Is sears going to dump craftsman?

[TireTracks]

I got the new '10-11 catolog today, and it hardly mentions Craftsman, it's mostly different brands ( like stanly!?!? and waterloo boxes). it doesnt say craftsman on the cover, and you really have to look for them in the catolog.

 

[tonydanzah]

Do you remember the thread a while back talking about ace hardware taking over?

 

[socketjockey]

They do that on purpose every 7-10 years. It re-creates the "Sears dumping Craftsman" rumor that gives them a 20%+ boost in sales.

 

[oldtools]

They may sell the brand.

 

[TireTracks]

Do you remember the thread a while back talking about ace hardware taking over?

Yep. I dont know how that will work. the local ace is big, but it doesnt have that much room in it for new stuff.

 

[mkdive]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60108

 

[Merkava_4]

Danaher needs to dump Craftsman/Sears.

 

[mkdive]

Have to agree with you on that one....sears is pretty much to blame for forcing Pratt-Read to file bankruptcy. Danaher should wash their hands of them.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

The 10-11 catalog looks to me like it's loaded with Craftsman tools...you would have to blind to miss them...

 

[Stuey]

Last year, when Craftsman opened their standalone website, I thought "hey, Craftsman's going to be autonomous now!" Didn't happen.

Then two months ago, the new 2010 catalog came out. Again, I thought "Craftsman's surely going to be spunoff!" Didn't happen.

I really don't think that Sears is maneuvering to dump Craftsman. What they are doing is moving the spolight over to their Blue Tool Crew, which is trying to build Sears up as a versatile tool store. Unless I'm mistaken, the BTC does promote Craftsman occasionally.

With Sears placing more emphasis on the Blue Tool Crew, it will be up to Craftsman to market for themselves.

Take a look at other stores and brands. Lowes has Kobalt and does promote them, but for the most part Kobalt takes a larger role and does a great job of marketing themselves.

As Sears picks up momentum as a tool retailer, Craftsman won't become a lesser part of the business, but will start drawing distinctions.

When you think Sears do you think Craftsman? When you think Craftsman do you think Sears?

Sears is trying to make it so that when you think Sears, you think TOOLS. Depending on how well the Ace Hardware partnership goes, when you think Craftsman, you might not think "Sears" in a few years.

Ultimately, I think that Craftsman will remain a vital part of Sears, but there are still probably a few long-term changes taking shape behind closed doors.

 

[benjamming]

They may sell the brand.

They don't own the brand if by "they" you mean Sears.

 

[Mickey O]

I wonder if the Tom Dulap mentioned below had anything to do with the Sears Dunlap line.

Craftsman: The Standard of Quality
Craftsman was born in 1927 when Sears decided to create a superior brand of tools; the tools would have to meet the most rigorous set of standards to earn a place in the Craftsman line. The brand first appeared on a line of saws.

Origin of the Craftsman name

In 1927, Sears hired Arthur Barrows to head the company’s hardware department. Barrows knew hardware and wanted to create a brand name for Sears that distinguished it from other manufacturers. Barrows liked the name Craftsman used by the Marion-Craftsman Tool Company and reportedly offered Marion-Craftsman $500 for the rights to use the Craftsman name on Sears products.

From farmer to the mechanic

When Sears promoted Arthur Barrows to West Coast Manager, he hired Tom Dunlap to take over the hardware department. Dunlap immediately upgraded the quality of the tools. America had moved into the automobile age and Dunlap recognized that Sears needed a line of high quality tools to meet the new demand. He threw out the big, clumsy, cast-iron hammers and wrenches, and the soft screwdrivers leftover from the days when farmers were the company’s biggest customers.

Tom Dunlap understood the pride mechanics took in their tools and how they meticulously cleaned them each day. To improve the look of Craftsman tools, he added chrome plating to improve the finish, color, and trim on wrenches and sockets. He also added high impact plastic handles on screwdrivers. Dunlap’s former boss, Arthur Barrows did not think it made sense to chrome plate a tool that someone would “slug the hell out of”, but Dunlap’s persistence paid off when sales of the full-polish, reliable, good-looking, and easy-to-clean tools increased six times the next year.

