Earlier today I posted about press/media-type questions that a tool brand is apparently declining to answer, and I have been thinking it might be interesting for you hear about why this is important to me.
Why are information and insights so important? Why am I so adamant in understanding individual tools, tool brands, and the larger industry as comprehensively as possible?
My background is in the hard sciences. I’m not a tradesman or contractor, and so my focus here at ToolGuyd has always been on gathering deeper information and insights.
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There are benefits to this – I’d argue – because if you put a group of different carpenters, electricians, plumbers, or any other type of user in a room, chances are they would all have different recommendations and opinions. There are some shared opinions about tools, of course, but very different preferences.
If you’re interested in learning more about a particular tool, your particular needs and usage contexts are important, and they come into play in how you apply the information, context, and insights provided in a post.
If you are curious about my opinion on a specific angle, that’s what the comments section is for. At the time of this posting, there are 159,810 published comments, with 16,231 of them my own.
A self-identifying influencer plumber argued with me two years ago, saying they’d trust a plumber’s recommendation over that from someone who isn’t a plumber. That’s not unreasonable, and it’s also why I focus on conveying information and insights. For the most part, it’s not my intent to tell anyone what to buy, but to give you the information you need to make such determinations for yourself.
This is why information, insights, and context are important.
In looking at tools, I ask why should I care? Why should readers care? What is important to readers?
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The better I understand a product, the more competently I can discuss it. Otherwise I’m just guessing, and while I have more than 12 years of experience in the tool reporting industry and countless hours of varied user experiences, inference is more helpful for readers than conjecture.
Early on, this approach was crucial in ensuring accurate reporting, and it became a good habit to maintain. The more I learn, the more I can pass on to readers, and this must go beyond simply repeating what is said on a product page or press release.
Consider Milwaukee’s M12 cordless torque wrench, which is aimed at electricians, mechanical professionals, and other such users. This is not in my wheelhouse, and their product manager was happy to share deeper insights about the product and the user needs it was designed for. To sufficiently discuss this product, I had to learn more than what a typical press release or product page could convey.
Some tool brands, however – especially in today’s “influencer” day and age – don’t care about accurate reporting, they’d be happier if I just parroted their marketing claims. But that doesn’t help me educate you as to a product’s features, benefits, and suitability for your needs.
If a ToolGuyd post does not provide you with any more value than a brand or retailer’s product page, then what would be the point?
Luckily, many brands are happy to discuss their products and brand philosophies, and I talk to quite a few product managers and engineers every year that build upon my industry knowledge.
Nearly 20 years ago, I took a college history course on early modern Europe, and the professor insisted that history was not as much about what or when but about why. This stuck with me.
In writing about tools, deeper insights and answering “why” type of questions is still very important. After all, this is how I make my own purchasing decisions. Why buy one brand or style of tool over the other? Answering these questions for myself helped lay ToolGuyd’s foundation so long ago.
Now, with many types of tools being far more complex than ever – and not just cordless power tools but hand tools and storage products as well, some deeper insights and information must still come “straight from the horse’s mouth.”
Anybody – and seemingly everybody these days – can copy and paste a few lines from a press release. That’s not what ToolGuyd is about.
Some brands now only provide review samples to paid or favored “influencers” and “ambassadors” they think will most enthusiastically endorse their products. That’s their prerogative. But if I can’t report on tools as comprehensively as I strive for because brands no longer believe in journalistic relationships, that’s a problem.
Fueling my frustrations, some brands’ in-house or 3rd party marketing, PR, or social contacts are simply inept.
I recently asked a PR contact for more information about their brand’s newly launched product line, and this is what the product manager passed along:
IMPROVED DESIGN AND INNOVATION: More features and innovation with an improved look
LOWER RETAIL PRICES: Better products at better prices than the leading competitor
There’s a little more, with similar vagueness, but it gives away too much in potentially identifying the brand. What am I supposed to do with this? What am I supposed to do when a brand declines to answer what I feel are reasonable questions?
If a brand withholds samples because they have a grudge against me or their marketing team completely switched over to influencer marketing – and some have done this – I can always partner with a friendly retailer or whip out a credit card.
Some brands have always been difficult to work with, but perhaps influencer marketing practices have led them to value paid or favored voices over ToolGuyd’s? Am I to respond in kind?
For other brands that are only now getting into PR and social marketing, hundreds of influencers have their hands out for free products, and it seems they assume that’s all anyone wants.
What am I supposed to do when brands ignore press inquiries, or worse – respond with non-answers I can’t use in any way? This doesn’t only affect my understanding of a product or lineup, it limits the value and insights you can glean from a post or my reporting, and that’s the big problem here.
How do I treat brands for which ineffectualness has become the trend rather than the exception?
Tom D
I think you basically have two options:
1. More and more ignore that brand. This is hard to do if they’re not a niche player (and niche players are more likely to respond!) – so this is unsatisfactory most likely.
2. Report as best you can and ask for reader opinions – likely not as scientific but for those who read the comments they’ll likely get a decent handle on the picture.
I feel most brands these days are “outsourcing” the PR to companies that specialize in that – so getting “real” answers is an uphill battle (and some you’ll never get – no company will admit “this new one is cheaper to make so we’re going to do that”).
Mike (the other one)
Exactly. They are wanting to control the narrative by influencing the influencers. That’s what makes this site so important, because it isn’t a glorified commercial.
I wish companies would be more flexible.
Stuart
Every brand wants to control the narrative, some much more aggressively than others.
That doesn’t work for me, even in sponsored arrangements.
I’m sure brands aren’t happy with everything I write, but there usually aren’t any complaints as long as I’m fair and balanced, which is always the goal anyway.
Stuart
That’s the thing – brands have and will share a lot, including that updates were made partially to lower production costs. One memorable time this happened, domestic production costs increased too far and the company moved production overseas, but in addition to assurances of comparable quality, they described new features that were integrated into the design.
Information is always up for interpretation, but that still requires communication.
Tom D
Indeed – and it requires contacts who are willing to communicate. It would be a breath of fresh air to see a company hat was explicit about allowing its employees to discuss things “off the record” without fear of reprisal – or at least designate more than just a few PR filtered representatives.
This is a MAJOR place a company with a “bad/cheap” reputation could soar forward – imagine if Harbor Freight suddenly became more open about everything they do. It couldn’t HURT their reputation and likely would help significantly.
