Tool Quality Declining?

[outofthefire]

A big part of it is internet shopping- people know only compare the cost and compare the list of useless gimmicks built in to the stuff.

I completely disagree, purchasing off the internet is no different to buying using any other method. You would rarely be able to test a tool in a shop so you would make your choice exactly the same way as you would purchasing from the net. The internet now means that manufacturers have to bear in mind that potential buyers can get feedback about products from a huge range of people.

 

[Kent]

I completely disagree, purchasing off the internet is no different to buying using any other method. You would rarely be able to test a tool in a shop so you would make your choice exactly the same way as you would purchasing from the net. The internet now means that manufacturers have to bear in mind that potential buyers can get feedback about products from a huge range of people.

We will have to disagree then. I remember buying welding plants off demos given and indeed I did a few demos for an old employer who sold a few as a sideline to the fab work (its rare now but then the internet didn't exist so the seller had little option) . However I am one of those "back to old trade people" spent 20 years in sales and marketing from pre-internet to post internet during that "in-between" period. Snap on reps went and put the tools in peoples hands, Vacuum salesmen, double galzing etc. etc.
I do know its easy to put out bad feedback and also not that hard to put out good reviews and feedback to cover up / over the bad and get other stuff "removed" indeed when I trained the sales staff at MKD there was a team doing nothing but this internet clean-up and fake review.
Its hard to sell rubbish face to face hands on, if you pick up a snap on and a silverline wrench which will you buy " if it was affordable"?

Correct though its a lot harder to get any attention from sellers now people punch in a few numbers from what they see and read on screen. Do you ever watch TV shopping channels? do they not seem a bit Tacky in their ways? I put forwards its only the internet vocalised

 

[DrDeAtH]

a typical example norton abrasives make one the best diamond core cutters and cutting disks but due to all the cheap crap they had to bring cheaper blades out as well as the quality ones and call them premium grade to compete and stay in business . some people wouldnt know quality if it hit them in the face

You haven't tried Marcrist then......

 

[DrDeAtH]

The other way to differentiate is customer service which is where brands like Hilti come into their own. My Hilti plunge saw got knocked off a workbench on a job and the cast baseplate cracked so I took it to the local branch to get it fixed. They sent it up to Manchester, replaced the baseplate and gave it a once over for basically the cost of the parts, and had it back in store in three or four days ready to collect. In the meantime they loaned me a new circular saw from the showroom to use while mine was being fixed. The tools are a bit more expensive than other brands, but much better made, and you see if you can get that sort of service from other brands.

You can't beat a bit of Hilti kit

 

[daleyd]

You can't beat a bit of Hilti kit

I used to do work for a German printing machine manufacturer as a subcontractor for another company and they had all hilti power tools. The battery drills were top notch, small, light and massively powerful.

Meanwhile I struggled to get my boss to agree to an 18v jcb argos special for 50 quid!! (Though for the amount we actually used it he was probably right)

 

[DrDeAtH]

I have one...inherited from my dad, who inherited it from his dad...think there's a circ saw attachment somewhere also...sander is worse than useless...my aldi multitool sands better.....

I remember them, my dad also had a few of the bits. Truly rubbish stuff