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Rant: Why do Snap-on, Craftsman web sites **** so bad?

pfbz

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Dec 17, 2008
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956
I'd probably buy a ton more tools if any one of these guys put up a top-quality modern website.

Craftsman is particularly bad.... Lots of sizzle with almost no steak. Virtually no way to "drill down" looking for tool types. Searches give lots of erroneous results and often *don't* list other tools that meet the criteria. Defaults to 12 items per page, with a max of 36. When there are, say, 877 results in their category of "sockets", that's a lot of pages to wade through.

Snap-On does a much better job with categories for their tools, but the search engine is even worse, very badly broken. It often returns blank pages for simple searches. Items have a tiny, low resolution image with no ability to zoom in or pull up a higher res image. It often isn't even the actual item you are interested in... (they do tell you "Image shown may not be actual product but represents product or set which includes product "). When your only business is tools, ya think taking decent pictures of them would be a doable task?

SK has a very decent site, but unfortunately you would likely not buy tools direct as they are significantly more expensive than some of the on-line retailers for SK tools, who again have absolutely terrible web sites.

Matco is probably the best of the bunch, but unfortunately for me, not my preference for tools...

Sorry about the rant... now back to your regularly scheduled Web surfing.
 
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Flash21

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Re: Rant: Why do Snap-on, Matco, Craftsman, etc. web sites **** so bad?

Probably because their primary customer base views the tools up close, in their hands before buying (on the truck) Therefore, they want to keep the investment in the website down.

I agree, they aren't well designed...although, I think Snap-on is the best by far. Much more technical information is given and I see the major improvement area being their pictures of their product.
 

TruckTech

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Re: Rant: Why do Snap-on, Matco, Craftsman, etc. web sites **** so bad?

I thought Cornwells new site was decent enough....

Mac's is horrible....

I like Snap-ons, as long as Ive got my catalog handy and type the numbers straight in....
 
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pfbz

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Re: Rant: Why do Snap-on, Matco, Craftsman, etc. web sites **** so bad?

Probably because their primary customer base views the tools up close, in their hands before buying (on the truck)

Clearly that is their past & current model. But they are smart enough to see the writing on the wall and develop a web presence. They just need to finish the job...

OK Snap-on, here is your website "bus dev" advice... No charge:
  • Include thumbnail and high res images of every product.
  • Fix the search engine.
  • Test your web site with at least the top 3 browsers (hey, or do it right, top 10!) in use. Not just IE...
  • Update your "specials" more than once every six months.
  • And the "Pièce de résistance", Buy here - Get locally in collaboration with your local Snap-On franchise dealer! Even if you don't work at a route-served location. Wow, actually good for the customer, corporate, AND the local dealer!

Just to emphasize my point on the images, here's an example of the best and only image you can see when purchasing a $400 tool set. This is better than most images, as it presumably is actually what you are buying. Not that you could tell from the picture...
17412.JPG
 
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greenreese

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Aug 10, 2009
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I like the Snap-On site, nice and simple. Although bigger pictures and a better search would be real nice.

Craftsman's on the other hand used to be just fine. I can't comprehend how they cocked it up soooooo bad now.
 

Merkava_4

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Clovis, CA.
Snap-On does a much better job with categories for their tools, but the search engine is even worse, very badly broken. It often returns blank pages for simple searches. Items have a tiny, low resolution image with no ability to zoom in or pull up a higher res image. It often isn't even the actual item you are interested in... (they do tell you "Image shown may not be actual product but represents product or set which includes product "). When your only business is tools, ya think taking decent pictures of them would be a doable task?

Snap-on has the best tool website on the internet IMO. How many tool sites give you a parts catalog?
 

daveblank

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Re: Rant: Why do Snap-on, Matco, Craftsman, etc. web sites **** so bad?

I thought Cornwells new site was decent enough....

Mac's is horrible....

QUOTE]


& just think, the old Mac site was much worse. The current one is 10x better than before. I do wish Cornwell would post prices.
 

Flash21

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Re: Rant: Why do Snap-on, Matco, Craftsman, etc. web sites **** so bad?

