I visited my local Home Depot store today, to see what’s been selling in their Black Friday tool deals section, and I saw this Gerber machete and folding knife combo set.
Before we get into that, this was a very strange visit. 3 or 4 times – I lost track – I was asked if I needed help.
“Welcome to Home Depot, can I help you find something.” I moved around a little, and then another voice – “Welcome to Home Depot…”
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Everywhere I went, “Welcome to Home Depot…” At first I thought it was just me, as I had been walking in circles looking at all of the holiday displays and taking some photos.
But then I heard store associates greeting other shoppers, and realized there must be a new store-wide or maybe company-wide directive.
It was really strange. Someone was unboxing and shelving products in electrical, paused, and then: “Welcome to Home Depot…”
Back to the point – what’s a Gerber machete doing in the holiday tool deals and gifts area?
This is far from the first time I saw Gerber machetes in Home Depot’s Black Friday deals section, and unlike many of the other promos I’ve observed over the years, this one always seems to sell well.
Would you think that this would be a popular deal, as it sits among the cordless drills, wrenches, mechanics tool sets, hammers, utility knives, tape measure 2-packs, tool boxes, and other such deals no one is ever surprised to see at a home center store? I wouldn’t.
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One important lesson I learned over the years is that a lot of things cannot be predicted ahead of time, they can only be measured.
This year, the deal is for the Gerber Gator Jr Machete with a Paraframe folding knife for less than price for just the machete itself on Amazon.
Deal Price: $28.97
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Jim Felt
Gerber was founded in PrePortlandia by an ad agency owner in WWll. He hand made his Christmas gifts for his clients. Kinda of a pre Tim Leatherman inspiration story.
They sold out decades ago now but I always find their backstory kinda warm and fuzzy.
And no I’d not want any such a thing but I’m sure their market research goes right past my preferences.
Old Suburban Dad
The “Welcome to Home Depot…” side bit here was legit funny.
A W
It reminded me of Ron Swanson getting stopped by a Lowe’s employee.
“I know more than you.”
😂
Chuck
You know, I noticed this a few days ago. I couldn’t walk a few feet without being asked for help. I’m in so regularly right now, they recognize me and aren’t offering as much. But it was nice when they did and if I ask, they’re going above and beyond to help. Lowe in my area is very different. And they’re are other issues that keep me away from Lowe’s. Lowe’s E-receipts don’t work on mobile and that makes problems for me on my commercial accounts.
TMedina
Probably a quieter version of Target’s “10-4” program. And an effort to drive sales in an anticipated slower season.
TomD
Those are the kinds of tools sold to be gifted – I’d be entirely unsurprised if 80% or more are gifted instead of being bought for “own use”.
Stuart
Happy Holidays – here, I got you a machete. It’s strange either way, but sales are sales.
Will
The overly enthusiastic, store wide “welcome to home depot” has happened before. It seems like it only lasts a few days. Comes off a little creepy and a lot insincere. I feel bad for the employees that have to follow these badly thought out and implemented corporate mandates.
Anthony Armstrong
This happened to me Sunday.
My local ace redid their plumbing section and it’s abysmal so I had to go to HD.
For the first time in 20 years of going HD I was asked multiple times if I needed help.
The plumbing section was horrible, stuff missing,open empty boxes, missed binned items .
I was there for over an hour trying to find all the supplies I needed to add a laundry sink to the basement. One of the employees asked me if I was ok and I explained my frustration, he brought back the manager who was attentive and very understanding. Beyond that multiple employees attempted to help me and they offered actual help.
At the end one female employee stuck with me for 20 minutes and help me find 2 angle stop valves that where in top stock.
It was much different than my normal experience as far are employees helping and asking if I needed help. It’s not just you Stuart, there is definitely a new push for customer service.
It was great except the employees don’t know the product, I had to educate them on plumbing items and in the middle of that I helped a customer get everything he needed.
Jim Felt
I’ve done that a multitude of times since the advent of decent A19 LEDs as their retail floor staff can not explain Kelvin let alone why it might matter.
Jager
I’m assuming someone finally clued into how many sales they lose from people who would impulse buy a black Friday power tool deal but give up when they can’t find someone to unlock the cables on the holiday display and do the perp walk to checkout.
Dave
1. I’ve bought this machete twice over the years – the pocketknife isn’t great, but the big blade is handy in the garden and I might just grab another because it’s been a couple of years…
2. There was a big employee meeting going on outside the lumber yard when I went in today (odd place for it, looked like a lot of new hires), and I’ve definitely noticed a push toward better customer service the last few days. If this is an initiative they stick with, great! I’d rather be offered help too many times than spend a half hour wandering around begging anyone I found to help me get something from the rafters or unlock something in a cage, then waiting for “the right department guy” they claimed to have called never show up. Needing help and not getting it has to cost me at least an hour or two a week given that I’m in the store almost daily and sometimes more than once a day…
Stuart
The Paraframe was one of my first folders, and it served me very well, especially considering what I paid for it. I later bought the Gerber Paraframe 2, and that one wasn’t very good.
Alexk
Didn’t notice anything different, service wise, at my Kingston NY Home Depot. Maybe they didn’t get the memo?
I never liked my Gerber Paraframe knife. There is a Gerber machete where I work. Never been interested in trying it. The serrations on the back seem like an accident waiting to happen. Be either a machete or a saw, not both.
Still lovin’ the Wuben G5 after a week+. It came in handy when we lost power two nights in a row and had to go to the generator. Any flashlight would have done the job, but it’s fun to play with and works well.
Robert
Stuart, Helpful employees at Home Depot, machetes, giants werewolves and skeletons on discount? You stepped through a portal (i.e., the Pro line) into the Twilight Zone.