Over at the ToolGuyd forum, Fred posed this question: [Is] Sears Selling off the Craftsman Brand?
Taking a look at recent Sears press release, it does look like they have some big plans for Craftsman, as well as Kenmore and DieHard, which fall into their KCD company.
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Here’s the crux of what they said, minus some unnecessary words. But you can check out the full release via the link above.
[We have] decided to explore alternatives for KCD.
Our iconic KCD brands are beloved by the American consumer and we believe that we can realize significant growth by further expanding the presence of these brands outside of Sears and Kmart.
As the “internet of things” develops and as more of our lives become connected, we believe SHS and KCD stand to benefit significantly from broader accessibility.
By evaluating potential partnerships or other transactions that could expand distribution of our brands and service offerings, we can position both businesses to achieve greater success.
Here’s what we believe this message translates to:
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We want to sell Craftsman (and other KCD brands’) products outside of Sears.
What else could it mean?
We have long ago speculated that Craftsman might split from Sears, but after more than 6 years, this has yet to happen. Technically. KCD is somewhat considered to be its own business within Sears, but a true spinoff has not quite happened.
Sears has experimented with Craftsman expansion before, such as their 6+ year arrangement with Ace Hardware.
Amazon also started carrying a selection of Craftsman tools, and even sells a whole lot of them directly.
Do you want to see Craftsman tools sold outside of Sears, at more retail places?
If I were an executive at Sears, I would have 3 concerns about this:
1. It’s possible that only a limited selection of tools will be available at outside retailers. Maybe the most popular hand and power tools, plus some seasonal items.
2. How will warranty or satisfaction guaranteed exchanges work? Will consumers still have to visit a Sears store for this, and how would it work elsewhere?
3. Will sales associates at other stores be fully informed about Craftsman products? (It can sometimes be hard to find Sears associates that are knowledgeable about certain Craftsman products and product categories.)
4. Will an expansion outside of Sears stores dilute the brand or its reputation?
Despite my hesitations, there is also great potential if Sears is able to expand their Craftsman distribution partnerships to other online and even in-store retailers.
If they are able to do so, their task will then be to sell to retailers, who will foot some of the marketing and selling costs.
What do you think will happen? What would you like to see happen?
mike aka Fazzman
They’ve been selling Craftsman stuff at ACE hardware and at OSH for many many years here in California.
I dont see what the big deal is,its still made in China garbage mostly now. Once they learn that made in the USA was why people loved Craftsman it will be too late.
They used to have good service too,but the workers just dont care anymore either.
fred
IMO, the 3 brand names in the KCD IP LLC are about the only thing of much value that Sears has left. Selling them off might give SHC an influx of capital to delay their inevitable collapse.
Tom
My impression from the press release was that they were also thinking about selling the brands off entirely. I don’t think that they would announce hiring Citigroup to evaluate things if they weren’t at least considering selling the brands altogether.
That being said, I think that distribution of the power tools at big box stores would be a good thing for the brand. Craftsman is still a respected brand by most people and could compete in the Ryobi price range.
Jason
The Craftsman C3 tools are made by TTI/ which builds the tools under the Ryobi name for Home Depot.
krusty
they have ruined the brand only thing they an do is sell it before it’s worthless
Matt J
They brought a large chunk of craftsman tools into our local Atwoods at the beginning of the year, but it almost seemed like they didn’t really order as much as got a ton of junk no one really wanted. They had normal products but then a ridiculous amount of 3/4″ drive sockets that were instantly marked down but are still there nearly six months later.
Mike
Used to buy Craftsman hand tools because they were made in the US and carried lifetime warranty. Couple years ago, a Craftsman tape measure broke and I took for replacement. Sears said the lifetime warranty was tape measures was no longer in effect and gave me a Stanley tape measure in exchange. That was the last time, I got tools at Sears.
Alan
I think people have romanticized Craftsman into something better than it is. There was a time when they built decent homeowner/weekend warrior tools for a fair price. That was a long time ago. I think the brand could be revitalized, but it would need someone with deep pockets. The key to Craftsman’s image is US manufacturing. Being poor to mid quality import tools, there is no real reason to choose them over others.
Biff
My grandfather made a living using craftsman tools. Try that today and you would be on the street in a week.
BonPacific
I can’t say I’ve ever bought a Craftsman tool. I do have a nice old axe-head (40+ years old) with their name, but that’s about it.
