Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

[Plumber Punky]

So I was in the Homeless Depot today and for giggles I went to look at the Ridgid tool offerings. I looked on ALL the end caps. Know what I found?

Dewalt, Ryobi, Milwaukee, Hitachi, Panasonic, Husky, Black and Decker

It took effort to find any kind of Ridgid tool offering. I did find a Ridgid foldable cart, in the box, at an end cap but the product was used to SUPPORT THE RYOBI DISPLAY. I also found an air nailer and radio mixed in with all the other similar tools. Nothing prominent.

This is the best I could find:





That's it, nothing more. There were NO other tools outside the frame or anywhere else in the store.

[CWSmith]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

It's pretty pathetic isn't it!?

I've had this complaint for several years and it seems that no one at Ridgid (Emerson Electric's "Ridgid") really give a good rat's a$$ about it... or if they do, then they appear to be powerless.

The "Ridgid" brand is of course 'licensed' for use by TTI and it is Home Depot that seems to have a stranglehold on the brand through it's "exclusivity" contract with TTI. Maybe it's simply too expensive to 'hold HD's feet to the fire', but from what I've seen, almost since it's introduction in 2003, is that Home Depot has done a pretty good job of screwing up the marketing and retail of the entire product line. Why nobody cares about this is beyond me.

The two stores that I visit with any regularity (Corning and Binghamton areas) have more product that your's apparently does, but in both cases, it's quite pitiful; and in Binghamton there are no stationary products at all. (Painted Post does have a few of them, but they are sadly displayed, usually being in pieces or used to support assorted junk.)

Worse perhaps is that Home Depot never has had anyone properly versed on these tools, their features, thier care, and certainly not thier warranty and LLSA programs. I've heard everything from the alledged "FACT" that HD owns Ridgid (that's why they are both orange), to that HD will gladly exchange any tool "for LIFE" if it every breaks. All lies of course, but this is the kind of crap you get from too many orange aprons, including so-called "managers". It' just downright pathetic and I think the "Ridgid" brand has suffered greatly for it!

CWS

[Plumber Punky]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

It's pretty pathetic isn't it!?

I've had this complaint for several years and it seems that no one at Ridgid (Emerson Electric's "Ridgid") really give a good rat's a$$ about it... or if they do, then they appear to be powerless.

The "Ridgid" brand is of course 'licensed' for use by TTI and it is Home Depot that seems to have a stranglehold on the brand through it's "exclusivity" contract with TTI. Maybe it's simply too expensive to 'hold HD's feet to the fire', but from what I've seen, almost since it's introduction in 2003, is that Home Depot has done a pretty good job of screwing up the marketing and retail of the entire product line. Why nobody cares about this is beyond me.

The two stores that I visit with any regularity (Corning and Binghamton areas) have more product that your's apparently does, but in both cases, it's quite pitiful; and in Binghamton there are no stationary products at all. (Painted Post does have a few of them, but they are sadly displayed, usually being in pieces or used to support assorted junk.)

Worse perhaps is that Home Depot never has had anyone properly versed on these tools, their features, thier care, and certainly not thier warranty and LLSA programs. I've heard everything from the alledged "FACT" that HD owns Ridgid (that's why they are both orange), to that HD will gladly exchange any tool "for LIFE" if it every breaks. All lies of course, but this is the kind of crap you get from too many orange aprons, including so-called "managers". It' just downright pathetic and I think the "Ridgid" brand has suffered greatly for it!

CWS

This store, Williamsville, NY, has a tool rental section in-store. There is NOT ONE Ridgid tool in it. No drain cleaners, snakes, video cameras, pipe wrenches, saws, drills... nothing. I mean really...everyone knows that a Ridgid pipe wrench is freaking damn awesome! So is their sewer snake...

Pretty sad for an Orange company in an Orange store... Ridgid needs to get a solid hold on their name and right the ship. Else it'll go down and meet it's sister ship, the Titanic.

[BobsPlumbing]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

Well, I don't know about this. If you only look at the tools that have been marketed towards the woodworker and homeowner, they don't have a humongous line to promote, do they?

Almost everything in the line is represented at my local HD. And I don't live in a large town by any stretch of the imagination. Only one HD. The battery tools are there. The corded tools are there. The vacuums are there. The generators are there. Miter Saws there. Table saw and planer there as well.

Now, they are spread out. So the generator is 3 or 4 aisles away from the cordless and corded tools. Then the vacuums are away from that I believe. The brand is not focused. Whether that is intentional or not I don't know. Or good or bad I don't know either.

The "professional" line of plumbing tools is not represented at all really. But I'm ok with that. I kind of want them represented at supply houses. Maybe gives me a knowledge edge for this or that tool to get a job done only I know about and where to get.

Just to give a comparison, Milwaukee has a ton of battery tools etc. that are not even remotely represented at my local HD and I don't think at many or any other HD's either.

[Plumber Punky]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

judging from your post it seems that the HD stores have no unified format or layout. This store half an aisle of Milwaukee tools alone, in addition to the ones seen in the picture.