It shines through and we appreciate the work you do; if I were in a position to provide insight I would.
I do think that many of your “assumptions on bad data” are pretty spot-on.
Stuart
With some companies, I can and do talk to product managers, VPs (or higher), or lead engineers directly. With larger brands, all phone calls or presentations usually (and understandably) also require a PR contact to be present.
I do have some direct contact with engineers and PMs at larger brands, but it’s typically not protocol-correct. Some will often read something on ToolGuyd and contact me about it, answering any questions I might have and then some.
Phone calls, traveling presentations, and media event conversations might be filtered a little, but usually they’re not, and I must use discretion in what I can share.
There are many “off the record” conversations, but you’ll never hear about them. =)
For instance, I recently talked with an engineer from one particular tool brand, about how they’re reworking an existing product from the ground up, and that’s something I can never talk about here. The conversation furthered my knowledge and increased my competence about that product, the brand, and how they’ve developing certain tools.
More than 10 years ago, at my first Dewalt media event, an engineer was pridefully describes how they improved the motor windings in a new grinder to allow for more power. This was in Stanley Black & Decker’s Baltimore Orioles box seats party the night before the main day of announcements and presentations.
Conversations and insights like that greatly contributed to my enjoyment and helped to shape ToolGuyd’s direction. It’s part of why communications are so important to me.
Since you brought up Harbor Freight, they are actually more open than they used to be, and my current contact there is very enthusiastic about the brand. Back when I talked to one of their VPs about Hercules (https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/harbor-freight-pro-tools/%3C/a%3E%29, they too were very enthusiastic and informative, and it gave me a strong sense that good things were coming.
Thankfully, I continue to enjoy mutually beneficial communications with many excellent brands. However, there are some brands who are of the mindset that I should behave more like a marketing company or influencer and less like a journalist or independent reviewer.
Scott K
I think this post is indicative of a bigger shift in how companies handle inquiries and issues. Regarding your mention of brand reps who are educated in their products- it seems as though the gap is widening dramatically in how companies handle customer service. A number of recent experiences have shown me that companies seem to either outsource all of their customer service to third parties who are not truly invested or they are putting the effort into really educating their employees. I recently contacted a few companies about products questions and/or issues and was really impressed with how knowledgeable and helpful the reps were (shout out to Columbia, Outdoor Research, and 4moms).
Aaron
I don’t buy a product until I’ve read at least a couple bad reviews. There is no such thing as a zero compromises product, and anyone who tells you different is trying to con you. The trick is finding manufacturers and brands who consistently and predictably compromise on the things that make the most sense for my use case.
If I drive 800 miles every day I need a car with an engine that will go a million miles and get great mileage, but I don’t care about whether it will turn to a pile of rust in 5 years.
If I park my vehicle all the time and go for short jaunts I don’t care about fuel economy but I need low parasitic drain in the electrical system.
Until I know what the manufacturer has compromised on I can’t trust the product.
Stuart
True, but it can be messy.
A lot of negative reviews these days are uninformed. I was looking at desktop PC wireless cards, and I came across complaints that a card won’t deliver 100% of their router’s rated wired connection speed in a room on the opposite side of their house.
Also, if I test x-number of cordless drills each year, one or two might be my “daily drivers” for a while. It is not possible to drive review samples to failure, at least not naturally in a timely manner.
Understanding tool compromises is part of the job. It took me a while but I learned a long time ago that not every tool is going to well-suites for all users. There are some tools that nobody should buy, but I usually steer clear of these due to time constraints.
Mike (the other one)
I’ve read many reviews where people were obviously misusing a tool, or got the wrong tool for the job.
I have also read reviews that were suspicious. A stream of glorifying reviews with certain phrases or very poor syntax/grammar/spelling that all have a similar writing style is an indicator that something is amiss. I have also seen reviews that were very harsh on a product, to the point of being unreasonable. I’ve often wondered if those were left by employees (or at least fanatics) of a rival brand.
So I try to read various reviews from different sources and factor these things in. This can be a challenge when shopping exclusively online. It’s far easier to inspect a tool in a store and draw my own conclusions, but sometimes that simply isn’t an option.
MM
I’ve become more and more frustrated with most online reviews, especially from mass retailers and big stores like Amazon, Wal-Mart, HD/Lowes, etc. It’s hard to even list all the problematic reviews I’ve seen given:
-People giving a rating even though they haven’t used the product yet, or have used it very little.
-People giving a rating for a totally unrelated reason (i.e. “The drill is great but shipping took two weeks to get here, 2/5 stars.)
-People not having sufficient experience or expertise to give a meaningful review in the first place
-Reviews which are obviously BS written by marketing goons.
-General ignorance. I recall reading a review of a Dewalt nailer in which the person complained that the tool didn’t include batteries or a charger. Apparently the reviewer was unaware that Dewalt sells all their tools in both bare and kitted form and if he wanted batteries then he could simply have bought the kit rather than the bare tool.
…and as you said, people who were obviously misusing the tool, or using the wrong tool for the job, and then complaining about its performance.
I would much rather examine the tool in person but as you said that’s not always possible. I prefer videos where I can get a feel for the expertise of the person using the tool and I can also see if the tool is being misused during the demonstration. I also think there’s a lot more information conveyed in a video than in a text review. Suppose we’re talking about miter saws. Sure a text review can say the saw cut well and can show photos of sample cuts, but a video shows me how fast the saw cuts, I can hear whether or not the motor is bogging down in the cut, I can see how well the saw is dealing with sawdust, whether or not the operator has to use excessive force on the handle, etc. It’s a lot harder to BS a video review.
fred
You are spot-on with seldom (if at all) being able to put online reviews into meaningful context. With Amazon – sometimes there are what I might consider a statistically significant number of reviews – but even then its hard to read between the lines.
Another flaw in lots of reviews is that they are completed soon after the purchase – so you can not get an assessment of longevity.
Tool Junkie
MM, I totally agree with your comment! I often look at Amazon reviews and there is a lot of fake hype. To read between the lines, I try to find out how long a product has been out, if the review actually covers only one product (they frequently put two or three of a companies’ products under one rating, which artificially pushes up the ratings on bad products), and how many reviews come out positive when the product is first introduced. For example,
one way to check on this is to see the “most recent” comments, where there were lots of five star reviews, yet the last five most recent ones all report problems.
