Every now and then I get an email saying something about how a brand has a new website that blah blah blah blah blah.
Who cares, right?
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To be frank, it always seems so boring. Why would I want to write an entire post about how a tool brand revamped their site?
Well, a few weeks ago Wiha USA tweeted at us about their redesigned website.
My contact with Wiha so far has been one-sided. Their sales manager left a couple of comments on ToolGuyd, but I’ve sent them several unanswered emails over the years. So when they contacted me via Twitter, I didn’t ignore the site redesign news as I normally would.
@ToolGuyd we just launched our redesigned website https://t.co/QpYePWk3fK Ever done #toolwebsite reviews? We're looking to make improvements
— Wiha Tools North America (@WihaToolsUSA) November 13, 2015
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I took a look, and…. WOW.
I said as much in my reply:
@WihaToolsUSA At first glance it looks FAR better than before. Thumbs up! Please email me when you have a chance, all mine to you bounced.
— Stuart Deutsch (@ToolGuyd) November 13, 2015
Not to sound negative, but their previous website sucked. In no uncertain terms, it was clunky, sometimes hard to navigate, and difficult to search. It was lousy.
I wouldn’t say that the current Wiha Tools USA website is stunning or spectacular, but it’s pretty decent looking, and usability is MUCH improved. It is simply leaps and bounds better than before.
Yep, today’s a slow news day, but the Wiha USA site was so bad before that I feel the redesign is worth a mention.
As for the brand, I own lots of Wiha tools – a set of their full-sized SoftFinish screwdrivers, MagicRing ball hex key sets, a couple of T-handle hex drivers, 3K ergonomic screwdrivers (that review was by contributor Stephen K), a lot of precision screwdrivers, a multi-bit precision screwdriver from KC Tool, and a single pair of precision pliers that I misplaced months ago.
I can’t say I have ever been disappointed with a Wiha tool purchase. I bought most of my Wiha tools from Amazon.
Related: Here’s a roundup of all the best precision screwdrivers in my toolbox!
If you check out the new site, are there any Wiha tools that catch your eye for review or giveaway interest?
Hilton
Nuffin to do with their new website but I also bought a set of their SoftFinish nut drivers, MagicRing ball hex key sets and a couple of the 4mm sets.
I tried to look at their new site last year when it was in beta but it it failed miserably.
Sort of on topic, I bought a 6mm MagicRing hex driver bit to use when installing insert nuts. It does seem to hold the insert nut without falling off. I have the proper bits for the 5/16 and 8/32 insert nuts.
Hilton
Oh and the stupid morons who re-wrote their new website have decided that unless your computer is actually physically in the USA, you are automatically redirected to a generic website. It’s quite pathetic actually that in this day and age companies will still try and force you into a corner.
Do they seriously not consider that people move around the globe all the time? We’re back to the 1980s. Guess I’ll be buying Wera tools in future as they at least offer you the option of the US site or others. Same as Knipex. Now I know why Wiha is way behind the others.
Rant over.
Stuart
I’m sure they’ll take your feedback into consideration, but the name calling was a bit unnecessary.
Wiha had several regional sites, and so Wihave USA might have thought they were doing customers a favor with the redirect.
Other global companies also do this, or somwthing similar.
I can never go to Ikea’s website without first picking a country.
Hilton
I have no problem with a redirect per se, but at least give me the option to choose which site I want to visit. Lee Valley does that.
This is 2016 so I stand by my name calling but delete the post if you wish.
Brian
I’d love to get a set of their precision screwdrivers. Just cant justify the price as I don’t use them every day. Currently I use cheapo $5 sets which really suck.
Maybe one day…
Fazal Majid
They don’t have the full selection, though. I’m interested in the picofinish master set http://www.wiha.com/en-int/produkte/screwdrivers/picofinish-display.html which has a street price of about 210-230 euros in Europe, but is not available here.
Hang Fire
That is a nice 70 pc set. In the US the largest set I can find is the Wiha 92191 with 51 pieces.
Stuart
That’s not a Master Set, at least not in the same way as the Master Technician set or ESD Master Technician set.
Master Technician Set
ESD Master Technician Set
It looks to me like that PicoFinish set is a retail countertop display, with 7 of each of 10 different slotted and Phillips slotted screwdrivers.
Anybody could buy it, most will be better off with added variety instead of so much duplication.
Diplomatic Immunity
Enh I didn’t care much for the new “upgrade”. For one thing it’s not easily sortable. Did save me on buying some pliers though when I saw that the COO was Vietnam. Definitely not going to pay a premium price on pliers from Vietnam.
Hang Fire
I’d rather have great tools and a poor website than the other way around. Yes, web annoyances are annoyances, but I just got a job done with Wiha screwdrivers after a set of cheapies stripped out on me. I will continue to build my collection of Wiha screwdrivers.
Dylan
I just bought a 6 piece Wiha screwdriver set on Amazon
Bradley Hanstad
make it like an even more picture book mcmastercarr, and you will have a winner.
Bradley Hanstad
I really want the 51 pc tray “master set” but I just ordered a small standard phillips/slotted set with free pliers and then 3 pico finish drivers in my most commonly used hex drivers to see how awesome they are.
Kent
It’s an improvement – a big improvement.
The thing that always bothered me about Wiha is that they expect me to pay a premium price for a premium tool (I own a precision screwdriver set, and a full size set – probably $150? worth of tools.)
Yet, they had a Harbor Freight quality website for the past 10 years. It’s like they expect *me* to spend more for quality, but refused to do it themselves. It’s almost like they didn’t believe in quality, which goes against the grain of what they claim to stand for.
I don’t know the politics of the company, but I’d guess that there’s one person, really high up, who is old enough that the web isn’t how *they* do business, so they assume it’s some sort of toy. That guy needs to do something different, get out of the way, and let somebody who actually understands the power of the internet to run the site. Creating a good website is expensive – just like any other skilled trade.
I buy a lot of tools, and I buy them online. Wiha’s site was so bad that I rarely even considered them when making a purchase. They could have had 10x the money I spent, by simply having a good website.
It’s going to take a while to get people to start using their site, but hopefully the new one works.
Richard G.
Just in case if someone need it. Wiha have a split head mallet 83250 on sale now for only $20, regular $56 on Amazon
Andrew
Old website was horrible. It was easier to go to kctool and find part numbers there
adam
The old website’s authenticity looked questionable, like as if it were a false page set up and forgotten about since Y2K.
A prominent slideshow of tool pricing is advertising I’d expect from a retailer, not a manufacturer. And the button labeled, “Create an Account: So We Can Be Friends with Benefits,” is a Y2K-era joke that should remain in that decade.
From such judgment to date, a future website attempt to incorporate photos of human models displaying the products may be interesting.
But kudos to the company for the present site’s uncluttered visual presentation and navigation.
Todd
Definitely an improvement. They always offered up great sale pricing and thankfully it was always in a prominent spot at the top of the home page. Otherwise finding the deals, or much else for that matter, was a royal pain.
I picked up the Pico finish insulated precision drivers set on sale when they came out with them last year and was suitably impressed. Very well made. Unless I am missing it though, the COO is not readily listed on most products on the site. I know some of the pliers are made in Vietnam and if I am going to pay German prices I want them German made.