Dear Sears (5 years from now)

[WILD-BILL]

As much as I hate to defend him, Lampert has put a lot of his own money into Sears trying to make it work.

Only to get his hands on the realistate when Sears defaults/goes bankrput

 

[JazzBlueRT]

Sears may bleed out and die. We'll see. GM would've went bust in '09 if not for the bail-out. Countless other American brands have seen their demise over the last 20yrs.

The world is getting smaller by the day. Our current political climate leans toward blaming "others" for our poor,unfortunate plight. I grew up in the 80's and 90's. Mary Lou Retton, the space shuttle, Springstein, Top Gun. Days when we were still riding high from post WWII exceptionalism, prosperity and economic expansion. It could be argued that a significant slice of the population believes those days can be reclaimed whole cloth, if only we put up some convenient barriers.

Guess what folks, the rest of the world is catching up! They're not to blame for wanting more. Wanting what we have enjoyed for 50+ years. Since when do we as Americans give up? Point fingers? Claim "we can't compete"? So let's throw up barriers???

How about we man up and go head first into the global economy? Invest in trade training programs, leverage automation and technology, bolster our service sectors. I'm sick of the "woe is me" attitude. Seize the day!

You fail to understand that half of the people are not as smart as the other half. We need jobs so that the less smart half can earn a living.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

Only to get his hands on the realistate when Sears defaults/goes bankrput

So he will only lose $100 million instead of $500 million. What an evil man.

 

[Aberdale]

Sears may bleed out and die. We'll see. GM would've went bust in '09 if not for the bail-out. Countless other American brands have seen their demise over the last 20yrs.

The world is getting smaller by the day. Our current political climate leans toward blaming "others" for our poor,unfortunate plight. I grew up in the 80's and 90's. Mary Lou Retton, the space shuttle, Springstein, Top Gun. Days when we were still riding high from post WWII exceptionalism, prosperity and economic expansion. It could be argued that a significant slice of the population believes those days can be reclaimed whole cloth, if only we put up some convenient barriers.

Guess what folks, the rest of the world is catching up! They're not to blame for wanting more. Wanting what we have enjoyed for 50+ years. Since when do we as Americans give up? Point fingers? Claim "we can't compete"? So let's throw up barriers???

How about we man up and go head first into the global economy? Invest in trade training programs, leverage automation and technology, bolster our service sectors. I'm sick of the "woe is me" attitude. Seize the day!

Carotene, you are right on the money with this comment. The US had a couple decades where there was little competition from other countries. A lot has changes in the last 50 years. And most of us grew up in an era where we didn't need to compete with anyone outside of the good 'ol USA. They caught up. And some countries are far hungrier and dedicated than we are.

 

[58Yeoman]

So he will only lose $100 million instead of $500 million. What an evil man.

But, a lot of the malls are getting empty. Around here, you see the Halloween stores open up during October, but the stores are empty otherwise. Can't make much money on empty buildings.

 

[Hubscrub66]

Yea the one I bought all my tools from was hauled away in a truck last year the whole mall is gone. We do have a small home town store left. Sears no more....

 

[c39er]

Two big Sears stores in the Seattle Bellevue area are closing after years and years of being here.
They would not exchange a mislabeled size band saw blade for me even though I had their card for over 35 years.
All they sell is wimpy crappy Chinese tools now.
Good riddance Sears! I hate you!

 

[Mikeske]

Two big Sears stores in the Seattle Bellevue area are closing after years and years of being here.
They would not exchange a mislabeled size band saw blade for me even though I had their card for over 35 years.
All they sell is wimpy crappy Chinese tools now.
Good riddance Sears! I hate you!

I live in outside Burlington, Washington about 85 miles north of Seattle and they closed the Store in Burlington 2 years ago and the one in Bellingham 4 years ago. The Sears home store closed last year in Bellingham. There are no Sears stores within 50 miles left. The nearest is in Everett and I call it the walking dead store. Normally no body even bothers going into it unless they are going to other stores in the mall. We have a Kmart in Burlington but it is the same as the Everett Sears store an walking dead store. Hardly any cars in the huge parking lot in front of that store. The nearby Burlington coat store is always busy and it is thriving.

