Home Depot added another tool box system to their holiday deals center this year – Ryobi Link – where they’ve also been featuring Ridgid Pro Gear tool box deals.
At Home Depot stores, they recently had Black Friday and holiday gift center promo displays advertising the Ryobi Link 3pc tool box combo for $149.
The displays also list prices for the individual components.
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Home Depot’s early Black Friday 2022 sales flyer also advertised the Ryobi 3pc tool box combo in a similar manner.
In all promotional materials, the Ryobi Link 3pc tool box combo is specifically advertised as a special buy for $149.
The new Ridgid Pro 2.0 tool boxes are on sale, but Home Depot is only adverting them a la carte, which is a break from the trend.
The promotional signage shows a Ridgid 3pc combo, but only with prices for each individual tool box component.
Interestingly, the tool boxes are stacked together, as if they were intended to be sold as complete 3pc combos.
Why does the Ryobi signage have component pricing as well as a 3pc combo price, while the Ridgid signage only has component pricing?
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Home Depot’s early Black Friday 2022 sales ad also shows the 3pc combo, but only with individual prices for the separate components.
Looking at a photo I took of last year’s sales floor display, Home Depot advertised the Ridgid tool boxes individually, as well as a 3pc combo.
In their Black Friday sales flyer last year, Home Depot advertised the Ridgid 3pc Pro tool box combo for $119.
I should point out that this year’s promo features the new Ridgid 2.0 Pro gear tool boxes.
Home Depot’s 2020 sales flyer also advertised the Ridgid 3pc tool box combo setup.
Ridgid’s tool box combo was also advertised as a 3pc combo in 2019.
I’m sure you get the point by now – Home Depot broke from tradition and didn’t advertise the 3pc combo pricing this year.
Home Depot launched the Ridgid tool box system in late 2014, and has advertised Ridgid 3pc tool box combos in their Black Friday sales ads every year, going back all the way to 2015.
In other words, Home Depot has always advertised Ridgid 3pc tool box combo pricing for 7 years in a row, and then decided to only advertise component prices in this year’s Black Friday and holiday gift center promotional materials.
Why do things differently this year?
Looking at Home Depot’s online store, they actually do have bundle pricing where you can get the Ridgid 3pc tool box combo for $139, which is 91 cents less than buying the components separately at their current “special buy” pricing.
So, Home Depot does have a bundle offer where you can get the Ridgid Pro 2.0 tool box combo for $139, but this wasn’t advertised in the Black Friday sales flyer, and I have not seen it at stores either.
The way Home Depot is advertising the two systems, you can get the Ryobi Link 3pc combo for $149, or the Ridgid Pro Gear 2.0 combo for $29.97 + $39.98 + $69.97.
Interesting…
I should also point out that the Ryobi Link combo gives you a rolling tool box, medium tool box, and open tote, while the Ridgid combo gives you a rolling tool box, medium tool box, and small tool box.
Ridgid’s crate retails for $29.97, while their new small tool box (currently a $29.97 special buy) has a regular retail price of $39.97.
Ryobi’s Link crate retails for $39.97 regularly while their small tool box is regularly $49.97.
Objectively speaking, open tote boxes are often less expensive than small tool boxes, and with all things considered equal, I’d say the Ridgid 3pc combo with a top tool box offers more value than the Ryobi 3pc combo with a top crate, and at a lower price.
As an aside, I visited my local Home Depot stores recently last week, and they still had an abundance of Ryobi Link tool boxes in their holiday deals and gift center. Actually, they had an abundance of many different tool deals and special buys. Are shoppers waiting for mid-season price-drops or clearance pricing?
Which 3pc tool box combo would you buy, the Ryobi at $149, or the Ridgid at $139?
I bought the Ridgid tool boxes individually at their regular pricing (mainly for review purposes), as soon as I learned of the new 2.0 Pro Gear products, and have been impressed so far.
Even without having great things to say about Ridgid tool boxes (original and 2.0), I think most people would lean towards Ridgid – as I certainly would.
Perhaps that’s why the Ryobi Link tool box combo is advertised as being $149, while the Ridgid 3pc combo is indirectly depicted as being $29.97 + $39.98 + $69.97.
This could of course just be a coincidence, with no correlation between how the two brands’ tool box deals are advertised. What do you think?
MKY
Stuart-
where they’ve **been** also been featuring Ridgid Pro Gear tool box deals
Interestingly, the tool boxes are stacked together **together**, as if they…
Ridgid’s crate retails for $29.97, while their new small **too** box (currently…
Stuart
Thanks, *fixed*. Double words have been an editor bug lately, been driving me mad. The programmers keep adding “improvements.”
