Klein’s ModBox tool boxes with drawers – which were teased a year ago – are now available, and they bring up an interesting question.
Should modular tool boxes with drawers include a full set of removable dividers?
Milwaukee did this for their newest tool boxes with drawers, and also started included full sets of dividers for their original drawer tool boxes.
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Originally, Milwaukee only included enough dividers to outfit just one drawer, and additional sets of dividers were available separately.
The new Klein ModBox 3-drawer tool box is advertised as being bundled with 24 removable dividers – 8 per drawer. So that’s 2 long dividers and 6 short ones per drawer.
On one hand, consider users who don’t plan to use dividers in each drawer. Well, a full set of dividers is bound to factor into the cost. Right? Wouldn’t it be better for users who want more dividers to spend a little extra to get them?
On the other hand, accessorizing tool boxes can be a pain. If a user is spending $150, they’re not going to want to add more dividers at $10 per drawer – or whatever it is they’d cost.
I saw so many complaints about Milwaukee’s practice of only giving buyers enough dividers for a single drawer per tool box.
It wasn’t an unusual practice, and it makes sense in some ways, but users didn’t like it.
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Even with me, I could have used more dividers, but I didn’t want to pay extra for them.
Klein has obviously been keeping an eye on customer sentiments.
This is the type of practice where logic and emotion disagree with each other. Logically, isn’t it better for users who want more dividers to buy them separately? Emotionally, they can be hard to find, and they’re not inexpensive – especially if you need to outfit several drawers.
When you’re spending $150+ on a premium plastic tool box, you expect it to include everything you need to use it to its full potential.
It’s like how steel tool storage products typically come with precut drawers liners these days. That wasn’t always the case, but it’s been the trend for a while.
All that said, if you’re buying a premium-priced modular tool box with drawers today, do you expect it to come with a full set of dividers for every drawer?
Or would you rather save a few bucks upfront and buy divider sets later if needed?
John
If they are not going to include them than price them reasonably.
Jerry
Goes both ways. I know I will never use some extra dividers that I know I paid for and I also wished other boxes came with them.
However, I agree if they are not included have the box cheaper and the dividers readily available at a reasonable cost.
MFC
A full set of dividers cost them how much more to manufacture?
$1? $2? It’s pretty basic stuff.
It fits inside of the tool boxes so there’s almost zero additional freight, unless the 8 oz of plastic starts adding up when multiplied x10,000, but I ship stuff all over the place and unless you’re crossing the 50lbs threshold, then it doesn’t matter.
My takeaway: Include the dividers.
There’s zero reason not to unless I’m missing something.
Ovan
Oki
BigTimeTommy
They absolutely should but consumers have been programmed to accept being nickel and dimed for everything.
Wayne R.
Well, we expect it, yes, but I really resist accepting it.
Maybe these units should be like cash/credit for gas, you get a little discount if you take it without extra dividers.
James
I think they should be separate. My drawers are mostly used without dividers so I’ve got a crate without 50-60 leftover dividers that I paid for, will never use, and probably won’t be able to find a taker for.
James
*with 50-60…
Scotty.
My take is shallow drawers should come with dividers and deeper drawers should have them as an optional accessory.
MM
I’d prefer the dividers be sold separately, but that is assuming they’re just as available as the boxes are. I’ve been saddled with many extraneous bins, dividers, wall-mounting brackets, that I don’t want.
xu lu
No dividers, no deal. Uses change over time. Sell a complete product-full stop.
DW
Most retailers aren’t going to stock the dividers so yeah, include them. All these boxes are silly expensive and including a few dollars at most worth of these should be a no brainer.
Johnez
This! If retailers would stock dividers I’d be on board with none. Prices probably wouldn’t even budge if they removed them though.
JoeM
I think of them the way I think of the DeWALT straight-edge guides for their saws. Since they don’t seem to want to risk selling them with their accompanying tools, yet still sell generic ones that aren’t guaranteed to be for the particular model you’ve bought… They should be a free add-on sent only to those who cash in a code that comes with the drawers.