It’s sometimes interesting to see how a product has been out for a while & they only have five star reviews. Either it’s a really great product or Amazon is culling out the bad reviews. I especially notice this on Amazon “sponsored ” products.
Stuart, I get great incites from your website, which is why I check almost daily. For example, I hated 1″ bits & often just threw them out. I tried the Wera bit holder & it was so nice to use that I bought extra & gave one to a friend.
Scott K
I’ve gotten in the hanit of using fakespot.com to analyze Amazon reviews. It’s helpful in weeding out the “fake” reviews. But I really only rely on Amazon reviews for things I can’t find discussed on a reputable site. I tend to look here first for tools and Wirecutter for most other things.
A W
The other issue with Amazon products is where they send you a promised $20 gift card for your 5 star review.
I hate that kind of bribery.
MarylandUSA
In June 2021, Amazon purged three or four major brands of electronics accessories for doing that. Overnight, all their listings just vanished.
Jon
10 year Carpenter here. I exclusively follow your posts because you are not a tradesman. There is a certain level of bias that tradesmen bring to the table when they discuss the brands they like. If a plumber had a bad experience with a ridgid drill, for example. He curses ridgid forever. If someone used dewalt exclusively, then stumbled upon Milwaukees strong efforts to redefine power and capabilities, they curse dewalt. I for one use primarily Dewalt power tools, and this is biased because I’ve seen compressors, table saws and miter saws go through extreme weather conditions, pushed to the max on run time and work under heavy duty loads and keep on going. But the next guy can say the same thing about milwaukee, or any other brand. Your comment on looking for the “why” is such a brilliantly simple but dying mentality for most when purchasing tools. As tradesmen we depend on our tools to pay bills and live good lives. Period. I don’t need blind personal perspective, I need facts. A good reference to this would be your post on the atomic line. One website said the atomic line was revolutionary and spewed marketing jargon to weave a would be buyer into throwingin the gold coins.. You straight up said it was red flag city. Not enough of a power or size difference to warrant the purchase. You didn’t like the price points. You didn’t like the marketing strategy. I used this to invest in the 12v line combo kit for smaller more delicate jobs and can walk out of the store knowing it was a better investment because you hit it with the numbers. You looked for the why,, saw nothing and then voiced concern.. I applaud your work. We need more toolguyds.
rob
This ^. You took the words out of my mouth.
Lyle
I think you should out the company. If they won’t answer your questions, knowing that you do reviews and have a good following, then imagine how they will treat us regular customers. Companies need to be responsible for their poor communication choices. Maybe if they are outed enough people will give them feedback that they might consider changing their behavior.
fred
I respectfully disagree. You could certainly “out” every company that had an employee who got testy with you – or stonewalled you on questions that they preferred not to answer. But would that really change their behavior?
Its nice to think that one voice (if incredibly strong) crying out in the wilderness of this Internet Age might change behavior. But the truth is probably closer to you being written of as an insignificant curmudgeon and then being shunned. The old adage about catching more flies with honey than vinegar probably applies here. You walk a rather thin line – trying to continue to make your living as a tool blogger while not succumbing to not becoming just another shill worshiping at the altar of manufacturer’s PR folks and then becoming lock-stepped with others that sing their praises. The fact that the tool industry has become so consolidated (something like 18 companies controlling 91% of the market – with 4 of the giants controlling more than half of that) may also be a challenge.
fred
Guilty of a double negative! Should have said “not succumbing to becoming “
Mike (the other one)
I agree. Sometimes it’s individuals within a company that are doing this, and not everyone in that company would feel the same way. In the future, things may be different, but once the bridge is burned, it isn’t easy to rebuild it.
That said, a good company should value thorough feedback, since it could help them make a better product in the long run. If a company constantly says they make the best X on the market, and won’t listen to negative feedback, then it’s a red flag that their X isn’t that great.
Eventually, customers will figure that out, or someone else will alert others. I have my own suspicions, but I think I’ll keep them quiet out of respect for Toolguyd.
Stuart
An incident around 8 years ago taught me a very important lesson about media relationships required a balance between giving and taking.
Let’s say I have a very good professional relationship with a brand. My primary contact there might send me a response about something on a Sunday evening, and if I ask a question at 10am on a Wednesday, they’ll respond at 3pm same-day and apologize for the delay. If a reader has an odd problem or frustration with the brand, I might seek a resolution on their behalf and know there’s a strong chance of a positive outcome.
Now, let’s say a reader sends me a photo of a product that brand hasn’t announced yet. If I post about it immediately, I know it’ll cause headaches and frustrations, and readers will have all kinds of questions I cannot answer with just an image. If I reach out to my contact asking for more details or an ETA when they will be made available, I’m prepared to sit on the story. Waiting a bit until details are available for a proper story works to everyone’s favor – mine, theirs, and yours.
Now let’s say there’s a company I don’t have a very good relationship with, but I try to play nice anyway. I asked for details on tools I know are coming out but haven’t been announced yet. They asked me to hold on the story for a bit and they offered to send samples for an exclusive first-look. But then they invited (and paid?) a smaller competing site for a first-look experience and then tell me “sorry, the plans suddenly changed.”
Professional relationships need to be balanced, but I have learned over the years that not everyone feels that way – they see me and ToolGuyd only as a marketing tool to be used only as long as I fit their mold exactly.
When a brand takes things back to zero, whether my contacts there change, their marketing strategies change, or for other reasons, it takes me some time, but I take things back to zero too. Every now then I’ll give to see what I can get, as there’s no value in one-sided relationship.
A company started prioritizing paid influencers. I posted about a new tool with information I sourced independently. 3 weeks later they asked me to incorporate their statements. I reviewed the material, saw it held zero value to readers and declined. I don’t need professional relationships like that.
One thing to keep in mind though is that anything I do on ToolGuyd is visible to all. Every post, every comment, every word – positive or negative – will find its way to unintended readers. If a bridge is closed from one side, I can close it from my side reciprocally. But burning the bridge in a big show and with fireworks, even if justified, is not usually a good way to go.
Stuart
You and Fred both make good points.
I do “out” companies where appropriate. But I also bite my tongue.
“I don’t know” is one of the worst answers anyone could provide. As a teenager, I worked as a cashier in a supermarket, and during training it was drilled into my head that if you don’t know the answer to a customer’s question, tell them you will find out and proceed to do that.
So, if I have a question and it isn’t answered in time for a post, I will definitely convey whether I’m waiting for an answer, or if an answer isn’t forthcoming because a brand or retailer isn’t being helpful.
