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Kobalt 3/8 Flex head ratchet

ishiboo

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Oshkosh, WI
In this particular instance the HF and the Kobalt are the same, or at least the parts are interchangable. The Titan is slightly different as it doesn't require a screw for the pawl.

Yup... I just said same manufacturer. There are obviously cosmetic and sometimes structural differences between the products. Some that are quite similar are sometimes NOT the same company as well, but identical knockoffs.
 
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Midman914

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Feb 24, 2013
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Lowes between Ann Arbor and Dexter Michigan is now $16.17, but priced at $19 and change.
 

Hootbro

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wow. I gotta pick up some more sets. I wonder if they are phasing them out.

Given the hodge poge nature of any one store seemingly having them in a different place, I would bet good money they are a seasonal or one time stocking item.

If it was a permanent stocking item, they would be in the same place in every store. Any big box store has shelving or isle layout maps issued to the store for their normally stocking items. That is why when you go into just about any big box chain store, the stuff is usually in the same place regardless of location.
 

craftsman47

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May 8, 2013
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NJ
It's now $15.27 I got in on the first price cut at 18.

yes sir.....i snatched another 2......and took my military discount(10%):rocker:

I couldnt resist those Knipex needle nose pliers for 19 bucks either.....18 after discount.

that ratchet sells for 29.99, and you get an extension and 2 sockets....how can you beat that?

Ill give a few as Christmas gifts to friends
 

DFW-LSX

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Mar 21, 2012
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Houston, TX
too bad they didnt have them at 15.27 over memorial weekend, they were letting us combine our military discounts and store discounts for 20% off.
 

ilovevocs

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Jun 26, 2009
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Location
Toledo, Ohio
There is a guy listing them on Detroit craigs for $25: http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/tls/3836464431.html I like the way he breaks down the total price for all the pieces.

If they were really selling it for changing spark plugs.....why such a long ratchet, seems production would have been cheaper if they put a shorter handle on it? They must have had a surplus of them.

What a troll.
 

Digital4n6

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Glen Allen, VA
he's also trying to sell them on ebay for $26+9 shipping.

hate it when people hoard sales items to resell, takes away from those who could benefit from the lowered prices.
 

Digital4n6

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so, I sent a message to the guy selling them on eBay and Craiglist and got the following response:


me: "These are the ones at Lowe's for $17.98 or lower, correct?"

seller: "that would be correct... would not be the first to sell something at a higher than retail."
 
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tunnelengineer

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Kansas City, MO
looked at them and thought about the 7+ other 3/8" ratchets sitting at home and put it back on the shelf. I don't need backups to backups to backups. Good deal for those that could use one though.
 

alinc100

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Dearborn,MI
so, I sent a message to the guy selling them on eBay and Craiglist and got the following response:


me: "These are the ones at Lowe's for $17.98 or lower, correct?"

seller: "that would be correct... would not be the first to sell something at a higher than retail."

So let me get this straight
I list an item on E-Bay pay a listing fee (0.10),pay a final amount fee(3.49)
and Paypal 3% (0.77)
on an item that I paid $17.97 + 6% sales tax($1.07) and probably gonna take a hit at the Post Office depending on packaging and I get raked over the coals on this forum?

Ebay 25.95-3.49-0.10-0.77-1.07-17.97= $2.55 profit*
*-Does not include gas,packing materials,trip to Post office.
As far as CL goes if I list an item for $25 I only expect to get $20 usually.
$20 -17.97-1.07= $0.96 profit/per unit

Maybe I should just send them out randomly for free.

And yes the Ebay listing above and the CL posting are mine

Thanks,
Andy
 

EdJack

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Apr 23, 2013
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I think you are missing the point. It's not about whether or not you are making money. It is that sellers like that go and clean out the shelves.

So that when people like us go over to the store to buy one, they don't have any left.

I would buy this from Lowes for 15 or 18 bucks (like I did). But I am not going to pay 30 bucks for this on ebay. Regardless of whether you are making money or not. So the difference for me is that in the first case, I get a great deal on a ratchet. In the second case, I get nothing, because you have cleaned off the shelf and there is nothing left for me except the now $30 ebay ratchet, which I won't buy.
 

alinc100

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May 26, 2013
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Dearborn,MI
I think you are missing the point. It's not about whether or not you are making money. It is that sellers like that go and clean out the shelves.

