Snap-on whoring their name out is bugging me

[chadster1]

I know it is not easy, my Cornwell dealer is a friend of mine. I asked him if he got tired of defending the Asian/Cornwell re-labels on his truck. I needed ratcheting wrenches, and just asked for the GearWrench catalog. I told him since the "Cornwell's" were Asian, and the Cornwell selection was poor, I would just as assume buy the GearWrench products, same goes for the bit sockets, drivers, pliers, fine tooth ratchets, etc.....If it is not real Cornwell, why buy it over GearWrench for more money?

It must be tough times for tool dealers, by no fault of their own. Imagine being a Matco dealer, and trying to convince someone that the Pro swing wrenches were different than the GearWrench Gearbox ones, etc........ I would just give up myself, and just sell the darn GW ones on a Matco truck, why help preserve the masqurade?

I sell a LOT of gearwrench on my truck and I make no apologies.

 

[Mickey O]

Thats why I have the Genius line on my truck instead of Blue Point.

Do most (or all) of your customers insist on US or European tools? Are any of them receptive to Chinese tools? Maybe the younger generation?

 

[SO/PW newbie]

A few years ago, I walked into ACE hardware and they had all this Snap on stuff (all made in China). Flashlights, led worklights, gloves, etc. I picked up some stuff, but I always get compliments on the gloves.

Then right when this happened, people were trying to make a profit from them on ebay. The were (and still are) selling those flashlights for alot more than they cost at ACE.

You can see the SO nail gun if you go to the alltrade website.

 

[scbird94]

Turns my stomach but we had a draw in the shop today to see who gets to take the new Wurth calender home since were not allowed to hang it up anymore.

Its out now? looks like its time for me to order another case of brake cleaner lol. I have the last 2 years hanging.

Funny part is, its a calendar, but i dont care what month its turned to, i just go for the hottest girl lol

 

[eborcim]

No girl calendars for 2010.

you're kidding.....

 

[chadster1]

Do most (or all) of your customers insist on US or European tools? Are any of them receptive to Chinese tools? Maybe the younger generation?

Price, quality and then Country of orgin seems to be the order of importance in the majority of my route. In a small section of my route that is more affluent than the rest the country of orgin seems to be of a greater importance.

 

[autoace]

It is hard to understand Merk., people were lining up at the Snap-on tools door, but Snap-on is putting the red light bulb in their window anyway.

 

[autoace]

Merk., I was just going through old emails, I had some extensive conversations with Alan Biland (VP of Snap-on tools), about two years ago. I don't know if he is still one of the guys at the helm, but it was an "enlightening" experience. Most of these companies are not run by "tool guys", they are run by suits that probably never used a tool, and think they have such clever ideas, that brings us to today's success.

If you want more info, PM me, but I would not bother writing at this point.

 

[Displaced Hokie]

It's called "Brand Management" and "leveraging the Brand to increase the customer base and return-on-investment to stockholders". The thing is, those flashlights and chairs, etc probably won't tarnish the brand as long as the quality product is still available. Someome buying a $5.00 flashlight probably won't use it that hard anyway.

 

[Jononon]

None of this should be a surprise. Every designer label has diffusion lines. If you stop seeing them as a tool company and look at them as a brand, and I assure you that's the mindset of the company's managers, then it's logical to monetise that brand across multiple markets.

Merk., I was just going through old emails, I had some extensive conversations with Alan Biland (VP of Snap-on tools), about two years ago. I don't know if he is still one of the guys at the helm, but it was an "enlightening" experience.

Alan Biland left a couple of years ago.

 

[autoace]

It's called "Brand Management" and "leveraging the Brand to increase the customer base and return-on-investment to stockholders". The thing is, those flashlights and chairs, etc probably won't tarnish the brand as long as the quality product is still available. Someome buying a $5.00 flashlight probably won't use it that hard anyway.

That is what they are doing alright, I have a hunch, a few years from now, that "Snap-on" tools from China will be behind the counter of local auto parts stores.

It will tarnish the brand, I was an avid Snap-on customer for many years, the quality of core products diminishing, several bad dealers, no back up at the time from SO corporate, and other tool companies coming on strong, has really hurt things in my area.

As I visit other garages, besides mine, it is not just me, Snap-on has lost it's king status in this area. We have some aggressive Cornwell dealers coming up from behind (although Cornwell is dropping the ball also). It will devastate the brand(s) as we know them. They may still be around, but they won't be the companies we remember anymore.

 

[Jononon]

Heh, seems like Displaced Hokie and I are on the same page!

 

[autoace]

None of this should be a surprise. Every designer label has diffusion lines. If you stop seeing them as a tool company and look at them as a brand, and I assure you that's the mindset of the company's managers, then it's logical to monetise that brand across multiple markets.



Alan Biland left a couple of years ago.

Does not surprise me, that was the last contact I ever had with Snap-on tools. The problem with pushing the brand to multiple markets, is they lose focus of their core market, and QC for that core product(s). I have seen the quality diminish alot since the late 90's. The poor QC was the final blow, then not honoring the warranty for new tools, that were defective. I sent merk. some of the tools, none of my statements are fabricated, just sad truth. It is just not Snap-on either................get me on MAC tools and thing get worse LOL.

