After resolving its contract dispute with one supplier for Craftsman tools, Sears Holdings has filed another lawsuit against another. The company claims that negative press coverage is leading its suppliers to demand early cancellation of contracts, or unreasonable terms. [More]
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Sears Settles With One Craftsman Supplier, Files New Lawsuit Against USA-Made Hand Tool Company
By 6.7.17
Sears CEO Says Suppliers Are Taking Advantage Of “Dire Predictions” About Retailer
By 5.15.17
Eddie Lampert, the manifesto-writing chairman and CEO of Sears Holdings, really wishes that members of the media would quit reporting that his company is imminently doomed. Why? The news reports are causing problems in the retailer’s negotiations with its suppliers. [More]
Craftsman Recalls 46,000 Collapsable Saws Over Laceration Hazard
By 3.7.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Working with saws and other tools can be a dangerous activity, and the risk increases when the table saw you’re using unexpectedly collapses, as is the case for some 46,000 Craftsman portable table saws now being recalled. [More]
Craftsman Tool Lovers Worried For Brand After $900M Sale To Black & Decker
By 1.5.17
In a bid to keep its sinking retail ship afloat, Sears on Thursday announced the sale of its iconic tool brand Craftsman to Black & Decker for a mere $900 million. But with the change of hands, many stalwart Craftsman lovers aren’t sure if they’ll be sticking with the brand in the future. [More]
Sears To Sell Craftsman Brand To Black & Decker For $900M
By 1.5.17
Sears isn’t just trying to stave off the grim reaper by closing stores and borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars from CEO Eddie Lampert twice in two weeks. The beleaguered retailer is selling off its iconic Craftsman brand to Stanley Black & Decker for $900 million. [More]
Other Tool Companies Interested In Buying Craftsman
By 10.4.16
The legend says that 89 years ago, the head of hardware at Sears Roebuck really liked the name Craftsman, and bought the trademark from an existing tool company for $500 ($6,921 in 2016 dollars). Today, parent company Sears Holdings is troubled and in need of a cash infusion, and has quietly solicited bids for Craftsman. It’s reportedly worth around $2 billion. [More]
Sears Looking To Make More Money Off Its Kenmore, Craftsman Brands, Won’t Say How
By 5.26.16
Sears Holdings has a great idea: instead of relying on sales of washers, dryers, and tools, it’s going to work on a way to make more money from its trusty brands like Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard. As for exactly how it’s going to do that, Sears isn’t saying. [More]
Sears Hires Experienced Consumer Appliance Executive To Run Hardlines, Maybe Sell Stuff
By 8.25.15
In a department or discount store, “hardlines” refers to tools, appliances, and furniture: the items that your parents still shop at Sears for, but that you don’t. Sears has hired a new executive in charge of their hardlines departments, which include the company’s three most important house brands: Kenmore appliances, Diehard automobile batteries, and Craftsman tools. [More]
Black & Decker To Pay $1.57M Penalty For Failing To Report Defects Of Lawnmower That Started On Its Own
By 5.1.15
Under federal law, manufacturers, distributors and retailers are required to immediately report information regarding possible safety defects to the Consumer Product Safety Commission within 24 hours of obtaining reasonable supporting evidence. That 24-hour window allegedly turned into 11 years for Black & Decker and now the company must pay a nearly $1.6 million fine for failing report safety issues related to an electric lawnmower that started spontaneously, injuring at least two consumers. [More]
Returning Tools To Sears Should Not Be This Complicated
By 11.13.12
Oh, Sears. They sort of want to become a modern retailer, but don’t know how. They just can’t figure out this whole 21st-century retail thing. E-mail reminders? Returning items online that were purchased online? Too confusing. Too modern. Make it go away. Jim is the rare Consumerist reader who has no complaints about Sears, even though he actually shops there. But even he admits that his recent experience returning some Craftsman tools was needlessly complicated and required a lot more steps than it should have. [More]
September Recall Roundup: The Care Bears Will Choke Your Baby
By 9.18.12
In this month’s Recall Roundup, light fixtures plummet from the sky, bikes fall apart while you ride them, coffee makers explode from steam pressure, and the Care Bears try to comfort your baby, but could end up choking it instead. [More]
I Might Get My Craftsman String Trimmer Back Before It Snows
By 8.20.12
Patrick didn’t say where in the country he lives, but in most of the United States, people don’t need string trimmers year-round. Their grass and weeds grow from maybe late spring to maybe early fall. He bought a new Craftsman string trimmer from Sears back in April, just in time for the plants to start growing. He had a problem with it about a month ago, so he brought it in to the store so Sears could make good on that two-year warranty it came with. That’s when he learned that thanks to the glacial speed of repairs, he’ll be lucky if he sees his string trimmer again before the end of the summer. [More]
Sears Offers Crappy Tools And Service, First-Rate Apologies
By 5.16.12
We’re still not quite sure what Sears is. It pretends to be a retail operation, but in reality acts more like its existence is an elaborate anti-capitalist prank, aiming to keep consumers from exchanging their money for tangible goods. Take, for example, the case of Michael. He would like to order a Craftsman steel workbench frame from Sears, and Sears is doing its best to prevent him from owning one. [More]
Sears Is Really Bad At Delivering Tractor
By 9.2.11
Peter has paid for a Sears Craftsman Lawn Tractor, twice, and two and half weeks later it hasn’t been delivered. He’s gone through the phone gamut, the blame tossing, and the broken promises. With his grass 10 inches high, he just wants his tractor so he can mow his lawn. [More]
Sears To Start Selling Craftsman Tools Through Costco
By 8.31.11
Do you like Sears’ brand of Craftsman tools but don’t like shopping at Sears? Well, this might be good news for you. The retail chain has announced you will be able to buy Craftsman wares at Costco stores as early as this coming weekend. [More]
Sears Customer Service Just As Broken As My Garage Door Opener
By 8.11.11
Kristi’s garage door opener is from Sears’ venerable Craftsman brand. When the chain assembly broke, logically she contacted Sears to come fix it for her. The repair-scheduling website was slick and easy to use, perhaps lulling her into a false sense that she was in for a professional and logical commercial transaction. Then, it was time for the garage door repair person to actually show up. [More]
Emailing Sears CEO Gets Broke Socket Wrench Replaced
By 11.11.10
One of our readers works in automotive repair, using a set of Craftsman tools he inherited from his pops. The tools have a lifetime guarantee, so he was shocked when after his 1/8th inch socket split he went into Kmart and they said, “Oh, no you have to go to Sears to do that.” (Kmart and Sears merged in ’05). So he did, by emailing the CEO of Sears. [More]
Craftsman Doesn't Have The Ability To Cancel A Duplicate Order
By 7.23.09
Reader C.W. is wondering why Craftsman (which is part of Sears) doesn’t have the ability to cancel a duplicate order. Especially since there appears to be a “cancel” button on the website.