If obtaining an answer or insights to a question is outside of my control, I will make it clear who’s to blame for that.
In the recent post, I put a company on the spot because I do need those questions answers. I put time and thought into them, and the insights are vital in understanding the newly launched product line.
When I do things like that, there’s usually a high success rate of getting the press and media information I’m after. With larger brands, even if I cannot get answers through one avenue, *someone* will usually want to provide insights. It’s a last resort, and if it doesn’t work then I know I have exhausted all my options and have done everything I could to learn more.
Stuart Y
I visit your site everyday because you tell me something that is hard to find elsewhere. I simply love tools, old, new, and novel. I’m an engineer but training, but like fixing and making things across all trades. My favorite things about your site are the unbiased perspectives, especially your candor when you do have a relationship with the tool you are reviewing. I am very frustrated about the shift to foreign manufacturer pivot of traditional brands, that exploit the opportunity to dupe consumers who have been loyal to a brand, and then reduce the quality of the materials, e.g., Craftsman, Crescent, Irwin, etc.; your coverage of this and the mergers is very insightful and helpful. I also love your coverage of quality tools; I don’t dislike Harbor Freight, they have their place, but when purchasing edge or cutting tools, material and heat treatment matter; therefore I love coverage of quality options like NWS, Wera, Wiha, Forrest, Festool, Sawstop, that professionals depend upon.
Stuart Y
…and manufacturers that are coming back to the USA.
Andrew
Well my perspective comes from being a tile contractor for over a quarter century now. Visit you’re site 3 to 4 times a week. Yes, I agree that the tool industry is getting a little ridiculous. You got posers like “Barry” from Flex/Ego pushing crap on the common man. Milwaukee kinda of started the release video trend. Dewalt seems to just put out stuff and let it speak for itself.
The ignorant consumer is constantly bombarded with infomercials on you tube, and are now paying more to get about the same as you did before. Ya tools are better (in short term), batteries last longer, but at the expense of quality.
I don’t know where we go from here. We can’t all of sudden stop buying throw away tools cause we’d never get any work done. And not all of us can afford to buy Hilti or Imer in my case.
I’ve noticed nationally a consolidation of manufacturers and suppliers (not good for consumer) and local hedge funds buying up service companies and also consolidating them (HVAC/Electrical/Plumbing/Pesticide all under 1 company) not good for home owners…
Like Randy Newman said “It’s money that matters”
I’m going to start day drinking now!
Anonymous
I’ll remain anonymous, as I’m somewhat deep in this industry, but let me play devil’s advocate here:
– Aren’t you also an “influencer”? You may not like the term, but at the end of the day, your relationship with brands only exists because you influence your readers. Sure, maybe you aren’t making TikTok videos, but the general approach is no different.
– Don’t you also have “paid” relationships with brands? Brands pay you to advertise (maybe more than that?) their products and you review them. Yet somehow you are a journalist and everyone else is a paid shill? I find this a bit ironic.
– You seem to complain about brands moving to new media, but not so long ago, traditional media complained about “bloggers”. Brands will go to where users are – this has always been the case.
I think you do a great job of deep diving into products but I also think you are stuck on this idea that brands are neglecting you for some shiny new object. They aren’t neglecting you, they are going to where their users are.
Stuart
Marketers like to use this term, but it’s not a label I identify with. The term “influencers” to me usually refers to the “ambassadors” from a few years ago.
My primary goal is to provide information. Yes, I have evolved my stance regarding paid partnerships and relationships, but I am also lucky enough to be able to pick and choose the brands or retailers I work with. The industry has shifted, and I chose to adapt on my terms rather than wait until I didn’t have a choice. My goal is still to inform, not to endorse.
Press and media communications have traditionally existed independent of advertising and paid opportunities. Now, some brands have been blurring the line and it’s becoming a problem for me.
It’s not a problem that brands are going to new media, but that they’ve abandoned traditional practices. Traditional media complained about bloggers, but communication efforts were expanded and included more independent channels alongside existing magazines and institutions. That’s not what’s happening now.
YOUR BRAND is one I have had difficulty with in recent years. Informational support has become scarce, but apparently not for your brand’s paid influencers that haven’t been disclosing monetary ties, although that seems to have stopped. I slowly but eventually realized that our relationship has permanently changed, and I’ve set my expectations to zero. We’re now building a new relationship, and although I don’t know where it will go, every inch forward on my side that’s met with an inch forward on your brand’s side helps to lay a new foundation.
Forget about test samples. Press/media informational support – timely information, insights, answers to questions – is something I have come to expect. Am I entitled to it? Of course not. But if there’s a hole in my reporting because I cannot get typical media/press support from a brand, I’ll be sure to make it clear.
But then, following my independent reporting, I’ll get an email or phone call: “hi Stuart, here are some answers,” “can you incorporate this statement into a post,” “why’d you say that, here are some [10+ year old SKUs] to change your opinion,” “why didn’t you ask for a sample? [I did and you ignored me],” “why aren’t we included in that roundup,” “we’re running a promotion [on a tool we won’t send you a test sample of but] can you post about it?,” or similar communications.
Many if not most brands are happy to provide traditional media and press support. Others, however, are moving towards an “if we don’t pay you or you don’t enthusiastically endorse us, we don’t care to work with you” standpoint. I don’t want to adapt to that, and it’s also affecting my ability to report on products as thoroughly as I strive for. Some brands don’t have press contacts anyway, but it’s difficult when brands I have had long relationships with abandon traditional press/media communications in favor of influencer-focused strategies.
How do I treat brands that cannot accommodate basic press/media/editorial needs? No advertising or sponsorship? There are other sources of revenue. No test samples? Fine, there are other sources if need-be. No press/media/editorial information? Then what’s the point in attempting to have a media relationship of any kind? Some brands have yo-yoed me, asking for my participation and expressing interest in a healthy relationship, but then I play nicely only to get nothing out of it. I’m tired of being manipulated.
The paradigm has NOT shifted yet, but there is still an increasing number of brands that have become difficult to work with in the context of typical media/press relationship. If a brand has a great product and it’s of interest to readers, the product gets free exposure. It’s a win for everyone.
Just about every time I write off a relationship and stop expecting or asking for press/media information from a company, they’ll contact me with a request of some kind. Recently, one company won’t send samples or answer questions asked a retailer to solicit ToolGuyd’s participation in a new sales promo. I cannot promote a product I haven’t vetted and so I declined.
