year before I couldn't take it. Learned very quickly that I hated working for huge corporations and I hated the feeling that I was on a sinking ship... and that's totally how it felt. I do love craftsman tools but man, working there was a disaster. I have two friends out of the 75 analysts who are still there. Good for them for staying but I'm sooooo glad I'm out of there.

 

[sixdogs]

All the reasons no longer matter and even the mass store closings likely yet to come won't have much you want to buy regardless of the lower price. Well, it was a good hundred and something years and shopping at Sears was one of the highlights of my youth. What a joyous experience it was, especially around the holidays.

 

[JESSE1]

I remember my parents taking us to Sears at Christmas time in the early '60's. They had Marx train sets running on layouts and any toy you could want. I had a Marx Rock Island train set under the tree that Christmas, didn't get any better than that. Always had a candy counter, I can still remember the smells.

 

[sixdogs]

JESSE1--Your truck is a beauty. Any pics anywhere else or threads on it?

 

[downsizingnow48]

Yep the new Sears tool catalog and Christmas catalog were big family events growing up.

 

[JESSE1]

JESSE1--Your truck is a beauty. Any pics anywhere else or threads on it?

Do a search under my user name in the Trailers and Transportation forum. Lots of pictures there of my truck's restorations.

 

[fried1765]

Yep the new Sears tool catalog and Christmas catalog were big family events growing up.

I can clearly remember STUDYING that Christmas "Wish Book", every evening, all through November, and most of December.

 

[outinthetalgrass]

I can clearly remember STUDYING that Christmas "Wish Book", every evening, all through November, and most of December.

The Sears Wishbook, Aldens, Spiegle, and Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogs were the greatest things to check when making your list for Santa.

 

[PILOON]

Yep the new Sears tool catalog and Christmas catalog were big family events growing up.

LOL, and my grandpa's neighbors loved it when we gave them our catalogue as they carefully preserved it in their outhouse for the precious pages. LOL.

 

[sixdogs]

Do a search under my user name in the Trailers and Transportation forum. Lots of pictures there of my truck's restorations.

Will do. Great truck.

 

[bcp]

I don't know why Sears would be having problems. They have great sales.

Bruce

 

[Soundguy]

probably cost them more than 4 cents to print that tag!

 

[Zerk]

I gave up on Craftsman tools when they started making everything in China. Now that Stanley owns them, there is talk that they will build a plant in US. Some headlines conjecture why they are. But they are political in nature.

 

[John White]

I can remember Montgomery Wards having good tools. I have a set of sockets and a few wrenches that I bought back in the 50's. They are every day tools and used in a commercial setting. I can remember Dad ordering me a Red Ryder BB gun from Wards. The mail man come through twice a week on a horse and he had it tied on the back of the saddle. I have a few old Velcheck, Bonney and even WT Grant tools. I would like to see tools made in the U.S and a better quality of tool than HF. But I don't want to pay $40 for a wrench that I can buy a whole set at HF for $6. Any one remember the Monkey Grip tires Wards sold? I used to get a new pair of high top work boots every school year, (poney express too) they had the pocket knife holder made right into the side of the boot. Most of us sawmiller kids carried pocket knives. And OH my gosh, to school.