Their strategy is working. The truck tool companies have forced alot of my purchases to GearWrench. They all say, origin does not matter, ok, then I will pick the best Asian tools, with the best product for the money. Asian Cornwell, SO, MAC, Matco lose in this area; however GW is MATCO, is Danaher...............so I guess I prefer, Matco's GearWrench over PRC Cornwell, SO, MAC................in the end does MATCO win for having the best Asian tools? I don't know maybe MATCO/GearWrench tool trucks in the future? Maybe that would not be soo bad, don't know.

I know this though, in this area if Dave Blankenship pulled into garages in this area, with promo GearWrench packages, and excellent service. Alot of techs would get on the band wagon. USA hardline, and GW to fill in otherwise..................a better combo than other tool trucks.

I predict MATCO will come out of this mess the best, Asian Danaher trumps Cman, Blue Point, Cornwell re-labels, and MAC.................so when origin does not matter anymore, MATCO,KD,GearWrench, Armstrong,etc...............will probably triumph, they don't really make any junk, unless you count some of Cman, and they expanded their company with brand names, not piddly junk.

 

[Skyline]

I predict MATCO will come out of this mess the best, Asian Danaher trumps Cman, Blue Point, Cornwell re-labels, and MAC.................so when origin does not matter anymore, MATCO,KD,GearWrench, Armstrong,etc...............will probably triumph, they don't really make any junk, unless you count some of Cman, and they expanded their company with brand names, not piddly junk.

Were you aware that Snap-on currently sells the full line of GearWrenches?

Ask your S-O dealer for an RWD Tools & Equipment catalogue. RWD is a division of Snap-on that carries all sorts of brands OTHER than Blue Point. Brands like OTC, Lisle, K-D, AST and....GearWrench. This is not rebadged stuff. I gather it is up to each individual dealer to pick what RWD items they want to stock on their truck, but any dealer can order from it. But this is a pretty cool 270 page catalogue that covers a LOT of stuff.

 

[chadster1]

Any good tool dealer should be able to get you any non-franchised brand of tool you desire.

 

[Vinko]

Price, quality and then Country of orgin seems to be the order of importance in the majority of my route. In a small section of my route that is more affluent than the rest the country of orgin seems to be of a greater importance.

Yes, my sense is that more people than not, don't care about origin.

That said, if SO were farming out their name to subsidize the cost of producing quality truck tools (and the infrastructure that delivers them) I wouldn't mind.

 

[Vinko]

Were you aware that Snap-on currently sells the full line of GearWrenches?

Also -- I know dealers that sell anything they want on the truck -- Lisle, cheaper scrapers, door panel removers, brushes, googles, etc. Or they go get the OEM version of the SO stuff that's rebranded. Stuff like magnetic parts trays, etc.

One example, some of the liner for KRL series a while back was pretty expensive from SO. My dealer bought from the OEM source for $100 a roll. Which was considerably cheaper than one individual piece was. He was doubling his money selling it on the truck. His customers were happy because it was much less expensive, and he was happy because his profit margin was a lot better than if he'd got the SO branded stuff.

 

[babzog]

+1

A PC world we live in now.... Somehow it is wrong for a dude to look at an attractive woman, but domestic "partners" are the in thing..... What a messed up world...

-BWP

****** that! I'm gonna be the quintessential "dirty ol' man" when and if I ever grow up... and I can't wait! I'm still too young to go around pinching girls' bums (would get tossed in the klink for harassment (is 'harass' two words?) but give me another couple or three decades and I should be ripe enough to just get the "look", the squeal and the "go away, you dirty old man!" with a good bum pinch. Hehehe... gonna be grrreat!

 

[Blwnsln]

I rember a time not long ago, a Snap-on dealer could get fired for selling non snap on tools, but those days are long gone.

I think alot has changed at Snap-on, I still see lots of quality tools comming from them, but I see alot of cheep junk and alot more propaganda.

 

[american lockpicker]

Do most (or all) of your customers insist on US or European tools? Are any of them receptive to Chinese tools? Maybe the younger generation?

I'm from the younger generation and I say NO to Chinese tools. I used to buy American but can't find much anymore so I mainly buy European now.

 

[american lockpicker]

Cheapens the brand and i hate it. My grandfather taught me the value of good tools. He was a snap on man. Took pride in his work and his tools.

How can one take pride in a poorly made Chicom tool? Made by kids or slave labour on the other side of the planet, by a government that kills and censors their own people. A government that goes against all that we in the west stand for.

One of these days, our support of a communist regime will bite us in the ***. Those chinese flashlights bought over here will finance the bullets used against us when the **** finally hits the fan

Ill hop off my soapbox now, but this frustration isnt aimed soley at snapon... you can substitute any of the major toolmakers out there.. Irwin.. Stanley..mac...

Its ironic you complain about communism when its capitalism thats screwing you over.