It’s a frustration when brands abandon or eschew press/media communications in favor of social media and influencer marketing, and it’s a different problem when they want something without giving anything in return. Thanks to influencer marketing, some brands are favoring completely one-sided relationships, and I don’t know how to can accommodate that, at least not when it comes to editorial content.
avi
AMEN!!, this little comment and reply belong in the “about” section of toolguyd.
JoeM
I shall double down on avi’s sentiment. Amen, Stuart. Amen.
Doc John
Perhaps now is a good time to evolve your knowledge. Aka Popular Mechanics or Wall Street Journal column- just seems like evolution?
Stuart
Why do I need to evolve and spread myself even thinner?
While not exact, you can roughly compare how different websites perform compared to each other using tools like this one:
http://similarweb.com/
Nathan
FWIW this site is among the most important places I look to learn about tools.
Doc John
What does “FWIW” mean?
Frank D
For What Its Worth
Dan
The same here.
avi
about the self identified plumber, I can’t tell you how many tradesmen I’ve come across who used to swear up and down dewalt was more powerful than milwaukee (and the old 18v dewalt) because duh 20 volts is more than 18 volts. There was even a tool review site for Pros that even had an article stating this, they have since changed there tune and now have an article saying 20v max is the same as 18v, but it took a while.
And even without the obvious ignorance, there are 12v offerings that are stronger than another company’s 18v. It’s not fair to compare the two because they serve totally different clients and there maybe some time difference in their releases’ but it is still worth remembering.
Stuart
He was a plumber, but self-identified as an influencer. “Hi, I’m John Doe, I’m a plumber and an influencer.” He was a jerk that kept yelling at the bus driver.
A national magazine had a “best 20V cordless drill” post a few years ago and I was left speechless.
Ken
I am really fed up with the use of paid influencers. The anonymous industry insider that posted above conflates “influencers” with anybody that reviews products and therefore influences their viewers. Can this guy really believe this? So you’re telling me a youtube channel like “Project Farm” or “Torque Test Channel” reviews tools the same way that obvious shill “influencers” do? What a joke.
The recent Flex tools launch is a great example of this horrible business practice. It is nigh impossible to get any real information on these tools yet because all the tools went to paid influencers first. The sad thing is that the tools look very compelling and I think they have shot themselves in the foot by relying on shills instead of objective reviewers. What if instead of using shills, they sent a complete package of tools to Project Farm so that he could update prior multi-brand comparison videos he has done on many of these tools? I am pretty confident Flex would have landed in the top 3 spots for many of their tools and that would be so much more convincing to potential buyers than seeing a dozen different influencers provide lackluster info. What’s worse is that there is a handful of channels that have purchased Flex tools with their own cash but lack the experience and production quality necessary to produce a quality review and/or comparison with other tools.
The only thing that the anonymous poster above said that I agree with is that brands go to where the users are. And unfortunately for established sites like toolguyd this might mean a declining audience. I can relate. I began operating a forum circa 2007 which quickly became the largest of its kind. It was a wonderful community. Unfortunately – IMO – users began to migrate to a facebook group circa 2013 and for all intents and purposes, my forum is now dead.
For tool reviews, it seems to me that youtube is where the users are. There is a major lack of clearly objective tool review channels. I can only think of the two that I mentioned above. There are plenty more that claim to be objective but play both sides of the fence by accepting free tools (and the talking points pushed by the brand). IMO, the recipe for success now is to not accept any free tools *unless* the brand clearly states that you can say whatever you want about the tool. Open a Patreon account and let users and youtube fund your channel. I’m willing to fund these types of channels in order to get good, unbiased information the same way that I’ve paid for a subscription to Consumer Reviews in the past.
Stuart: just my opinion, but get more active on youtube. Open a Patreon account. Call out the shills and bad brands. Keep providing your objective tool reviews. Thanks for the great content.
Stuart
I purchase a lot of tools independently, but when it comes to power tools that I don’t need or want for my own use and could only use for testing or review purposes before giving them away, that gets very expensive and fast. That still doesn’t help with access to information and insights. There are a lot of nuances where brand communications are beneficial to everyone, answering a lot of “why” type questions.
With a lot of independent channels, they’re large enough to where the ads can support this.
However, some independent channels are sensational. There’s a lot of exaggerations and even hyperbole. “Wow, look how much this sucks.” Well, yeah, they’re using a 6-year old 2-generations-ago drill with an accessory at double its rated speed. The more exciting the content, the greater the audience retention and engagement, the more ad and sponsorship money to be made.
Readers occasionally send me links to YouTube reviews and comparisons. Some are quite good, others are unfair and unscientific. A brand contact once referred me to a magazine’s cordless drill comparison that really bothered them. In the review, the author complained about the size and charging time of the tool’s battery. Most of the drills in the comparison had 1.5Ah batteries, but that one brand sent a drill with a 3.0Ah battery. I see a lot of this on YouTube. I have met very many reviewers, YouTubers, and influencers over the years, and while some are skilled and brilliant, others are not. One time in particular, this YouTuber had recently produced a video praising one particular brand and their tools, but in person they only had negative things to say.
Whether purely editorial or paid, my role’s to inform. Regarding sponsorships or the like, I’ve been treating them similar to grant funding, where it supports a focused exploration. I believe I found an approach that works for everyone.
When I have a working relationship with a brand, it’s usually customary to talk about major defects or disappointments first, rather than have them find out through a blog post. This does happen on occasion, and I have never been asked to withhold information or opinions from readers.
There were some one-time issues, but brands that provide product samples for review or other coverage never insist on talking points or anything like that. There might be some reasonable conditions – one brand put out a notice requesting reviewers and influencers to stop deliberately destroying products in crazy stunts – but it’s rare.
Some influencers have been known to sell product samples. Of course they won’t say anything bad about the brand, they want more.
I found a balance over the years – yes I work with review samples, but the goal is to donate or give them away when coverage is completed or editorial usefulness is exhausted. I enjoy and benefit from working with brands, but when it comes to samples, I don’t have to. When it comes to information and insights though, there aren’t many avenues if I don’t get what I’m looking for straight from the source.
I should mention that Flex is also sponsoring ToolGuyd, and I have been testing some of their tools. I cannot speak about others, but I was given the leeway to report on them in any manner I see fit.
