My local Home Depot has “new lower price” flags for some of the Milwaukee Tool pliers and cutters on the hooks.
A closer inspection showed that many of the other models also have reduced pricing, with differences of $2 to $3 depending on the tool.
Given the timing, this could have to do with the new USA-made hand tools that Milwaukee is set to launch just a few weeks from now.
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The “new lower prices” are not too far off from where they were, and not every pliers or cutting tool looks to has been reduced.
Interestingly, the aviation snips also have “new lower price” flags.
This has me wondering if the advertised price changes are connected to the launch of the upcoming USA-made screwdrivers and pliers, or if there are other strategies at play.
For example, Apex Tool Group has pushed more tools onto Home Depot’s pegs and shelves, such as in how they took the place of Estwing hammers and striking tools.
Wiss has always enjoyed a regular presence at Home Depot. There are some Crescent SKUs at Home Depot, but only a couple of pliers sizes and styles.
The lower prices could potentially be a strategy by Milwaukee to ensure they command a strong presence in the pliers aisle, especially as pricier USA-made hand tools head for the electrical tool aisle.
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Looking online, standard straight-cutting Wiss aviation snips are now $16.97 at Home Depot. Milwaukee’s are now $14.97, from $16.97.
Placements for Milwaukee’s USA-made tools have not yet been made public, but we do know that Lowe’s and Klein Tools announced a new partnership earlier this year.
So, lower prices on Milwaukee pliers and cutters could potentially have been done to widen the difference between import and USA-made models, as a strategic move to counter competitive efforts, or some other completely unrelated reason.
Whatever the reasons, the lower prices seemed noteworthy.
Michael Fondacaro
I did see this but expected the discounting to be greater to get rid of import inventory ahead of the USA made line where there is an overlap.
Jared
I bet they keep selling both lines. I don’t think Milwaukee is trying to steer customers to USA tools necessarily. I think they want to capture a new market segment.
fred
I posted under “Father’s Day” that MaxTool sent out an email proclaiming a 15% off sale on Milwaukee for Father’s Day.
Obviously not aimed at gift-givers – but might be a good deal.
Use code MILW15 for 15% off on orders over $200
https://www.maxtool.com/
Tom
If they’re not on clearance then it’s most likely just a seasonal sale. New Lower Price typically just denotes limited time sale pricing.
Mark+S
There are also other Milwaukee items with the NLP tags throughout the store….but they are not lower than competitors prices, they are lower than the inflated HD prices that were started a couple months back. Examples in my area are Packout wall parts, such as wall plates, hooks, etc. They raised prices up 15-25%, then NLP them back down again.
I wrote a note to Stuart who did some Columbo work and confirmed many of my suspicions about Milwaukee tools pricing at HD. For example the M12 radio was $189 ( wildly overpriced compared to other retailers), then they did NLP tags to bring it down to earth at $149.
Regarding these hand tools in this article, I bet the original is slightly inflated compared to other’s price, and they brought to normal.
Also of note two of my local HDs had a floor display of Milwaukee 4 or 5 different electrical tools in the electrical aisle in one store, and another store had a wing rack filled with a bunch of electrical tools I’ve never seen regularly in any other HD store….I think the new tool products may be slowly creeping in. Shall see more soon I bet.