The main reason? Sears. I find their stores unpleasant to visit. I’ve only been into two, but they were both drab, run-down, and just cold feeling. None of the sales associates seemed interested in selling anything, and the whole store felt like it wasn’t really sure why it was there.
I just can’t gin up a reason to care about what Sears does with the brand. If they sell it off, it’ll probably just get cheaper in quality. If they keep it and sell it at more stores, it’s got plenty of competition. I’d be interesting in seeing what brands Craftsman might replace at Lowes or HomeDepot. Maybe Hitachi get’s the boot? I could see Lowes doubling-down on the American Brands (not american-made mind you) with Porter Cable.
Nathan
The problem they had is our fathers and probably grandfathers had and used craftsman stuff because at the time is was the only thing of quality they could buy. Outside of industrialized cities this was the case for most of america up until the 80’s I would say.
And they were quality products – up until the 80’s I would say. Their time is past it needs to just go away.
as does the Kenmore rebranded other brand applicances of various makes, and the diehard batteries of rebranded Interstate or ?? of what ever year who makes the cheaper lot set.
just go away
All the other things have their own outlets now. The fancy great kenmore washer is actually a maytag – well go buy the maytag get it for the same price or better without being hassled in a store by someone that is told to push the warranty and install.
etc etc. Sears lost their opportunity in the 90s and the only thing they have going for them today is the stores that aren’t near or by any mall. And those might as well be called something else.
Barks
But Whirlpool makes Maytag.
Lynyrd
That was not always the case. Kenmore was always re-badged Whirlpool, Maytag, GE, etc.
RKA
My own reason for buying craftsman was once upon a time quality (now cheapened) and the lifetime warranty backed by a store that is a fixture across the land – they have increased limitations on what tools are warranted and not and its almost certain the store will no longer exist in time which raises questions about who if anyone will honor warranties. Needless to say, it doesn’t matter to me if they spin off and sell the brand. It’s expected as they continue to circle the drain, it’s still a strong brand for them. Better tools are available elsewhere these days.
Toolboxhero
A while back someone said on the Internet that Craftsman tools are not what they used to be. So now that statement is accepted as fact. I’m here to say that you can’t believe everything you read on the net.
Here is the reality. I’m just going to focus on one small detail. When I turned 16 my Grandfather gave me an old set of Craftsman tools. That was in 1968. Guess what? All the ratchets he gave me were broke. So what has changed?
I still have most of those tools. The are pretty much identical to the hand tools you can still buy in the Craftsman kits. I’ll tell you that the finish on them has completely worn off. So what has changed?
I bought a set of 1/2 inch Craftsman sockets in 1970. I really can’t tell the difference between them and what is in the Craftsman sets today.
I’ve read so many say that Craftsman ratchets are junk. But, I can tell you that I have never broken a Ratchet and I never will. I’ll go on to say that anyone who has ever used my tools will never break their own ratchet either. Why? Because I was properly trained on the use of hand tools. I was lucky enough to work for a company that has journeyman electricians, mechanics and pipe fitters. Those wonderful mechanics taught me how to use my tools properly and how to take care of them so they will last. They taught me how and when to use a breaker bar and when to use a ratchet.
Does anyone here know what a breaker bar is? Do you own one? If you do why are you complaining about breaking ratchets.
Mark
While you are correct in tool usage, craftsman is not a brand that is advertised to you. They are marketed to the homeowner/weekend warrior crowd. They do not know how to use tools, what a breaker bar is, nor do they care. They simply want the peice of mind that they can get their tool replaced. BtwI, have had a 1/2″ craftsman ratcheting wrench break a pawl on me (and it was not being abused). It was begrudgingly replaced at my local Sears. I was happy to get a refurbished America made replacement. I but cobalt or husky now as I find them in my price range and the future if their brand seems a little clearer.
OM
From my viewpoint, Craftsman had ascended to the top of the heap in regards to consumer and light-duty professional grade hand tools (sockets, ratchets, screwdrivers, pliers, etc.) and then with the shift in the company’s upper echelon proceeded to sit on their laurels while the likes of Husky (Home Depot) and Kobalt (Lowe’s) chipped away at this core business.
