Editing Craftsman (tools) (section)

==History==
[[File:Companion tools logo.png|thumb|upright=0.5|Companion logo]]
[[File:Craftsman Evolv logo.png|thumb|upright=0.5|Craftsman Evolv logo]]

The Craftsman trademark was registered by Sears on May 20, 1927.<ref name="timeline" /> Arthur Barrows, head of the company's hardware department, liked the name Craftsman and reportedly bought the rights to use it from the Marion-Craftsman Tool Company for $500 ({{Inflation|index=US|value=500|start_year=1927|fmt=eq}}).<ref>{{Cite web |author=Sears Archives |title=Craftsman: The Standard of Quality |url=http://www.searsarchives.com/brands/craftsman.htm |access-date=March 3, 2010 }}</ref> The brand's early customers were mostly farmers. Barrows' successor, Tom Dunlap, upgraded the quality of the tools and added [[chrome plating]] to them as America moved into the [[car|automobile]] age.<ref name=OldWoodWorkingTools>{{Cite web |last=Joslin |first=Jeff |work=Old Wood-Working Machines |title=Craftsman - History |url=http://www.owwm.com/MfgIndex/detail.aspx?id=222 |date=December 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101220142147/http://owwm.com/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=222 |archive-date=December 20, 2010 }}</ref>

Sears's tool line, like many of its other product lines, used a "[[good–better–best|good, better, best]]" pricing structure,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Duff|first=Mike|work=[[BNET]]|title=Sears, J.C. Penney Launch Post-Martha Home Collections|url=http://industry.bnet.com/retail/10001302/sears-jc-penney-launch-post-martha-home-collections/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411170045/http://industry.bnet.com/retail/10001302/sears-jc-penney-launch-post-martha-home-collections/ |archive-date=April 11, 2009 |date=April 8, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Manfer |first=Sam |work=Biz-Blog@SalesVantage |title=Good, Better, Best |url=http://www.salesvantage.com/blogs/index.php/salesdog/sales-strategy/good-better-best |date=April 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426061343/http://www.salesvantage.com/blogs/index.php/salesdog/sales-strategy/good-better-best|archive-date=April 26, 2010 }}</ref> with the Craftsman brand as the middle tier and Craftsman Professional or Craftsman Industrial as the highest tier. Craftsman Professional and Craftsman Industrial are marketed as being comparable to brands like Cornwell Quality Tools, [[SK Hand Tools|SK]], [[Snap-on]], [[Proto (tools)|Proto]], [[Mac Tools|Mac]], and [[Matco Tools|Matco]]. The standard Craftsman line is marketed as being comparable in quality to other mid-price brands including UltraPro (NAPA), Westward, [[Husky (tool brand)|Husky]], and [[Kobalt (tools)|Kobalt]].

The lowest tier was originally branded "Sears". The company also used the "Dunlap" name for its lesser quality tools from the late 1930s until the late 1950s.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} The Sears tool line was discontinued in the late 1980s and replaced by the "Companion" tool line. The Companion tool line was itself discontinued and replaced by the "Evolv" tool line in 2008 designed by Ellen Tave Glassman, VP Hardines Design Craftsman,<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=Boliven|title=Evolv trademark details|url=http://www.boliven.com/trademark/77464696|access-date=March 27, 2010}}</ref> with a focus on homeowners and [[do it yourself|DIYers]]. Evolv tools also have a lifetime warranty but require that the customer have the original dated receipt to make a claim.<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=[[Sears Holdings Corporation]]|title=Evolv hand tool warranty|url=http://www.evolvtools.com/popin/warranty/|access-date=March 3, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218154738/http://www.evolvtools.com/popin/warranty/|archive-date=February 18, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

From 1991 until the store's demise, Sears ran the Craftsman Club [[loyalty program]], one of the oldest such programs by a retailer.<ref>{{Cite press release |publisher=Sears Holdings Corporation |title=Sears and Craftsman Introduce Craftsman Club Rewards |url=http://www2.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-06-2009/0005073055 |date=August 6, 2009 |access-date=February 22, 2010 }}</ref>