I’ve heard from some that “Instagram is taking over web content,” and “YouTube is where it’s at,” but I and ToolGuyd are still here, and *knock on wood* still very relevant.
Amazon is probably the biggest competition regarding users that might have lightly researched tools via websites before, but their “expert reviews” are lousy and low-quality.
I’m working on putting out more social content, and that means getting some momentum with YouTube as well. The difficulty there is finding the time, but also finding my voice. My approach on ToolGuyd won’t work on YouTube. When I look for web content, I want thorough and well-presented details. When I watch YouTube content, I want to see major key points and opinions on those key points, and I want it to be trustworthy and entertaining. Videos require different skills and tech aspects, and there’s a learning curve in finding a “recipe” for such content. That’s not to replace ToolGuyd’s written content, but as a complement or parallel approach.
Pink porkchop
Just imagine if you were a sports reporter and had to deal with Bill Belichick or a tech reporter and dealing with Apple.
Dave
It’s called marketing. And its run by margin. And ruled by heavily rewarded business types making deals to pump the desirability of the product up so they have something to say at the yearly review. These are the types who do nto get their hands dirty, are not part of the process to improve the thing and make 6 figures. To them, this is a free fan boy site.
Sometimes it feels like a fan boy site. Other times I learn what’s new or on sale.
Anyway. Keep going on and start looking at them as they view you.
Honcho
We have so many choices these days for just about everything that manufacturers and their retailing partners use just just about every trick they can to manipulate buyers into plunking down their money. Really, it’s nothing new but the internet has supercharged everything. In the (good?) old days, we were largely reliant on word of mouth and advertising and reviews in print publications. Retailers were educated on products by manufacturers reps and at trade shows. In some industries, if you spent enough money a manufacturer or distributor would assign a rep, sometimes in technical businesses a customer service engineer who would help navigate customers find the right products for their needs. In many industries, those kind of folks still exist.
Good product information is out there, scattered about, and there is no historical record of it ever being easy to navigate. Moving product is what companies want to do and they’re happy to move anything that generates ongoing (and hopefully increasing) revenue and doesn’t generate controversy or bad publicity. Insomuch as ToolGuyd helps companies achieve their goals, they’ll be friendly and cooperative. Remember, it’s just business.
ToolGuyd exists at an interesting time and provides an alternative/additional information source beyond manufacturer PR drivel and either fawning or somewhat clueless influencers. I don’t know if this is Stuart’s only source of income but if he’s intent on growing the revenue and / or influence of ToolGuyd he will be making constant adjustments just like the manufacturers and retailers are constantly adjusting their battle tactics. I would recommend that Stuart looks for additional writers for both content and partners for internal deliberation about what ToolGuyd should and shouldn’t cover. The tool industry is huge and while I like a wide range of information, it may just be too much for one person to deal with effectively.
Stuart
ToolGuyd is my career/business, but this was never the plan. There’s more to the story here: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/12-years-toolguyd/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
We do have regular contributors, and I’ve been hesitant to expand with more. I have done some editing work for a magazine, and I can tell you that it’s not something I would want to do full-time. While there are talented reviewers and freelancers out there, most are more interested in building their own brands. I can seek out, train, and direct writers and reviewers, but that takes a lot of time and effort. I can pay for a freelance editor to work with contributors, but then too much is out of my direct control, and I really like control. Maybe it is time to expand the team, but I could only see that increasing my work burden.
About increasing revenue and influencer – I can increase ad revenue with the push of a button, and advertising companies are calling me every week trying to convince me to install their (obtrusive in my opinion) ad units. As for influence, I suppose it’s something I have, but that’s not something I’m interested in. My goal is to inform and I suppose entertain since I know there are readers like me who enjoy learning more about tools and products they might never be interested in buying.
One brand is marketing new power tools. Features include “90% copper wire,” “high quality magnets,” “built in microchips,” “digital communications,” and “impact absorbent” construction. Great… just like every single Li-ion power tool engineered in the past 10+ years. This all sounds like fluffy marketing BS to me, but deeper insights and information would give it context I can extract usable bits of information from. Historically, if I even neutrally suggest I don’t “get it” in a post, marketer complaints roll in about how I’m not being fair to them.
Yes, I cannot argue with the fact that brands and marketers all want to move more products and further their brands’ goals. Some know I am very effective when allowed to graze freely, others mistakenly think I’m only useful to their goals if constrained in a pen eating their feed. So many people hoping for fame, fortune, and free stuff are lining up to be fed, but that doesn’t work for me.
Yes, I realize I am basically stomping my feet here, but this has been bothering me for a while and it was necessary to share. This way, when my tone shifts, I can move forward without readers wondering about the “why” behind sudden changes. It also helps to have something to point to when brand higher-ups start calling me and asking why I didn’t go to them first with questions and requests. Well, I did, but they ignored and blacklisted me for not wanting to be a puppet.
teicher
A lot of the action is on the social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, and Toolguyd doesn’t have much of a presence on either of them. You have your niche and do a good job with it, but there is also benefit to having clips of people using the tools to do projects and get results rather than just comparing details. Ben Uyeda, Crafted Workshop and Project Farm are all good examples, I can understand why brands would be interested in that and focus their attention to that space (even though Project Farm does not work with brands to test their products).
Stuart
Agreed. There IS benefit in brands working with different types of content producers. It’s what I would do too.
A few years ago, I connected a woodworking YouTuber with Porter Cable because he was trying to demonstrate things with a garbage quality router. Jerk didn’t even say thank you.
But here’s the thing – when someone wants to learn more about a product, even if ToolGuyd isn’t the introducing source, they’ll come here to learn more.
Many readers are regulars, and are interesting in hearing about new tools and developments. Many readers are visitors looking for more information to help with immediate purchasing decisions.
If say one Instagrammer picks up on a specific tool that I also or previously covered, or one YouTuber, I’ll see a spike in interest from visitors seeking to learn more.
Content creators on different platforms often introduce tools (social media) or share their opinions (YouTube), but these mediums are hardly ever structure for deeper information.
A head of iceberg lettuce might look big and juicy, but while smaller in appearances, a bowl of cooked-down spinach is going to deliver a much greater nutritional impact. I like the crunch of iceberg lettuce too, but a lot of people really also need and want spinach.
Specs I can pull from public sources. Sourcing insights and answers are not the same.
