Snap on dealer troubles

[bunique1984]

I'm having the hardest time buying tools from the Snap on guy. He's been coming to our shop for about 3 yrs now. And every time we order something it takes weeks, if not months to get. I ordered a pry bar 2 months ago. He says it snap on behind. I say bull ****. I've spent a lot of money with him but it seems it a fight to get anything. Anybody else have the problem?

 

[Fedwrench]

How stocked is his truck?

I've dealers over the years juggle money to cover their tool bill so, they take forever to get something you want ordered.

 

[nicksnothereman]

"I don't get service but I still buy from the guy I don't get service from"

Buy your stuff from someone else. I have no idea how people work like this, if you need it it's gotta be there that day (or minute). Otherwise no point in dealing with them, they ain't going to show up for warranty issues if they can't even deliver tools you've bought man.

 

[PC PaiN]

our old driver was like that except it was because he honestly wouldn't remember to order it for three months. I got a few things for free because of that

 

[fnieto]

Matco or someone else. If I ran my business like that I would have never made it the last 30 years.
I once had a Snap on dealer take more than three months to replace a $80 hammer,,,,No more! you can't pick your snap on dealer but you can buy from some one else who will support your business.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

If he's taking that long, order your tools online. Might as well actually get what you need within the week. Sounds like a mail-in warranty would even be better than your current driver situation.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Why not just buy your Snappy online if he is a pain in the ***? Does he sell stuff below Snappy's list price?

 

[Ironhorse]

Your dealer is broke...if he owes on his tool bill Snap on will not let him order anything else...that is the new thing they started doing about a year or so ago. My dealer finally just sold his route to another dealer who paid his tool bills...

 

[DieselSaves]

I had a dealer years ago who got crossed up with SO corporate somehow. He had his credit line cut off or shortened. He resorted to sort of a pyramid scheme, taking some payments to pay other bills, several guys had their weekly credit card payments shifted to other accounts.

I learned of all this after the fact. I made all my payments in cash and checked my balance every bill, just as a matter of habit. In his last two years, I never saw a new tool I ordered. The guy had been a good dealer for the first three or four years and I had bought quite a bit from him then and I still had a balance to pay. I learned about all the problems later after talking to some of the mechanics he had on his route.

 

[AndrewV]

Man, you guys and your horror stories of your reps. I feel lucky.

And Ironhorse is right.

 

[gagreen]

Man, you guys and your horror stories of your reps. I feel lucky.

And Ironhorse is right.

or their drivers have nightmare routes. I have a good driver, but when he gets close to his top end he would let me know it may be a few weeks and why. Luckily he bought another route so he has more purchasing power. He does a good job of splitting the tools needed on our route (rural lots of sae) with his son in laws (metro lots of metric).

Don't write a driver off, I know more mechanics who can't make their full payments than bad drivers.

 

[ZRX61]

Your dealer is broke...if he owes on his tool bill Snap on will not let him order anything else...that is the new thing they started doing about a year or so ago.

I think it goes back a LOT longer than that. I can remember a basically empty SnapOn truck at the airport 20 years ago. Guy never had a pot to piss in.

 

[bunique1984]

His truck is never really full of tools to stock. And there has been a few times he said you forgot. But I ordered a 24oz deadblow hammer and got it 1 month later. What snap on dealer doesn't have a deadblow on the truck. I did start buying Mac tools. I'll have to start looking online for snap on tools.

 

[DodgeMech]

Why buy Mac tools? Get the Stanley version at wally worl for a third the price...

 

[bsaint]

I love supporting the truck, but if I need something tomorrow and I have to pay with my Amex, I go online. Indiana to Ohio is next day even with ground shipping.

 

[Trey T]

Sounds like SO dealer is running their truck like online business - advertise w/o actual stock. If a customer gets irritated of waiting for stock when he/she paid for, there's something wrong.

 

[sberry]

Common theme, next time you see him tape a couple hundred dollar bills to your forehead and see if he notices.

 

[sberry]

Why buy Mac tools? Get the Stanley version at wally worl for a third the price...

