Sears/Craftsman/USA=ripoff

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About 6 months ago I bought Craftsman Made in USA 3/8 socket set, the ratchet went bad
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I took it back to Sears to get the replacement but they didn't have that model in stock and they wouldn't let me have the 1 in. longer model even if I paid the price difference between the two. They had to send mine in and send me the replacement.

I received it today (two weeks later) and I was real P****d when this one was made in China. I went back to Sears and they wouldn't do anything about it, they even seemed to get mad that I even expected the replacement to be made in the USA.... I told them that's the main reason I buy Craftsman because of made in US and if I wanted something made in China I would've went to Walmart and got it for less money. No USA replacement, no exchange for something close and pay price difference, no refund.

I called Sears main office and they pretty much told me the same thing and that the made in China tool was the valid replacement for my ratchet.

I bought my washer, dryer, freezer, tools from Sears and that's it. I will never buy anything from them again.
 
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The regular Craftsman raised panel ratchets are bad. There are many, many better brands of ratchets. You could get a better ratchet on ebay for $15-$20.

The Craftsman sockets are still the best bargain by far in sockets. That's assuming they stay USA made.

On tool forums, a lot of people recommend first-time tool buyers get the Craftsman socket sets, but then replace the ratchets with a different brand.
 
I bet FastGame isn't the first customer to call Sears Corporate and complain about the China replacements.

If enough people complain to Corporate they might have enough sense to change their mind.

It is disgusting how executive management at most companies today have absolutely NO REGARD for the brands they sell at all, only the extra few pennies they can squeeze from it.

I agree, if a Craftsman branded tool is made anywhere but the USA I will NOT buy it.

These dumb Sears brASS hats are going to ruin a legendary brand.
 
Sears is american as apple pie and should pay attention to responses like this, from long time customers. I'm one of them and I know. Clothing, appliances, garden/yars tools, automotive...I use all their products. Yet Sears should still hear this.
 
Craftsman used to be made by KD tools (who also supplied NAPAs New Britian and later NAPA Hand tool line),KD no longer makes ratchets,sockets,bits,or extensions.So,obviously Sears is having to source elsewhere.KD tools hasnt been the same since Danaher Corp took over (another foreign firm).They seem to be expanding their "Gear wrench" line at the expense of their bread and butter KD hand tool line.
 
Its really sad what is happening to these products, seems like it gets more and more expensive to get a US made anything these days. The only saving grace when i lived in England, was that german tools were fairly common and at ok prices.

The obvious "dont care" attitude of the sears people is hard to take.
 
I have a suspicion (and have for a few years) that they are trying to kill off the Craftsman name. Ever since the "evolv" line of tools came out as the cheaper, Made in China option and began taking over the tool department slowly.
 
I had purchased a compressor from Craftsman that is now involved in a recall. I took it in for the recall in September. I was told it would be a couple weeks. Well they called in a couple weeks saying it would be December. They called last week Saying January. Their attitude toward the whole thing was poor to say the least and they refuse to do anything about it. I will not be buying another Sears product.
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I have a suspicion (and have for a few years) that they are trying to kill off the Craftsman name. Ever since the "evolv" line of tools came out as the cheaper, Made in China option and began taking over the tool department slowly.


So that is what they pay those brASS hats all that money for.

Like I said before disgusting. I bet the founders of Sears Roebuck ...Mr Sears and Mr Roebuck are literally SPINNING in their graves with the destruction of the reputation of their company and tool line.

I don't own a stake in Sears but it is so darn depressing to see this trend. When you kill brands like Sears and Craftsman you kill a little part of the USA as well.
 
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Here's my question-why does anybody care? Have you been in a Sears lately?


There's a big reason why Sears won't be around at the end of 2012....
 
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Here's my question-why does anybody care? Have you been in a Sears lately?


There's a big reason why Sears won't be around at the end of 2012....


I do visit the Sears store on a regular basis. The associates are generally helpful and very friendly.

A likely reason is because the bean counting MBAs that run and are ruining our businesses with petty and ignorant decisions that only are for short term gains.
 
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Sears tools are indeed getting to be Harbor Freight with a doubled price tag. If I want Asian tools, I'll go to the HF. At least they acknowledge it's all imported. Not this sneaky "slip in a China tool here and there while charging the same" [censored] that Sears is pulling.
 
Originally Posted By: 91344George
I bet FastGame isn't the first customer to call Sears Corporate and complain about the China replacements.

If enough people complain to Corporate they might have enough sense to change their mind.

It is disgusting how executive management at most companies today have absolutely NO REGARD for the brands they sell at all, only the extra few pennies they can squeeze from it.

I agree, if a Craftsman branded tool is made anywhere but the USA I will NOT buy it.

These dumb Sears brASS hats are going to ruin a legendary brand.


This.
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I have a suspicion (and have for a few years) that they are trying to kill off the Craftsman name. Ever since the "evolv" line of tools came out as the cheaper, Made in China option and began taking over the tool department slowly.


Because people dont care. They want their cheapest deal or else.

And then they wonder why they dont have a job... Which of course means that they are forced more to buy the cheaper stuff.

And so it propagates.

Unfortunately we are a country filled with a lot of fat, lazy, care-less people. It is hurting us.
 
I went to Sears on Saturday to buy a Bosch washer (they are the only place that carries Bosch appliances that I know of around here). I decided to check out the tool section, last time I had been in there was the summer.

It was a freakin' wasteland. No ratchets, the odd Canadian screw driver and the rest of it all junk from China. I was pretty disheartened. Was going to grab some ratchets for my toolbox, but I guess good quality Craftsman isn't an option around here anymore. So it looks like the Snap-On guy will just get more of my business.
 
I have a hard some blaming any company for this kind of thing. I understand the desire, and also want, things to be made in the USA. But, it's getting harder and harder to source products from the USA. The factories that make these items are feeling the pinch and closing down or moving. It may be that the Made In China ratchet is a valid replacement because they could not source one here in the USA. I've had this same problem with car parts. Try to find brake components made in the USA, they are rare.
 
haven't been in a regular sears in years, but had visited a 'sears hardware' store not too long ago; they had a huge craftsman tool selection. maybe you guys are just going to the wrong store?
noticed some craftsman stuff sold in my local Ace recently too, that's a new development...
remember, sears is owned by k-mart now, things change, get used to it.
 
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Here's my question-why does anybody care? Have you been in a Sears lately?


There's a big reason why Sears won't be around at the end of 2012....


Yep, it's hard to find someone to pay when you want to buy something. The workers are usually hanging out together trying to avoid customers. I think they were trained at Home Depot.
 
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