Anti-Cornwell, Why?

[Merkava_4]

Here's a thread I started about my extra-long Cornwell 1/2" combination wrench. It's quite beautiful if I may say so myself.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21197&highlight=cornwell

 

[Eric Nordstrom]

Spent the day filling the new box. Now I am an even bigger fan of Cornwell! Really love this box

-BWP

I could have bought the top box only blue last week for 100.00
Aea I know,,, I know

 

[TxDoc]

Snap On is just as bad,we've had 6 or 7 dealers over the course of time,and right before they go out,any warranty claims are impossible to get!

The replacement SO dealer and the company, itself, won't warranty tools because the individual selling them has changed? How can they defend that stance?

 

[vssjim]

The Cornwell hard line tool that they make, ratchets sockets and wrenchs are excellent and yes they are forged in Pa. and finished in Oh. They have lots of US made tools and lots of imported tools the same as ALL TRUCK TOOL companies do, including SO and don't even talk about MAC as the hard line on those trucks IS IMPORTED mostly just doesn't have country of origin on them.

 

[MachineTech]

A lot of the items Snap-on sells with their name on them are the exact same as Cornwell sells for a fraction of the cost with the Cornwell name. Made by the same manufacturer. Cornwell stops by my place of employment every week and is very dependable and decent priced. Be a smart consumer though and compare what you want to the other dealers. I do and that's why I have a mix of tools from everyone, but I always have the right tool for the job.

 

[AutoTech]

Here's a thread I started about my extra-long Cornwell 1/2" combination wrench. It's quite beautiful if I may say so myself.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21197&highlight=cornwell

Hey Merkava I do like the looks of the Cornwell wrench did you buy it on Ebay? I've been watching ebay every since you posted the pics of that wrench and haven't came up with anything! And like alot of others in here I don't have a cornwell dealer either

 

[eschoendorff]

A lot of the items Snap-on sells with their name on them are the exact same as Cornwell sells for a fraction of the cost with the Cornwell name. Made by the same manufacturer. Cornwell stops by my place of employment every week and is very dependable and decent priced. Be a smart consumer though and compare what you want to the other dealers. I do and that's why I have a mix of tools from everyone, but I always have the right tool for the job.

Like what items? I cannot recall any Snap On/Cornwell overlap....

 

[joenero]

Too many import tools for my taste, I remember laughing because the last catalog I got they had their orange "Blue Blower" fan knockoff that was a rebadged harbor freight item only twice the price. A lot of their socket and bit line is becoming VIM tools. Their ratchets are still only 30 tooth and not good price wise considering that and they have too much competition to make me feel comfortable buying off their truck and expecting it to be there next week if it breaks.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

THE CORNWELL DEALER I dealt with used to run a coffee truck
franchises are available
I think they require a huge cash outlay

 

[bowtie3]

Their ratchets are still only 30 tooth and not good price wise considering that and they have too much competition to make me feel comfortable buying off their truck and expecting it to be there next week if it breaks.

Cornwell has been in business longer than any other mobile tool co., yep even longer than S.O., since 1919 I think. I would'nt be to concerned about Cornwell folding.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

the dealers drop like flies

 

[CAT_serviceman927]

You're not kidding. We had a Cornwell dealer come in to our shop. When he started it was him, Matco, and Mac. As soon as our Snap-On dealer started coming, the Cornwell man soon lost any footing he had in the area. The Mac man who has been in the business for along time is also started to fade out I think. I don't think it is his fault though really, more Mac's fault for making poor products, although the lack of tools he has on his truck doesn't help either. But as for Cornwell, the shop I worked at after I left got a Cornwell dealer and he didn't last very long either I heard. Seems to me that with a lack of Cornwell dealers in our area over the years, mechanics have become leery about buying tools from someone if they are afraid of warranty issues.

 

[wrenchr]

I want some wrench's from cornwell!! I have some very old one's, but I want new one's!!

 

[Merkava_4]

I want some wrench's from cornwell!! I have some very old one's, but I want new one's!!

They're very. . . very niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice. . .

 

[MachineTech]

Like what items? I cannot recall any Snap On/Cornwell overlap....

