I haven't done it myself with Lowe's, but I have with HD. The Lowe's website is clearly showing a return value for each item, so I think you could return keep just the battery (or just the "free" tool) and get the discounted price.
Lowes deals/sales/clearance
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Steel_Rain
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Just dropped $1,300 on FLEX tools
I can always cancel if I reconsider ...
I have so much FLEX stuff these days. I’ve been buying it since May when they started these fire sales.
If you believe the YouTube tool channels, it really does appear that FLEX is leaving Lowes. My local stores are starting to clear the FLEX aisle and putting all the tools on tables marked as clearance as of this week.
If the brand does go away @ Lowes and cannot get picked up elsewhere, they will be online only. I don’t see how an online only brand in the US could survive. Has any power tool brand ever been successful as online only? If FLEX couldn’t survive in person in stores because of terrible marketing practices, how on earth could the brand survive as online only?
And if the brand folds (not Chervon, but FLEX), the “lifetime warranty” goes along with it. I have been using the impacts in a professional setting for months and they have held up, but looking back, I’m really wondering how good of an investment it really was.
I'll definitely be thinking about this purchase tonight as I sleep...
Hilti is effectively online only. Bosch is increasingly becoming online only. And there are at least a dozen "alphabet soup name" brands on Amazon that have fairly decent lineups of mainstream tools that appear to sell surprisingly well. Of course it is worse to be online only in terms of exposure, but there are certain advantages too, including reduced overhead costs going to Lowe's or HD.
If FLEX were to continue as online only, they may be able to reduce prices some. Price has always been the limiting factor for FLEX, IMO. And if they went online only, they wouldn't be starting from scratch because they have very good name recognition at this point and must have a decent size user base that might want to continue adding tools to their collection. Plus, they do make legitimately good tools from what I can tell, with many innovative features.
Legally, who supports the lifetime warranty - Chervon, or FLEX?
I have a hard time believing that it would be worth it financially to fold the brand. How much money have they already sunk into tool development? And, don't they sell FLEX tools internationally also? I'd be surprised if FLEX went away simply because Lowe's stopped retailing them.
I hate going to Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. I buy almost all of my tools online. The in store experience where I live is abysmal, customer service is almost non existent. I might order online and pick it it up if I absolutely must . Wander around and look at stuff? Those days are over unless I'm taking a road trip to Menards. I get treated pretty good at Menards. I also enjoyed my last trip to TSC but I don't get there often since none are close by.
Flex has lots of online retailers and now that I've bought some at a steal from Lowes and have batteries if I see something I want and the price is right I'll order it.
Flex has lots of online retailers and now that I've bought some at a steal from Lowes and have batteries if I see something I want and the price is right I'll order it.
NightSky
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If the parent company decided it had had enough of FLEX, it most likely would peddle the brand to another company. The brand would probably live on in one form or another.
2manytools
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All warranty and registration would be tied to Flex. If they chose to end the Flex company, any warranty would end. Its more so a lifetime of the company warranty.
Steel_Rain
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Hilti is huge in Europe and with the leasing structure they use, the online model has worked for them for many years. That model works for the same reason in the US, but Hilti was founded in 1941 and the name alone is worth millions by recognition. FLEX was released in 2021, four years and frankly, nobody knows about them because of the **** job Lowes and Chervon did.
Bosch, in my area, seems to be growing. Lowes isn’t helping, but my local stores Mom&Pop hardware stores have starting selling Bosch last year.
It appears that Chervon brands FLEX as “Devon” in other parts of the world, so as the ODM, they aren’t just invested in a single source. It’s good and bad. It’s good because it allows them to generate more revenue from the same designs. It’s bad because if one income stream drys up, they can turn it off and focus on another market.
Make no mistake. Im heavily invested into the FLEX ecosystem. With my lights, I think I own 14 products and about a dozen packs. They are good tools, but they lack refinement and don’t have the balance of my Makita LXT/XGT stuff. They aren’t short on power.
