scrappie

I was toying with the idea of changing careers and maybe buying a Snap-on tool franchise. Any you guys know anyone who has done this and is it profitable? Judging by what they charge for tools, someone's making money. What are you guys thoughts on this business in relation to the state of the economy? I would imagine it is a volume based incentive pay? Any thoughts are appreciated.

gearheads78

Thought about it more than once in the past. Takes a lot of money to get off the ground and unless you get a great area you are going to starve for a while as you build up. Unless you have 40-50K in cash reserves after your buy in I would not even think about it in this economy. Keep in mind a major
Also with snap on they are setting up some Dealships direct. Our parts dept is now a Snap On dealer so they cut the truck guy right out.

442scotty

good money in it years ago....wouldnt touch it now

citcapp

Going the way of the fuller brush man and the Avon lady. To bad I use to buy tools from the local snap on guy

Olds64

Don't even consider a career change in today's economy. Especially if you have a secure job. Plus, Snap-On is over-rated. I buy Craftsman. They are much cheaper, they have the lifetime warranty, and I don't have to wait for some bozo in a truck to come around to buy tools.

442scotty

I think Snap-on will be around for a long time but the days of making money owing your mobile franchise is over...They are aware of it and are branching out into other areas while still trying to sell franchises...
They are buying into Software for dealer parts applications ....EPC's

I suspect they will end up cutting down the number of mobile units in favor of an online order and delivery from a local central depot

Aron Nance

I was in Pep B - -s last week, and at the check out counter they had a display of SnapOn - knives/sharpners, w/the SO name on them for sale. Checkout guy mentioned "when was the last time you saw SO sold at retail"? Point made. I was in the Automotive Aftermarket for 30+ years, and (then) SnapOn was a money-maker. Would be a little skittish nowadays, especially if you have a RJ (Real Job) right now.

wolfman98

The mobile units are really going downhill from 20 years ago. We used to have a guy come around here then and he did really well but I have not seen him for several years so i guess he packed it in. Too many parts stores now selling tools plus other names like Craftsman and Mastercraft selling cheaper with lifetime warrenty's. A lot would depend on where you live and what is available for tools in the surrounding area. You would also have to see how many people are in that area that would need tools like the backyard mechanics. Test the waters and never jump in with both feet.

Oldsguy

I read an article in a magazine about starting your own business with a franchise and it stated that a rule of thumb would be that in the first five years if you decide you have to sell you only get back 75% of it's market value which if you are lucky would be equivalent to your investment. And you would be lucky to make a profit those years too, usually the first two or three for sure. So 3/4 of what you start with after five years of not making a profit means a failed business in my book.

Bosco1956

I also toyed with the idea of a Snapon dealership around 12 years ago. Had several meetings with them. I am not as neg. as some here. I now own 3 tire stores and we still have Snapon come by and sell the techs tools. They look like they are doing well. Also there is no comparison between crafstman and Snapon. If you make your living turning wrenches. You will want a quality tool to do it with.

wolfman98

For the most part you get what you pay for and this is mostly true as far as tools go. Snap On tools are better quality and they have more "Specialty" tools than Craftsman or Mastercraft. For me I can buy some Snap-On but the price does not justify my use of the tool. I use mostly Mastercraft because of the price and because they are close buy. They also have a lifetime warrenty no questions. I did break the tip off a small common screwdriver once and I was back home within 15 minutes with a new one no charge. For guys that have mechanic shops or the like and want dependable tools that are going to be used constantly it makes sense to go with quality tools. So if you are considering starting a Snap On franchise you would need to check out the general area and stop into some of the shops to see if they have Snap On and if not would they be receptive to them. like I said before test the waters and do a little research before jumping in. It may be that you are in a good area of the country for a franchise but you need to find that out before hand. Like the previous post says a lot of places want quality tools and specialty tools where they don't have to go searching for them.

Olds64

Buying Snap-On tools is like wearing Abercrombie and Fitch jeans, or drinking Starbucks coffee. It is overpriced!

Real men use Craftsman tools.

gearheads78

Not even close. I have a mixture of snap on , matco and craftsman. Its night and day difference using the good tools over the craftsman.

88 coupe

Yep. Anyone who has actually used them, would know that.

Norm

citcapp

I have a set of combo wrenches from 3/8 to 1-1/2 from snap on that my dad gave me when I got out of high school. Still the best wrenches I have ever owned still fit tight to any bolt or nut. I have gone through several other types over the last 40+ years. Same goes for my snap on 1/2 & 3/8 rachets

Bosco1956

Your are kidding right? I have had people try to tell me for years that craftsman are as good as Snapon Who are they trying to kid.

