Tool outlets

[Conductor562]

This past week I took my family to Myrtle Beach, SC on vacation. We go there almost every year and there's so much there to do it never seems to get old. There were countless hours of beach and pool activities and as with any trip that includes women, there were also countless hours of shopping. Now normally on these shopping "adventures" my primary function is bag holder and kid chaser, but this time even I found something of interest. In the midst of this Hell otherwise known as retail outlet malls I found 2 tool outlets. The first shop I came across was called Direct Tools. I was informed it is a recent addition to the offerings of outlet giant Tanger Outlets and several Tanger locations already have them. To the untrained eye this would appear to be a rather random mix of products. They had Ryobi, Ridgid, and Milwaukee tools, Dirt Devil and Hoover vacuums, that's right, the tool junky in me quickly realized this store was all about TTI. The offerings were random as with most outlet stores but rather extensive none the less. The best selection was by far Ryobi and included many 12V and 18V tools. There was a descent selection of Ridgid tools, most of which were electric tools, and the Milwaukee offering was almost entirely accessories. Armed with a 20% coupon I found in a tourist book I scored a nice set of driver bits for about half price and walked away happy. The next store I encountered was called Workshop Tools. I had seen one before in Seiverville, TN but didn't get a chance to stop and I was determined not to let that happen again. This store was quite a bit larger than the TTI store and didn't appear to have any clear affiliation with any particular company. Their power tool offerings included Dewalt, Makita, Bosch, Skill, Delta, and according to their sign Porter Cable, though I didn't see any. Hand tool brands included Stanley, Irwin, and no less than 50 very obviously Chinese brands like Titan, Grip, and performance Tool. There was also a wide variaty of assorted hardware items. The whole place kind of gave you the impression of an upscale Harbor Freight. The hand tool selection was pretty vast but tended to be lower quality while the power tool offerings were good quality but VERY limited in terms of options. In terms of price it was all over the map. Some things I looked at were priced a good bit cheaper than retail while some thing (mainly power tools) were no cheaper than anywhere else that sells reconditioned tools. I walked out of the store after about 45 minutes with a wire wheel for an 8" bench grinder, a household battery tester, a 1000 piece assortment of Pom rivets, and a little sadness in my heart, all for $28. It certainly wasn't a bad store, it just wasn't what I had hoped it would be after almost a week of anticipation. Had I have stumbled upon it like I did the other store I'd have probably been a little more enthusiastic about it. I really like Makita stuff and they had exactly 3 Makita products. Like all reconditioned tool dealers, their stock fluctuates so I'm hoping next time will be better, and yes there will be a next time.

[wayneburgess]

Me and my little woman have an understanding.For every minute she drags me round the clothing and shoe shops, she has to come walk round the tool stores.I thoroughly recommend this to all you guys, as she now takes a fraction of the time, and has started shopping on-line. LOL

[PutnamEco]

In my younger days when I lived in New Jersey, We had a Black & Decker factory store that was like hog heaven to me. Mind you this was before Dewalt had come out and they still had some decent tools. They used to be an awesome place to get both recon tools and tool parts. I remember picking up plenty of tools at less than half retail price. I used to get their home owner grade tools so cheap that I could easily afford to use them as disposable tools. I used to keep a bunch of them around for all those dirty tool killing jobs. I was filled with great sadness recently, when I learned they were closing all their factory stores.

Here in my rural county in Florida, tool shopping is absolutely dismal. The nearest tool supply is a pretty long drive and it is in a shore town so the prices are not good. I haven't really found a good tool supply within what I'm willing to drive. Then again I'm spoiled, I used to live in Connecticut before I came down here and had easy access to all the tri state areas shopping, even my local hardware store had a better tool selection then I can find in my county here in Florida If it were not for the internet and online shopping I would not have any easy access to quality tools.

[wayneburgess]

You sound like you have the same problems with the cost of shipping as me.

It is easy to forget just how vast countries like the U.S and Australia are compared to the U.K and so shipping across them costs as much sometimes as say me buying from abroad.

It also seems sometimes that it is easier for me all the way over here to get information about tool availability in the U.S than people I know over there.

Maybe it is how our internet is set up to work or something but I do not get bombarded as much as you guys with crap I don't want while searching for stuff I do, compared to folks in the U.S.

But once you deal with a company in the U.S you find out just how great they are on service and they go the extra mile, or they have for me thus far.

[PutnamEco]

You sound like you have the same problems with the cost of shipping as me.

It is easy to forget just how vast countries like the U.S and Australia are compared to the U.K and so shipping across them costs as much sometimes as say me buying from abroad.

It also seems sometimes that it is easier for me all the way over here to get information about tool availability in the U.S than people I know over there.

Maybe it is how our internet is set up to work or something but I do not get bombarded as much as you guys with crap I don't want while searching for stuff I do, compared to folks in the U.S.

But once you deal with a company in the U.S you find out just how great they are on service and they go the extra mile, or they have for me thus far.

Shipping is remarkably cheap here in the states, it is when you go for the overnight or express options that it starts getting expensive. Most shipping charges tend to be around the $25 mark. I can get most tools cheaper even with the shipping charges than I can when I go to a brick and mortar retailer. A lot of our online vendors often run specials in which they offer free shipping as well. Even with the expense of overnight shipping it often is still cheaper than paying for the fuel to get to a store that actually has what your looking for.

One of my strategies for dealing with my rural location and internet shipping is to have duplicates of any tools that may be job stoppers should they cease to function.

Re: searching for stuff.

I feel your pain, so often when I look for things I get all the "yellow page" type listing rather than the actual company I'm looking for, it can be rather maddening.

Compare my local tool stores price to Amazons on the Milwaukee impact driver and you will see what I'm talking about.

local (which by the way, will take up half a day to do my shopping there and cost me $15 in gas)

http://www.erniestools.com/impacts/

Amazon

http://www.amazon.co...+Driver+2650-21

[Conductor562]

The affordability of shipping makes shopping online what it is today. I order most of my tools online for the selection. Around here Dewalt is about all that's available in real quantity, unless your content with Skill, B&D, or Chicago whatever Harbor Freight sells.

[Conductor562]

Update: The wire wheel is terrible to say the very least. It's so off balance it vibrates stuff off my work bench and peg board and it throws so many wire strands it's a real hazard standing in front of it. I had to take it off and by now it's made it's way to the city dump.