While the brand has evolved constantly to expand its offerings, incorporate new technologies and feature ergonomic designs, the original purpose remains the same: Craftsman tools are the standard bearers of quality. As proof, an independent consumer survey in 2001 rated Craftsman No. 1 among all American brands in quality. link

Link to Craftsman chronology, link.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

What they are doing is moving the spolight over to their Blue Tool Crew, which is trying to build Sears up as a versatile tool store.

I am still trying to figure out WTH is the Blue Tool Crew?

Here (my local Sears), it is pretty much the same people that have worked at Sears forever, or a few no nothing kids. There is certainly NO TOOL CREW (that can answer or knows squat).

On top of that, other area's are currently going more downhill. One of the guys working at my old garage, went in for a new refrigerator. The salesman pushed him toward the less expensive (door ding), model. He got it home and it worked for five hours. Sears sent out techs (who got it to work for the five hours) but didn't want to either exchange it, or give him his money back. He finally did get it back and left it on its side, on the dock.

They do make it harder to order stuff ("catalog only" yet not in it). Seem to be having CORRECT order shipping problems (every one of my last orders was missing something and some duplicate was in there), and in one case, need me to bring in a whole set, to swap ONE socket.

So the Blue Crew, is how their customers feel, when they go/leave?

 

[kburns]

They don't own the brand if by "they" you mean Sears.

I thought Sears owned the Craftsman trademark. If they don't, then who does?

 

[fordbroncodave]

maybe china can't get enough craftsman and they are selling it all to them like they want those snap on screwdrivers.

i'd rather have ace handle the craftsman line up because i know of more ace hardware stores then sears stores.
walmart would be a good contender too but they don't put stuff on sale like sears does

 

[Stuey]

I am still trying to figure out WTH is the Blue Tool Crew?

I'm not quite sure how to answer this with reasonable certainty.

 

[mkdive]

Link to Craftsman chronology, link.

Interesting link....

Found this hard to believe in the 2000s:

"Consumers rank Craftsman number one in quality among all American brands, according to a Harris Interactive/Equitrend survey".

 

[vette-kid]

Do you remember the thread a while back talking about ace hardware taking over?

Id love to see ace start carrying CMan! I have one right around the corner (5min vs 35 for Sears). And my local sears has a pretty knowledgeable staff. And they have a pretty decent rewards program.

 

[benjamming]

I thought Sears owned the Craftsman trademark. If they don't, then who does?

Good catch. You are correct. Sorry about that. wiki link

 

[Walterchang]

Osh carries craftsman.

 

[BigK600]

Sears aint going to dump the Craftsman name. Its the most profitalbe thing they got. Thats why they want to sell Craftsman at Ace because Sears gets some of that money too. Also Ace just sell the basic Craftsman stuff like KMart. Got to go to a real Sears to get the full line.

 

[Davefr]

There are a couple factors:

Sears wants to merchandise a wide variety of tools. (ie good, better, best) Craftsman can only fill one of those categories. Sears tools doesn't mean Craftsman exclusively anymore and that's why they are segragating the brand more then in the past. Sears has to compete with the all the Chinese **** that everyone else sells and they need to market a low end offering like Companion/Evolve.

Secondly the Craftsman brand has too much value to exist only in Sears stores. I bet there are 10X more Ace Hardware stores then Sears stores. Why not expand the brand so that Craftsman becomes a tool brand vs. a store brand.

 

[Teken]

I wonder if the Tom Dulap mentioned below had anything to do with the Sears Dunlap line.



Link to Craftsman chronology, link.

That was a great read, thanks for the link . . .

 

[Stuey]

There are a couple factors:

Sears wants to merchandise a wide variety of tools. (ie good, better, best) Craftsman can only fill one of those categories. Sears tools doesn't mean Craftsman exclusively anymore and that's why they are segragating the brand more then in the past. Sears has to compete with the all the Chinese **** that everyone else sells and they need to market a low end offering like Companion/Evolve.

Secondly the Craftsman brand has too much value to exist only in Sears stores. I bet there are 10X more Ace Hardware stores then Sears stores. Why not expand the brand so that Craftsman becomes a tool brand vs. a store brand.

My guess is that evolve didn't sell well by itself, which is why it eventually became branded Craftsman Evolv - to help the Craftsman name move the products.