 

[nbruno]

This is one of the craziest threads I have ever spent an hour reading.
It's all about the Sears business model, it's not about craftsman tools. Sears has failed to keep pace with the times. Ever try to use their website? It's a complete exercise in futility. Ever try to buy something displayed in the store (tool chest) and then been told they don't have it? (I'm staring at it, sell me the floor model: sorry can't do that then we won't have our display model. Wtf?)
How about shopping for tools and the $2.00 aluminum foil toy wrenches are mixed in with the craftsman USA wrenches.
Half the display racks have a 50% off label dangling between 3 different tools and no one knows which one it's for.
Walk in the tool section 3 different days in one week and find 3 different prices.
All that being said, the craftsman tools, USA made or not are perfectly serviceable for 95% of the population and that's who they are catering to not the 5% who require truck brands and not the 50 of us idiots on here discussing the demise of Sears.
Bottom line, keep up with the times, adjust your business model accordingly or get spit out the back.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[nelstomlinson]

Re: Dear Sears(5 years from now)

Agree.
Free markets is why why we have been the economic leader. It's only when we start "protecting" we decline.

Wrong. Stick to what you know. You don't know economics or history.

 

[nelstomlinson]

You fail to understand that half of the people are not as smart as the other half. We need jobs so that the less smart half can earn a living.

Well said. Smart people owe it to the dummies to make a world where dummies can be proud, productive citizens who pay their own way. If we fail in that we destroy our nation, because half of us will always be below average.

 

[laser3kw]

It's only when we start "protecting" we decline.

Is it "protecting" when we have reciprocating trade polices? I mean, like, when China has a 40% import tariff on an item from the USA into their country and we allow China and other countries to import the same item here with only less than a 1% tariff? Shouldn't it be reciprocating? What they charge us, we charge them? 40-40 or something similar?

Free markets is why we have been the economic leader

"Free markets"? Have you ever seen the lobbyist in action? It is not as free as you think. It is slanted to those who can buy influence.

 

[CJ7VFR]

...Walk in the tool section 3 different days in one week and find 3 different prices....

I find this to be true at the Sears "anchor" stores in the two malls near me.

This past weekend my wife and I went to the larger mall that has the larger Sears store in it. I hate the mall so she goes shopping and I hang around the tool section in Sears. I had not been in the tool section of that store in a few months, and the changes they made since that time were pretty drastic. Half the store was empty, I saw maybe a handful of customers, and I was the only person in the tool department.

I saw that they had some open box/diplay tools on a shelf with the word "Clearance" on them. They had two tools I was interested in. One was a tool only C3 1/2 Impact driver, and one was a tool only C3 Sawzall. I grabbed the two tools and tried to find a cashier to check the prices, since neither was marked with a price. I finally found a guy wandering around the back of the handtool section and asked him if he could check the prices of the two tools.

So we go up to the register, which is right next to the brand new in the box C3 tools and he scans the two tools, and gave me the prices. The prices did not seem very "clearance" so I look over at the same tools still in the boxes, with the regular prices marked on each one. The regular C3 1/2 Impact driver, brand new in the box, with the battery, charger and other parts was $10 CHEAPER than the 'clearance" tool only. And the C3 Sawzall, brand new in the box, with the battery, charger, blades, and other parts was the same price as the "clearance" tool only.

I looked at the guy, pointed to the brand new in the box tools, and the prices as compared to what he just told me the "clearance" prices were. He just said that he didn't really care, and the price is the price, and that if I come back tomorrow or the next day maybe the prices on the clearance items would be better, and if I wanted the clearance tools.

I said no, I just thought that if they were cheaper than the brand new, in the box tools with the batteries, chargers and other parts that I might want them. I told him maybe I would be back and check at another time.

