Smart business decisions like that are why they are on the financial decline.
I think their biggest problem was buying K marts. Putting Craftsman tools in Kmart cheapened the brand.
I'm not sure I agree on the cheapening of the Craftsman brand by putting them in Kmart, but I'm sure there will be a lot of debate for decades.
I think, "the softer side of sears" is what did them in...oh, and having everything I needed from them available at Home Depot, Lowe's, and Amazon.
Manufacturing tools in China is what "cheapened" the craftsman name. That and not staying in touch with the overall tool market. Your name can only take your so far. When sears sold craftsman to Stanley it was the beginning of the end in my mind.
Now that Lowe's is carrying them, and from what I've heard, insisting that they will only sell "made in the USA" there might be a chance for revival. Time will tell.
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