i gotta rant!

[bobbar]

I have seen a million threads on COO with craftsman and it *****. I couple days ago i was at sears and noticed they has some single USA stamped ratcheting wrenches. I asked one of the sale men if i could swap them out with the non USA ones i bought before Christmas, "no problem, we get a lot of people doing that..."
Well today I took the ratcheting wrenches with no coo on them in and was hoping to replace them with good ol stamped USA ones...

By the time i finished talking to the manager, I was accused of stealing them, because I had no receipt. also was told that the USA ones are a POS and that the ones i had were higher quality and would last forever.


Im officially done with Sears. I have a couple Sears around me, so off to the next one, once Im done swapping them out, Im done with Sears.


USA made is important to me, and thats why I have always bought craftsman since truck brands are out of my reach money wise. No way I can purchase SO, mac or any other truck brands.
Looks like HF has a new customer. At least at HF they realize they can't charge USA made prices for imports like craftsman is trying to do.


rant over. mods delete if you want, I just needed to rant...

 

[K and K]

This post is why threads should have a "like" button.

 

[geologist]

I have 3 Sears within 50 miles of me.

One is a smaller appliance center.
Two are larger full-service stores.

The smaller, independently run store is amazing. I have never had a problem ever, and I'm able to get clearance deals before the prices are posted. The other two stores are in various states of disarray in the tool center portion of the store and the employees aren't exactly helpful. In fact, they run around like chickens with their heads cut off and NEVER keep the shelves stocked.

 

[Sh1thead]

Sears used to be a place where honest people could go to purchase american made tools at a fair price backed by a ironclad warranty and is now a place of complete disappointment ... where did we go wrong?

 

[garfunkle24]

Just buy your wrenches at HF (even though USA made is incredibly important to you) and stop whining. Easy.

 

[Hootbro]

I basically had the same issue when I order the Craftsman Crowfoot sets online and received the Chinese made ones.

Rather than argued, I bought the last two Inch/metric USA made sets they had on the wall and returned the next day with my Chinese ones and receipt from the day before and got a refund.

 

[rsieracki]

OP: if its the Raised Panel ratcheting wrenches you like so much i have a set i bought maybe 8-10 years ago... brand new, used one or 2 of them once or twice, both the STD and Met set, ill sell them to you im not a big fan and i prefer the gearwreches. I Do prefer USA when possible but in this case not so much

 

[plinker]

Simple answer*, buy S-K or US made Williiams(their import stuff is priced accordingly).

Your doing a couple of things that way;
Buying USA made.
Avoiding Sear's outsourcing/sometimes poor customer service.
Getting better stuff at not too much more cost then Craftsman.




*
There are other companies that make stuff here, but no one short of a truck brand is likely going to have Sear's selection under one brand. So you'll need to do some shopping around. If one company doesnt have what your looking for.

 

[86k10]

SK is the way to go for an US made alternative to Crapsman.

 

[kippieland]

I agree totally!

Simple answer*, buy S-K or US made Williiams(their import stuff is priced accordingly).

Your doing a couple of things that way;
Buying USA made.
Avoiding Sear's outsourcing/sometimes poor customer service.
Getting better stuff at not too much more cost then Craftsman.




*
There are other companies that make stuff here, but no one short of a truck brand is likely going to have Sear's selection under one brand. So you'll need to do some shopping around. If one company doesnt have what your looking for.

 

[Super Sport]

I'm hoping my store lets me swap my thin profiles I just bought on the hot deal for some USA-made ones (if they have any left).

I have always liked Sears and Craftsman, but lately they have been disappointing. I'm glad my tool collection is getting pretty full. I guess I will just have to buy used in the future...

 

[jim2664258]

I basically had the same issue when I order the Craftsman Crowfoot sets online and received the Chinese made ones.

Rather than argued, I bought the last two Inch/metric USA made sets they had on the wall and returned the next day with my Chinese ones and receipt from the day before and got a refund.

I'm not attacking, but the only problem with that is the guy that walks in later and buys what looks like a US-made set and finds it to be Chinese when he gets home. I bet that has started happening to people because I doubt if you are the only one making this end-around.

 

[The Dutchman]

If they had accused me of stealing I would have been PISSED.

 

[Syndicate]

I have 5 sears locations near me. I shop at none of them. 2 are currently "closing" to serve the needs of the other 3. Used to buy tires there. Have not in a long time. I buy NO CRAFTSMAN tools at all. Just my personal opinion that they are garbage. I can afford snap on so that is what I buy. I can tell you this, for the price you have been paying at sears, you can find deals on eBay on snap on tools as well as several other USA tool brands. I use snap on because they are good tools, with a great warranty, and they stand behind what they sell. I agree with you to be done with sears. As far as accusing you of stealing<>>>>>>>Right back at sears. Been stealing the American peoples monies for over a century!!!

