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I'd like to see Amazon start a lend/use program like auto parts stores. I guess they would have to verify tool functionality though, which can be expensive.
by omgwtfbyobbq 6y ago
I'd like to see Amazon start a lend/use program like auto parts stores. I guess they would have to verify tool functionality though, which can be expensive.
- sokoloff 6y agoThe auto parts stores pretty much don’t, at least in my experience, and push it off to the customers/borrowers. I’ve gotten broken or incomplete tools from the (free) lending programs enough that I’ve mostly stopped using them and just buy tools instead. I don’t have time to get stuck halfway through a job and any $50-100 tool still leaves me with cash savings overall on the job. Even in cases where I told them I broke a piece in a kit, they didn’t seem to care and it looked like the kit was going right back into stock to me. Parts store do it because it gets you in the door to buy parts. If the lending was done through the mail, I’m sure Amazon would sell more parts, but it’s not clear it would be enough more profit to cover 2-way (or 4-way if a tool was broken) shipping on the tools.
- justinclift 6y agoIn Brunswick (part of Melbourne, Australia), there is a Community "Tool Library" where people can borrow tools. In much the same way as book libraries: https://www.brunswicktoollibrary.org https://www.brunswicktoollibrary.org It's pretty cheap (AUS$85/yr), and AFAIK they have about 400 members. Though Melbourne is currently in a coronavirus lockdown so everything is closed. :( Regarding broken/incomplete tools, (prior to the lockdown) they had a day every week or two set aside to go through and fix broken/worn tools (etc). Seems like a good solution to the tool sharing problem, and it seems to work well for everyone.