One brand has two circular saws. One is sold in a combo kit and the other as a bare tool. What’s the difference? The brand doesn’t make it obvious, and it takes looking at the parts breakdowns to learn one has a blade brake and the other doesn’t. Now, say there’s no parts diagram. The website is vague and doesn’t provide this info. How am I to report on the difference without such information?
One brand has a fancy branding for their LED products, but the marketing language describes its benefits but doesn’t directly explain how or why it works. Another brand has their own fancy special marketing branding. What’s the difference between the two features or tech? If it’s something I want answered, chances are that other users are interested too. Brands’ customer service don’t have these answers.
Traditionally, and currently, press and media contacts answer these questions. They’ve done this when ToolGuyd had a fraction of the reach and impact it has today.
Some brands are new to marketing, or aren’t quite adept, that’s okay, I cut them some slack. Most come around on their own. Some brands are absolutely fantastic, and will answer even the hardest questions. But some brands just don’t get it anymore, and I’ve lost patience.
I try to be nice, and I even try to meet them more than halfway. With some brands, I’m not effectively blacklisted because they think ToolGuyd isn’t worth working with, but because I won’t stay within their lines. I don’t only say what they want me to say, and I don’t only post about what they want posted about. Maybe they have a grudge or think they can manipulate me.
I try to be objective, and I try to inclusive regardless.
Information is important to me as a user and a content provider.
I’m done being pushed around.
Over the years, I learned that media relationships are two-way streets. There doesn’t don’t need to be any relationship for me to do my thing and marketers to do theirs, but some relationships have become very one-sided. Such relationships no longer serve my interests if things like press and media information are held hostage by those who would seek to direct my pen.
This post isn’t for them, it’s for readers to understand why I’m walking away from certain brands. If a brand doesn’t serve the interest of readers, and cannot fulfill certain press/media roles, I won’t expend any effort on them.
What a lot of people seem to forget is that I am and was a tool user first. I explore tools and tech as a user, or in the shoes of other users. Part of why I seek out deeper insights is because it allows me to be more objective. It lets me replace a “wow that tool is massively overpriced, is it a ripoff?” opinion with “while expensive compared to other brands, these tools are heat treated to within 1 HRC of each other and tolerance checks are more stringent with more frequent retooling.”
Without sufficient insights to show me why I or readers should purchase a certain product, I’m simply going to let my subjectiveness come through. And, it’s going to take more than the usual small fraction of information I’ve asked for to bring me back to a relationship.
I’m okay with some marketers or firms being inept, not every brand or retailer is going to be willing or skilled meet my press/media/editorial needs.
But being blacklisted as a control mechanism? Or because I don’t behave enough like their paid influencers? Where’s the professionalism in that? It has become too difficult and pointless to make any further attempts to work with people like that.
Fyrfytr998
A perfect example of a company that is obviously outsourcing their PR is Porter Cable. Nothing on social media for a few years, then boom, they are cranking out rehashed content. Offering nothing new, but still. When folks ask questions they either get a vague robo answer directing them to customer service at SBD, or nothing at all.
Doc John
Stuart, thank you about declaring your perspective: it has always been unclear to me. However, that stated, your blog is impressive.
Im getting fed up with blowhards: ie voluninous commenters with verbose opinions. Too many opinions- give me insights.
Like you, lets post With real names, not with pseudonyms.
blocky
As many readers here, I both sympathize with your plight and regularly check with TG as a resource. As a person who is more-than-casually interested in tools, I do spend a fair chunk of my disposable income on tools. I consider myself and my peers an ideal target for tool manufacturers.
—
Perhaps (and please excuse my conjecture) you are not very practiced with initiating negotiation. A new PR team is always a new occasion to pitch the unique value proposition of Toolguyd. These are marketing people, so you may need to speak their game and sell TG to them:
‘Both I, personally, and my TG readership have a sincere interest in understanding your tools– in what ways are these tools unique from a design and function perspective? what is the unique value proposition?..
TG readership is X-unique users daily with Y-repeat readers, who spend an average of Z minutes on the site, far above the internet average. This translates to measurable N-sales through affiliate links. We have both breadth and penetration in the specific target market as well as adjacent markets.
The way TG achieves this is by continually providing readers with candor, technical specificity, and detailed insights. TG is a unique channel to reach a wide and tool-engaged audience, and we regularly spotlight new tools and tool developments. We particularly love digging into the technical, conveying the excitement of product developers and engineers whenever possible. I see this as an opportunity for both of us and would welcome an in-depth discussion (of your product) at length.’
Stuart
Oh, I do and did.
Keep in mind that I “learned on the job.” Working with different brands and communicating with very many different types of people is what forged and shaped my expectations over time.
I am accustomed to information and insights being obtainable, and not used as leverage or bargaining chips.
Generally speaking, marketers get a lot of requests for free products, money, or both, and a lot of times they simply don’t know how to handle informational requests.
I have had some interesting experiences over the years.
A few years ago I requested to be put on a knife brand’s press list. They sent me a sample consideration survey form. I explained that I wanted to be on their news release list. We argued a little, and I shrugged it off. Maybe two weeks later, they emailed me after looking at ToolGuyd, added me to their list, and asked if there were any knives or tools I wanted to review.
Before he passed away, I had an interaction with Lee Marshall, the founder of Knew Concepts. https://www.knewconcepts.com/
At the time, I was freelancing as a contributing editor at Make Magazine, working on the ToolBox section of their print magazine. I was writing a review on the Knew Concepts fret saw, and the creative team asked for a sample for photography. So, I fired off a quick email to see if they can send a photo sample to the magazine.
Lee sent me such an angry email. He also commented about my cell phone voicemail (it’s just “Stuart,” a recording I made maybe in the summer of 2001 when I got my number) and how he didn’t think it was professional.
(Whoops, I still have not recorded a new greeting.) He might have been right, but 99.9% of business calls don’t go to voicemail. I missed his call because my wife was 9 months pregnant and I was driving her to the doctor for one of her last checkups. But I digress.
He also didn’t like that I had a recent post on ToolGuyd about fighting the urge to buy the best tools. That didn’t make this any better.
I sent him a lengthy apology and clarified that I did not need a review sample – I had already purchased a personal copy with cash at retail, but that the magazine requested a sample for photography.
We had a couple of great conversations after that.
You would find it hard to believe how much money I/ToolGuyd spends on tools each year. I make sure I – and readers – are properly exposed to a wide variety of tools and products, and not just those that might be provided as press or media samples.
