Today I Learned that Sears is Still Selling Craftsman Tools

As the title says, today I learned that Sears is still selling Craftsman tools. Shown here is a screen capture of a Craftsman 450pc set that I’m not familiar with.

Back when Stanley Black & Decker bought the Craftsman brand name from Sears, there were 2 notable clauses in the agreement.

Sears To Continue Developing, Sourcing & Selling Craftsman In All Sears Retail Channels Under Perpetual License Agreement.

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Perpetual License Allowing Sears To Continue Selling In Sears-Related Channels (Royalty-Free For 15 Years, 3% Thereafter).

There was a lawsuit at some point, presumably because Sears was saying things such as “welcome to your first destination for Craftsman,” that they had the “widest selection of Craftsman tools on the planet,” and perhaps most shockingly “Sears is the real home of the broadest assortment of Craftsman.”

I never checked to see how that resolved.

Anyway, Sears is still selling Craftsman tools.

They have the 450pc set for $230, with a purchase option, installment plan, and “lease to own” payment plan. Sears also discloses that the lease to own installment plan isn’t available in multiple US states and territories. If you’re wondering why, it’s because lease to own programs tends to be a predatory lending practice.

OR, you can “choose the price you want to pay.” Sears says you can pay $230 today, or “buy at regular price and receive a Sears gift card for 10% more than your cash savings.”

How it works is you place the order at the regular price, email Sears with your details, and allow up to 60 days for processing.

So for this particular set, which Sears says is $550 before $320 savings, you can buy it for $230 today, or buy it for $550 and get a gift card for $320 + $32 up to 2 months from now.

At first glance, it can seem like a good deal. But really, the $230 price already seems inflated for what you get, let alone $550. It sounds to me like they just want some extra cash up front and will give you the discount in store credit, plus a small amount.

What does the 450pc set come with? 40 hex keys, 175 screwdriver bits that “give you a nice variety,” a “magnetic handle for easy nut or bit installation,” 16 combination wrenches that “let you slip in where the ratchet won’t go,” and I stopped paying attention after that.

What else is up to?

They’re promoting Dewalt tools on social media.

And lawn and garden tools. Where are the safety glasses? Those hearing protectors are not going to do much if they’re not on their ears. Is that a real tool? What’s up with that handle?

Sears says “Milwaukee.”

Hold on. ENHANCE.

That’s not Dewalt, it’s DzWALT.

The Craftsman 20V Diehard cordless power tools popped up again.

But they’re also promoting Stanley Black & Decker’s V20 cordless power tools.

Hashtag #igotitatsears

I make a lot of typos and mistakes, but how could they not see how this reads?

As an aside, Diablo Tools used the phrase “STD” in their product marketing images, instead of Std, as an abbreviation for “standard.” So every time I saw this, it stood out as “up to 50% more holes vs STD drill bits.”

The abbreviation for standard is Std. Does it really matter? No. Did I find it funny? Absolutely.

This pretty much sums up 2025, where we constantly have to ask – is this real?

As to what prompted me to take a look, I was asked what I thought about the Craftsman 450pc tool set for $219. I don’t shop at Sears anymore and think it’s best to steer clear.

Seeing the mess that’s Sears’ website, the “lease to own” part, the inflated “buy now, save later” offer, and the social media stuff – it all just made me feel a little sad.