But I'm not going to check again. It just seems like as you said, the prices can change on any given day, and to have tools on sale in the clearance section, but not actually take a few minutes to put an actual clearance price on them just means that nobody there really cares.

Jim

 

[steveo1o9]

I find this to be true at the Sears "anchor" stores in the two malls near me.

This past weekend my wife and I went to the larger mall that has the larger Sears store in it. I hate the mall so she goes shopping and I hang around the tool section in Sears. I had not been in the tool section of that store in a few months, and the changes they made since that time were pretty drastic. Half the store was empty, I saw maybe a handful of customers, and I was the only person in the tool department.

I saw that they had some open box/diplay tools on a shelf with the word "Clearance" on them. They had two tools I was interested in. One was a tool only C3 1/2 Impact driver, and one was a tool only C3 Sawzall. I grabbed the two tools and tried to find a cashier to check the prices, since neither was marked with a price. I finally found a guy wandering around the back of the handtool section and asked him if he could check the prices of the two tools.

So we go up to the register, which is right next to the brand new in the box C3 tools and he scans the two tools, and gave me the prices. The prices did not seem very "clearance" so I look over at the same tools still in the boxes, with the regular prices marked on each one. The regular C3 1/2 Impact driver, brand new in the box, with the battery, charger and other parts was $10 CHEAPER than the 'clearance" tool only. And the C3 Sawzall, brand new in the box, with the battery, charger, blades, and other parts was the same price as the "clearance" tool only.

I looked at the guy, pointed to the brand new in the box tools, and the prices as compared to what he just told me the "clearance" prices were. He just said that he didn't really care, and the price is the price, and that if I come back tomorrow or the next day maybe the prices on the clearance items would be better, and if I wanted the clearance tools.

I said no, I just thought that if they were cheaper than the brand new, in the box tools with the batteries, chargers and other parts that I might want them. I told him maybe I would be back and check at another time.

But I'm not going to check again. It just seems like as you said, the prices can change on any given day, and to have tools on sale in the clearance section, but not actually take a few minutes to put an actual clearance price on them just means that nobody there really cares.

Jim

Don't want to beat a dead horse but I used to go check the clearance area anytime I was there too and the "deals" were laughable. Items returned that were clearly heavily used or damaged only 25% off at best. I've seen a wrench set missing wrenches only marked down 10% or so when 30% of the product is missing...

 

[Tonyuk]

Just buy decently made tools from a reputable brand, stop worrying too much about coo, you'll live longer.

 

[openwheelracing88]

Those that argue for buying "American made" at all costs, I'm curious, is this just your opinion for tools, or does it apply to everything? What kind of car do you drive and where was it made? What about your computer and TV? Or the clothes you're wearing on your back right now? One of the loudest posters in this thread from 2013 made mention of his 'beloved' Volvo imported from Europe, while chastising people for not buying a wrench made in the US.

The biggest trend I notice is most of the "buy US made" folks are those directly affected by manufacturing jobs. Obviously if you've worked in manufacturing you have a much more vested interest, but it just comes down to how it affects your own situation. Lots of talk about the morality of Chinese manufacturing when you think it's disadvantaging you personally, but no one really gives a darn about any other social or moral issues that don't directly affect them, like gender/racial inequality, factory farming, etc.

Unemployment is steadily dropping in the US, and is as low as it's been in years, so it's not like the whole country is going down the tubes. Times change and the type of work is going to transition.

Maybe Sears / Craftsman quality dipped earlier in Canada than it did in the US, but I have no nostalgia for the brand. In my lifetime here it's always been an overpriced hobby grade product that didn't return good value. I could get the same quality for less from Canadian Tire (no HF here so not sure what that's all about) or much better quality for a few dollars more on the better brands if you do your homework.

Amen

 

[carotene]

Well said. Smart people owe it to the dummies to make a world where dummies can be proud, productive citizens who pay their own way. If we fail in that we destroy our nation, because half of us will always be below average.

