What happens when Sears goes under?

[BackTracker]

It's clear to me, from consistently poor reviews, to worsening quality control, that Sears' days are numbered. What do you guys think is going to happen to Craftsman as a brand? Do you think it will live on as its own brand under another company? or perhaps turn into Gearwrench with it's own brand staying under Danaher and being peddled through retail outlets such as Napa? Or, God forbid Walmart decides to buy the brand and have everything made in china?

 

[Merkava_4]

I'm thinking I need to get over there and buy those (Made In France) hose clamp pliers before they go under.

 

[dr_clyde]

To be frank, every time I go to sears, their customer service just straight up makes me mad. I have no real issue with craftsman or anything, but I get mad at sears. Craftsman would do well to get in the hands of a deserving outlet, and not a store staffed by punks who could give a s*** about customer service.

 

[fordbroncodave]

its unsure. the craftsman thing is the only thing they got going at the moment as far as popularity goes.

somebody should just step up and buy the brand like target or tractor supply or somthing. walmart would take the easy way out

 

[pjcforpres2020]

What if HF buys C-Man, and makes it their 100% USA made line? That would be interesting.

My local Sears tends to give me great CS, never have a problem in the tools... electronics, depends, I might have to ask the salesman to help me pay him money, but never get attitude or anything. My only bad experience was with my lady, she wanted to return some clothing item she got, and they wouldn't let her because it had been too many days, didn't have the tags attached still, and so forth.

 

[dr_clyde]

somebody should just step up and buy the brand like target or tractor supply or somthing. walmart would take the easy way out

Cman would make an awesome brand for TSC. I'm not crazy about their house brand.

 

[krusty the clown]

sears will not go under.

this has been speculated a couple of times in the two years i have been a member of this board, it ain't gonna happen.

 

[expatriated]

Wait--Sears is still in business and trying to be profitable?!?! Someone should tell their employees!!!

 

[Old Donn]

If Sears folds, we'll go somewhere else. Just like we did when Montgomery Wards, Western Auto, Quality Farm & Fleet and any number of others went away. If it survives, the Craftsman brand will likely go the way of Stanley, Husky and about half of the Kobalt brand, China. Sad to say, but there it is.

 

[Bolster]

The tools won't be made in China forever. At some point soon, the Chinese will consider toolage beneath them. I predict 10 years into the future, when the Chinese own us, we will look back with longing on the days that Chinese tools were "inexpensive and high quality and made out of real metal."

Now as for Sears crashing and burning, is there any evidence for this? As Krusty says, it's a rumor that keeps going around. But where's the evidence?

 

[Merkava_4]

Now as for Sears crashing and burning, is there any evidence for this? As Krusty says, it's a rumor that keeps going around. But where's the evidence?

I'm thinking the rumor is doing enough damage to Sears on its own.

 

[jam022316]

Someone needs to buy craftsman and make it it's own store, just like Harbor Freight is. Only be a full craftsman store.

 

[Tool Pants]

Some months ago I was searching on google or somewhere and found that Sears had formed separate LLCs for brands such as Craftsman, Diehard, and Kenmore. Those names are worth money no matter what product you put on it.

K-mart selling Craftsman until recently. Amazon. Fastenal. And so on.

Now for the US market the Craftsman name is on Asian tap and dies sets. The Thorsen dog bone Asian made. And so on.

For California people we have an old hardware chain named OSH which was bought by Sears years ago. Then all the hand and power tools sold by OSH because Sears stuff. Now the Sears Craftsman is going away from OSH and being replaced by OSH branded stuff made in China.

To me, the above is an indication that the Craftsman name will be licensed. Just like Snap-On does. Just like Calvin Klein. And so many other companies.

What does Danaher do if Sears pulls the plug. Just move more of their production to Asia.

 

[Identaltech]

I would say danaher is the problem.
they have purchase some of the top companys making dental equipment.
as soon as they take over customer service goes down the tubes.
next quality control takes a dive.
Dr's buy it because of the name brand.
dealers stop selling it because warranty repairs eat up all the profit and starts costing the dealer to acually sell it.
the name soon dies or gets sold.
we can only hope for it to get sold.
of course this is just my opinion and may not reflect the opinion of big brother.

 

[Diesel_Crawler]

This just seems like another thread to go in the wrong direction yet again, as all the other sears threads do...

Not to be negative or anything just seems like beating the dead dog after it was already ran over all day on the interstate. There is not much left to pick at.

 

[HandyManny]

I think right now the Chinese could do Craftsman much more justice than Sears and Danaher are doing to the brand at the moment. If Sears goes under, and it's a real possibility, hopefully a worthwhile owner will buy the rights to the brand and continue the tool line as a reasonably good quality tool line. There is just too much potential still there to allow the brand to go to garbage-bargain-basement stuff.

But Diesel Crawler is right. This is just beating a dead horse anymore.

 

[Merkava_4]

I'm thinking Sears must be owned my some large organized crime outfit to still be in business like they are. Their customer service is lousy, their website is the worst of any other website, and their tools are marginal at best. Must be the Russian mafia or somebody.

 

[Tool Pants]

Eddie Lampert runs the show.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Lampert

Recently there was a talking head video about how all these years later, after he took over, he needs to appoint someone who can run retail. But does not do so.

The guy is not dumb. I predict Sears is going to be split into pieces and sold off. Brand name, by brand name.

 

[mrb]

Eddie Lampert runs the show.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Lampert

Recently there was a talking head video about how all these years later, after he took over, he needs to appoint someone who can run retail. But does not do so.

The guy is not dumb. I predict Sears is going to be split into pieces and sold off. Brand name, by brand name.

yep. his whole thing of acquiring kmart and then sears was the real estate value was much, much higher than the value of the companies. he didnt want the stores, he wanted the real estate. So much for that.....

