Did you know that Sears and the Craftsman Club offer a hefty discount on Craftsman tools and storage products for tech students?
Either this is a new program or it’s one of those programs that has always existed but wasn’t highly visible or talked about.
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Vocational students and qualifying Sears team members can enjoy 50% savings on regularly priced mechanics’ tool sets and tool storage products, as well as 20% savings on ALL other regularly priced tools, on their first in-store purchase.
For one year, eligible tech students and educational program members can also enjoy an extra 20% off regular tool prices and an extra 5% off sale prices. This applies to online and in-store purchases.
Summary:
- 50% off the regular price of your first mechanic’s tool set or tool storage purchase, in-store
- 20% off all regular first-time in-store tool purchases
- 20% off regular prices on all tool purchases online or in-store for one year
- 5% off sale prices on all tool purchases online or in-store for one year
The signup page says that the program is sponsored by the Sears Blue Tool Crew, so there is a chance the discount could apply to tools outside the Craftsman brand as well.
Here’s the fine print regarding the initial discount offer:
Sears Vocational Educational Program initial savings offer applies to in-store purchases only with a VALID student ID. Only one initial offer per student. Student must become a Craftsman Club member in order to receive the initial discount. Offer applies to regular price items sold by Sears.
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Summary: if you’re eligible for the promotion, you can enjoy 50% savings on regularly priced mechanics tool sets and tool storage products, ONE TIME, in-store. Other regularly priced tools will be discounted by 20%. After that, you have one year of 20% savings, online and in-store. Tools that are already on sale will be discounted an additional 5%.
More Info (via Sears)
Reminder: Craftsman’s Tool of the Month rewards program is open to all and not just tech students.
Dear Craftsman and Sears,
Here’s a tip. You know that whole “Made to Make” marketing campaign you launched last Summer, where you promoted Craftsman tools as being perfect for hobbyists and makers? It would be great if this tech student discount program could be extended to hobbyists and makers as well, maybe even if just once or twice a year.
Paul
And don’t forget Craftsman also offers the “Tool Of The Month Club.” If you spend more than $199 at one time buying your tools go to Craftsman Tool Of The Month Club and sign up. Craftsman will give you $10 in rewards points each and every month for the next 12 months. (You can use the tool of the month with the student discount program!)
Stuart
Thanks for the reminder!
Michael
How do I go about financing the tool set and box? I’ve already signed up, have my student ID and 50% discount card
Mark L Eaton
I went to school at MMI INSTITUTE in ORLANDO Florida an heard that Sears was giving a 50 percent discount for the tools I need for my job. How do I do it.
Stuart
Sears sold the Craftsman brand to Stanley Black & Decker, and it’s unclear if the Craftsman student discount program is still in place. Sears still has a webpage up about the program, but with errors and if you click-through for more info it leads to a webpage that’s broken or non-existent, with a “the site can’t be reached” error message.
JoeBlow
Dang, I need to register for some classes!
Seth
Normally this wouldn’t be such a huge deal, since select toolboxes and mechanics tool sets go on sale at 50% off once or twice a year anyways.
But this student discount works on Craftsman’s huge 540pc tool set, which is almost never found below $1000. The discount brings it down to $650 – a massive price drop – making it far and away the best value when it comes to sockets and wrenches in bulk.
Best part is Western Forge still makes a majority of the 540pc set here in the States, so this is one way to get a lot of USA-made hand tools on the cheap.
Mark L Eaton
I need to buy my tools now as soon as possible I have not been offered a job in Panama City and Destin Florida for working on both attended MMI Institute in Orlando Florida and now I need to buy my tools to do my job someone told me that you all are offering a 50% discount if I bought all of my tools at one time which I am prepared to do would you please respond to me and let me know how this is done thank you.
Joe
I’ve read other places that this works for apprenticeships as well…but the actual craftsman website says VALID student ID… is there anywhere to get/read the full rules/regs on this deal?
Stuart
The quoted information was all I could find, but I’ll see if I can find out more.
Stuart
I asked for fine print, and my Craftsman contact sent me back to the same page with no added details.
Adam
It’s hard to get managers to give you the discount even if you show them the info on the program. It doesn’t seem like Sears promotes it that well or wants people to be able to redeem this. 🙂
I did it once or twice but the wait for them to check on it was sooo long it wasn’t worth the savings.
Jeremy
I feel rather ripped off. The first time I was in Sears to make tool purchases for school, I asked if they had a tech. student discount program. They told me that I was eligible for a 20% discount for Craftsman tools at full price and 5% off sale priced items. I was never informed that the first purchase was eligible for 50% off of tool sets and tool boxes. Had I known that, I would have bought my tool box there rather than Menard’s. Now, I can no longer get a first-time 50% discount. The workers there didn’t seem all that knowledgable anyhow. They didn’t even know what external Torx sockets were.
Brian
I just went and tried to get this at my local Sears and first the kid didn’t know what i was talking about. Then i talked to somebody else and the best they would do is a measly 15% because the set and box i wanted were on sale. When i asked if I’d be better off waiting until they go if sale i was told they’re always on sale. I reluctantly put down a layaway deposit and decided i would talk to somebody to get this discrepancy resolved. After talking to the customer service reps on the phone i was told it had to be done online. So i went to cancel my order at the store and the manger (i assume) had told me that he had just talked to corporate that same morning that i called and gave me some jibberjabber answer and i had told him i still wanted to cancel and get my money back i was told “they won’t give it to you online either but whatever” I haven’t contacted them again about this but if that’s the truth even with the discount I’d be better off going with snap on (who gives us around 60% off of everything no matter how much we buy)
Ken Kunz
How do I get a pin number to register my students?
Stuart
I haven’t a clue. There doesn’t seem to be any contact info for anyone at Sears who could help with this. Sorry.
Tom
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the Sears / Craftsman Tech Student Program!
[email protected]
http://www.sears.com/votech
Mike
You’re a little late. After the store closings the “in-store only” aspect makes it inaccessible to about 90% of the students who might have been interested.