The example I often give is, I bought the 41″ Craftsman Grip-Latch rolling tool cart/chest combo about 10 years now. I was impressed with the weight and feel of the build quality, especially for the price I paid. Then a little over two years ago a close friend bought the identical combo and asked me to help him put it together. During this, I couldn’t help but notice many subtle differences between his and mine, starting with “Made in Mexico” printed on the shipping carton. Nothing major, but things like loose nuts and bolts to attach the casters vs. “braised-on” nuts on mine, gas springs on his lid vs. folding struts on mine (I consider any such unnecessary mechanical item just one more thing to break), and overall just “felt” lighter, cheaper, more on par with HF’s equivalent size box. My dismay has led me to feel some guilt for talking up mine to my friend which likely was a deciding factor in his purchase.
If Sears Holdings is considering selling off KCD or even just Craftsman, I hope for all of us consumers, that they find someone who can resurrect Craftsman to it’s glory days.
Brian
echoing other comments, I dont really care… craftsman is a budget brand to my mind, on par with Kobalt or Husky. As HD/Lowes are more accessible than sears, those brands has been my preference.
Craftsman success is largely built on heritage, which will continue to decay. They do not produce a superior tool IMO.
I guess we’ll see where they go with it, but its hard to imagine beating HD or Lowes brands if they are selling the same products for the same price. Your target audience is already at HD/lowes, thus they have a competitive advantage.
Maybe they can partner with walmart or target to make up for the loss of K-Mart? but I still think they lose by not being sold where DIYers and skilled trades are already shopping.
Curtis S
Just an FYI…
There are already quite a few Craftsman & Craftsman Industrial tool versions available from Global Industrial. I have purchased a few items, and they came in the same Sears/Craftsman packaging that you would find at Sears. They have been available for at least a couple of years.
Gary
I bought and still use a large socket set from Sears back in the early 90’s. Quality was good and they still take abuse. I recently bought a small set to lug around. The box said made in America. When I opened it up, what I assume was the chrome or other metallized coating was peeling off from light usage. If Sears spins them off I hope it goes to a better manufacturer from the USA. Hoping but never know with the globalization of tool manufacturers these days.
fred
A lot of their old sockets were made by EASCO Hand Tools out of Hunt Valley MD.
I believe Easco also made a lot of the tools under the K-D brand that were a favorite of “shade tree mechanics” . When Danaher acquired EASCO I think things got a bit blurred – with their other brands.
Michael
I have used Sears/Craftsmen since birth it seems, born in 1963.
Its 2016.
Life is change, and so has business.
3 years ago, I walked into my local Sears for my last warranty replacement. Took EVERY SINGLE Craftsmen hand tool I owned and wore out and asked for replacement. I got a real funny look by the 21 year old at the cashier, but they honored their warranty and I still use and occasionally buy Craftsmen hand tools out of pure habit.
Its a sad day when S/C decides to close, but nothing lasts forever – the universe itself eventually dies.
Until then, I will be happy with my refreshed S/C hand tools until my not really that unfortunate demise.
And I am proud of the cool stuff I have accomplished with my Craftsmen tools, no regrets.
Dobes
I’ve never met a Sears associate who knew squat about tools so you can sell them anywhere if that was a criteria.
I would like to see them at home depot or Lowes so I can make a fair comparison vs other brands.
But really unless craftsman gets away from the gimmicky stuff and doesn’t get back to solid American made craftsmanship, I’m just done with them
Mortimer Nelms
I am amazed that given how incompetently run the comany is that Sears is even alive. The guys that run the place a corporate raiders looking to “monetize” every element of the company. Craftsman used to be the industry standard, now, not so much.
Will
I don’t think they have to worry much about diluting the brand or reputation. I visited a Sears last weekend and was appalled at the poor quality of tools that now bear the Craftsman brand. I have a 40-year-old grinder, circular saw and router I got from my grandfarher that still work like new. The junk I saw in that store looks like it was made in the same factory that makes Harbor Freight tools.
Hang Fire
Mind Boggles… they invoked the “Internet of Things” buzzword(s), to justify selling Craftsman branded merchandise outside of Sears/Kmart.
Wow. As if there was any remaining doubt that Sears management has no clue what they are doing.
Toolfreak
Eddie Lampert pretty much told everyone he was going to sell off the Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard brand names when he seperated them from Sears as standalone entities that could be licensed or sold off.
The only thing that’s new in the Fortune article is the suggestion that he might sell off the brands before Sears closes it’s last store.
My take is, people who care about Craftsman tools or Sears should be getting angry that Eddie Lampert and people like him can intentionally run a long-established company into the ground with the intent to get rich selling off the assets once the workers are all out of jobs and all the physical property has been sold. Should be illegal, really. Probably is, just corrupt people looking the other way.