I disagree. For one, I reject the idea of "smart" vs. "dumb". Intelligence and capability are not one dimensional attributes. It takes all kinds. There is room in the global economy for everyone. It may not seem that way for some at the moment, but i've seen transformations in my line of work first hand. Folks who've made the jump in trade/career/profession and landed jobs in companies that are now thriving (and there are LOTS of small businesses that are thriving). Look at the current job market. Ask anyone in a growing company what their #1 impediment to growth is at the moment? Qualified people. And we're not talking about brain surgeons. Qualified tradesmen or people who possess (or are willing to attain) specific skill sets.

It's unsettling to be in your 50's and realize you need to shift gears in a big way. We could do more for our countryman to make that transition easier.

 

[isb cornbinder]

So he will only lose $100 million instead of $500 million. What an evil man.

I think you need to do some more research. There is much more in the details of this deal.

The man is a multi billionaire and he did not get to be really rich by giving money away.
Go on-line and research his holdings, residences and "toys".
This man earns more in one minute than most full time employed middle-class persons earn in one year. I say, Good for him.
I got too soon old and too late smart.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

I find this to be true at the Sears "anchor" stores in the two malls near me.

This past weekend my wife and I went to the larger mall that has the larger Sears store in it. I hate the mall so she goes shopping and I hang around the tool section in Sears. I had not been in the tool section of that store in a few months, and the changes they made since that time were pretty drastic. Half the store was empty, I saw maybe a handful of customers, and I was the only person in the tool department.

I saw that they had some open box/diplay tools on a shelf with the word "Clearance" on them. They had two tools I was interested in. One was a tool only C3 1/2 Impact driver, and one was a tool only C3 Sawzall. I grabbed the two tools and tried to find a cashier to check the prices, since neither was marked with a price. I finally found a guy wandering around the back of the handtool section and asked him if he could check the prices of the two tools.

So we go up to the register, which is right next to the brand new in the box C3 tools and he scans the two tools, and gave me the prices. The prices did not seem very "clearance" so I look over at the same tools still in the boxes, with the regular prices marked on each one. The regular C3 1/2 Impact driver, brand new in the box, with the battery, charger and other parts was $10 CHEAPER than the 'clearance" tool only. And the C3 Sawzall, brand new in the box, with the battery, charger, blades, and other parts was the same price as the "clearance" tool only.

I looked at the guy, pointed to the brand new in the box tools, and the prices as compared to what he just told me the "clearance" prices were. He just said that he didn't really care, and the price is the price, and that if I come back tomorrow or the next day maybe the prices on the clearance items would be better, and if I wanted the clearance tools.

I said no, I just thought that if they were cheaper than the brand new, in the box tools with the batteries, chargers and other parts that I might want them. I told him maybe I would be back and check at another time.

But I'm not going to check again. It just seems like as you said, the prices can change on any given day, and to have tools on sale in the clearance section, but not actually take a few minutes to put an actual clearance price on them just means that nobody there really cares.

Jim

How is this any different than an employee at HD or Walmart or Lowes or Target?

 

[JazzBlueRT]

I think you need to do some more research. There is much more in the details of this deal.

The man is a multi billionaire and he did not get to be really rich by giving money away.
Go on-line and research his holdings, residences and "toys".
This man earns more in one minute than most full time employed middle-class persons earn in one year. I say, Good for him.
I got too soon old and too late smart.

He got rich by making high risk bets and hedging them. At least he did not do to Sears what you guys in Canada did to Nortel.

Which do you think is better, some billionaire tying to revive a legendary name (Sears) or the Canada government liquidating Nortel's $40 billion in assets because the pension fund was $1 Billion underfunded.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

I disagree. For one, I reject the idea of "smart" vs. "dumb". Intelligence and capability are not one dimensional attributes. It takes all kinds. There is room in the global economy for everyone. It may not seem that way for some at the moment, but i've seen transformations in my line of work first hand. Folks who've made the jump in trade/career/profession and landed jobs in companies that are now thriving (and there are LOTS of small businesses that are thriving). Look at the current job market. Ask anyone in a growing company what their #1 impediment to growth is at the moment? Qualified people. And we're not talking about brain surgeons. Qualified tradesmen or people who possess (or are willing to attain) specific skill sets.

