nofloundernofloundernofloundernoflounder
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/09/business/popular-wrench-fights-a-chinese-rival.html?
Chicago-area man invents, patents, and manufactures a new hand tool in the USA. He enters into an exclusive contract with Sears. Sears subsequently copies his tool, manufactures them in China, undercuts his price, and discontinues orders from the original toolmaker. Lawsuits ensue.
SOB
I might go to Sears for a few tools but it looks to me like Sears jammed this guy. Boo on Sears.
This isn't anything new.
The tool store I used to work for did this constantly, the lawsuits were few and far between.
Dirty as hell, I'm glad I'm not involved anymore.
Shawn
This is why I've never really looked to far into patenting any of my camera rigs. Any patent only seems worth what what you're willing to pay to defend it, and as soon as someone with deeper pockets decides to rip you off, you lose.
That seems like exactly what's going on here with Sears. It's a bummer, too, because it seems like positive PR and good marketing of an "American success story" type product could overcome the few percent extra that they'll make building them in China.
Or, they could always go the Apple route of the positive PR and good marketing, AND the cost saving of building them in China and make zillions.
jg
JG - do you manufacture your own rigs, or have you sold your designs to another manufacturer?
it's kind of a bitch move by Sears to do this and i hope they get tons of negative PR over this and have to pay up on the lawsuit- but on the other hand it is a wrench that's designed for people that are too stupid to grab the right wrench or confused women that don't know anything about tools that are looking for a cheap father's day/birthday/Xmas gift for their boyfriend or husband..
novaderrik wrote: it's kind of a bitch move by Sears to do this and i hope they get tons of negative PR over this and have to pay up on the lawsuit- but on the other hand it is a wrench that's designed for people that are too stupid to grab the right wrench or confused women that don't know anything about tools that are looking for a cheap father's day/birthday/Xmas gift for their boyfriend or husband..
+1
novaderrik wrote: it's kind of a bitch move by Sears to do this and i hope they get tons of negative PR over this
Agreed. This on top of the fact that GRMers have had really mixed results with craftsman....the quality is supposed to be slipping.
Sears/Craftsman can DIAF.
I don't go to sears for tools anymore, except to replace a broken ratchet, this seems to happen far too often now. The stuff they sell would have never held up in the dealership, and they don't hold up to my garage use. Factor in crap like this and I'm done.
DrBoost wrote: I don't go to sears for tools anymore, except to replace a broken ratchet, this seems to happen far too often now. The stuff they sell would have never held up in the dealership, and they don't hold up to my garage use. Factor in crap like this and I'm done.
+1, when I break something I already own - I go get it replaced but I don't waste money on any new stuff they offer. The stuff is garbage.
I agree with GRM's latest article - Kobalt is pretty good at a decent price point. Nice tight mechanisms, easy to read size labels and so on and Lowes carries a pretty decent selection so if you lose your last 10mm deep well on a Saturday you can get one pronto. berkeley you sears.
I'm going to play devil's advocate here, and say it sounds like somebody didn't read his exclusive contract well enough before he signed it.
Not only that, but in about 30 seconds of googling, I found out that Sears has a history of doing this. I'm not sure I'd sign an exclusive with a company who is going to start reproducing the item I'm selling exclusively through them.
If I had been him.. Lowes or HD would have been a better choice. Sears is on their way out anyway since they merged with Kmart
I'm ordering in S-K stuff slowly and Home Depot or Lowes for stuff like screwdrivers, hammers, etc. Sears can kiss off.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I agree with GRM's latest article - Kobalt is pretty good at a decent price point. Nice tight mechanisms, easy to read size labels and so on and Lowes carries a pretty decent selection so if you lose your last 10mm deep well on a Saturday you can get one pronto. berkeley you sears.
It's had to tell at my Lowes. The last time I went it looked like whoever stocked the sockets just dumped them all in a cannon and pointed them in the general direction of the tool department.
it also seems that everytime I go to Lowes.. they have a new version of the wrench out... standard, Rachtening, shorty, twisted... I wonder what is next?
alex wrote: JG - do you manufacture your own rigs, or have you sold your designs to another manufacturer?
For one product, I manufacture everything myself. For another, I have one piece machined by a commercial shop to my specifications,and the rest I assemble.
jg
just saw an ad on espn for the "new" crafstman max access, yikes. hopefully this guy gets his.
pres589 wrote: I'm ordering in S-K stuff slowly and Home Depot or Lowes for stuff like screwdrivers, hammers, etc. Sears can kiss off.
my dads 1/2" set that he got in the early/mid 70's is S-K... always loved that tool set and I look forward to owning it in another 20-30 years lol...
I
Thats a bummer. Between this and their standard Craftsman ratchets being made in China now, I'm pretty much done with them. Anyone know if I can get rebuild kits from somewhere? My 1/2" and 3/8" ratchets are getting a little worn, and I don't feel like going in and getting my 15 year old USA made tools replaced with ones of indeterminate quality.
Regarding the made in usa tools, what has changed? Have tolerances gone too loose, has the alloy composition changed, or has everyone else simply gotten better? The lifetime guarantee really seems like a bad idea, considering the hypothetical infinite replacements possible on a single purchase.
I am not sure... all I can tell you is my last Craftsman rachet lasted less than a month of wrenching on my saab before it blew it's guts. The Kobalt is still going strong
You'll need to log in to post.