 

[lineman88]

I tried to swap out my Taiwanese thin ratchets for USA ones but when I got to the store, they had already gone nearly fully Chinese. Very few USA tools remained. It really is sad bc the Craftsman brand was identified as a symbol of America. Although, I have to admit, that the quality of the Taiwanese ratchets seemed decent but then I got them for $44 and not $100.

I, like many, feel that Sears as a brand will not survive this economic downturn nor the competition. The big question is who will pick up the Craftsman Brand and what will they do with it- that's anybody's guess.

 

[bobbar]

my main reason for ranting was due to the fact i was accused of stealing... I was pretty pissed off, but I walked out, and called the manager some pretty nasty names.

I don't know where these people get off treating there customers like ****. the store was empty and they wonder why... I hope sears crashes and burns. so long sears

 

[browntown]

I've slowly been replacing my craftsman tools with other US brands. I'll say this about my local sears though, the couple guys at the tool counter that haven't quit in the last year have given me zero hassle warranting any cman stuff. They're quick to let me pick out something similar if they're out of the same item. Unfortunately this is becoming very common as their tool section is shriveling. I feel for them, and sears corporate is making the decisions they think will help them long term --- but I'm done. When I was a kid, my father extolled the wonder that is craftsman tools. Told me they're reasonably priced, made in the USA, work well, and will be warrantied forever. I'm now debating keeping some of my US cman stuff for my son, but he might be shocked later on when he has to warranty something...

 

[reddog289]

Browntown got it right. Sears sold the tools to the workingman, Now things have changed. Bean counters and the whole global economy deal killed a good deal.

 

[4x4gearhead]

I dont see why after that you would want anything to do with having any newly bought craftsman tools even if they were US made. What happens when the ratcheting wrench fails? You will be getting a chinese one in its place. This is exactly why I dont even go to sears anymore, not to mention the people that work at my local store are useless. With all this "Sears is in trouble!" panic happening I cant say Im surprised.

 

[jim2664258]

I think the replacement on Craftsman stuff is WAY overstated on this board. Most people never have to exchange any Craftsman tool (not including power tools, no experience with those). Yes, it does **** if you have to, but over many years I've had to do it maybe a grand total of 2 times, and never for a ratchet. No one keeps things in perspective here.

I dislike the move to Chinese **** as much as anyone. But from the way people talk here, having to replace every US-made tool they buy at Sears is a given. It's not. So let each person make the decision for themselves.

Sorry guys, this board just lacks a lot of level-headedness sometimes.

 

[superspec]

i was raised thinking that craftsman was the best you could by for the shade tree type people like me. way back when i could walk into sears with my dad and there were nothing but older white guys working that knew everything there was to know about their tools. the last time i went to sears (the big one anyway) their were nothing but some saggy paints guys working their who didnt know there *** from a hole in the ground, had no idea where anything was or when something might be back. the only thing ive ever broken from cman is ratchets and its always the direction changer thing.

we do have a smaller sears now, the individual owned type with 2 or 3 people working there. its liek the old days but they dont stock anything more than the basics. they are more than happy to help you and know what you are talking about. luckily i have pretty much any tool that i need or can get my hands on something special in a pinch with a simple phone call to my snap on truck.

 

[kippieland]

I think the replacement on Craftsman stuff is WAY overstated on this board. Most people never have to exchange any Craftsman tool (not including power tools, no experience with those). Yes, it does **** if you have to, but over many years I've had to do it maybe a grand total of 2 times, and never for a ratchet. No one keeps things in perspective here.

I dislike the move to Chinese **** as much as anyone. But from the way people talk here, having to replace every US-made tool they buy at Sears is a given. It's not. So let each person make the decision for themselves.

Sorry guys, this board just lacks a lot of level-headedness sometimes.

I have never had to replace a singel socket or wrench from Craftsman. My dad has only had one breakerbar that was a super old bend...they gave him a new one...and that was 12 years ago.

That being said, I have replace four of their crappy roundhead ratchets...never had an issue with RP ratchets. My point is, I won't buy things there I know will need to be replaced.

 

[reddog289]

I have had to return a few tools to Sears. With the exception of Screwdrivers which were many. Former Co Worker would have me return his.Many times, He thought they were chisels and were nasty. No wonder they went through and go though hard times.
When I go to the local Super K, I see they have U.S. made Stanley screwdrivers. Alot of the time they are on sale 6 for $4.99.
I would be mad at Sears if they accused me of stealing, But as stated it ain't like it used to be at Sears and probably won't ever be again.