Jerry
They are just figuring most people won’t do the math and will grab whatever color they already have. Happens all the time. You’d be surprised how often you can find things for $6.50 each or 3 for $20.
Stuart
That’s not my line of thinking.
My mine of thinking is that Home Depot is trying to avoid direct competition where the Ridgid system advertised at $139 (or $139.91) could take interest and appeal away from the higher-priced Ryobi Link system.
They have rounded down for 3pc combos in the past, that’s normal.
What’s unusual is the HD broke the 7-year trend in how they’re advertising the Ridgid tool boxes over the holidays. While there are higher prices on many products this year, and the tool boxes are a new generation, I can’t help but feel this was deliberate due to HD desiring to also sell the Link system combo at higher pricing.
Jerry
That’s kind of what I meant. The green guys will grab the green one and not do the math to compute if it’s the better price.
Vards Uzvards
“… will grab whatever color they already have”.
I would change this part of the sentence to “whatever color, or *style*”.
If it would be ToughSystem (which I already have a handful of) or TSTAK (more than two dozen) next to Ridgid (none, and no plans right now), I’d compare deal price to what I consider a fair / good deal price, from my past experiences. Even if Ryobi price is higher than said Ridgid, one who’s already in the LINK system might still ignore the lower-priced competitor.
Ted
As a home depot employee, the ridgid boxes have been flying off the shelf and we were even out of stock for a couple days, meanwhile the ryobi boxes have not moved since we put up the display back in early november.
Jason
To be fair though, the black and orange Ridgid boxes have a no-nonsense professional look about them and are slightly less expensive.
Every time I see the Ryobi Link all that goes through my head is LEGO.
MFC
Despite Ryobi’s efforts, it continues to be a brand that contractors don’t want to be seen using, at least here in Texas. Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita, Skil, Craftsman, etc. but not Ryobi.
Bob
I see tons of Ryobi here in Arkansas. The big general contractor crews are using them and many finish carpenters/flooring guys have a mix of tools (Ryobi and DeWalt saws, Ryobi and Milwaukee nailers, and a mix of festool and Milwaukee for everything else). I see a lot of those Ryobi 7.25 battery sliding miter saws moving around the house.
Stacey Jones
I have an old stack of ridgid I bought several years ago. It’s pretty sturdy but kind of a pain to unbuckle and move around. I wonder… Is it compatible with these? I like the Ryobi variety, they definitely have more interchangeable pieces, but feel flimsy to me. Kinda on the fence. I might just buy a piece to add on to the ridgid I have, and stop there. I also have makpac and like the rolling dolly thing I got for it. I’ll probably buy more of it. Someone needs to make these so that you can get into the compartments without unpacking. Like a door or hatch…
Stuart
Most Ridgid 2.0 tool boxes look to be backwards compatible, except maybe the half-size organizers.
Rod
Yes it is.
Mike
I picked up the first gen Ridgid boxes when they were on clearance. The Ryobi boxes are okay but not as solid and well-built as the Ridgids.
Not sure why anyone would pay more for less
Stuart
Unless the Link system catches a shopper’s attention and it isn’t obvious at first glance that the Ridgid 3pc combo gives you higher value for less money!!
Avoiding “get all 3 for $139” advertising for the Ridgid system could potentially do that.
Shoppers drop what they were going to buy and pick up promo tool deals all the time. Whenever I visit a home center gift center midday this time of year, I’ll find misplaced tools and accessories all over the place, and it’s obvious shoppers bought a promo option instead.
If someone is wheeling a Link system 3pc tool box combo to checkout, and they see the Ridgid 3pc combo for $10 less, I’d bet most would drop the Ryobi product in favor of the Ridgid a majority of the time. Altering the way the Ridgid tool boxes are advertised could be an attempt to avoid this, and help shoppers follow through with Ryobi Link purchases.
To me, IF that strategy is deliberate and necessary to help move Link products, that could be an indication the Link system is priced higher than tenable for its target audience.
Mike
If you look at the Ryobi display, the individual box prices are higher than the individual Ridgid box prices.
That aside, sad commentary when people cannot add up $30 + $40 +$70 (I rounded) and see that $140 total for the Ridgid is less than $149 for the Ryobi.
I explained unit pricing to my daughter when she was 6 years old – the biggest size is not always the best buy.