In Lowes, their brand - kobalt - is prominently displayed in ALL stores. It's their 'exclusive' brand. The others - milwaukee, stanley, ryobi, dewalt, husky, bosch, etc. take a secondary position. It just seems to me than any 'exclusive' brand should have a front and center position in a store. If I had to make an estimation of Ridgid's position on their 'exclusive' tools in Home Depot it would be the same as that loud farting sound in the pot one makes during a morning constitutional.

[Frankiarmz]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

The lack of Ridgid cordless tools and accessories has been a major complaint of mine as well. A person at customer service at H/D told me these decisions were made at the corporate level? I don't understand why H/D or whoever owns and profits from Ridgid cordless tools and accessories, would choose to have any of the H/D stores so poorly stocked. If the purpose of manufacturing these tools is to market them for profit, I can only imagine they should be in the stores where consumers can see and purchase them. I know Ridgid Reps read this forum as well as their facebook page, "Guys" we are still waiting and wondering why your tools and accessories are so absent from Home Depots.
Why don't we see Ridgid Reps demonstrating the drills, impacts, etc???? We are not asking where Hoffa is buried, or who shot JFK, or anythging about area51, just tell us why Ryobi has entire display aisles while Ridgid can't keep an assortment of tools, batteries and chargers?

[Alphacowboy]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

From what I have heard, the tool crib area is changing and in a good way. A couple stores here are supposedly the pilots for the new setup and it groups the brands not by tool type. It's way more appealing and every tool is displayed in all the different flavors. If I'm in one of these stores in the near future I'll snap a pic.

[Alphacowboy]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

Frank, my local rep is frankly flat out awesome. He shows off all the TTI tools and knows most everything about the stuff. I've seen him in almost every store in the area. I showed him my AEG 12v SDS drill and he took pics and set them off to corporate with the 4.0 extended ridgid battery in it! I also gave him the AEG catalog that my friend over seas sent me when I bought the SDS drill and told him which items need to be on the shelves tomorrow. He also confirmed some of my predictions but I can't say what as I promised him I wouldnt. I also told him that a cordless vacuum, updated cordless nailers and the SDS 18v tools are much needed additions to the cordless line.

I will try to mention the cordless grease gun the next time I see him. This is also something I really want as well.

[Bob D.]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

The lack of Ridgid cordless tools and accessories has been a major complaint of mine as well. A person at customer service at H/D told me these decisions were made at the corporate level? I don't understand why H/D or whoever owns and profits from Ridgid cordless tools and accessories, would choose to have any of the H/D stores so poorly stocked. If the purpose of manufacturing these tools is to market them for profit, I can only imagine they should be in the stores where consumers can see and purchase them. I know Ridgid Reps read this forum as well as their facebook page, "Guys" we are still waiting and wondering why your tools and accessories are so absent from Home Depots.
Why don't we see Ridgid Reps demonstrating the drills, impacts, etc???? We are not asking where Hoffa is buried, or who shot JFK, or anythging about area51, just tell us why Ryobi has entire display aisles while Ridgid can't keep an assortment of tools, batteries and chargers?

I agree Frank except for one thing...i would like to know more about Area 51.

[CWSmith]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

I think part of the problem is that the "Ridgid" brand is rather divided, with the plumbing stuff out of one division, the shop vacs out of another, and the hand-held power tools (carpentry) and stationary woodworking tools being completely separated because they are manufactured and warranted by Techtronics International (TTI). I believe that all too many of the customers are confused by those issues, thinking that all the "Ridgid" branded stuff comes from one source and are covered by the same policies. Nothing of course could be further from the truth!

The Shop Vacs are made by a division of Emerson Electric which is of course the owner and parent company of Ridge Tool and the Ridgid name. The plumbing tools are made by the Ridge Tool Division of Emerson. It's warranty is different from the shop vacs, and certainly the reputation of the plumbing product line is famous for its integrity and quality workmanship and design. The Ridgid plumbing line is most likely the basis of all the fame attached to the "Ridgid" name and thus the attractiveness (customer draw) of that "Ridgid" label on any tool.

But, it is only the "Ridgid" products that are made by TTI that carries the LLSA... which is NOT at all connected in either marketing, service, or reputation with the plumbing tools. When you call that 800-number for customer support (hand-held power tools and stationary power tools as used in the carpentry trades) you don't get the plumbing side of the Emerson's Ridgid industry; you get TTI's business. It is the same group of people that answers the phone for Ryobi and even much of the Sears tool support group. All so confusing, because only some of Sears' Craftsman tools are made by TTI, but none-the-less they appear to share the same parts and service support.... I really haven't figured that out yet.

Even more confusing is that while Milwauked has been owned by TTI for a couple of years now, they seem to have a different service channel, and it seems to be much more reputable. Neither Milwaukee or Ryobi is covered under the LLSA that is offered for the "Ridgid" branded tools. Ryobi and Ridgid both share the same independent service centers, and they are independent of Emerson's Ridgid, although their assignment seems to be governed by Emerson's Ridgid.