Sure Snap-on and Cornwell overlap, just like most other tool companies. Here is just one example:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=13158&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

Snap-on $190 Cornwell $110

 

[joenero]

Cornwell has been in business longer than any other mobile tool co., yep even longer than S.O., since 1919 I think. I would'nt be to concerned about Cornwell folding.

Someone else stated how dealers were "dropping like flies" and that seems to be true. People are too hesitant to buy from a new Cornwell dealer and won't buy much when they find a large amount of their stuff is just KD, VIM, or Lisle. New dealers have it tough and don't last long.

 

[MAD]

Sure Snap-on and Cornwell overlap, just like most other tool companies. Here is just one example:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=13158&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

Snap-on $190 Cornwell $110

Craftsman - on sale for $65

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950465000P?vName=Tools&cName=Mechanics+Tools&sName=Automotive+Specialty+Tools

Stride tool (Milbar /Imperial) makes them all.

 

[billymade]

I have a theory too; I think there is a direct correlation between tool stock available on the truck and tool sales. We had a Mac guy who along with his bad attitude had a truck that was essentially empty; he didn't sell much and then the Snap-On guy had so much stuff you could hardly walk through the truck! If you asked the Mac guy for something; he would say he could order it and I would just go to the other truck that had it in stock. The Snap-On guy had a great attitude, tons of stock and sold more then any of the other dealers. I think there is something to the idea that if a customer doesn't see the product; it doesn't or is hard to sell. Obviously, there are situations where this doesn't always apply (well known products in high demand that everyone wants and is hard to keep in stock; e.g.. dual 80 ratchet etc.) but I think there is a correlation between the two. What do you think?

 

[Fedwrench]

I have a theory too; I think there is a direct correlation between tool stock available on the truck and tool sales. We had a Mac guy who along with his bad attitude had a truck that was essentially empty; he didn't sell much and then the Snap-On guy had so much stuff you could hardly walk through the truck! If you asked the Mac guy for something; he would say he could order it and I would just go to the other truck that had it in stock. The Snap-On guy had a great attitude, tons of stock and sold more then any of the other dealers. I think there is something to the idea that if a customer doesn't see the product; it doesn't or is hard to sell. Obviously, there are situations where this doesn't always apply (well known products in high demand that everyone wants and is hard to keep in stock; e.g.. dual 80 ratchet etc.) but I think there is a correlation between the two. What do you think?

I think an empty or minimally stocked truck may send the wreong message to a customer. It says I don't make enough money as a tool dealer to keep my truck full so, I may not be here in a couple of months. Secondly, the dealer loses the impulse buys. It one thing to look at a catalog picture and say I want that tool. It's a completely different feeling when you can actually see how shiney the tool is, how it feels in your hand, and how much you want it.

 

[Ducroix]

Wow, looks totally different than the Snap On, Matco, Mac Tools truck ...

The cornwell guy that comes here doesnt look like that but the usa tools guy does

 

[paramudduck]

I've seen Snap On trucks in the same sorry empty state. You go on the truck and either they would not have the tool. It would be very used and abused. Or they would do the I'll have it for you next week, then never show up again.

At a friends garage the only person who shows up is the Cornwell guy. Snap and Mac switch drivers every few months. It's a shame because they had a great Snap On guy a few years ago.

Now anyone who takes that route is liable to go broke on the warrenty claim pay delays.

 

[Vinko]

I have a theory too; I think there is a direct correlation between tool stock available on the truck and tool sales.
[cut]
. What do you think?

Absolutely. This was my Snap On guy's observation. Not only that, but if you're out of stock on one thing, it can affect the sale on other things as well.

It can be, I'm sure, challenging to keep full stock on truck. You've got to be able to manage your cash flow -- to not get too reliant on deadbeats or be affected by having to sit on warrantied merchandise, esp., when, in the case of SO, what a dealer gets is a "credit" toward future purchases. So there can be a lot of cash flow ******* in warranty too.

I understand a truck dealer wanting to order a thing -- that's optimal in one sense, because you don't have to carry the inventory. But as many have attested here, a lot of purchases are either spur of the moment or need to be made at the time of sale.

 

[Vinko]

Now anyone who takes that route is liable to go broke on the warrenty claim pay delays.

Yeah, that's got to hurt. I wonder how SO takes care of their dealers (maybe they don't) when a guy "inherits" not only a previous guy's route, but his "warranty" too.