So that when people like us go over to the store to buy one, they don't have any left.

I would buy this from Lowes for 15 or 18 bucks (like I did). But I am not going to pay 30 bucks for this on ebay. Regardless of whether you are making money or not. So the difference for me is that in the first case, I get a great deal on a ratchet. In the second case, I get nothing, because you have cleaned off the shelf and there is nothing left for me except the now $30 ebay ratchet, which I won't buy.

EdJack,
Here is a list of the quantities available at the Lowe's stores near me.
9 Allen Park, MI - Your Store
23111 Outer Drive, Allen Park, MI
20 Southgate, MI - 4 miles
16410 Trenton, Southgate, MI
Select Store
21 Woodhaven, MI - 7 miles
21000 West Road, Woodhaven, MI
Select Store
19 Westland, MI - 11 miles
6555 Newburgh Road, Westland, MI
Select Store
23 Canton, MI - 14 miles
44080 Ford Road, Canton, MI
Select Store

I really do not believe that buying 5 "cleaned off the shelf"
Of the 5 I have listed as available I will be lucky to sell one or two.
I really do not anticipate someone wanting all 5, I believe I will
end up giving one to my son for his toolbox and another to a friend who likes tools as much as I do. There was 14 in the store in Allen Park last Sunday when I purchased 5,note 9 are still left in the store,not too hot of an item : ( Now if I had went around and swallowed up the entire or majority of the quantity in Metro Detroit I could understand how you could be offended.
Thanks,
Andy
 

zkling

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Jan 23, 2007
Messages
16,939
So let me get this straight
I list an item on E-Bay pay a listing fee (0.10),pay a final amount fee(3.49)
and Paypal 3% (0.77)
on an item that I paid $17.97 + 6% sales tax($1.07) and probably gonna take a hit at the Post Office depending on packaging and I get raked over the coals on this forum?

Ebay 25.95-3.49-0.10-0.77-1.07-17.97= $2.55 profit*
*-Does not include gas,packing materials,trip to Post office.
As far as CL goes if I list an item for $25 I only expect to get $20 usually.
$20 -17.97-1.07= $0.96 profit/per unit

Maybe I should just send them out randomly for free.

And yes the Ebay listing above and the CL posting are mine

Thanks,
Andy

Just because you CHOOSE to waste money on something such as ebay and shipping, doesn't mean that the item is more valuable. Say I drive cross country to purchase one of these sets. Does that now mean the set is as valuable as the gas I wasted to go and get it? NO

So let me ask the obvious? Why in the hell are you doing this? You are making next to nothing on profit only to jack up the price (almost double) to the consumer. I fail to see the logic behind this one. The only people you are helping are eBay and the post office.
It appears that you are going out of your way just to inconvenience other people. :dunno:
 
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Hootbro

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Do not have to defend yourself Andy. Everybody is a socialist when they want your stuff but are a capitalist when they are selling their stuff.

This place is a fart in the wind compared to the retail public at large. I am not seeing threads of people complaining because they are sold out to flippers. If anything, the constant retail price dropping is due to them not moving product.
 

ishiboo

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Do not have to defend yourself Andy. Everybody is a socialist when they want your stuff but are a capitalist when they are selling their stuff.

This place is a fart in the wind compared to the retail public at large. I am not seeing threads of people complaining because they are sold out to flippers. If anything, the constant retail price dropping is due to them not moving product.

+1.

I say buy 'em all! :)
 

socket_wrench

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Oct 30, 2012
Messages
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Do not have to defend yourself Andy. Everybody is a socialist when they want your stuff but are a capitalist when they are selling their stuff.

This place is a fart in the wind compared to the retail public at large. I am not seeing threads of people complaining because they are sold out to flippers. If anything, the constant retail price dropping is due to them not moving product.

Agreed. I don't see the big deal.
 

oilfieldtrash4

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Oct 5, 2012
Messages
490
Excellent ratchet. Got mine yesterday and got a chance to use it today. Will be my go to ratchet from here on out.
 