442_Mustang

I pay my bills with Snap on tools. Their screwdrivers and wrenches are better than anything I've ever used. A guy I worked with rounded the head off a phillips screw with another major tool brand and wanted to borrow my drill. I went over and got the screw out with my Snap on #2 Phillips. Snappy Ratchets aren't quite as solid but that's not the subject of this post.
Every Snap On dealer generally works from 7am to after 10pm before the final stuff is done for the day on his business.A lot of them work Saturdays as well. You need to be very picky about who you extend credit to. especially now days.The dealers know who will be giving excuses/Catch you the next week.. etc. even before they get to the shops. My old dealer has 2 different trucks and routes with another guy running the second one. He asked me if I would be interested in running a 3rd route for him. (That takes a lot of the initial bite out ) I said No Way. He just laughed and said he knew what I mean. He's single with no family to not see.
IMO, You would be selling your soul to them. 10 years from now, Snap On will be there still and there will be guys still hoping to make a living. I bet there's maybe a 15% chance that someone is still selling after 5 years. Even less if selling Mac.
Got a 25 year collection of Snap On. Seen more turnover than I can remember

rocketraider

A good Snap-On (or Matco, or Cornwell, or Williams) dealer can make a good living with the right territory. The one here is great. Personable guy who keeps stuff in stock on the trucks- no ordering for delivery next week.

He also owns a storage facility that he will tell you up front pays the bills when the Snap-On franchise is slow. And right now it's slow.

I have a few Snap-On, a few Williams, mostly Proto and Craftsman and some Taiwan. Also a pile of GM and Ford factory tools. If you're not making your living with them and making good money doing that, Snap-On and Matco tools are overpriced.

Reminds me when I was in auto tech school in the 70s. Most of us had an assortment of cheap tools. I had a Craftsman set I'd gotten for high school graduation and everything else was discount store Taiwanese, because the school stated up front they were not responsible for our personal tools and we learned that even cheap tools could sprout legs.

One kid came in with a huge-*** fully stocked Snap-On box he'd gotten for HS graduation- rich family who were a little on the snobby side, so their boy was gonna start off with the best. (Never mind that even at the top of his game he was a mediocre wrench.)

The school was not in the best part of town to begin with, and road trash walking past the auto shop could see inside if we had the rollup doors open. Came back after Christmas break and that whole Snap-On box was gone. He'd chained it to an I-beam. Cut chain and padlock was still there, but nothing else.

It turned out it was an inside job as one of the rent-a-cops had unlocked one of the rollups so the thieves could get in, but the kid never recovered his $2500 (1974 money) tool box. After that he had cheap stuff like the rest of us.

djcrook73

i agree with rocketraider totally that territory is key- as a 15 year buyer of snap on tools i'll add my two cents- in my area, it seems that about every two years a guy gets out and a new one goes for it. i take that and what the last dealer told me when he left as lack of payments kept up/ not enough new sales. i love buying tools but i have reached a point that my box is pretty full and i rarely need to buy new stuff unless i'm taking on something new that i plan on doing more than once. alot of the older guys in my body shop also do not buy much in the way of new stuff either as they do not do alot of the mechanical stuff like me . does that mean there's not a decent chance for you? absolutely not, if you decide to go for it, i hope there are many up and comings ready to spend some coin on some quality tools!

toro68

x2!

oldstata

Just in my area we have been through three snap on guys this year alone it seems about 4-6 months is all there making it Cromwell has made it over a year but just informed us he loosing money not because of sales but 40k out and not every one pays on time


Just my 2 cents

Oldskeeper

A good friend of mine was the top salesman for Snap-on for years and every year after than Snap-on cut his territory. After several attempts to get them to increase his area back to where he could operate it and make money they cut his area down to an even smaller size. His area was so small that he could cover it in 3 hours.
He closed his truck and now sells cars for a living. His take on all of this is that Snap-on is not interested in selling tools they are making money by selling franchises.
It will cost over 200 grand to purchase the truck and stock it with tools and the more trucks they sell the better.He figures that in the future you will see Snap-on selling from stores in the malls.
He started with snap-on in the 70s in the tool box plant and would have been a lifer if they treated their franchises right.

Olds442redberet

I am a snap on guy. I buy mostly Snap On tools. And I am not a good mechanic. (Just being honest with myself.) But I have learned the difference between doing work with "ok" tools and doing the same job with quality tools. A good Snap On tool designed for the job works way better than what I can pick up at the local auto parts store, or even at the Deptartment Store. But since I am not rich either, I had to plan ahead and buy monthly. Some years back I began to buy Snap On brand tools off Ebay and off some tool forums. Usually a hundred to two hundred dollars per month on quality tools. I found that I like the Snap On brand over most others. But, occasionally I have also found some Mac tools I like as well, and I have kept my old Craftsman stuff for use in the salvage yards. I don't cry as much when I lose a Craftsman tool.
I usually look for vintage tools when buying tools online and I have picked up some really cool vintage Craftsman stuff as I browse for specialty tools from Snap On and Blue Point. I restored an old tool box for these vintage tools, and yes, I do use them.
I too thought about buying a Snap On franchise / route. It sounded a little to good for the Corporation, and yet a little too risking me, the little guy. Plus, I am not a very good sales man either. So I was bound for failure. Just my two cents.