I have a stock DeWALT Straight Edge that I bought for my DCS391, and the packaging even clearly stated it was compatible. I checked, and rechecked, the parts availability, and it lists the exact retail package that I bought… Yet it still didn’t fit, and continues to not-fit any of the saws I own, at all. It took a contact with the Facebook Page for DeWALT, explaining this, for them to state, and I quote, “That straight edge is sold as a legacy product. It fits an old corded model, and now acts as payment for the straight edge we have for each individual saw. Just give us your address, and we’ll send you out the one you actually need, for free.” When I asked if I’d have to buy this standard model for the Jigsaw, and all upcoming saws in the future, they responded “No, don’t worry. We now have you listed as owning the saw, and you can just contact us when you buy the other saws, we’ll send you straight-edge guides as you need them, on us.”
I then proceeded to buy a Milescraft Adaptable Straight-Edge, and it fits all the saws I have, instead of going through DeWALT’s shenanigans. And it will fit any, and all, future cordless saws as well, as pretty much every brand that produces these little fence/edge guide things makes them the same relative size (within millimeters of width of Eachother) so the same Milescraft ruler for the edge guides works for every brand, one way or another. All that you need is the little fastening screw, which I’m guessing most brands honestly sell without the trickery (DeWALT now does, from their parts centers.) so it works universally, and very well.
I genuinely think this model would work if they just left a coupon/QR Code in the drawers, sold empty. You register for warranty that you have said drawers, scan the coupon/QR Code to tell the company that this drawer is going to have the full set of dividers or containers (whatever the drawer type may be) and they send them to you for free, minimizing their costs on producing the dividers and containers, as only the exact amount needed will ever be purchased via the codes. “What if the drawers start coming in different sizes combined, and you only want the dividers for one out of two or three drawers?” QR Code registration for the exact drawer you need them for, embedded in the drawer, like a sticker. You only scan those codes into registration, that will be getting dividers and/or containers.
That’s my thoughts on it. There’s so much wasted trickery in the tool industry, there has to be an economic compromise with that industry to ensure they won’t lose money on over-production or shipping weight. We only take the option if we truly want them, and don’t get punished by paying extra for that feature. I’d even be okay with company-specific regional shipping rates. An “American” company such as SBD may ship the dividers and organizers for free to the Americas and Asia, but puts a small shipping fee on the Australian, European, UK, and Middle-Eastern markets. Perhaps TTI, being an Asian-Based company, with some brands based in the Americas, might switch that up to free shipping to Asia and the Middle East, and small shipping fees for the rest of the world. Bosch, Festool, Proxxon, and the rest of the European brands favour the EU and UK over everyone else. Etc. through all the different regions, and their local Tool Brands. Pretty sure Makita is going to be dominant in Scandinavia, and Metabo/Hitachi will favour Japan and China, for even more specific reasons than just economics. But I do maintain it would be a very small shipping fee, as even if you’re buying thousands upon thousands of drawers’ worth… It’s going to be a relatively small package compared to their tools. Relative size pricing will be what I mean.
I’m very much in favour of only buying what you need, not a whole package of things you may-or-may-not need, but were sold together as the only way to get X tool, or Special Edition Y Feature to the packaging. (TSTAK or ToughSystem carriers, rather than Tool Bags for the complete set.) I’m all for special edition tools or tool storage though. Coolers, Dust Collectors, Etc. Just don’t want them to be exclusive to specific sets of tools.
Sorry for the length, Stuart, but the dividers being supplied for free covers three different (annoying) conditions that Tool Companies are guilty of exploiting. Explaining all three conditions as compromises this way, solves all three annoyances by using the identical method: Opting In on a Product Feature post-purchase. QR Scan when registering Tools and Drawers, Region-based Small Shipping Cost, Zero Exclusivity for specific Tools or Tool Storage options. They only have to produce what people are literally paying for.