All that’s said, I feel that Lowes dropping FLEX means the end of the brand in the US market. It doesn’t mean the end of Chervon, but it could mean the end of warranty, support and repair in the next year or two. Time will tell. It’s hard to to know what to believe because we get nothing official from either FLEX or Lowes about it because they both have skin in the game and will want to earn as much profit right up until the lights go out.
yevangelis
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lowest price i've seen it
20$ pocket inflator
20$ pocket inflator
That is not correct, even if they do discontinue the brand, (which they are not, they will continue to be sold at Lowes per both FLEX and Lowes) they will be required to honor the warranty. Even if the company goes bankrupt, the lifetime warranty is a priority liability that must be settled. They can refund purchase price, contract with a third party to service the warranties, or make some other arrangement. BTDT, the warranty will not go away.
You mentioned using the tools in a professional setting, so you wouldn't have the lifetime warranty anyway, it is only for consumer use and excludes professional use.
The warranty is a legal liability of the company, they cannot just end it. The parent company would remain liable, even if they close the FLEX brand. BTDT, the warranties will be honored. Remember the Autosource bankruptcy?
Steel_Rain
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Please cite these sources. I’ve asked before.
I registered my impacts and saws in this way, but my other items were registered as residential.
You speak about FLEX continuing warranty like fact. Besides comparing it to other prior examples, what makes you believe that if the brand fails, Chevron won’t use a legal loophole to absolve themselves?
The sources are readily available if you would just do a simple search, not hard to find at all. FLEX official Facebook group is one source.
The only source that claimed that FLEX is going away is one guy on Youtube that started a rumor to drive traffic to his videos. Others have picked it up and spread the rumor, but that one guy is the original source for the false information. I'm really surprised and disappointed that so many are eager to spread false information without any effort to fact check or verify.
Yes, companies are unable to just abandon warranties, that is federal law. It is a fact that FLEX will have to honor or address the warranty issue in some form, if at some point they decide to stop selling tools in the US.
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Steel_Rain
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I’m not an avid user on Facebook. Searching Google and AI overviews points in both directions, but does seems to confirm that the physical presence of FLEX tools in Lowes is going away. I don’t see how long FLEX can last if that’s the selling model they embrace.
Ohio Andy
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It is easy, you just say Nnnnnnnnnyyyyesss
Okay, don't listen to me
That's a good price
Cruzan80
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Shows $30 for me
I don't own any Flex, and am too deeply invested in Milwaukee (and hate the idea of multiple battery platforms, although I did cave and buy M12 a few years into owning M18), but...
"Suprised and disappointed???" This is normal SOP for far too many "content creators" (along with screaming, ridiculous music, and sales pitches). More like "annoyed and disgusted" that this continues to happen, and their "subscribers and followers" don't pull the plug...
I just did the same search, came to the same (non) conclusion. Seems like the best case is an inventory reset, to revamp (upgrade the entire lineup) in-store. Worst case is less clear (online only vs. dump the brand entirely).
Mike
"Suprised and disappointed???" This is normal SOP for far too many "content creators" (along with screaming, ridiculous music, and sales pitches). More like "annoyed and disgusted" that this continues to happen, and their "subscribers and followers" don't pull the plug...
I just did the same search, came to the same (non) conclusion. Seems like the best case is an inventory reset, to revamp (upgrade the entire lineup) in-store. Worst case is less clear (online only vs. dump the brand entirely).
Mike
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I literally just bought a 4' ladder a few months ago for $80. Just to reach stuff in my garage. What if it wears out???? I knew I could justify buying 1! Or 2.
JerseyBoatBuilder
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Flex and Skil are both going off of their existing planograms. The Flex section is going to be reset to a larger Dewalt section.
Online sales only for both of those brands from what I have been told today.
Online sales only for both of those brands from what I have been told today.
What is the source for that? It contradicts what both Lowes and FLEX have published and confirmed.