Richie
WHERE they sell Craftsman tools isn’t the problem, it’s that they’re no longer made in the USA. It irks me that when I need to warranty a USA tool and they exchange it for a Chinese product.
Elliott Warshowsky
How much of Craftsmen is still made in the USA?
Mike I.
Sadly, it likely means that the brand name will be sold to some Chinese manufacturer. It will become a once esteemed label applied to cheap, junk products.
Biff
You are a few decades too late my friend.
matt
I am just a homeowner and do not work in the trades and have actually enjoyed Craftsman products, mainly because of the Shop My Way Points system. With some patience I have learned how to take advantage of my points and have saved tons of $$ on my basic tool collection. It even feels like stealing sometimes…I have popped into Sears and claimed some free tools without even pulling out my wallet. I just scored a tool chest organizer drawer for free. Are you kidding me???
Just for fun, I have collected the entire Extreme Grip line for just a small fraction of the sales cost. Extreme Grip drivers are awesome BTW. I have scoped out some great hand tools (for the money) by reading product reviews and comparisons. This does not necessarily mean Made in the USA or even durability-wise (is it going to last 40 years…). What I want is a tool that will excel in doing the job and provide a little joy for a low end user like me. I have actually learned a lot about tools from doing this, learned about different brands just by comparing products out of curiosity, and have come across this awesome website. I don’t think that Craftsman could stay in business if every customer were like me, and its definitely a flawed brand, but I have a lot to thank for Craftsman.
Sledgecrowbar
The new (~2 or 3 years) Harbor Freight hand tools are nicer than my American-made Craftsman stuff, at least as far as looks. They’re similar to my Gearwrench stuff in finish, actually, and I like them. As far as quality, I haven’t broken anything yet, and not for lack of use.
I think Craftsman has lost everything at this point. They’re not domestic-manufactured, they’re not the least-expensive, they’re not even the easiest to warranty. Sears stores are closing while Harbor Freight’s are popping up everywhere. I can buy a set of Chinese 3/8 sockets with a lifetime warranty from half a dozen auto parts or big box stores within 15 minutes’ drive while Sears is twice as far.
If I had to start over buying tools right now, I’d probably go Kobalt or Gearwrench, or even Harbor Freight. I bought into Craftsman because they were a REAL tool company, not some dime-store pot metal offering like you used to find everywhere, and they made virtually everything you could need or want, and it was easy to warranty.
Now the Chinese stuff is great, and has the same warranty, and Craftsman has become nothing more than an “As-seen-on-tv” gadget junk peddler that also happens to offer some sockets and wrenches, but it’s hard to tell exactly what they offer anymore because their website has gargantuan holes in the lineups and they’re cutting offerings that aren’t sales leaders like the rinky-dink homeowner sets that give you the cheapest tools in a set marketed to people who don’t know which way to turn a wrench.
I bought a Craftsman tool set a while back because I couldn’t pass it up, it was the first “set” I had ever bought. It had “all three drive sizes” of SAE and metric sockets and wrenches only, no pliers or screwdrivers or hammers. It had almost every 1/4″-drive socket, just missing the three largest and three smallest deep sockets, and a pretty full array of 3/8″-drive, and then five 1/2″ sockets, regular depth, all of which were duplicated by the 3/8″-drive sizes. Then I got five of each metric and SAE wrenches, the metric stuff was 10-14 mm and the SAE was the equivalent. This is what constitutes a tool set that will get me through a job? This is how the Chinese sets that we scoff at are set up. They’re designed for one purpose: to separate a fool from their money.
Lynyrd
It really is no more than CEO Edward Lampert exploring various arrangements for increased profit. Regardless of selling the KCD division or licensing arrangements, Sears and Kmart will continue to sell Kenmore/Craftsman/DieHard products, at least for the foreseeable future. Even if sold to another retailer, Sears Holdings would retain the right to sell the brands.
What is hopeful is that the Craftsman Industrial line which continues to be the Made in USA product produced by Danaher, would be sold by a bricks and mortar retailer beyond some hard to find online retailers.
It should be noted that in the mid 00s, Home Depot attempted to buy the three brands from Sears (especially Kenmore) when Sears was near Bankruptcy. However before it was further explored, Lampert then CEO and Chairman of Kmart purchased Sears and formed Sears Holdings Corp.
