Zoro, an online industrial supplier owned by Grainger, sent out an email today announcing that they now carry Craftsman tools.
The email’s banner image reads: “Achieve More with Pro-Grade Craftsman Tools,” and includes thumbnailed links to the following categories:
- Tool Storage
- Hand Tools
- Vehicle Maintenance
- Power Tools and Accessories
- Electronics
- Power Transmission
- Storage and Workspace
- Office and School Furniture
Craftsman tools are primarily sold at Lowe’s, ever since Stanley Black & Decker acquired and relaunched the brand, with select tools also available at Amazon, Ace Hardware, and other retailers.
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It will be interesting to see what comes from this development.
I wonder if some of Craftsman’s more premium tools be launching at Zoro as well, specifically their V-Series tools, and the potential for USA-made hand tools.
Bonnie
Are these “Pro-Grade” tools materially different? Most of them look like the same cheap stuff sold elsewhere. And it looks like Lowes is still getting the better options? Like Zoro is selling an older and less powerful brushed 1/2″ impact wrench, while Lowes has a newer brushless RP version of the same tool.
Stuart
The “pro-grade” stood out to me, but personally I’m not taking it at face value.
Craftsman used to have a limited “Craftsman Industrial” line under Sears, and I’m thinking/hoping this is a step in that direction.
Zoro’s Craftsman tool selection looks to be very limited. I see what you mean about the impact wrench. Maybe that will change if/when sales volume picks up, unless there’s a contract with Lowe’s preventing it.
Jared
I suspect it’s just marketing. E.g. Zoro is bringing Craftsman tools to their catalogue and describing them as “pro grade”, not introducing a new “pro grade” line.
I think many Craftsman tools do perform sufficiently well to be considered “pro grade”, it’s just that they’re mixed in with many tools that aren’t so good.
Good news overall though – I think Craftsman needs to be BIG if we want them to make more upper-tier tools.
Jamie Lee Davis
Agreed. I WANT Craftsman to succeed. I am a Milwaukee owner with a super large Craftsman V20 collection, including lawn and garden. I love my V20 tools. A lot of new stuff ” sliding” into the mix.
Munklepunk
Knowing Zoro it will be 25% higher priced.
Bart
I hadn’t heard of Zoro, but that sounds about right if it’s owned by Grainger
fred
Grainger is quite an odd duck IMO. They were a go-to source for our fabrication business. Sometimes, I learned that an order placed in the morning might arrive on our dock that afternoon. I also heard that they drove our bookkeeper crazy because pricing was not exactly up front with later rebates after the fact coming based on volume of purchases. With Zoro – perhaps as Grainger was trying to launch that subsidiary company – they had some spectacular deals (25 to 30% off) on their often somewhat high original price. I know that we bought a Miller diesel welder from them at a price that our local distributor could not come close to matching and said was well below his cost. Our toolroom guy also said that Zoro was a low-priced source for Williams and Proto items. If that’s still true they may be worth a price check. I still sometimes get offers from Zoro – but 10 to 15% off one-use coupon codes now seem like what’s on offer.
Mike+I
Zoro used to be great for discounts which applied to almost everything they sell. Then they changed policy and essentially excluded any brand or tool with a vowel in its name. I used to buy from them all the time, these days I don’t even check there.
Jim Felt
My/our experience too. Darnitall.
Chris
Ive actually had pretty good luck with with using the 20% coupons. I was able to use it on a 115pc Norseman drill bit set and a 40 something Irwin tap and die set. I do occasionally get coupons for 20% of Milwaukee tools which I might take advantage of at some point. But yeah for most tool brands, especially power tools the regular 20% off coupons don’t work.
Jeremiah
Yeah, it is Grainger’s little brother. So instead of getting ripped off for 40% higher mark-up, you’ll only have to pay 25% more for the same things you can get elsewhere.
Jamie Lee Davis
Always excited to see Craftsman thriving. I know a lot of fan boys and snobs will cringe……
I am like Stuart!
I want Craftsman to thrive….
I do wonder what makes these different?
Jeremiah
Marketing. Marketing makes these different. Look at the tools and you’ll see they are the same as Lowe’s sells.
dandLyons
I’ve learned that the trick with Zoro is to leave items in your cart for a while & they wii send you a code for 20% off to complete the purchase
Stuart
Agreed! If I don’t need it urgently, I’ll wait until the promo is good enough.
I received two postcard coupons in the mail last month, and also a “it’s time to reorder this” postcard about a router dust attachment I bought in December.
The promo is only 10 or 15% sometimes, which is better than nothing.
Adam
Received a physical mailer from them today. Thought it was going to be another coupon, but was advertising Craftsman instead.
T
Oddly, I know the Craftsman V Series stuff has already been on zoro for at least a few months now as I remember looking at one of the wrench sets and with their regular 20% coupons it was cheaper than anywhere else.
Plain+grainy
Off Topic; Kind of an interesting deal at CPO tools. They have a Makita rear handle circular saw kit(model XSR01PT), it uses two 18v batteries (36v). The kit sells for $258.00, it includes the saw, two batteries, dual charger, bag. Free shipping! The deal is if you purchase the kit, you get two more 18v batteries (so the total package has 4 18v batteries). The saw has 7 five star reviews on CPO.
Deal ends today, out of stock at Acme.
Stuart
Great deal!
Shows as in stock at Acme Tools at $259, but with the batteries backordered.
CPO link.
Rog
Bringing Bosch doesn’t seem to bode well for that PC exclusive partnership.
Stuart
Wrong post?
I take it you meant to put that comment here: https://toolguyd.com/tractor-supply-tool-brand-partners-bosch-dremel-greenworks-2023/
Fyrfytr998
Gonna be a pass for me. Not only is Lowes cheaper. I also get my military discount on top of that.