Local Stores Have No Concept of DIY

The age of the DIYer has truly arrived! Thanks to computer-controlled power tools that can remember user settings, adjust output on the fly, and even automatically stop when it detects flesh instead of wood. Better yet, all of these benefits come in a small cordless package.

The only problem is that local stores still do not know it! They are stuck selling the same old, heavy, wired or gas-fed power tools our grandfathers used.

Then again, they may already know that the tide has turned but refuse to go with the flow. Like the biggest car company in the world still intent on pressing for internal combustion engines and incandescent bulbs just to save its factories from obsolescence, hardware stores keep pushing old inventory because they have so much of it. In both instances, they appear to want to avoid the investment needed to re-purpose factories or restock shelves.

Just visit any typical hardware store and check the shelves – hardly any cordless power tool will be on display. Even worse is that consumables, like accessories for oscillating tools, saw blades for reciprocating saws, and even batteries and chargers are nowhere to be found.

If one does find a cordless power tool, it will most likely be the weaker version, not the stronger 18-volt or 20-volt one. Even worse is that one cannot buy into a system of a particular brand because the only thing available for sale is one or two fast moving models.

[A system is basically various tools that use the same batteries and chargers.]

Sure, one will be able to purchase that Cordless Impact Drill Driver, but when DIYers need a String Trimmer, Leaf Blower, Impact Wrench, Oscillating Tool, Rotary Hammer, or Angle Grinder from the same company they are out of luck. And if one is considering buying a Reciprocating Saw, that’s too bad because it is absent from shelves of all the major hardware stores as of this writing.

So what is a DIYer to do? Well, some have turned to online sellers for their requirements. However, the state of online stores today can still be considered risky. All one has to do is comb through the internet for horror stories to understand.

Yet customers do it out of desperation. Perhaps it is due to the notion that putting oneself in harm’s way for a few hundred for screw bits may be worth it for some. However, many may agree that when the costs climb into the thousands, it becomes an entirely different story.

Then there is the issue of claiming warranties from a person, organization, or place no one has ever seen. This makes an attractive 3-year warranty worthless if it cannot be repaired for free or done in a timely manner.

There are of course, other options to explore. If one has relatives or friends abroad, asking them to purchase cordless power tools is possible. The issue of claiming warranties still has to be dealt with though, so one will need to weigh this risk versus the benefit from this route.

Another alternative is to check out less established brands that have their own spaces outside of the major hardware stores. However, patronizing them needs to be done with caution. Despite prices being competitive, untried brands carry the risk of lower quality as well as poor warranty service.

So what is a DIYer in this country to do? Well, that person will need to wait – wait until local stores finally run out of old stock then decide to push the latest models.

[Good luck with the ones that aren’t fast moving though!]

Final Thoughts

Despite the race towards electric vehicles, the largest car company in the world stubbornly pushes for internal combustion engines and incandescent bulbs. Instead of encouraging the establishment of electrical charging stations, it is more intent on converting gasoline stations into hydrogen facilities just to keep selling a dying technology so it can avoid the costs of moving into the future.

[If it can be converted to hydrogen, why not electric?]

Sadly, local hardware stores are in the same boat. Instead of embracing cordless technology, they are intent on pushing wired or gas-fed power tools at DIYers. But times and people have changed. Consumers no longer need to deal with the nuances brought about by antiquated tools anymore. They now have a choice, thanks in a large part to the internet.

Obstinately pushing unwanted inventory will ultimately result in one thing: The loss of customers. With more and more selling done online, consumers may begin migrating, albeit carefully, in order to get what they want.

[This is what happens when companies prioritize themselves over their customers.]

So here’s hoping that hardware stores realize the folly of their ways and take corrective action now because if they don’t, everybody loses in the end.