Biff
The Craftsman brand is meaningless now. It’s no better than any other made in china tools and you pay a premium for the name. I still have some of my grandfathers craftsman tools from the 50s 60s and 70s and they are as strong as ever. I bought a set of “made in USA” craftsman screwdrivers and they have already started to deteriorate after a handful of uses.
You might as well shop at harbor freight and save some money. Their tools are just as good. And in some cases actually better.
Justin
I’ve had much the same experience as matt has. Two years ago when we bought our first house, I bought a great Kenmore washer and dryer (manufactured by LG) which started me on a Shop Your Way rewards kick or “points roll” as I like to call it. Used my first wad of points from the washer and dryer to get a real nice portable table saw. Then rolled the bonus points I got from that into a microwave, then an orbital sander, a real nice snowblower, then a real nice snowblower for my dad, a router, router bits, a belt sander, a router table… etc etc. I use my Nextec 12 volt drill, impact driver and oscillating tool basically every day on my home renovation projects, for about $50 each (give or take a coupon code and surprise points), they are a great set of lightweight cordless power tools.
It’ll be a shame when Sears finally gives up the ghost, but the whole retail sector is struggling in one way or another.
NickB
I was talking to my Matco dealer at work and he mentioned that Snap on is looking to expand into the retail market and is looking at buying the craftsman brand to do it. He said Matco is concerned and is trying to plan a strategy to compete.
Lancelot du Lac
Great comments! After 28 years in the military/engineering/supply chain, I would offer these three comments:
1- Years ago, the “AVERAGE Americans” decided on quantity over quality – switching from high quality products to more of lower quality but “shinier” products in order to “keep up with the Joneses”. The market followed. A Ford study circa 80’s showed that the AVERAGE American buyer selected his/her purchase mostly based on a “feeling” (i.e. color, appeal, stripes, clout, etc.) as opposed to his German counterpart who went for facts (specs, ratings, performance…) or his Japanese counterpart who went for (Japanese) technology (high-tech, Japan-made, features, novelty…). The study also stated (to my horror) that ~90% of Americans do not really know what they are buying (i.e. do not do their homework, research, specs, etc.) relying on appearances, friends, TV, salesmanship… to decide on their purchase. The study (which cost FoMoCo several millions over 6 months IIRC) concluded that for American consumer markets (as opposed to professionals), a company’s best focus should be in marketing, appearance, and low cost over any other considerations.
2- Foreign suppliers will built a product to the buyer’s specs meaning in our case (tools) whatever the importer (i.e. the American business) dictates. IOW, Craftsman or any other importer sets the specs, China/Taiwan etc. provides at an agreed cost. I have witnessed two cases where a foreign company refused to produce a product to US importer’s specifications because they felt that our (US) requirements were below the standards of their products/country and that they did not want to potentially jeopardize their reputation!!! The deal involved Porsche (engine sub-assembly) and Honda (major engineering part I forgot about).
3- In the Navy, in combat, I have experienced some major failures of “Made-in-USA” components that were substandard and had escaped the scrutiny of QA or inspectors.
As an American Veteran who believes in my (our) country, it tears me apart to see, hear, and witness that in/for many foreign countries, “Made in America” now means “cheap”, poorly-made, or “Walmart” quality which is a complete reversal of the reputation that America enjoyed for decades following World War II. Believe me, it really hurts.
Bottom line, I consider the “Toolguyd” guys/gals to be “a cut above the average” when it comes to our seriousness about tools but sadly enough, the “public” and “corporate max-profit entities” have decided on the low quality crisis that faces our country. I hope that more of us “Toolguyd” people can reverse this trend. Peace to all, thank you for these great comments, Ciao, L
Tony
Looks like Sears is selling Craftsman to Stanley Black & Decker:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/sears-sells-craftsman-brand-to-stanley-black-decker-1483623215
Stuart
Thanks! Here’s my take on it:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/craftsman-brand-sold-to-stanley-black-decker/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Martino
Hate to say it, but about 15 years ago I was in the scrap metal business and you can guess how much pounding and beating I had to do with my tools. It was about that time I was running really low on funds (scrap sheet metal was around $10 a ton) so I turned to Harbor Freight’s Pittsburg brand. I had broken many a Craftsman wrench beating them with a sledge, but the Pittsburgh wrenches stood the test with flying colors. In fact I never broke a Pittsburgh wrench that way. I haven’t been back to Craftsman since.