Tool Price Increase?

[karoc]

Guys is it just me,since the virus I have notice a big increase in tool prices. I buy from Shars,Zoro,and other online places. It seems that prices has jump,I had few items in my cart and when back check since I'm home and dang I was shock. Even HF is on hold think till June 30th. Guessing that they are not able to order from overseas due to virus

 

[Ton ton]

I bought a 12" adjustable wrench for 29.99 +tax on Friday. USA made Craftsman.

 

[BrandoJames]

Just to provide some objective data, I checked my Amazon Order history for tool purchases over the last 18 months. The first price is what I paid; the second price is current price (prices rounded to nearest dollar):

Proto Ball Pein hammer set (4 pc): $106, currently $128

Williams Drive Spinner Handle $13, currently $11

Tekton Hand Impact Driver Set $16, currently $15

Merry HS175C Electric Clip Pliers $50, currently $79 (Japanese import)

Vessel Impact screwdriver $13, currently $16

Titan 3/8" flex ratchet (long) $35, currently $35

Williams 1/2" flex ratchet (long) $67, currently $70

For lower priced items (under $50), prices look fairly stable. The Proto hammer set and the Merry pliers did see a significant price spike. However, the Merry is a Japanese import and a specialty item, so I'm not sure that's a good indicator. Hope that helps.

 

[matt_i]

Ya don't raise prices when sales are booming, that's a fast way to kill the boom.

Plus with the "hole" in the economy of 1+ month(s) every little bit is going to help out.

 

[BrandoJames]

Ya don't raise prices when sales are booming, that's a fast way to kill the boom.

Depends on the supply curve; if supply cannot keep up with demand, then prices will definitely go up.

 

[PelicanPines]

Consider it a tool stimulus...

I just about stopped buying everything... ton of stuff in my cart... I should check the prices before opening the flood gates.

 

[karoc]

Myself I had purchase a broaching set which paid 220.00 but sent it back due to damage then when to purchase a new one which bout few weeks later and it was price at 246.00. So I told myself I'll wait till it goes on sale so I check other day and it was price at 289.00 Dang my bad luck

 

[bobcatdan]

Can't say I noticed. I have a few things on the want list that don't need immediately. With some of the sales the sites I watch are having, I have jumped on a few things and from what I can tell the prices were in line with what i have been watching.

 

[CobraRed]

If anything, brands are cutting prices not raising them at the factory level. To keep afloat. Any increases are due to limitations and interruptions in logistics and personnel effecting supply

 

[Sine Swept]

Damn I'm never getting those Merry hs175c's at this rate. I was having a hard enough time sourcing the cheapest deal.

 

[BrandoJames]

Damn I'm never getting those Merry hs175c's at this rate. I was having a hard enough time sourcing the cheapest deal.

Terrific tool, but yeah--bad timing now. I have Amazon Prime, and there's an Amazon Distribution Center (warehouse) in my metro area. So my 2 day shipping is often more like 18 hours (awesome).

But for the Merry, it took a few weeks to get that tool. It's not something Amazon typically stores in their warehouse. Forget about two day shipping, it's more like a slow boat from Tokyo.

 

[darkzero]

I'm not sure why the Merry ones gets all the praise, price maybe? I purchased both the Merry & KTC, I liked the KTC better & sold the Merry.

I purchased the Merry HS175C directly from Merry/Nile USA. They were only $24 but shipping was $17. Still came out cheaper than Amazon or ebay, no tax, & shipped from the USA. Don't know if the price is still the same though, that was late last year.

 

[measuredtwice]

Haven't noticed a change in tool prices. Keep in mind that even before covid-19, Amazon changes prices frequently--sometimes several times a day. I've gotten some good deals from their wild price changes.

Some stuff has gone up. Like PPE. Ebay and Amazon have taken down sales of N95 masks because of price gouging. Eggs have gone up. I thought this WSJ headline was funny--> "Egg prices soar... forcing supermarkets and farmers to scramble"

 

[Ton ton]

I hope tool prices are not going up, but I can't really say which direction they're going.

 

[BrandoJames]

Last week, I got eggs for $1 per dozen from a poultry enthusiast.

Former Oklahoma State basketball coach Abe Lemons tells a story about ordering breakfast at a NYC diner back when money still had value.

Waitress: Our two egg breakfast is twenty dollars.

Lemons: Show me the chicken that can lay a ten dollar egg.

 

[neophyte]

Just to provide some objective data, I checked my Amazon Order history for tool purchases over the last 18 months. The first price is what I paid; the second price is current price (prices rounded to nearest dollar):

Proto Ball Pein hammer set (4 pc): $106, currently $128

Williams Drive Spinner Handle $13, currently $11

Tekton Hand Impact Driver Set $16, currently $15

Merry HS175C Electric Clip Pliers $50, currently $79 (Japanese import)

Vessel Impact screwdriver $13, currently $16

Titan 3/8" flex ratchet (long) $35, currently $35

Williams 1/2" flex ratchet (long) $67, currently $70

For lower priced items (under $50), prices look fairly stable. The Proto hammer set and the Merry pliers did see a significant price spike. However, the Merry is a Japanese import and a specialty item, so I'm not sure that's a good indicator. Hope that helps.

The Williams tools are more likely to be made in the USA.
The Merry Vessel and Proto are definitely imports.
The Titan and Tekton are imports as well, but due to the lower cost, both may order in huge lots from overseas suppliers, so the brands still might not be anywhere close to supply depletion.

 

[jayemm]

I recently purchased 2 Husky Adjustable Height Work Tables from Home Depot.They were the last 2 of the 46" size at my local store.The price was $179 each.Afterwards I checked their website and the new price was $209 though none presently in stock.I checked the price at some of the surrounding stores and if in stock they were still $179 but one's showing no stock had a $209 price.Maybe it was a price increase once existing stock was depleted but it still made me wonder.These are damn nice tables and getting a 10% veterans discount made it even better.

 

[californiaHank]

I've noticed that some of the premium American and European tools on my Amazon and eBay 'wish lists' have risen somewhat in price. I'm guessing that for a bunch of reasons, a lot of retailers are stocking less and offering fewer discounts on what they have on hand.

 

[jgromada]

The supply chain is broken right now. I think if sellers have stuff and can ship they will. But a lot of the country is not really at work and so tools are not as much a concern.

 

[WittHay]

In the non online world not much has changed tool stores have about the same prices and sales as last year. The tool trucks have no problem bringing in stuff from the warehouses. No big price increases, better not be cause Snap-on prices are high enough already

With so much hiring going on with anything connected with Amazon, Ebay and the delivery companies it takes a while to get things sorted out. Have to train new people and drivers have to get used to routes. No end to the online/delivery business in the US and prices go up when there is big demand

 

[shoeless]

I was looking at some tools on Amazon.de and nothing was shipping to the US through them.

 

[Ton ton]

Snap On has gone up on adjustable wrenches, unfortunately.

 

[PelicanPines]

OEM consumables for my 891 Roomba have doubled in price since January. Same supplier. I ended up buying knock offs... but feel I overpaid for those.

That said... I recently purchased USA hex drivers and a square driver for under $10 each... decent price.

Makes me wonder if they are price gouging certain cleaning consumables...

New Jersey state has a new division devoted to price gouging...

 

[d.mcfarland]

Everybody is going to use anything possible to justify raising prices at the RETAIL level.

 

[engineer2]

Makita XWT08Z was $229 all year, but is now $250. I guess I'll wait.