Do you want to purchase power tools without spending a fortune on them?
The easiest way to do it is by buying tools on the internet. As long as you know where to buy tools online, you can usually have the tools shipped to you quickly while spending just a fraction of what you would spend in stores.
It can be a little bit tricky finding a reputable online tool dealer you can trust, though. There are certainly plenty of options out there. But you don’t want to spend your hard-earned money buying tools from just anyone.
Here are eight tips for choosing where to buy tools online.
1. Ask Friends, Family Members, or Coworkers for Recommendations
The easiest and best way to find out where to buy tools online is by asking those who have done it before.
If you have a friend, family member, neighbor, or coworker who has ordered tools online in the past from a company like CDBS Construction Centre, you can ask them all about their experience with doing it.
They’ll be able to tell you more about the process and what you can expect from it. They may even be able to give you some pointers on which mistakes you should avoid making while purchasing tools online.
2. Call on the Online Tool Community for Help
If you don’t know anyone who has ordered tools online before, you can still get recommendations for different companies that you might want to check out.
How? By turning to the online tool community. There are tons of message boards featuring people talking about where to buy tools online.
By spending an hour scrolling through these boards, you can put together a lengthy list of companies you can check out.
You shouldn’t simply trust a bunch of strangers to tell you where you should buy your tools online. But you can, at the very least, use their opinions to jumpstart your search for a reputable online tool dealer.
3. Read Reviews for Companies Selling Tools Online
In addition to scouring message boards to see what the online tool community has to say about online tool dealers, you should also read reviews on specific companies that sell tools online.
Try to read both good and bad reviews on the companies you’re considering. This will provide you with a good overview of what you can expect from each company.
Once you’ve read through reviews, you can narrow your search down to just a few companies that look the best to you.
4. Find Companies That Sell Name Brand Tools
No matter how you choose to go about trying to figure out where to buy tools online, always, always, always look for companies that sell authentic name brand tools.
You’ll know what you’re getting with name brand tools. That won’t be the case when you decide to buy generic tools that are manufactured by a company you’ve never heard of before.
5. Compare Prices Offered by Different Online Tool Sellers
You’re buying tools online so that you can save a little bit of money.
So when you’re looking around for where to buy tools, compare the prices you find. Set up a spreadsheet for each tool you want to buy and list how much those tools cost through each online seller you’re considering.
While price shouldn’t be the only factor when buying tools online, it’s obviously an important one. Do your homework and price shop to give yourself a chance to find the best deals.
6. Check to See How Much Companies Charge to Ship Tools
There are some companies that offer great prices on the tools they sell online and then jack up shipping costs to ensure they make a profit.
The shipping costs you’re going to pay are just as important as the prices of the tools themselves. Avoid working with companies that charge outrageous shipping prices to their customers.
It’s always good to place an item into your online cart when price shopping for tools to gauge how much shipping is actually going to cost you.
7. Call Companies Directly to Speak With a Customer Service Rep About Tools
The company you buy tools online from should have a customer service department in place to handle questions and complaints. If they don’t, that’s a huge red flag.
Before you buy tools online, get in touch with a company’s customer service department just to make sure that it exists. Ask a few questions about the tools you want to buy and make sure you get good answers.
You could be forced to deal with the customer service department later if you need to make a return. The last thing you want to do is wait until then to find out if a company has a reliable customer service department.
8. Make Sure the Company You Buy Tools From Has a Great Return Policy
Speaking of returns, make it a point to find out the return policy offered by a company before buying tools from them.
Some online sellers will allow you to return a product within a certain period of time. Others won’t let you return a product once it has been opened and used.
Find a company’s return policy on their website and scan through it to see what you can expect. You’ll be glad you did if you discover that you need to make a return for whatever reason later.
Why Knowing Where to Buy Tools Online is Important
Depending on how many power tools you plan to buy, you could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars by purchasing them online.
But if you don’t know where to buy tools online and you choose the wrong place, it could prove to be more trouble than it’s worth. It could cost you money in the end and make you regret buying tools online in the first place.
Research different online tool vendors and choose the one that will help you save money while delivering great service. It’ll give you the tools you need for less than you expected to pay for them.
Check out our blog for more helpful consumer resources.