Anyone know if Ace Hardware will price match Sears online prices for Craftsman products?
It really depends, but the vast majority of the time they won't right off the bat if you ask. Remember every ACE is different as they are franchises. Some are helpful and nice, bending over backwards to earn your business over cheaper Walmart and HD, and others literally lock all their tools in a back room that they won't let you enter at all, only pull out specific tools by request, or send two armed guards back there with you if you want to look. So you have to employ strategy, just like Sears.
Here's what it depends on (in my VAST experience of hitting many many ACE hardwares scooping up all the NOS USA I can find)
A successful price match will involve one or more of the following:
-Larger chain of Ace Hardwares (One owner, 3 or more stores)
-The person at the register is under 35, and female
-You buy several items, spending over $100
-You point out that the item is in stock
today, for local pickup, at your local Sears
-The Sears item isn't ridiculously discounted. They usually can't/won't discount by more than 40%. Their system actually won't allow it, and most all items they make 50% profit by selling, they don't want to loose money
-You try to get ahold of the store's actual owner prior to visiting the store. Have a facebook? Look up your local Ace. If they are a chain they will have a social media page. Contact them on there and ask if they price match. They will say yes 99% of the time. It's social media after all, their goal is getting you in their store instead of someone else's.
Simply get the name of the person that told you they price match, (Usually the daughter/son of the owner, or a co-owner), and name drop like crazy when they try to deny you in store. I actually basically dare them to deny me with this in my back pocket. Nothing like the expression on the lowly but entitled store manager's face when they find out you have it in writing from the owner they price match and they have to go along or you are reporting them by name, in real time, right on Facebook messenger! I've seen it all go down in real time, message Ace boss, and instantly floor manager gets a call/chewed out for not matching the price/respecting the customer. Ace has a direct chain of command due to franchise status, the boss/owner is the direct position of authority over everyone on the floor, they can and will fire at will, I've seen it. Most owners know they charge more in exchange for good service and if the people they hire don't provide it, they are unceremoniously let go. If only HD worked that way...
Finally if they are really being difficult, or you prefer a non confrontational approach, ask about their return policy on tools in brand new, fully sealed, unused condition. "I am not sure this has all the sizes I need, can I return if I don't open/use it and it doesn't have my size?" They will usually O-K it if you phrase it this way, because they figure they can just sell you the other size if it doesn't work out. Then when you go back say you need some bizarre size they don't have, like a 20mm deep 1/2. You can always buy at Sears and return to Ace. But beware, about 50% of Ace Hardware's have a draconian no returns ever policy. How these guys stay in business with a big box store in every town and return friendly Amazon a click away I have no idea.