It's unsettling to be in your 50's and realize you need to shift gears in a big way. We could do more for our countryman to make that transition easier.

There is no room in the global economy for everyone. There are 7.6 billion people in this world. Over 3 billion billion people live on less than $2.50 per day. When it comes to low cost labor, America simply cannot compete.

You cannot teach people who are incapable of learning advanced concepts, you can only train them to do menial tasks.

Why did you wait until your 50's to realize your skills were obsolete?

We do not have to do more for our countrymen, our countrymen need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and do more for themselves. The problem is that we did too much and ended creating a bunch of useless breeders mooching off the system.

 

[carotene]

Well said. Smart people owe it to the dummies to make a world where dummies can be proud, productive citizens who pay their own way. If we fail in that we destroy our nation, because half of us will always be below average.

There is no room in the global economy for everyone. There are 7.6 billion people in this world. Over 3 billion billion people live on less than $2.50 per day. When it comes to low cost labor, America simply cannot compete.

You cannot teach people who are incapable of learning advanced concepts, you can only train them to do menial tasks.

Why did you wait until your 50's to realize your skills were obsolete?

We do not have to do more for our countrymen, our countrymen need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and do more for themselves. The problem is that we did too much and ended creating a bunch of useless breeders mooching off the system.

"Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps". Loving the usage of this saying these days. The irony of course is that it is an impossible task (which was the original intent of the saying).

The vast majority of people on this planet do not live under a system of government that *attempts* to provide equal pathways to success for all citizens. Herein lies the advantage for the chosen few Americans. Low-skill, low-cost labor is why the wrench is made in china, but likely designed in the USA. We've moved to a services economy for this very reason. This is my point. There is a whole value chain that is bent under the gravity of the current global economy. It can be used to our advantage.

I'm not in my 50's. My skills are not obsolete.

This discussion is probably getting too political and already way off topic. Most of that is my fault. I'm just really passionate about our current situation and what I perceive to be the possible paths forward.

 

[ITGuy1998]

Casual wrencher here....I'd say 95% of my hand tools (sockets, wrenches, etc) are craftsman. 5 years ago, it was 100%. My first non craftsman purchase was actually Snap On - bought a torgue wrench. I don't need their quality for most things I do, but some things matter. Anyways, I also now have started buying Kobalt tools when needed. They seem to be of good quality, have worked well for my limited needs, and have a lifetime warranty and I can drive 5 minutes to Lowes for replacement.

 

[nbruno]

"Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps". Loving the usage of this saying these days. The irony of course is that it is an impossible task (which was the original intent of the saying).

The vast majority of people on this planet do not live under a system of government that *attempts* to provide equal pathways to success for all citizens. Herein lies the advantage for the chosen few Americans. Low-skill, low-cost labor is why the wrench is made in china, but likely designed in the USA. We've moved to a services economy for this very reason. This is my point. There is a whole value chain that is bent under the gravity of the current global economy. It can be used to our advantage.

I'm not in my 50's. My skills are not obsolete.

This discussion is probably getting too political and already way off topic. Most of that is my fault. I'm just really passionate about our current situation and what I perceive to be the possible paths forward.

The problems in today's society are many and varied. Let's take for instance this current thread. We're crapping on Craftsman / sears when in fact craftsman tools would be more than adequate for 95+ % of the guys on here. We need Snap on and Stahlwille, Gedore, Felo wooden handle screwdrivers, and sockets made from unicorn shedded horns. And honestly, probably half of the guys if not more who own the $5k 13 piece ivory tusk wrench set should be more worried about putting food on the table, owning reliable transportation, putting their children through school and a vast number of other responsibilities.
Ever drive through the ghetto and see someone not on a $600 iPhone, pimp strutting in a pair of brand new Jordan's?
Not everyone can or should have the best of everything, when everyone thinks they deserve the best of everything... Then there's a problem and that's where society is today.