Jim Felt
Nice well reasoned and thoughtful response. Perhaps some relevant product managers will also take note.
S
Most people studies have shown that people base their entire review as the product arrives.
While I understand the idea, the majority would rather buy a product that doesn’t meet all their needs, but includes everything needed, than to require additional steps to bring the product up to each personal definition of usefulness, free process or not.
I think this is the spot where everyone loses. If they don’t include them in the initial purchase, they lose a sale. If they do, it’s either not enough, too many, or have complaints of storage of the pieces that aren’t immediately needed because there aren’t well publicized channels to get those pieces again if the usage changes.
Saulac
Brands figured out that it not worth the logistics to maintain the dividers as an item. Store don’t want to carry them. They are low cost and difficult to display. The “customers do not like” hits the max when people found out they have to wait weeks to use their new expensive tools. It is wasteful, but you can see this “kitting” in order to simplify logistics in many fields. I used to be able to get a sing replacement spring for the drum brakes. Now I got a kit of about 30 pieces. I am happy to still be able get them though.
Jared
If the dividers were as accessible as the boxes and priced the same way they are when included with the boxes, then by all means sell them separate.
My experience though, is that the boxes will be in-store, the dividers available to order online and what might increase the price of the box $5 per drawer if included in the purchase will instead cost at least $10 per drawer separately.
William Adams
I think that they should be included, and things designed so that when not in use they can be stored out of the way (maybe clipped to the underside of the drawer?) for when needed.
Champs
How much do they cost and how easy are they to come by?
I’d like another tray for my rolling Packout base but I can’t just buy one off the shelf, I have to get it from a specialty retailer at a price that isn’t great but may be fair, and then there’s shipping. For that kind of trouble…
If it’s about waste, let me just say that you’ll never run out of Milwaukee chargers. And yet the one you really want, that could replace every one of them in in service or out, costs about $200. 🤷🏽
Champs
Failing that, sell them without bins or dividers but cultivate the Gridfinity community with STL files, not just specs.
MKY
Stuart-
“Milwaukee did this for their newest tool boxes with drawers, and also ***started included*** full sets of dividers for their original drawer tool boxes.”
DC
I have a Milwaukee Packout system and it came with some dividers, most not being used and in my rollaway toolbox.
JR Ramos
Include all of them, absolutely. I don’t always use the full set/slots but for AS LITTLE as the dividers actually cost to manufacture and (when available) for as much as they tend to sell for separately at retail, just include them. The boxes are already at such a ridiculous “premium” price anyway so tossing in a dollar’s worth of plastic widgets should be expected – plus it gives the manufacturer another marketing bullet point.
As a purchasing agent, sometimes you’re locked to MSRP and MAP (legally or for one reason or another), but for those who have room for pricing discretion, even if the boxes were ever so slightly cheaper without dividers, the biggest chance is that the retail price will stay the same or if going by typical business math it’ll be rounded up to the nearest “good looking” retail price and probably be the same anyway. And small items like plastic widgets will never be priced at a cost-plus level, they will always see higher margins and so the customer usually gets hosed on retail pricing for parts and small accessories. Nip it in the bud and just let the manufacturer include them in the product to begin with. Everybody wins except for those put off by having unused widgets to contend with.
I hope one of these days someone will make a divider system that is more granular, say with one-inch spacing options – or at least a configuration that will hold 5″ and/or 6″ grinding wheels and sanding pads nicely. Such a common consumable and nobody seems to think of it.
James
Fair points here. I dunno. As a small business with limited storage space, I think about the volume of unused dividers, but I take your points and are most likely in the minority. Nevertheless, not perfectly cut and dried.
Mike
They should come with dividers. But if they don’t want to do that, then the dividers should be available and CHEAP. They’re just pieces of plastic that could be turned out at home on a 3D printer, don’t overprice them and hurt your loyal customers.
Sisco
The answer is “yes” to both designs. Price should reflect with added dividers or without.
