Why does Snap-On do this??

[mrholeshot]

While I generally respect your views, Mr. Holeshot, I don't think you are on the right track this time. Pliers are still made in Milwaukee, Ratchets in Tenn., rumors on the inter-tube.

Snap-On rebrands of asian tools exist, to be sure, but their hard-line tools are still unique, US made products that set the standards in their respective areas.

I don't think Stanley or Danaher, or their ilk, will taking over SO at any time in the near or distant future. Neither of them would even be catering to the automotive sector had not SO paved a road for them to tread.

Coffee, anybody??

Austin has a new F1 track...it's in a town called 'Elroy'.

I never said they wern't made in the USA. The first step though is leaving off the made in the USA mark to get you use to not seeing it. The next step after a few years is to move production overseas. MAC Tools (AKA Stanley) did this and people buying them were totally unaware until the quality got so ****** they were saying WTF.

I have nothing agaisnt tools built in China or Tiwan. I have a problem buying tools At the same price(or more) from the same vendor that sold me what I thought was made in the USA. I think every tool should have to be stamped with the COO on it. I was in lowes yesterday and picked up a pair of Vise Grip Channellock type pliers. I liked them alot. The tool wasn't marked at all and it took me about 3 minutes and some searhing to find the very small "Made in China" on the packaging. Thats because they had 3 Vice Grip USA on the big address, Sold by Vise Grip USA and the warranty address with big USA on that. It was a true case of deception within the law. As much as I liked them I hung them back up and decided I could live without them.

This seems to be the going trend. MAC Tools sold me a 10 pc Vise Grip set (marked MAC TOOLS) and they are made in China. It's not marked anywhere on the tool. After using them I thought they didn't cut the mustard. A frien of mine had a set he never opened. Had one litttle paper inside "product of China" I use them for welding now.

I few Snap-On is headed down the same road. I think they are getting us geared up towards a switch in the near future I hope I'm wrong. Maybe Selling toolboxes for 20-30K that cost 2-3K to build will allow them to keep building stuff in the USA

 

[K5blazer83]

So is the bottom line that I the pliers I have are China made even though the website says USA?

 

[kythri]

There's a 95% chance that the pliers you were given as a replacement are USA-made. In another year or two? Who knows.

I think the reason for removing the marking is disingenuous. "USA" may not hold as much value overseas, but I can't see it hurting the value.

 

[mrshaun]

they are usa made. you have your usual ones that are going to say no. and I am sure they will stretch this thread on for days.

 

[supertooljunkie]

If you don't want to pay SO price for PRC made tools..........Harbour Freight is just around the corner!!

 

[SocketDeviler]

I think you are correct and Snap-on is using a "boil the frog" business strategy. As you say:

They condition buyers by (i) removing the USA stamp while most of their tools are still made in the States. Then, they (ii) quietly shift production to the overseas factories they have built. Snap-on is "training" buyers to pay higher "Made in the USA" prices for tools that will eventually be made in China and India. After all, it's only the Snap-on quality that counts.

Yep, that's the way it's looking to me. Of course there will be some spin and such but at the end most if not all their tools will be imported. In this instance, I would love to be proven wrong.

 

[rsieracki]

maybe i came off the wrong way... im all for buying american, its just that if something is made oversees and is of the same quality as something made here and at a signifigant savings i feel its a poor value to buy it solely based on COO.

as ive said in some posts on other threads i have a lot of SO stuff, its arguably some of the best quality out there. are some tools better elsewhere? im sure there is, but thats not to focus of this thread the OP asked about where his non marked replacement pliers are made. if SO says USA online then i'm sure thats the case. lying in print about that carries a huge fine im sure.

i was shocked to hear SO opened up a factory in china, but to be honest its a sign of the times. the manufacturing costs are far cheaper overseas and many many companys have done this. what we dont know is if those pliers will be marked here in the states or abroad. just like ford/gm/etc makes cars overseas for foreign markets that arnt available here.

 

[Jononon]

It is an irrefutable fact that Snap-on told lies on its website, regarding COO, for more than 18 months.

It's imperative that one remembers that before entering into any discussion based on 'Snap-on says', particularly when that information is supplied second-hand by someone with a vested interest in maintaining the marketing mystique.

 

[MartinTech]

I never said they wern't made in the USA. The first step though is leaving off the made in the USA mark to get you use to not seeing it. The next step after a few years is to move production overseas. MAC Tools (AKA Stanley) did this and people buying them were totally unaware until the quality got so ****** they were saying WTF.

I have nothing agaisnt tools built in China or Tiwan. I have a problem buying tools At the same price(or more) from the same vendor that sold me what I thought was made in the USA. I think every tool should have to be stamped with the COO on it. I was in lowes yesterday and picked up a pair of Vise Grip Channellock type pliers. I liked them alot. The tool wasn't marked at all and it took me about 3 minutes and some searhing to find the very small "Made in China" on the packaging. Thats because they had 3 Vice Grip USA on the big address, Sold by Vise Grip USA and the warranty address with big USA on that. It was a true case of deception within the law. As much as I liked them I hung them back up and decided I could live without them.