OK Snap-on, here is your website "bus dev" advice... No charge:
  • Include thumbnail and high res images of every product.
  • Fix the search engine.
  • Test your web site with at least the top 3 browsers (hey, or do it right, top 10!) in use. Not just IE...
  • Update your "specials" more than once every six months.
  • And the "Pièce de résistance", Buy here - Get locally in collaboration with your local Snap-On franchise dealer! Even if you don't work at a route-served location. Wow, actually good for the customer, corporate, AND the local dealer!
...QUOTE]


pfbz - I completely agree, that would make it really, really nice. The idea of Buy here - Get locally in collaboration with your local Snap-On franchise dealer! is an amazingly good idea. I frequently ask for SO tools for gifts and all my family buys off the website. Just think if they could buy it and the dealer hands it to me AND gets the profit from the sale.
 

Big Bad Jon

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Re: Rant: Why do Snap-on, Matco, Craftsman, etc. web sites **** so bad?

& just think, the old Mac site was much worse. The current one is 10x better than before. I do wish Cornwell would post prices.

Sad isn't it...
 

billymade

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Apr 2, 2008
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New Mexico
I think Snap-On's is good (at the very least usable!); I order small parts for my air tools and things that I need; their customer service is responsive and if you call, their support (with real humans) is excellent as well! When I get on Snap-On's truck I tend to forget what I am looking for (buck fever?) and like the ability to get parts, small items and the shipping is free. My Snap-On dealer comes on Friday and 9/10 we are slammed with work and everything has to get done before the weekend! Man, at times; I feel that the truck is not a good venue to order small parts, they have to look them up and I feel uncomfortable, that it isn't even worth their time; I like the leisure of shopping on the web, when I want to and at a time I find convenient (24/7). The parts section shows exploded views; this helps with shopping for parts and even if you tear down a tool, it can help you figure out how to get it back together (if you forget!). :) When things ship; you can login to your account and track your packages; this isn't unique in the world of online commerce... but it is nice, none the less. No website is perfect or without areas that could be improved; I happen to find Snap-On's the most useful (for me)..... In the past if I need parts for a Mac/Matco branded air tool; I would have to call them or deal with my truck guys... I prefer the web for the small stuff! For example: I was looking for a vinyl boot for a Mac 1/4" impact; on their website they sell it for $7 (not bad), with shipping it almost came out to $20! Snap-On's shipping is free... many here think its wasteful and everything else but.... you can actually, get what you need and not incur the shipping costs... I personally, like that! :)
 
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Stick Figure

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Aug 3, 2009
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i agree that the tool websites almost all **** ... some are worse than others of course, but they could all use improvement. As far as looking at things on the truck before purchase, this is true in some cases, but usually not in the more expensive off the wall type stuff that the truck doesn't stock, for that i'm stuck w/ a picture in a book or on the web.
 

TruckTech

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May 31, 2009
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Minnesota
I will agree with others here and say SO's is by far the best, but the one thing I dont like, is that even if I know exactly what Im looking for, they categorize things so thoroughly, I can sometimes never find it, and without a specific part number, the search function is totally useless. Hence why I only consider it good when Ive got a catalog next to me.
 
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pfbz

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Dec 17, 2008
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956
general_consensus said:
...Snap-on's web site is best...

Or in the words of a ancient Dutch philosopher Erasmus...
"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king"

Well he actually said In regione caecorum rex est luscus, but that just doesn't have he same zip, does it.
 

daveblank

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Re: Rant: Why do Snap-on, Matco, Craftsman, etc. web sites **** so bad?

Their prices are up, you just don't frequent their site often enough; stands to reason since you're a Matco dealer I suppose..........
Last time was about 2 months ago. I was trying to find out how much a tool box was.
 

Joe Mamma

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May 31, 2009
Messages
339
The Snap-On website ***** as does every other tool company's site that I've seen. Maybe I just have different standards from other people.

The other thing is that tool retailers/resellers/distributors pretty much all have websites that **** too. The problem is that the manufacturers' crappy websites and pictures really hurts the retailers/resellers/distributors websites.

I think if someone just made a good website with good pictures, descriptions, easy to search/find products, etc., they could sell a LOT of tools. They don't even have to have a great product. But it seems like everyone is in the process of upgrading their site or simply doesn't care.

Joe Mamma
 

krusty the clown

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niangua, mo
i don't like any of them really, paper catalogs are much easier for me to use. but i'm old and cranky.

i'll agree with the majority though, snap on and matco are the top two. the matco is slow and i find snap on easier to use. cornwell's new site is much better so it's right up there. mac's........it's as good as the rest of the company.
 

stock z/28

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Dec 17, 2006
Messages
298
I don't have any issues with the Snap on site, I think it works great.


I have a terrible time with the rest.

I gave up trying, and generally use the paper catalog.

Jeff

And Mac is very bad.
 
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