It's possible it's just your local stores, store managers have the discretion to carry or not carry specific brands and products. Interesting you referenced DeWalt, one of my local stores has clearanced out their DeWalt section.
We should start a separate thread in an appropriate forum if we want to keep discussing this, since it is off-topic here in the deals section.
JerseyBoatBuilder
Well-known member
The MST Manager that has his people there reset the planograms and the main tool department guy.
Missed out on this one for good intentions - I heard that the vacuum isn't all that great performance-wiseThis deal is down to $279 for the next few hours.
yevangelis
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Yo start a damn FLEX tools thread, most of us don't care
Not since Ozempic became popular.
Bunsen Honeydew
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Bought a new Broan range hood. Regular $299, $129 for Black Friday.
I had been thinking of one, and had this model saved on Amazon and Lowes. I happened to scroll through the ad, and jumped.
I had been thinking of one, and had this model saved on Amazon and Lowes. I happened to scroll through the ad, and jumped.
four.cycle
Well-known member
Completely off-topic, but some would do well to do a bit of fact-checking:
There's no evidence that "Flex" as a company is going anywhere soon. Lowes is not their first rodeo, nor will it be their last.
Whether or not Lowes continues to carry the line is an open question, but one would do well to remember that this same sort of wild, unfounded speculation was happening right here exactly one year ago regarding the Craftsman brand at ACE Hardware (and other retail outlets.)
Yet when I walked into ACE a few days ago, they still had two 40-foot aisles loaded with Craftsman product, and that same cheapie 1/4" socket set on sale for $14.99. Doesn't look like they're going anywhere soon.
Flex / Flex-Elektrowerkzeuge GmbH, Bahnhofstrasse 15, 71711 Steinheim, Germany / https://www.flex-tools.com/ / est. 1922 / see also Flex, Chevron North America Inc., Naperville, IL /
There's no evidence that "Flex" as a company is going anywhere soon. Lowes is not their first rodeo, nor will it be their last.
Whether or not Lowes continues to carry the line is an open question, but one would do well to remember that this same sort of wild, unfounded speculation was happening right here exactly one year ago regarding the Craftsman brand at ACE Hardware (and other retail outlets.)
Yet when I walked into ACE a few days ago, they still had two 40-foot aisles loaded with Craftsman product, and that same cheapie 1/4" socket set on sale for $14.99. Doesn't look like they're going anywhere soon.
Flex / Flex-Elektrowerkzeuge GmbH, Bahnhofstrasse 15, 71711 Steinheim, Germany / https://www.flex-tools.com/ / est. 1922 / see also Flex, Chevron North America Inc., Naperville, IL /
yevangelis
Well-known member
I heard a rumor that flex tools is converting to 100% fart power. You just have to stick a hose up your **** and voila- no battery needed.
Discuss
Discuss
Chuckster in NJ
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I was at Lowes yesterday and was surprised at how much of the Craftsman automotive tools they stock. They had more of the auto troubleshooting and specialty tools than the largest Sears store ever had.
Also noticed they had $0.99 clearance on all "open stock" wrenches and sockets, and the buckets with the signs listed a whole range of item numbers that were included. Unfortunately, the 1-1/2" open end wrench listed on the bucket still rang up at $57
Link? I’m seeing $400
Bunsen Honeydew
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$129 here.
Steel_Rain
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Cheapest I’m finding it for is $129:
I got mine for free the during the last few FLEX Fire sales over the last 60 days.
I got mine for free the during the last few FLEX Fire sales over the last 60 days.
It could be regional pricing then - if you show them this screenshot, you might be able to pricematchCheapest I’m finding it for is $129:
I got mine for free the during the last few FLEX Fire sales over the last 60 days.
Passed on the $59 band saw deal earlier this week. Got the band saw last week as a “free” tool with the battery/charger $79 deal which I felt was comparable.
If these Lowes deals come back take note they come fast and end quick so check daily and be ready to strike.
Steel_Rain
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