 

[Rusty32]

Sears is doing a better job of made in america than some other american companies

 

[gatewaysysop]

Wait--Sears is still in business and trying to be profitable?!?! Someone should tell their employees!!!

My God, that made me laugh so hard I almost fell out of the chair.

Nice!

 

[autoace]

The tools won't be made in China forever. At some point soon, the Chinese will consider toolage beneath them. I predict 10 years into the future, when the Chinese own us, we will look back with longing on the days that Chinese tools were "inexpensive and high quality and made out of real metal."

Now as for Sears crashing and burning, is there any evidence for this? As Krusty says, it's a rumor that keeps going around. But where's the evidence?

This may be true, a second industrial revolution for the USA in the future once we are spent. My great grand dad always said, it comes full circle, no matter what. Bolster could be right about this.

 

[Jay H 237]

K-mart selling Craftsman until recently

Yes, anyone know what's up with that?

I was just in the Kmart by me and there were very little Craftsman tools left, about half an aisle. Back during the summer (June) and the previous years there were 2 full aisles, a locked display case for the most expensive stuff and a few of thier entry level homeowner tool boxes. There are no toolboxes anymore, the display case is gone, and one aisle was used to expand the paint section. There were very few Evolve tools left in that half aisle too.

 

[HandyManny]

I noticed that too. There was a huge difference int he amount my Kmart was selling in just over a 3 month period. It could be that Kmart is slowly fading out selling Craftsman tools. Maybe Sears realized the mistake. They should just make the panzy Evolv tool line a Kmart brand and leave Craftsman at Sears.

 

[FNFS2000]

It's clear to me, from consistently poor reviews, to worsening quality control, that Sears' days are numbered. What do you guys think is going to happen to Craftsman as a brand? Do you think it will live on as its own brand under another company? or perhaps turn into Gearwrench with it's own brand staying under Danaher and being peddled through retail outlets such as Napa? Or, God forbid Walmart decides to buy the brand and have everything made in china?

I thought most crapsman was made in China nowdays? or taiwan or something like that. Hopefully they will go away properly and not be another communist business after a government buyout.

 

[skeletonizer]

In no way am I defending WalMart'spast practices but I have seen an increase in US madeproduct there lately.

 

[boiler7904]

Cman would make an awesome brand for TSC. I'm not crazy about their house brand.

TSC doesn't have enough of a national retail pressence to make it work. Come to think of it, outside of someone like WalMart, Home Depot, or Lowe's who is there that could really have distribution channels and nationwide brick and mortar retail stores? One of the chain parts stores might have a chance for mechanics tools but not for the whole Craftsman line of power tools and L&G equipment.

Someone needs to buy craftsman and make it it's own store, just like Harbor Freight is. Only be a full craftsman store.

Pretty much the concept behind a Sears Hardware store. Craftsman tools along with some other brands thrown in like the tools catalog. Have one around the corner from my house. Sure beats driving across town to the mall to deal with more traffic and substandard service. The older guys that work in their are typically pretty helpful but the teenagers and twenty-somethings they have are worthless.

 

[ZRX61]

I go to Palmdale Sears & their tool dept is a joy to deal with, no warranty/return issues at all.

If I don't visit for a few weeks the manageress there asks where I've been

 

[dolfans]

Sears does not own Craftsman. I took a autobody class a year ago and had a rep from Craftsman come in and talk and he said that.

 

[HandyManny]

In no way am I defending WalMart'spast practices but I have seen an increase in US madeproduct there lately.

I got stranded in a blizzard last year and ended up seeking refuge for a few hours in a Walmart. Had nothing to do but, look around. I was absolutley astonished at how much American made stuff they actually have on the shelves. Not talking about just one particular product line, I'm talking overall as a whole.

 

[back2class]

Sears does not own Craftsman. I took a autobody class a year ago and had a rep from Craftsman come in and talk and he said that.

Sears very much owns Craftsman brand. Kmart owns sears as of a few years back. Recently Kmart has taken steps to have the Craftsman brand under seperate leadership of sorts to make it easier to sell. Sears is going to fold, all the Wall St. people feel it is a question of when. Many forcasted it for after Christmass this year.
Craftsman and Kennmore are Sears two big moneymakers and are profitable lines. They have a ton of value if Sears folds. My guess is a big holding copany will buy the brand and license it out much like Stanley or gearwrench branded tools. You will see them everywhere, then qualty will go down and so will service untill the name and tools are worthless.

I would be shocked to see any different unless Danaher took over and kept quality up unlike holding companies that are only bean counters.

 

[Tool Pants]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craftsman_(tools)

 

[benjamming]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craftsman_tools corrected the link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craftsman_(tools)

 

[cashishift]

if the world didn;t have stock holders to keep happy.. most brands of tools would still be made here.

i am surely 100% more likely to buy Channellock brand pliers and such because they are still made here.

 

[Chief]

sears will not go under.

this has been speculated a couple of times in the two years i have been a member of this board, it ain't gonna happen.

Krusty is correct.

Moreover, a lot of homeowners who need a tool or a set still go to sears. I would bet a lot of people who buy c-man are not as critical as we are.

 

[JohnFreeman]

I would venture to say the Craftsman brand is one of the most valued brands in the industry and would be worth a LOT of money .

 

[Frank Elson]

No business is safe in this world.
Woolworths UK, Rolls Royce ?

 

[KraftwerkMk1Jetta]

I just dont see Sears going anywhere anytime soon...

 

[TonyMazz]

Agreed.....Sears will hang on and remain via-able as then continue to advance their internet sales for tools...you can get specific sockets that aren't carried in the stores...I think they will stay around ...... hopefully....

 

[webscrounger]

China bought Hummer, I think Sears is next!