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Handyandy23]

The problems in today's society are many and varied. Let's take for instance this current thread. We're crapping on Craftsman / sears when in fact craftsman tools would be more than adequate for 95+ % of the guys on here. We need Snap on and Stahlwille, Gedore, Felo wooden handle screwdrivers, and sockets made from unicorn shedded horns. And honestly, probably half of the guys if not more who own the $5k 13 piece ivory tusk wrench set should be more worried about putting food on the table, owning reliable transportation, putting their children through school and a vast number of other responsibilities.
Ever drive through the ghetto and see someone not on a $600 iPhone, pimp strutting in a pair of brand new Jordan's?
Not everyone can or should have the best of everything, when everyone thinks they deserve the best of everything... Then there's a problem and that's where society is today.


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This may be partially true, but for me, as well as lots of other posters, the problem is Craftsman isn't even good value for the entry level hobby tools that they are. For less money I can go to Canadian Tire or Princess Auto (in Canada, sounds similar to HF in the US) and get just as good or better of a tool than it's Craftsman counterpart. I don't need the best or most expensive tools, but if I'm budgeting $**.** to buy something that works, I'm going to spend that on the best tool and value. Basically everyone these days has lifetime warranty on hand tools, so I'm going to get them for the best value I can.

Same goes for cordless and/or power tools. I can get a much nicer DeWalt or equivalent on sale elsewhere than anything Craftsman has been making lately. It's not as simple as people think they need better quality - it's that you can actually get better quality for the same price elsewhere.

 

[58Yeoman]

I walked through a Sears the other day, and checked out the tool sales, though I definitely don't need more tools. I saw two tool cards with some ratcheting wrenches in the clearance section. Both cards had the same three wrenches missing, but one was priced around $40, and the other $90. Both had same numbers, etc.

 

[nbruno]

This may be partially true, but for me, as well as lots of other posters, the problem is Craftsman isn't even good value for the entry level hobby tools that they are. For less money I can go to Canadian Tire or Princess Auto (in Canada, sounds similar to HF in the US) and get just as good or better of a tool than it's Craftsman counterpart. I don't need the best or most expensive tools, but if I'm budgeting $**.** to buy something that works, I'm going to spend that on the best tool and value. Basically everyone these days has lifetime warranty on hand tools, so I'm going to get them for the best value I can.

Same goes for cordless and/or power tools. I can get a much nicer DeWalt or equivalent on sale elsewhere than anything Craftsman has been making lately. It's not as simple as people think they need better quality - it's that you can actually get better quality for the same price elsewhere.

Handyandy23
I absolutely agree with you. Again, another problem with society from the manufacturer standpoint.. Status quo. Many businesses as well as the general population don't realize that if you're not innovating, improving and advancing, you are most definitely falling behind. Do that long enough and you become Sears/Craftsman.
They relied on a name that was not synonymous with high quality and value, they relied on being broadly available and a lifetime warranty. In the current age of the internet shopper that model doesn't work. We can find high quality if we want to spend the money, we can get by with mediocre, or we can seek out the right combination of quality and cost (value) for our particular needs. Not to mention we don't have to find out about quality through trial and error at our own cost, we can hop on Garage Journal and get the opinions of others who have the experience.


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[ride92]

I just wish Craftsmen would bring back more of their Craftsman Pro line stuff. I'd pay a bit more for the quality and not have to deal with returns for cheaper tools. Time is just as valuable as money. I'd also like to see Husky Professional come back as well

 

[RWorth]

Re: Dear Sears(5 years from now)

I could care less if its American. Craftsman still has the warranty. Example, craftsman usa side snips-18 bucks. Duralast-6. I buy for warranty and not coo. Sears will never cut prices 66% to compete. Craftsman will still have the warranty, regardless of where they're made. You are fighting a loosing battle most people dont care about

I'm 65, this country has been killing itself slowly for at least 40 years now, and that attitude is what is killing it. Drive your foreign car, buy your foreign tools, hardware, electronics, and enjoy them until the approaching end of your American Life. It won't hurt me, I'll be dead soon and I experienced the real free America for a number of years. You can bash me if you like, I can take the hit.