NWphotog

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Nov 13, 2008
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I 5x it. If someone wants to take the time to buy them and resell em more power to them. Go Andy!!
 

Goldhawg

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Nov 27, 2010
Messages
363
OK, what do we know if someone voluntarily buys Andy's ratchet for $30? He or she valued the ratchet at greater than $30, or they wouldn't purchase it. Believe it not, there are some people who value their time at much more than the $5-10 markup. Even if I go to the Lowes eight miles away I'm going to lose close to an hour by the time all is said and done, and that doesn't include gas. So Andy is providing a value added service to some. If he has guessed wrongly as to the true consumer demand, he will pay the price, and ultimately he'll lower the price. The essence of entrepreneurship is arbitrage--exploiting price differentials in differing markets. Go Andy!
 

ssentt

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May 13, 2012
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799
Location
Iowa
There are times when I figure in the gas to get to nearest lowes plus the sales tax, it is cheaper for me to pay a little more for it on ebay than what it sells for retail. Not trying to defend Andy here, but buying it from him at $29.99 I would save $1.90 vs driving there and paying for the ratchet + sales tax + gas to get there.
 
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cheechi

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Feb 29, 2012
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Location
Triad, NC
wow this thread took a weird turn.

Anyway I was back in there today picking up some stuff, I had the receipt from when I paid $17 and they matched the current $15 price for me. was pretty cool of them.
 

Digital4n6

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Glen Allen, VA
the point has been muddled and i'm not convinced that there are "altruistic" intentions with such an explanation. the math just doesn't add up. especially after factoring in shipping costs. no offense, but i'm not convinced that andy bought the items to sell them for more than twice the price after shipping and not intend to make a profit on craigslist (no listing or seller fees) or ebay.

anyways, not saying that someone doesn't have the right to profit at the expense of others, but if the explanation is that there is no profit to be made, then the question of why buy them to resell and potentially return if unsold?

this thread is for sharing great deals on tools, allowing consumers to reward the retailer with capitalist supply and demand to direct prices by purchasing items when they go on sale. if they are purchased by individuals, then they directly benefit both parties. when purchased by a middleman in quantity, the end consumer must pay profit margins for both, and the deal is not passed along to the end consumer.

when an item goes on sale and you have no need or want of that item, why not leave it on the shelf for someone who could use it? no sense in taking the potential purchase away from another customer.
 

Hootbro

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the point has been muddled and i'm not convinced that there are "altruistic" intentions with such an explanation. the math just doesn't add up. especially after factoring in shipping costs. no offense, but i'm not convinced that andy bought the items to sell them for more than twice the price after shipping and not intend to make a profit on craigslist (no listing or seller fees) or ebay.

anyways, not saying that someone doesn't have the right to profit at the expense of others, but if the explanation is that there is no profit to be made, then the question of why buy them to resell and potentially return if unsold?

this thread is for sharing great deals on tools, allowing consumers to reward the retailer with capitalist supply and demand to direct prices by purchasing items when they go on sale. if they are purchased by individuals, then they directly benefit both parties. when purchased by a middleman in quantity, the end consumer must pay profit margins for both, and the deal is not passed along to the end consumer.

when an item goes on sale and you have no need or want of that item, why not leave it on the shelf for someone who could use it? no sense in taking the potential purchase away from another customer.

I do not think Andy has to "convince" you or anybody or obtain approval for his reasons.

Since the dawn of civilized society, there is always those who will buy low and sell high or create the perception of higher value to sell their wares. Sellers are not in the business of telling their customers were their wares are sold cheaper, just trying to convince enough that what they are selling is of value to the potential buyer. To some that value their time and/or not located close to a Lowes, Andy maybe of value to them.

It is also Andy's decision if his margins are worth the cost, not what everybody else think it should be.

Finally, he is not holding the cure for cancer hostage or has the last 25 gallons of gas or fresh water he is selling after a disaster at a hyper inflated price. There is still tons of these ratchets to be had at Lowes for those who do not see value in Andy's offerings.

Everybody likes to dog pile on a start up or niche operation. Most times it is economic jealousy than actual angst of being denied the opportunity to participate because they are restricted from said items.
 
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