Hey guys, I'm usually lurking in the 1st gen section with the other 1st gen nerds, but this topic goes here:

I'm thinking about starting a MAC tools distributorship here, and just wanted to see how you guys like these tools if you have used them, or how you feel about the company if you have dealt with them? Let er rip, I need to hear the good and the bad!

 

Where are you located, has anyone else tried to do this in your area, are you buying a current distributor, I know its long hours, I saw the snap on guy at UPS the other night around 9pm.

 

I'm in east central Alabama, and I responded to an ad for distributors on craigslist. Seems very promising, everyone i've met with from MAC have been very helpful and professional so far. The story I'm getting on the old route guy was that he went through a divorce without getting a lawyer. She did. So needless to say he couldn't stay afloat after that.

I'm a milkman now, I work 10-14 hrs day anyways. Would prolly be a cake walk running a tool route as far as labor/time involved.

 

I have used Mac tools for years, they have some pretty decent stuff. The company is owned by Stanley, I believe. I had the same dealer for over sixteen years, a great guy who was pretty helpful.

One thing I have observed is that as a mobile dealer, you don't want to go too light on the truck. If it is just a one-ton dual wheeled van or Step-Van type, it will be overloaded pretty quick. A couple of the tool dealers I have known were always breaking wheel studs and control arms etc.

Anyway, I think if you put the effort in, it's a pretty good living, and you get to be your own boss for the most part. Best wishes if you decide to go for it.

 

I have always dealt with Snap On and Matco. A local MAC dealer here was a complete jerk and I only bought 1 or 2 things from him.

On that note, I do know they have great tools and I do like them.
Have you ever bought tools from one of these trucks?
I do know you need to put up with a few dead beat techs but the good ones far out number the bad.
I don't know about MAC but with Snap On, the dealers literally own every tool on the truck.

 

Yeah, I'm getting business note via Wells Fargo for the truck and the starting inventory, which is valued at 45k(!). So yes, it's all my stuff

They offer free accounting service for a year to new distributors, and toms of other incentives that I won't bore you guys with, but it does seem like a good opportunity. Definately promises to earn me more than I've ever made in the past.

http://tooltrucks.com/ads/tt2374/info.php?id=tt2374

The link above is a used truck I'm looking at. Anyone ever owned/used/worked on these? I know the motor will be good at least, lol.

 

That's the same exact truck my MAC dealer has. He claims his has been nothing but great for him.

I make a living with my tools, day in day out. All I use is MAC. They have been great for me. They really stand behind their warranty. Having a good dealer is key also.

I've only been ticked at MAC once. To make a long story short, I had some tools on back order for over 6 months. It's their policy to just reimburse you the money after so long. I get a check in the mail for $118.xx. I turn around and order a motorcycle/ATV jack from them the same day I got the check(using the check they sent me). I get my lift a week or so later. Months go by and I start getting collection letters saying I owe them the money for the lift. I tried to resolve this with them but they think im cheating them some how. First and fore most, what kind of business sends out a product with out receiving payment first? Secondly, if they misplaced or lost the check, thats not my deal. It's out of my hands.

Not to throw anyone under the buss here but one of the higher ups there I guess. Stacy Campbell, was just a complete pain to deal with. She had a real bad attitude about the whole thing. Not exactly the best way to treat a customer when something on your end didn't go right.

 

my brother in law is a cornwell dealer and one thing i can tell you is that you must Must MUST service all of your stops regularly. they expect you to be around on x day and you better show up. they wont call you or chase you, they will just shop elsewhere. one thing that he has had great luck with is he will see a tech doing a certain job and he will give them a tool to demo right there. after using the tool for a bit they often buy.

 

They`re good tools, would you be owning the route or will Mac? I know my old dealer originally ran the route for Mac, basically he was a Mac employee and then several years later he purchased it outright. I think much of the sucsess or failure at such an endeavor leis with the person running the route, I have dealt with very successful folks over the years and also some slugs, I think if you work hard and service your cust`s well it can be a great opportunity. If ya can find a way to crank these out the door for 2500 w/trade you`ll have some happy customers,lol.

 

Wow, I didn't know that milkmen were still in existence! Good luck with the new endeavor!

 

The milk doesn't just walk off the Kemps trucks

 

I invested in a lot of mac tools, I like the tools but for some reason or other they can not keep dealers in my area. I contacted mac directly for some warranty concerns on tools that I have had sitting in my box broken for several years due to no dealer. Their customer service was absolutely horrible to say the least. The said I had to ship the tools to them and they would get back to me if they were covered. I eventually found a mac dealer several cities away and approached him on warrantying my tools, he could not be bothered because I was not a regular customer. I sent mac a scathing email in regards to the investment I made and their profound lack of customer service, their reply was that they were aggressively searching for a dealer for my area. That was 2 years ago and still no dealer.

I have had the same Matco dealer and Snap-on dealer for 27 years.

 

our local snap on dealer is a dbag. they can't keep then in the area and when they are, we can't get them to show up to the shop. last excuse we got was "matco comes there" really? afraid of some compitition? I gave up trying to warranty some of my snap on stuff. guess I will one day.

 

Weren't you the milkman's son?

 

I was a Matco distributor for quite a few years and am friendly with all my tool men . The biggest problem I see and hear from my current distributor is that their order fill rate is very low . It's very difficult to sell tools when you can't get them . The other problem with Mac has been their low number of distributors . . . This becomes a BIG problem when techs move out of your territory or skip out on you . . . Makes it very tough to collect your money .