Previously there were Companion tools, Evolv is mostly a renaming with additional cost-saving measures.

So now there's Craftsman evolv, Craftsman, and Craftsman Professional, which corresponds to their power tool tier structure as well.

 

[slicktoptt]

When you think Sears do you think Craftsman? When you think Craftsman do you think Sears?

Yes. The only reason I go to Sears or even look at a Sears catalogue is Craftsman. Same thing for Kenmore appliances.

 

[Andy Traxel]

Another Angle to Craftsman at Ace

I wonder if Ace wasn't out looking for a tool "brand" like Kobalt is for Lowe's & Husky is for Depot.

The local Ace stores handle a variety of brands of screwdrivers, nut drivers, pliers, etc.. Some of it is branded Ace. But other than Gearwrench ratcheting wrenches, they only handle Ace brand flat & socket wrenches.

All of the Ace brand wrenches I've seen were made overseas. The stuff looks good-bright chrome, good, uniform markings. The tools are probably as good as anything in the Kobalt or Husky lines. But the brand doesn't grab me. If I need a hand tool now, I think Lowe's or Depot before Ace. I bet that's the case for the majority of the public.

Providing Ace business doesn't cannibalize business at Sears, I think this is a win-win-win situation. With Sears volume behind them, Craftsman tools should be very cost-effective for/at Ace. And the brand is already recognized & promoted in retail vs. Ace having to build up something with somebody like SK or Proto. The suppliers of Craftsman tools will get more sales. Sears will get some sort of compensation for use of the brand.

Andy

 

[moparmuscle88]

doesnt matter to me... when i need a tool i call the snap on or matco guy

 

[Flathead Red]

There are a couple factors:

Sears wants to merchandise a wide variety of tools. (ie good, better, best) Craftsman can only fill one of those categories. Sears tools doesn't mean Craftsman exclusively anymore and that's why they are segragating the brand more then in the past. Sears has to compete with the all the Chinese **** that everyone else sells and they need to market a low end offering like Companion/Evolve.

Secondly the Craftsman brand has too much value to exist only in Sears stores. I bet there are 10X more Ace Hardware stores then Sears stores. Why not expand the brand so that Craftsman becomes a tool brand vs. a store brand.

I think this is the reason as well. CMan is now being carried in the Base Exchange on military bases as well. The expansion of retailers puts the brand out there in more places and more places can mean more sales

RED

 

[bonneyman]

I don't think Sears will get rid of the Craftsman line. Too much money comes into the store because of those tools. And, since I used to work for Sears, I know they are into whatever brings in the money!
Sears has always had a two-tiered approach to tools. Craftsman is the top premium line. Then they had a less expensive, economy line. My dad had tools he got from Sears with "SEARS" on them. Not bad tools - just no lifetime warranty. The 60's ones were USA made, then in the 80's went Japanese. Then they switched to China, with the Companion line, and now Evolv.
Their American made Craftsman wrenches were made by Western Forge in Colorado at least until 2006. But since Kmart bought them out, who knows?

 

[Merkava_4]

I thought Sears owned the Craftsman trademark. If they don't, then who does?

Sears corporate owns the brand name "Craftsman" yes.

Craftsman tools are manufactured by a variety of contractors; however, mainly by Danaher Tool Group.

 

[tonydanzah]

Sears corporate owns the brand name "Craftsman" yes.

Craftsman tools are manufactured by a variety of contractors; however, mainly by Danaher Tool Group.

I think the main line of craftsman tools, ratchets and wrenches are made by allen, who also is owned by danaher.

 

[BigK600]

I think the main line of craftsman tools, ratchets and wrenches are made by allen, who also is owned by danaher.

Danaher makes several brands of tools, Craftsman, Allen, Gearwrench, KD, Matco, Kobalt. Pretty much Craftsman, Allen, Kobalt are all the same just some cosmetic differences.

 

[Abodyracer]

Their American made Craftsman wrenches were made by Western Forge in Colorado at least until 2006. But since Kmart bought them out, who knows?

Still are. Screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrenches.

 

[bonneyman]

Still are. Screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrenches.

Good news! I've got a friend who works for Sears, and he seems to be the last to find out anything!
I knew Kmart bought out Sears about a week before he did. I'm always ribbing him for working a "Smart-K".