I would do this anyway,,, why be a slave to all the grief. If I had to start over it would be first stop. Between there and a Sears store probably with a spin around HF.

 

[Kracin]

if you could just buy from a random joe on ebay, get a better price, AND get it quicker. why would you even bother with a guy who has a truck with a fancy paintjob?

 

[dowmace]

I'll tell you right now snap on is not behind on prybars between myself and the others at my shop we have ordered 50+ prybars in all kinds of variants including my very specific must be green bars and we had them all in a week or less

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

[PelicanPines]

I never bought into the SO/Mac thing. I bought just about everything craftsman. Yes there is a difference in feel but for me... I do the craftsman and a HF driveby.

Is there some kind of massive discount you get from the truck?

 

[MGibson]

Took my guy 4 weeks so order a 7mm 1/4 drive socket. Once he ordered it was another 4 week till I got it! Was different wen I was buying something!
But he has given us warning this week that he's leaving at the end of May.
Shame he was a nice guy

Sent from my HTC One mini using Tapatalk

 

[warmpancakes]

snap on has a Dealer APP for smart phones they can check stock at all warehouses anywhere

 

[sk farmer]

yes, but don't forget that the dual 80 is the best ratchet ever made because no matter where you are at and what you do the truck will stop in and all will be well. it is the tool 9 out of 10 kool-aid drinkers think you must have. (insert sarcasm smiley here)

 

[PC PaiN]

or their drivers have nightmare routes. I have a good driver, but when he gets close to his top end he would let me know it may be a few weeks and why. Luckily he bought another route so he has more purchasing power. He does a good job of splitting the tools needed on our route (rural lots of sae) with his son in laws (metro lots of metric).

Don't write a driver off, I know more mechanics who can't make their full payments than bad drivers.

This is why I would never want to own a tool truck. I assume the owner is on the hook for all the truck credit accounts. If you had a large route and every mechanic is in the hole for $300

I think we have all known technicians that are the grass is always greener type people that pop around jobs non stop. Throw in the fresh out of school guys that don't have a pot to piss in but want to fill a box of solid snap on chrome

 

[beatcad]

I cant believe it got this far and no one said it.....

BANG HIS WIFE!


seriously though. if you work at a big enough or decent shop stay off his truck and visit the mac, or matco, or cornwell truck when they stop by.
if they don't stop by make a call. if your shop is anywhere near their route theyde love to stop by if theres 2 or 3 or more techs that'll be new paying customers.

 

[pfhWJ]

I cant stand my snap on guy wont buy a thing from he, real A Hole. My business goes to mac and matco. PC Pain, your right $300 per person on your route that is a big credit line a dealer is responsible for. Hopefully I can get rid of all my truck debt, and maybe buy something once and awhile.

 

[PC PaiN]

Since I pulled it out of my **** it could be an exaggeration or reality could be worse than that if you look at the whole picture and total $$$ you're on the hook for.

It's definitely a business I would have no desire putting my money into after reading different articles and horror stories from current and previous dealers. It seems like most of these guys are *** deep in debt due to non paying customers and having to pay out of pocket for freight on warranty returns.

Our previous SO driver gave us 10% if you paid in full at time of purchase and didn't use truck credit.

 

[STANIMAL]

It must be a company thing . Called my SO guy a few times , no return calls . Today I called HQ to see whats going on , they told me he left . Third driver in three years .

 

[Zeroek]

I buy my stuff from different places. I hate waiting on stuff to come in and it's mostly because my dealer has forgot to order it. If I don't see it on the truck I usually just buy it on ebay or somewhere else.

 

[MattPersman]

I have been playing these games with Matco, ordered a new slide for a warranty replacement in December or January, still hasn't shown up, fast forward to this week decided to email Matco got a reply the next day and they said they sent one out to me. So it's many times not an availability concern it's the driver either has no money, no credit, or who the hell knows. I thought he would have been out of business by now the truck is empty and he stops by maybe once every 3 weeks. If you need a warranty tool you might get one if you big him every time he comes in about it on about the forth visit. Just unacceptable I don't know how anyone still buys from this guy. Nice guy though, don't get me wrong I just think these guys are operating in tough technician times.