Harrison
I’m going to say they should be included. I think dividers are essential to make best use of these drawers, and while not everyone will use them, most people will. Nobody would accept a plastic parts organizer tray that didn’t come with dividers.
On one hand, I hate seeing extra plastic bits proliferating the earth, but we’re talking about a plastic tool box- the whole thing is future landfill fodder, a few extra squares doesn’t move the needle much.
The same applies to price- most of the MSRP of these products has got to be the cost of shipping bulky plastic boxes halfway around the world. There is no way a few dividers is worth $10-15 or whatever Milwaukee wants for them. The idea that ‘not including them saves you money’ is a carefully maintained fallacy that serves their bottom line.
Its great to see good competition in this space even if it is over saturated.
Frank D
For the price that we are being charged for our toolboxes, they should include them. If it were not that they have such odd and interlocking shapes, I would try to make my own, but there is no way one can easily and feasible 3d print them … I have looked a couple times in the past at ordering inserts and even Milwaukee did not have them in stock. Very second rate experience on some MW storage with only one tray per box, one set of inserts …
Bobcat
No don’t need them that’s what parts containers are for I use the drawers for tools
TomD
They should either come with them, or come with a link to a web form to fill out and get the remainder sent for free.
The latter would save the money most of the time, but those who wanted them could still get them.
Probably logistically simpler to just always include them all.
ElectroAtletico
Sure, include them. Let me have the option of how I pack my gear internally for the job at hand. But please price them VERY VERY reasonably or watch you loose your market share to 3D printing at home.
Nathan
As often as these things change and as much as they cost then I say it needs to come with. Or at a minimum come with a registration form for you warranty than you can mark how many you want and they ship them for free
So again easier to just include them and mark them with recycle mark so you can recycle what you don’t use
Bart
As much as the boxes cost initially and as little as the dividers likely cost on a per item basis in such volume. YES.
I’ll echo others in that if they were a $3 add on that I could pick up afterwards, I wouldn’t sweat it. But at $10 a drawer, they’ve probably a 8-10x markup item and ruins the utility of such setups.
Michael Hammer
I get the argument that when you plunk down a chunk of money, you want to be able to set up the drawers and use them right away. There is certainly truth to that, but I’m intrigued by the idea of accessorizing the drawers after the sale. I would love to have options. Maybe it’s dividers, or bins, or Kaizen foam already custom fit to the drawer, or something I haven’t thought of yet . As a professional, profit comes from efficiency, part of efficiency is organization, the better the organization, the more money I make. The upside for me personally is that I enjoy organizing and then I enjoy being organized, so not only do my profits increase, my joy of work increases.
What I’m saying is that I’m fine with the drawers coming with no dividers so long as there are options other than dividers. For me, $200 for a set of drawers is not an impulse buy. It is something that I’m going to put a lot of thought into and in that planning I can easily order the accessories and have them in hand before purchasing the drawers. Thus, when I purchase the drawers, I’m ready to set up and go.
As a side note, I’ve been on here for years saying drawers, drawers, drawers, drawers, drawers. I’m overjoyed that there are finally options out there and my fellow tool nerds are seeing the value.
Munklepunk
Yes. They cost almost nothing to produce and ship. If you don’t need then you can give then away or try to sell them. If you do need them you don’t have to be angry you have to pay even more after the overpriced chunk of plastic you just hauled home doesn’t have them. Plus you will lose some of you rearrange so it’s nice to have a few extra.
Clayton
I bought the ridgid pro gear 2.0 and they don’t even have the dividers to buy separately. If you’re not going to sell the boxes with full dividers at least have them for sale somewhere. Also they don’t have the pro wall hanging mounts for sale individually either. Very annoying, wish I wasn’t invested with ridgid pro v1 or I’d go to klein.
Paul EHacker
Never figured out why the dividers could not lay flat as part of the bottom of the drawer. Fold them up and lock them in place when and if wanted.