Beorn
I don’t have a Ryobi one tool yet even to consider they do, make a lot of tools/
Plain+grainy
Home Depot also had the rechargeable Ryobi power carver & rotary tool, $59 each. I have the Ridgid 3200 lumen 18v spotlight. Really super when paired with 6 ah battery. Has been a select tool with battery kit also.
bg100
Didn’t I see a bunch of Ryobi boxes on clearance a few weeks before the holiday season? I could swear HD was unloading these at my store shortly before the new displays went up. I don’t think these are priced low enough for the target audience… I tend to think of Ryobi as being a lower price point ( though better value) than Ridgid.
Doug N
The ryobi products are just too weird and different to be successful. Square-ish, un-toolbox shaped, no top handles, and heavy even when empty due to the metal mechanism on the bottom side. And they don’t feel robust, despite the weight.
Seems like an interesting idea with a poor, rushed execution.
Doresoom
The bottom retention mechanism is plastic, not metal, FYI.
Bob
Bingo, I’m a Ryobi guy at home and love their products, especially the HP stuff. We use Milwaukee pack out and Fuel tools at work. The pack out is so much more durable than the Ryobi stack. Many men weight too much to sit on the bottom box of the Ryobi. I use my pack out as a stool all the time. I’m considering buying a flex mobile tool box stack for my Ryobi. The Ryobi needs to be priced around $79.99 or it needs to made much better to command that price.
BF
The Rigid 2.0s are fantastic. They’ve pretty much improved every aspect—thicker in spots, reinforced locks, better clasps, better internal layouts, detachable dolly and wall mounts. My 1.0s are still holding up well, after years, but I’ve picked up a couple of 2.0s and am really impressed. Pack outs are still nicer, but the Rigids are still the best value, by FAR.
J Money
I appreciate the ‘sale’ pricing on the Ridgid items individually. I missed the clearance pricing on the 1.0, but picked up one of the smaller 2.0 toolboxes. I already had a 1.0 base/wheeled box and some open crates and likely wouldn’t have bought a 3 piece set – but impulsively bought the one piece because the ‘sale’ made me feel I should get it.
Steve
First off, I can’t see any reason to buy the Ryobi over the Ridgid. Ridgid has a better product and a better price. Win-win.
Second, on the pricing, maybe Ridgid is trying to obfuscate that there’s been 40% inflation in the price of their stack since 2020?
Frank D
Ryobi is too late to the market for the average HD shopper (who already has one or more systems), will be ignored by pros (because lime / Ryobi), and will probably only appeal to people who are new home owners and may like a wall hanging rack etc.
At my HD, the Ryobi tool storage stuff is caked in dust, and has had those ” fake ” clearance stickers with pennies off.
AlexK
The Ridgid open crate is $34.98 at Home Depot in the Hudson Valley NY. I just bought the three stack and would have bought the crate if it was cheaper.
The removable cart has been great for my needs.
Travis
I bought the ridgid boxes when they first came out in 2013? I’m a contractor and these boxes get taken in and out of my truck on a daily basis and the only non issue I’ve ever had is the rubber around the side latch one one of the boxes finally broke down from the sun but the latch still works just fine. Hands down best bang for your buck. Unless you are a fanboy and need everything red. I’m an actual worker. I have many brands I carry and I don’t care if the color matches or not. All I care is if the setup with make me efficient to make more money
Stuart
October 2014 https://toolguyd.com/ridgid-pro-tool-storage-review/
I posted a news story and then went out and bought a set for testing and review.
Bill
I would be all over the Ridgid system if they had drawer options. Also considered the Kobalt but they don’t have drawer options either. I guess that’s why they force us to the higher priced systems to get the more options. I think even the HART box system has a drawer option.
TonyT
Yes, Hart does – 22 lbs load, 2 drawers, $40, made by Keter
Bob
The Hart stack is leading the bang for the buck option. I see a few of the boxes in the field and the guys like them. I also live in Walmart country.
Blythe
I love my 1.0 Ridgid boxes. No complaints other than hoping for drawers eventually
Doug N
If anyone else has struggled to store and transport large paint roller trays (about 14″x20″), they fit perfectly in the Ridgid large rolling toolbox. I just realized that I can fit 1 or 2 of them lying vertically on their side, and still have lots of room for paint rollers, brushes, and other supplies. This is a huge improvement over Rubbermaid totes I’ve used previously.
No other modular tool storage boxes can fit these trays, with the exception of the behemoth packout rolling chest. Another big win for the Ridgid boxes. I also love being able to remove the wheels and handle from the box.