Since Sears is a retailer, they purchase these from vendors just like we buy from them.
Vendors usually have a cost point in the contract they have to stay under. We are buy 50,000 96 piece tool kits for $25.00 each. The vendor if their costs goes above that looses money, so they do what ever they can to get it out the door and under that cost. The purchaser will expect deliver just l will as the retail purchaser, **** it up boys.
I have seen some surprises from around the world and the Chinese manufactures have been screaming for the last 12 - 18 months on contracts they are loosing money on. Expect some price increases. So the boys at the plant are pushing them out, so what the 8MM sockets were not available pack em and let Sears fix it later we have to get paid. Then if you are closing a plant why the hell do I care pack it up and let both the company and Sears hang.
Sorry just a fact about what you are buying. I got some tap sets from one of the iffier import vendors the package states the wire and letter sizes on them. They aint wire and letter sizes by my caliper, the cheaper regular sizes substituted. That was a management decision. The decision to closem and ship it on the pack you got was made most likely was not a management one, most contracts have vendor performance clauses.
Sorry it is just part of the game that has not changed for well my lifetime. Pay more usually less chance of the goof you pay the inspection costs. Pay less it increases, we will fix it later it is cheaper is the concept. Still we buy many Sears kits each year. One or a batch can have issues but still at the cost point there is not too many other games as simple in town for our business.
I need a nap my head hurts.