This seems to be the going trend. MAC Tools sold me a 10 pc Vise Grip set (marked MAC TOOLS) and they are made in China. It's not marked anywhere on the tool. After using them I thought they didn't cut the mustard. A frien of mine had a set he never opened. Had one litttle paper inside "product of China" I use them for welding now.

I few Snap-On is headed down the same road. I think they are getting us geared up towards a switch in the near future I hope I'm wrong. Maybe Selling toolboxes for 20-30K that cost 2-3K to build will allow them to keep building stuff in the USA

Fair enough. I have never had the opportunity to purchase MAC tools, but I have weekly visits from both Matco and Cornwell. Their trucks are littered with imported tools that are labeled as their own.

I find myself buying SO regularly, and gladly paying truck prices for it. Anything else I tend to buy from Harbor Freight, because at least you know what you are getting, and paying an appropriate price for it. I too, refuse to pay truck prices for tools that can be bought for 10% of their asking price.

I remain optimistic about the future of SO, but who knows? I was raised in Kenosha, my parents still live there, and I end up in that neck of the woods at least once a year. I have fondness for the things that remind me of home. I should probably buy an AMX!

I got a kick out of your thread comparing the price of a SO box to that of a new pickup truck. Of course, all the truck brand boxes are priced like that. It reminded me of the video on youtube where the SO guy compares his box to several others. I think they call it 'The Undisputed Champ'. In that video, SO makes a big point that their box says 'Made in USA' on the back, and the Matco box doesn't. I shudder at the hypocrisy!

 

[Jononon]

[Snap-on's] hard-line tools are still unique, US made products that set the standards in their respective areas.

Country Of Origin, Spain.

 

[shotgunfatcat]

theundisputedchamp.com



I don't know if this was addressed already, but maybe snap-on has a chinese plant for their blue-point tools, and why would they need to take snap-on overseas when the already have blue-point for that. They would just rebadge them and be done with it.

A few of us have e-mailed snap-on in past disputes, here is my conversation.

I have heard parts of your hand tool products being made overseas. Also
you have taken the Made in USA off some of your products, we are all
thinking you are going oversees with these products as well. You have
been a staple of American history as well as Wisconsin history (my home
state) and I am not entirely happy about this. Can you please give me a
list of the products you have that contain foriegn parts as many of my
fellow mechanics would like to know. We are proud to represent our
country, and we will not stand spending our quality American made money on
your products that we thought were fully made in USA as you have preached
your entire companies career.

Response:

William,

All of our hand tools are still made in the USA. The removal of the USA branding was part of a marketing decision to focus more on the actual benefits of the tool.


Chris H

response back:

I am sure you have been getting a lot of e-mails like this. I don't see why removing the USA branding is a good marketing ploy. If anything people with think the company is going overseas for parts. I would put it back on there, it brings comfort to every wrench turner in America, and even in some other countries. My dad always told me if it says USA on it, it is a good tool. You will lose a lot of business if the company does move, I am sure you know this.
Thanks for your time. William

Response back to me:
I will pass along your comments to the powers that be. Thank you for your honest feedback.



So yet another e-mail saying their hand tools are still made here.

FYI, my company does work for Oakley. They are still made in USA, oh wait, they still say that on them.

Will.

 

[Jononon]

William,

All of our hand tools are still made in the USA. The removal of the USA branding was part of a marketing decision to focus more on the actual benefits of the tool.


Chris H

So they're still lying. No equivocal phrase like 'hard-line tools', no mention (unlike Armstrong) of the marking on the tools, just a simple, unabashed, lie.

ETA: FWIW - I do not think Snap-on are bad tools, that's clearly a ridiculous position, and I do not even think that there's anything wrong with a degree of outsourcing. As an example, many of the patents for ratchet wrenches are Taiwanese and the highest quality ratchet wrenches, regardless of COO, are arguably manufactured in Taiwan. What I do vociferously object to is systematic corporate dishonesty, particularly from a company that lobbied to have its major rival hit by the FTC.

 

[jay50]

Just got a pair of 95BCP needle-nose pliers warrantied with my local Snap-On dealer and I'm very skeptical that these new ones are USA made....once again no USA stamp anywhere to be found. Chad and Shaun and others...comments??

Those look exactly like pliers I saw at Harbor Freight last week....for $2.99

 

[Need4racin]

If it doesn't say Made in the USA, chances are it isn't. By leaving off the COO, you can't be sued for lying like Stanley was. People just assume it's U.S. made. They have a disclaimer on the website "Image shown may not be actual product but represents product or set which includes product". That sounds like vague, lawyer speak to me...

It is, I think you are right on the money. The US is no longer the major consumer of the world. Walmart is even moving to foreign countries to expand business. You can look up a list of them in Wikipedia.

 

[Need4racin]

William,

All of our hand tools are still made in the USA. The removal of the USA branding was part of a marketing decision to focus more on the actual benefits of the tool that we are moving overseas to manufacture for more profit.


Chris H
Happy to fill you with corporate bs lingo.

Corrected for truth.