As you say, ToolGuyd is a unique channel with a different approach. Not all brands can understand or accept that.
Blocky
Stuart, I also love these stories. Thank you for taking the time to share them and to respond directly as often as you do.
CountyCork
Insight is great but not everything needs to be looked at scientifically 100% of the time. It’s ok to have an opinion based article on a brand occasionally especially if it’s a brand that’s not answering your specific questions. I love that you have covered all brands and I do hope you continue even to cover the ones that don’t play as nice as others. What would be interesting to me would be to hear your opinion if why you think Makita chose 40v as their answer to what other competitors are doing. Will milwaukee 18v or DeWalt 60v be able to match up with makitas 80v?
Stuart
Perhaps.
Over the years, larger brands have given me grief for opinions. A brand once emailed and asking me to change the wording of a post I made in an online forum where I answered another member’s question. It was something about the tool being good for DIYers, and the brand didn’t like the association.
If I have a line in a post mentioning something unfavorable about a brand, I am almost guaranteed to get an email or phone call about it. This is a little less true these days due there being so many channels for brands to monitor, but it still happens.
When I posted about a brand that wanted my help in putting pressure on Home Depot to secure a retail contract, I received quite a few emails and social media messages from people that wanted to make sure it wasn’t someone at their brand.
The Anonymous commentor above (and I do appreciate their comment and perspective) is associated with a tool brand. How many of their colleagues read ToolGuyd regularly, even if only coverage of their brand?
There’s usually no outcome, or a positive “we’re sorry you feel that way, here are some insights.” For unfamiliar brands, I’ll get a “we’re here if you any more questions,” or “why didn’t you ask for a review sample?” if any contact at all. Or these days they’ll message me on social media.
As for why Makita chose 40V Max (36V) as their competitive solution, they pretty much had to.
Makita 18V hit a hard potential limit where they couldn’t squeeze out any more power. They cannot (will not?) add 21700-based Li-ion battery solutions.
The climb upwards towards increasingly “cordless jobsite” products has ended for them. There’s still room for outwards expansion, but all brands need to push upwards to be competitive.
Okay, they need a new interface. Dewalt did this when switching from 18V to 20V Max. Makita did this when switching from 12V Max to 12V Max CXT.
Milwaukee, when they designed their Li-ion systems, engineered it to be futureproof, or at least that’s how it was explained to me. When M18, Makita 18V, or Dewalt 20V Max systems all launched, nobody could have fully predicted the direction things would go in. Higher capacity batteries, brushless motor tech, 21700 Li-ion cell form factors… not much of this was within view of the original design efforts.
Okay, so with the idea that Makita’s 18V system couldn’t match competitors’ upwards climbs into higher power territory, what could they do?
Makita’s presenters say they wanted a higher powered system that offered an 18V form factor. That rules out 24V Max.
Makita’s 18V system has 5-cell compact batteries, but their tools are largely centered around their 10-cell batteries. If I recall, their compact batteries don’t even work with many tools beyond compact drills and drivers, but I haven’t checked this recently. They *might* have changed this, I don’t remember.
So, a new 10-cell battery and interface is the way to go. X2 tools work for the 18V system, so that’s a way to offer even higher-reaching capabilities for the new system.
Let’s assume there is a technological obstacle that prevents any sort of cross-platform compatibility. I can’t say, because Makita won’t discuss it.
What kind of user backlash and confusion would have erupted if Makita launched a second 18V system? Let’s say they called it 20V Max. Can you imagine the optics? 18V users and new users alike would assume it meant goodbye LXT and hello XGT. It would be a marketing nightmare.
Porter Cable did this, but their tool lineup and user base was so much smaller. Kobalt went from 18V to compatible 20V Max and then to a 24V Max system.
Look at what happened with Dewalt shifting from 18V to 20V Max. This was nearly 10 years ago when users were not as heavily invested in cordless power tools as they are today, and there were still a lot of unhappy users.
There is no way Makita could have launched XGT as a 20V Max system.
The 10-cell battery format is essentially Makita’s standard, and so 36V/40V Max is perfectly fitting for XGT.
As for how it could compare…
With Makita 80V Max, you have an X2 configuration. Competitive matchups will depend on a lot of factors.
80V Max XGT tools might be equipped with 2x 2.5Ah batteries.
XGT: 2 x 10 cells 18650, 2.5Ah = 180 watt-hours
FlexVolt: 15 cells, 21700, 4.0Ah = 216 watt-hours
But there will also be an XGT 4.0Ah battery, and a 5.0Ah battery that appears to be a huge 20-cell 18650-based battery. Two of those on an XGT X2 tool are going to be bulky and heavy, but we’ll see what they have planned.
HOWEVER, Flexvolt has 120V Max cordless power tools and can easily counter Makita’s X2 offerings. Milwaukee has also made it clear that this is a direction that can go in if necessary.
Makita’s 80V Max gives them entry to the heavyweight competition, but there’s no indication or guarantee that they’ll win any matches.
There *could* be some efficiency benefits, but I have seen zero indication of this. On their website, Makita doesn’t even describe any voltage efficiency benefits, they simply say XGT batteries have more voltage in an 18V form factor.
Basically, how different will 40V Max XGT and 80V Max XGT X2 performance be compared to if Makita designed it around a nearly identical 18V/20V Max battery?
Look at what Milwaukee and Bosch can do with 18V batteries.
Maybe there’s a voltage benefit for Makita, but that would only be a small part of it. The reality is that they needed a brand new system designed from the ground up, and to maintain the 18V battery form factor, 40V Max was the only option.
If you think this is wrong, consider that Dewalt FlexVolt batteries have 50% more Li-ion cells than 20V Max batteries. FlexVolt tools are separate from 20V Max to allow for higher performance levels. It’s like qualifying to be in a more demanding fitness class. If a tool has to be designed around the limits of the weakest battery it can be connected to, launching a new system allows brands to establish what that baseline performance will be.
So basically, if you have a cordless power tool system based around an 18V 18650 10-cell battery, and another based on a 36V/40V Max 18650 10-cell battery, the “look – more voltage!” marketing is the biggest difference.
How is Makita’s 40V Max XGT lineup any different than if it was an 18V/20V Max lineup? From everything Makita has been saying so far, I can’t see how it’s not. If this is not a proper conclusion, I need evidence and suggestions to the contrary.