 

[mdog892001]

I’ll chime in here.
When I was a kid my dad would not have been seen with any other tools than craftsman and estwing hammers. Now that I’m a father of my own I want to build a and maintain my tool collection as my dad did for me. I have only had one problem with sears warranty with a air impact. Other than that they have always been no questions asked.
Lowes(kobalt), and HF all have been no question asked about their returns as well. I bet if you look in any toolbox around the world you will find a craftsman in it. Yes I would love to see them made in USA again and some of there stuff still is. But yard sale and ebay and pawn shops are always letting go of tools they don’t know.


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[Mpower5266]

The reason I have stopped buying from sears is that the closest one to me is a hometown store and has terrible hours. The next closest is an hour and a half away in a very high crime area. With lowes, home depot, and harbor freight 5 minutes away they have become much better options.

 

[jetnow1]

I think writing to Sears in five years makes you an optimist.

 

[coljar]

I think writing to Sears in five years makes you an optimist.

Not really. This thread was started on 2/13/2013. In less than a month, it will be 5 years old. They've lasted longer than I said they would.

 

[lakelandcat]

Re: Dear Sears(5 years from now)

I'm 65, this country has been killing itself slowly for at least 40 years now, and that attitude is what is killing it. Drive your foreign car, buy your foreign tools, hardware, electronics, and enjoy them until the approaching end of your American Life. It won't hurt me, I'll be dead soon and I experienced the real free America for a number of years. You can bash me if you like, I can take the hit.

Dilly, Dilly, I'm 60 and I understand exactly what you are saying. We watched the downfall and rise of American quality. It's also a shame that we should have to put up with the disrespect of the younger generations. To put this in perspective if you are 40 yo I was procreating to start a family when you were born. We were taught to respect our elders, something you cyber gangsters won't understand for many years to come. We have learned what is important by experience, what we can get by cheap, and what to spend the extra bucks on. Learn your different qualities, pro vs. homeowner. Example: forge vs cast. I said 35 years ago the internet would be the downfall of American economy, so go ahead and buy your tools online and don't use your local stores, hide in your houses. Like you RWorth I will probley get bashed for my opinions. I said in a earlier post that I would not post again, but sometimes you just have to stand up to be counted. When I die I just want my wife to sell my tools and take a vacation where ever she wants, she put up with me all these years she deserves it. Mike

 

[Automobilist]

Lot's of opinion here. Good!

I'm almost 60. I'm owner & CEO of a sizable company. We have our products manufactured for us by a number of OEM factories. All in the U.S... (So far...) We've considered contracting manufacturing offshore, but up to now it hasn't been advantageous.
If it becomes competitive for our equipment, we'll consider it.

The concept that the "internet" has been harmful to our economy is ludicrous. It only shows that some companies can't compete. My company is the world's leader in our industry, because we compete with anyone. Our customers recognize our products to be superior, and are willing to pay a premium to buy them.

I often think of the old adage: "The UAW would rather be on strike / unemployed at $40/hour, instead of working at $30/hour."

Many American workers are semi-skilled, at best. They fail to keep up with technological advances.

A big problem, is folks complaining about offshoring, but not doing ANYTHING to increase their skills, education, etc. They think like an employee, not like an owner.

If you want quality American made products, then invest in and make quality American made products. I do. If you're not actively engaged in doing the same, you're part of the problem, and simply whining...