Craftsman tools were sold in Sears and sister store Kmart,<ref>{{Cite web |work=[[The Associated Press]] |title=Sears to Sell Craftsman Tools at All Kmart Stores |url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2006-09-14-craftsman-kmart_x.htm |date=September 14, 2006 |access-date=February 22, 2010 }}</ref> as well as US military [[Army & Air Force Exchange Service]] stores,<ref>{{Cite web |work=Regulatory Intelligence Data |title=Craftsman Tools Now Available at AAFES |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-35955907.html |date=September 20, 2000 |access-date=February 22, 2010 }} {{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} |title=ToolInspector |url=https://toolinspector.com/ |date=February 2019 |bot=medic }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> [[Navy Exchange]] stores, [[Summit Racing Equipment]], [[Blain's Farm & Fleet]], [[W. W. Grainger]], [[Ace Hardware]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Sears Agrees to Sell Craftsman Tools at Ace Hardware|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/sears-agrees-to-sell-craftsman-tools-at-ace-hardware-2010-02-20|first=Mary|last=Ellen|work=[[MarketWatch]]|publisher=Dow Jones & Company|date=February 20, 2010|access-date=February 20, 2020}}</ref> [[Montgomery Ward]],<ref>{{Cite web|work=[[Montgomery Ward]]|title=Circular Saw by Craftsman|url=http://www.wards.com/circular-saw-by-craftsman.pro?omSource=SLI |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230160714/http://www.wards.com/circular-saw-by-craftsman.pro?omSource=SLI|archive-date=December 30, 2016 }}</ref> [[Lowe's]],<ref name="CraftsmanatLowes">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lowes.com/b/craftsman.html|title=Craftsman at Lowe's: Now Available |website=Lowes.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414011710/https://www.lowes.com/b/craftsman.html |archive-date=April 14, 2018 }}</ref><ref name="foxbus" /> and [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]].<ref name="foxbus">{{cite news |last=Rocco |first=Matthew |date=September 19, 2018 |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/after-sears-sale-craftsman-to-launch-new-tools-through-amazon-lowes |title=After Sears sale, Craftsman to launch new tools through Amazon, Lowe's |work=[[Fox Business]] }}</ref>

On January 5, 2017, [[Stanley Black & Decker]] announced its intent to acquire the Craftsman brand in a deal with a total value of $900&nbsp;million (with an up-front payment of $525&nbsp;million, and a payment of $250&nbsp;million after three years). Sears will hold a royalty-free license to the Craftsman brand for a 15-year period after the completion of the sale, and will receive a royalty on all new Craftsman sales over this period. Afterwards, Sears will pay Stanley Black & Decker a 3% licensing fee.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/business/dealbook/sears-craftsman-retailing.html|title=Sears Agrees to Sell Craftsman to Stanley Black & Decker to Raise Cash|first=Michael J.|last=De La Merced|work=The New York Times |date=January 5, 2017|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> The deal was closed on March 9, 2017.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Stanley Black & Decker Completes Purchase Of Craftsman Brand From Sears Holdings |url=http://ir.stanleyblackanddecker.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=114416&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2252727 |publisher=[[Stanley Black & Decker]] |date=March 9, 2017 |access-date=March 14, 2017 }}</ref> Sears maintains the right to manufacture and sell tools using existing supply channels under the Craftsman name for 15 years.<ref name="close">{{cite web |url=https://consumerist.com/2017/06/07/sears-settles-with-one-craftsman-supplier-files-new-lawsuit-against-usa-made-hand-tool-company/ |first=Laura |last=Northrup |publisher=Consumerist |title=Sears Settles With One Craftsman Supplier, Files New Lawsuit Against USA-Made Hand Tool Company |date=June 7, 2017 |access-date=June 10, 2017 }}</ref>

Lowe's announced in October 2017 that it would start carrying Craftsman tools beginning in the late half of 2018.