I rarely stop in at the local Walmart, except when it’s time to stock up on neon or funkily-patterned USA-made duct tape. Last weekend I was out with the Mrs., and we decided to walk around the nearby Walmart to help settle a heavy dinner.
Not having been to Walmart in a while, my first stop was to check out the lone tool aisle, where two things surprised me. First, I could not spot the Skil oscillating Multi-Tasker that was said to be carried by Walmart stores starting in May. Maybe they sold out ahead of Father’s Day?
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And the big shocker – there were two Channellock pliers on the pegs! Channellock… at Walmart? This is most certainly a new development, right? While I don’t shop at Walmart much these days, I went there a lot back in college and don’t remember seeing anything other than Stanley and generic-branded pliers and wrenches.
Not only that, the prices were reasonable. Both the #430 10-inch and #440 12-inch tongue and groove pliers are a hair cheaper than on Amazon.
Maybe this is an experiment, or maybe it’s just a great example about how Channellock provides great quality USA-made tools at affordable prices. In either case, this has my approval.
Check prices or purchase Channellock 430 10″ Pliers via Amazon
Check prices or purchase Channellock 440 12″ Pliers via Amazon
fred
Maybe I’m an alarmist – but this has me worried. I see what looks like Lowe’s carrying less of the Channelock line and more of their house brand (Kobalt). So maybe Channelock has gone to Walmart to make up the volume. This will be OK – unless they get hooked and Walmart starts demanding lower costs that can only be met via foreign manufacture
Kevin
this is new to me, I noticed the same thing about 3 weeks ago, they also carry Irwin Visegrips with a retro label they use to have in the 80s/90s, not the blue/yellow theme they use when sold in other stores
river1
i’m with fred on this, this is not good. a few years ago Frontline/PBS had a show about walmart. one of the examples they used was Rubbermaid.
here is a synopsis
Wal-Mart ruins Rubbermaid. In 1994, Rubbermaid won accolades as the most admired company in the United States—but five years later, its fortunes fell so hard that the company sold itself to a competitor. When the price of a key component of its products went up, Rubbermaid asked Wal-Mart for a modest price increase—but Wal-Mart said no, and stopped sales of Rubbermaid products. At a Rubbermaid factory in Wooster, Ohio, that meant the loss of 1,000 jobs. [PBS Frontline, 11/23/04]
walmart has done this to other companies as well
later jim
Stuart
I also spotted the vintage-labeled vise grips and had to check to see if it was new old stock made in the USA. It wasn’t.
To be honest, I don’t think that Channellock will be in any trouble or at risk of being manipulated by Walmart in the same way that Rubbermaid and other companies have been. There were only two pliers on the shelf. With Rubbermaid, I can see how Walmart sales could make up a large percentage of their overall volume.
Realistically, how many people are going to buy the Channellock pliers off the shelf at Walmart? The tool aisle is there for convenience.
Channellock’s execs are likely sensitive to the fact that the brand has a long-standing USA-made tradition. While they do produce a few tools overseas, their pliers have always been made here. I don’t think that they’ll change that just to reach a lower price point on 2 SKUs carried by Walmart.
While my gut feeling has been wrong before (to my surprise Craftsman recently switched over their entire Professional wrench line to overseas factories), I’m pretty sure about this one.
David
I have bought a number of Channellock pliers at Walmart. If Channellock ever offshored their pliers line, I would cease buying them. I routinely stop by the tool aisle at Walmart to see if they have addded any additional USA brands. Still not too many, but at least they do carry Channellock, whose pliers are second to none.
Ryan
Yes, the CHANNELLOCK Pliers you all know are stocked at Walmart. Walmart has been a customer of Channellock, Inc. for over a decade until early 2008. After a breif period, Walmart asked if we would be interested in partnering again and of course, we were.
The CHANNELLOCK Pliers now stocked at Walmart are manufactured in Meadville, PA and are as MADE IN THE USA as you can get these days… You can see the factory and workers at http://www.channellock.com.
Regarding some of the other comments, we can not make assumptions about Rubbermaid… however, Channellock, Inc. is still a good vendor at Lowe’s and many other harware retailers. We thank the entire U.S. Public for taking the time to check labels for Country of Origins and remaining loyal to the strong U.S brands that remain.
Many Thanks and Regards,
Ryan DeArment
VP Sales & Marketing
Channellock, Inc.
Meadville, PA
U.S.A.
David
As long as you keep them in the USA, you’ll always have a loyal customer here.
Mike Foley
Ryan,
You are constantly reminding us of the proud men and women of Meadville, PA., where many of the world’s best tools are made! Thanks for your great tools! May this country continue to show the world our creativity and excellence.
Mike
While browsing the hardware aisle tonight I saw these are being steeply discounted at Walmart. Are they being dropped again?
Reno
Channellock has licenses there brand to lower end import company its very confusing you never know what your going to get