 

[vgmyrick]

I stopped using Craftsman many years ago when the corporate store started started drying up. Many franchise stores started taking over and replacing the Corp stores. Good, right??
Well the first time I take in a broken screwdriver, the store owner told me that I would need to send it off to sears to get it replaced that they don’t do tool,warranty at these stores. Being in my late 20s and not having a lot of tools yet, I kinda figured that what little I had invested in Craftsman was not a total loss for me and I jumped brands. I soon discovered that the local parts store carried Williams Tools. I have been buying Williams ever since. When one breaks I just take it down to the parts store place it on the counter and say it’s broke. No questions asked, they give me a new one from behind the counter and I walk away happy. Where are they made....not sure. But I have good quality tool that can be replaced locally when I have a problem. I have been able to take the broken Craftsman tool to the Corp stores, 100 miles away. But, that one bad experience many years ago at the franchise store really left a bad taste in my mouth. Just my two scents.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

"Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps". Loving the usage of this saying these days. The irony of course is that it is an impossible task (which was the original intent of the saying).

FYI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootstrapping

 

[PNWguy]

My dad (now in his late 70's) bought mostly Craftsman hand and power tools, starting in the 50's. He still has most of the hand tools. He taught me about value (the highest quality for the dollar) and Craftsman was the sweet spot - 95% as good as Snap-On (or whatever number makes you happy) at 10% of the price. They were made in the US, and that made them even better.

I bought plenty of Craftsman wrenches and sockets when I was getting started, but by the early 90's when I started to buy power tools, Craftsman was no longer a value. They were less expensive than Porter Cable, Bosch, Delta and even Jet - but they were also of much lower quality, and they let the marketing team lie about the motors (remember those 5hp tools that drew 13 amps?). Again, I was buying the best quality for the dollar that I could find. I still have most of those power tools.

As I got more into wrenching, I saw the quality of the Craftsman non-powered hand tools go down, but the prices didn't drop. I bought a few things that were Husky & Kobalt, but the warranty and availability was a joke, so I stopped.

Now my new hand tools (and I don't buy that many) are from Wiha, SK and the occasional tool truck. Craftsman no longer offers enough quality for my dollar, and many aren't US made.

The other day a friend was asking what hand tools I'd recommend for a typical home owner. You know, the things that get used once a month to hang a picture, assemble an IKEA bookshelf, or change the lawnmower blade. My recommendation was for HF, because I think the quality is similar to Craftsman, but at 50% of the price. I wouldn't recommend them to a mechanic or somebody planning to use them all the time, but for this guy it fit the bill.

Sears is on the way out. The warranty on my Craftsman wrenches is not going to survive another year or two. They decided to live off their good name by reducing the quality of the product and keeping the same prices (much like Levi's in the late 90s). They went from being the only option for many people to being a joke. I honestly don't know where the nearest Sears is.

I wish they hadn't pissed away the quality and good will, and I'll miss them. I doubt I'll ever be in a Sears again.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

Re: Dear Sears(5 years from now)

Dilly, Dilly, I'm 60 and I understand exactly what you are saying. We watched the downfall and rise of American quality. It's also a shame that we should have to put up with the disrespect of the younger generations. To put this in perspective if you are 40 yo I was procreating to start a family when you were born. We were taught to respect our elders, something you cyber gangsters won't understand for many years to come. We have learned what is important by experience, what we can get by cheap, and what to spend the extra bucks on. Learn your different qualities, pro vs. homeowner. Example: forge vs cast. I said 35 years ago the internet would be the downfall of American economy, so go ahead and buy your tools online and don't use your local stores, hide in your houses. Like you RWorth I will probley get bashed for my opinions. I said in a earlier post that I would not post again, but sometimes you just have to stand up to be counted. When I die I just want my wife to sell my tools and take a vacation where ever she wants, she put up with me all these years she deserves it. Mike

I am 50 and the internet has provided me with an awesome career and a very nice lifestyle.

As a matter of fact, there are hundreds of thousands of jobs in IT unfilled which pay $80-120k that Americans are simply too stupid to do so we have to import people to do them. The only reason we need manufacturing in America is to give the bottom half of the bell curve work to do so they become less dependent upon the taxpayers.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Calling hundreds of thousands of Americans stupid and referring to millions of Americans in the manufacturing field as a burden to the taxpayers is enough to close this horse beating thread.