 

[wafrederick]

There is already a rumor spreading in my area regarding 3 Snap On dealers.Snap On wants to replace them with younger guys.These 3 dealers have at least 30 years of experience.My neighbor Ken's dealer warranties anything wore out although he is not supposed tne dealer is down the road where I live and he is not happy with Snap On right now.The district rep and him got into it a few times so far.

 

[Brownsfan]

My snap On guy gets me tools within a week. Sometimes less depending on the day I order.

 

[yogitech]

There and good and bad dealers like everything else. Did ever think why, why is it that the dealer is put on credit hold? He can't pay the tool bill right?

Reality is, GJ members are not the normal customer base. The usual customer is one who works in terrible shop conditions, ghetto rigs things, doesn't PAY his tool bill the way it was agreed upon. They generally becomes hostile/ offended at the idea of having to pay in accordance to purchases Also keep in mind YOUR single minded requests gets multiplied by 200 which then all falls on ONE dealer. It's not as easy as people seem to think it is....

So, be nice to your tool guy, It's a relationship after all!!

 

[chris142]

sounds like our mac guy. he cant order you anything until he pays his mac bill down. he hands me a flyer and says not to get exited over anything in it

 

[SS5150]

Man I'm thankful that I have a good Snap On guy.....definitely the best one since I've been working. He's handled everything quickly, gotten tools when needed, cut me deals, did me some favors to help out friends with warranty. Matco's got a guy been here a couple years now, he's been good. Mac guy's been around a long time but I think it's a side business for him, not much inventory and hard to get stuff. Cornwell has been almost nonexistent for 5 years.

 

[atwageman]

I've never seen or heard rumors of any of the truck brands in my area having credit troubles. Then again I know at least two of them that don't string out a $300-$500 wrench set for 6 months either on truck credit.

I know financially techs are not in the best position these days, but the tool dealer doesn't have to be because you are.

I've never had a debt to the truck. Always paid 100% cash up front. Have gotten discounts too because of it and more freebies than I deserve.

 

[Eagle Point]

There and good and bad dealers like everything else. Did ever think why, why is it that the dealer is put on credit hold? He can't pay the tool bill right?

Reality is, GJ members are not the normal customer base. The usual customer is one who works in terrible shop conditions, ghetto rigs things, doesn't PAY his tool bill the way it was agreed upon. They generally becomes hostile/ offended at the idea of having to pay in accordance to purchases Also keep in mind YOUR single minded requests gets multiplied by 200 which then all falls on ONE dealer. It's not as easy as people seem to think it is....

So, be nice to your tool guy, It's a relationship after all!!

Above statement is well put. I was a Snap-on dealer from 1989-96 and back then the business was changing and the amount of what the mechanics were buying was slowing down. It has to be a tough gig for the most part today. I'm glad I did it and I'm really glad I got out.

 

[wafrederick]

The new Snap On dealer in the Hart/Shelby and Muskegon,Mi area is a good dealer.My Matco tool dealer knows him,nice guy and knew him through a shop he worked at in Ludington,Mi.My Matco tool dealer stops at this shop he worked at on his route.My Matco tool dealer has been going after the dead beats that owe him money.He does not allow them to buy something until they start paying that money they owe to him.I am not one of them,I pay him on the spot when I owe him money and says I am one of his good customers.

 

[yogitech]

I've never seen or heard rumors of any of the truck brands in my area having credit troubles. Then again I know at least two of them that don't string out a $300-$500 wrench set for 6 months either on truck credit.

I know financially techs are not in the best position these days, but the tool dealer doesn't have to be because you are.

I've never had a debt to the truck. Always paid 100% cash up front. Have gotten discounts too because of it and more freebies than I deserve.

This statement is a little off, the dealers financials are a DIRECT result of his ability to recoup from his customers, no payments = no dealer longevity.