Tool dealers at shops: dying off or more efforts to make money?

I always liked the older blackhawk stuff,same as proto, carquest used to carry it, break one bring it back, i only broke one rachet and it didn't really break, just wasn't working right, 1/4 drive, the exchage one sucked. it was so stiff you couldn't turn it by hand,they tried to say this was normal. They stopped carrying the brand now nowhere to do exchanges. I still look for older stuff from them in pawnshops and second hand stores, have really beat on them and they have held up.

 

they do not drop by much at my place.... mostly season'd guys there (read as 'old')... I do not need screw drivers and end wrenches.

our SnapOn dealer must be in trouble $$$ wise. I have waited for 1 month for a warranty replacement on a ball peen hammer 16 oz size....

 

We still have snap-on and matco every week. They are down as everyone else is also. FINALLY today got a Mac man for the first time in 2 years! The last Mac guy screwed me out of a $280.00 air ratchet, the new guy says Mac will send me a brand new one free in a week. Not holding my breath, but he says it will happen. I think you will be seeing more done to keep techs happy as it is a very competitive business now a days. All of the professional tools are way too expensive. Glad I have 32 years worth in the box already, couldnt afford to buy all the tools at the prices they charge these days.

 

Hey, 1950ChevySuburan, send me a PM, I'm a Snapon dealer in town, and I know I've never told anyone that, so hopefully its not me

Where to start... I've been a Snapon dealer for about a year and a half. This is a tough business. I work a shit ton of hours, between stock orders, cleaning/ organizing the truck, etc, ON TOP of going to shops and trying to sell tools and beat money out of guys.

Lots of stress too, you have good weeks where you sell a box or scanner on credit and you're on top of the world, then the next week you're trying to figure out how you're going to pay the tool bill. The amount of money that passes through my bank account is crazy. Unfortunately, after all the bills are paid, there generally isn't much left for me.

Snapon "dealers" are franchises now(well, for the most part). As guys have said, if I sell a guy $300 in tools and never see the guy again, that's money out of MY pocket. Snapon doesn't lose a dime, I still have to pay them for that tool, but I'm not getting paid. It really really ruins you're day when you pull into a shop and find out the guy that was paying you $100 a week and had a $1000 account with you quit/fired/laid off(popular one lately).

As far as dying out? Well, shits hard right now. Lots of general repair shops, at least in my neck of the woods, are pretty spotty. Slammed one week, dead for two. It's hard to get guys to buy that set of wrenches if they don't know if they are going to have 60 hours next week or 20. Or, with some guys, they buy the wrenches(or whatever) any way and give a sob story every other week. Any way, a majority of dealers are losing truck account balance, which means they are collecting less each week. For dealers that have been around long enough to have paid off their business, this isn't enough to put them out, unless they had themselves stretched too thin to start with. New guys though, its tough. Lots of bills for the first 5- 10 years.

He's interviewing for a "company store" position. Basically he'd be an employee of Snapon. Get paid salary, make a little commission. Good Deal. Even better is that you get to establish the route, get your customers on the books and "trained" to pay, while you're collecting a salary. After a couple years, if you've done your job right, you should have a good established route and can convert over to a franchise.

 

Only took me a year and half to get my torque wrench calibrated with MAC tools. Wrench only one year old and they said I would have to upgrade to a newer one, as the one I owned had no repair parts available. Being an aircraft mechanic, we use them all the time . So goodbye MAC man!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We have one matco and that is it. I have to admit to not having a tool account for the last 6 to 7 years.

 

I kind of dig SK tools, I have to buy them online though...

 

Our Snap On guy just went under, I haven't seen the Mac guy in 6 months and the Matco guy never has what I need and never orders it. Who thought it would be so hard to give my cash to someone. I don't carry truck credit. I pay what ever is due in cash when I get the tool. It's gotten to the point I just order Craftsman tools online.

Anyone have any of the Craftsman 52" boxes? Good? Bad? I have outgrown my box and need a new one.

 

I dont think I ever broke a Snap on Ratchet. I put my broken Craftsman tools in a bucket. It does not take long to make it a worth while trip to Sears. Dont get me wrong I keep a set in my truck and my Motorhome but could never make a living with them, Craftsmen tools are way too brittle.

 

I put them on a on call basis since I have PLENTY tools after paying $50-$100 a week for 20+years.I call my snap on man & can meet him any where to get a tool warranted or if I need a special tool or if it's on a day where I'm on his route he'll gladly stop by. He's a good guy and if I have to use credit I'll mail him a check to save his & my time of him coming by just for a payment.Never had a problem with a snap on dealer around here, but mac can't seem to keep someone in a truck long around here.I got a set of mac 3/8 extensions that lock the sockets on that have been needing warranted for 5 yrs or so, can't find a mac guy & when I see one i don't have the extension.

 

I drive a Matco truck. My truck is stacked about as thick as it can get in there. I can have 95% of my tools at my house within 3 days of ordering them. Ive got no problem with the tool situation.

 

I would say they are definately dying off in my area. I have been a "mechanic"for 40+ years.Worked in the same shop for 39 years. We used to have all the brand names,and several independents who called on us on a weekly basis.We had an excellent Snap-on man for many years,you could set your watch by the time he showed up every week.He would walk by and give your drawer slides a shot of white grease every once in a while,even if it wasnt a S-O box.He always(almost) had your warrenty tools the next week.He even sold Knapp shoes,and you could put them on your account. After about 10 or 12 years Snappy decided to call it quits,He bought a trailer park and got out of the tool business. We havent had a decent tool man since.We have one independent who comes in every other week,and most of the guys buy from him.The new snap-on man carries very little on the truck,and honestly,he doesnt seem to have the attitude to be a salesman.He is a young guy with a family,and I am sure he is starting out in the business at a bad time.We have a Mac man who stops in about once every couple of months,has the personality of a carp,and also carries very little on the truck.I dont know how he can afford to drive around in an empty truck.At least if the guy shows up on a regular basis I would be more inclined to buy from him,rather than from someone who doesnt come in on a regular schedule.

 

Yep, havn't seen a tool guy at are shop in at least 4 months.....jones

 

Snap on is a good dealer for us.

I often talk with Snap On guys who have customers who will buy tube benders or notchers..etc through the Snap On guy so their wife won't see them spending the money.

 

Lots of good stuff brought up in here. Someone said "we need them, and they need us".... I agree 100%! Thats why I'm confused why they don't come around as much. I'd be happy with once-a-month visits. Hell, I'm 44 and work in a well-stocked shop. I don't buy much anymore, but when I need something would be nice to have support.

Maybe quit running sales on basics like wrenches and screwdrivers, we all have those. Feature some special stuff like A/C tools, or specialty wrenches. Make it worth our money to spend $30 for a set of hex keys (allens) vs. $4 at Lowes.

 

I'll PM ya
I know its tough out there. Trying to find a way to get thru life together!

 

i noticed the drop off about 8-10 years ago. once these guys know that you are well stocked with tools, they don't seem to want to stop just to repair broken tools. they know the guys that have been around awhile are pretty much set with most stuff, i mean after 30 years of buying tools, you pretty much have everything you need and only need to replace busted or "misplaced" stuff, and the ocasional new gadgets. you can be sure to see them at new businesses that open up though, new blood, new money. on the same note, now with a lot of places closing up, you can get great deals on used tools from guys that are throwing in the towel.