Marketing however does seem to be even more confusing. Ridgid's plumbing line is generally not represented in Home Depot stores and are more likely to be found with professional trades retailers. I noticed when the micro-cameras first came out they were in the local HD, but within a year or so they could only be found in retailers dealing directly with the trades... HD no longer had them or knew anything about them.

ONLY the Ryobi and Ridgid brands of TTI-made tools are assigned "exclusive" to Home Depot. In those cases, it seems that HD dictates what it will and will not carry, and it is HD that seems to come up with so-called "combo-offerings". Many of which appear to be total flops and are often clearanced very quickly. Unfortunately for both product lines, it is HD that decides, on a regional basis, what it will and will not carry. That is why some HD's still have stationary tools and others do not. It is also totally up to the individual store managers what tools will be displayed... and in my local stores you can often find the old models of a particular tool still on display months and even a year or more after a particular new model has been introduced. It seems that some store managers are empowered NOT to introduce such tools until all the old models are sold and apparently there is nothing that Ridgid or Ryobi factory reps can do anything about. Personally I find this quite fraudulent and I've written HD's HQ complaints about it, but it still exists.

On the same hand, some stores seem to clearance stuff and phenominal savings, while other rarely clearance anything. Same seems to be true with so-called "factory reconditioned".... in one of my local stores, that process seems to deal more with filthy junk ungloriously dumped for exchange by local contractors.

The whole business model of HD has changed significantly in the last decade. Personally I find myself on rarely going there anymore. They have little to offer with their poor tool displays, mislabeled and poorly graded lumber stocks, constantly changing aisles, and untrained and unfocused orange aprons. It's no wonder they're the only store in the area that is almost total in their use of self-checkout robots. Lowes on the other hand has greatly increased its quality in both product and knowledgeable employees.

CWS

[Frankiarmz]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

My Home Depot has gotten better since news of a Lowes coming to town. Probably just a coincidence

[ArizonaPlumber]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

Why don't we see Ridgid Reps demonstrating the drills, impacts, etc????

It's doubtful that any Ridgid sales to HD affect the salesman's bottom line. Their time is better spent on higher margin retailers/wholesalers whose numbers pay those yearly bonuses.
Some only show up to write up credits for defective merchandise. Caught up with a lock-set hardware guy one day at the local re-cycle place with 500# of brass. Said he only goes by every three months.

[PLUMBER RICK]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

My hd has a full time milwaukee/ridgid/roybi rep 5 days a week. Problem is he drives a Milwaukee wrapped truck and wears milwaukee red. Rarely does he push ridgid or roybi. Infact I doubt too many people even know he reps ridgid and roybi at that store.

They also have a full time bosch rep too. They took over when hilti's rep and line was forced out.

Rick.

[AverageHomeowner]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

This article talks frankly about the trend of moving away from quality.

Hilti to end Home Depot relationship | Equipment World | Construction Equipment, News and Information | Heavy Construction Equipment

[Plumber Punky]

Re: Ridgid Marketing in the Orange Box Stores

Hilti to end Home Depot relationship

September 18, 2012




After 13 years, Home Depot and Hilti are calling it quits. I’m disappointed, but not surprised. I am suprised it lasted 13 years.


There has been an inherent conflict between manufacturers of high-quality, high-cost tools and the management and pricing philosophy of the big box retailers. That’s why it’s almost impossible to find a ruggedly built, durable power tool through consumer retail channels anywhere in the country.


Years ago Wal Mart described their philosophy as “driving the cost out of our products,” but what in reality happened was that if you wanted to sell to the big box chains, not just Wal Mart, but Home Depot and Lowes, you had to drive the quality out of your products. And that made it almost impossible for companies like Hilti, Metabo, Festool and other manufacturers of the good stuff to get shelf time.


I don’t blame the big box boys. Given a choice between a cheap tool at a low price and a professional quality tool at a higher price, the average weekend lumpen proletarian will go cheap every time. What’s a retailer to do?


But it irks me that the good stuff is so hard to find. When I got out of the Army some 25 years ago there were still retail stores that sold nothing but tools–high quality and every brand imaginable–and they had repair staff on site who could do warranty work or fix the occassional operator fubar. Those places are all but gone now. Most tradesmen I know will just throw away a broken portable power tool if it’s out of warranty and replace it with new.


DeWalt fought this battle as well as anybody could. They make lower priced models for the big box retailers, but they try to engineer in enough value so that they’re not making disposable tools. I remember a conversation I had with a DeWalt executive a few years ago at the World of Concrete. He told me that the company no longer participates in a lot of the trade shows that focus on consumer and retail products. Rather they were seeing better margins and better business going upscale with commercial grade products and shows for professional contractors such as the World of Concrete.


If the consumer channel continues to get cheaper and/or commercial construction picks up again, perhaps Hilti and their high-quality competitors can find, or fund, a more appropriate channel, such as dedicated tool stores. Until then, I’m shopping the catalogs.

Hilti products can still be found there but they are severely diminished. It's more accessories and consumables now. In my area, Ridgid appears to be going the same route.