Ace is the place

[Tin Falcon]

For those of you who like good deals on quality american made name brand tools here is one I stumbled across.

ACE 7IN Vise Grip Pliers
$ 4.99
On sale til the end of the month. Less than half price.
IMHO every shop should have at least on set of vise grip pliers.
They also had some similar $4.99 deals on a handful of other Irwin brand products.
Tin

 

[BaronJ]

For those of you who like good deals on quality american made name brand tools here is one I stumbled across.

ACE 7IN Vise Grip Pliers
$ 4.99
On sale til the end of the month. Less than half price.
IMHO every shop should have at least on set of vise grip pliers.
They also had some similar $4.99 deals on a handful of other Irwin brand products.
Tin

Hi Tin,
I hope you mean $4.99 deals. :hDe::hDe::hDe:

If its any consolation just change the $ to £ and that's what they want for them here in the UK

 

[Tin Falcon]

Well Baron the sales tag on the one I purchased was reg price of $12.99.
The last time I was in the UK the VAT sales tax was 18 % here the sales tax in many areas is 3.5 % Urban Enterprise Zone rates reg state tax is 7%
I did choke on the circular saw blades for $49 untill I realized 10 pack . I did get one of those for $4.99 as well.
I had better not get talking about tax lest i have to censor myself for political talk LOL.
Tin

 

[BaronJ]

Well Baron the sales tag on the one I purchased was reg price of $12.99.
The last time I was in the UK the VAT sales tax was 18 % here the sales tax in many areas is 3.5 % Urban Enterprise Zone rates reg state tax is 7%
I did choke on the circular saw blades for $49 untill I realized 10 pack . I did get one of those for $4.99 as well.
I had better not get talking about tax lest i have to censor myself for political talk LOL.
Tin

Hi Tin,
Sales Tax or VAT "Value Added Tax" here in the UK, is currently 20%. So your 3.5% is pretty cheap. I buy my circular saw blades from "Silverline" The last one I bought a 10" TCT zero rake for wood & plastic was £9.99 inc but + P&P.

It seems that USA companies are very expensive when supplying goods over here. MSC springs to mind...

 

[Tin Falcon]

MSC and McMaster tend to be high but they are the hired storeroom for manufacturing. they are positioned that you make a phone call place an order and what you need is at you location the next day at UPS ground rates. I even called an order to McMaster Carr in the AM and it was at my customers location that afternoon. These places have huge warehouses huge inventory and I expect overhead to match.

In contrast enco has better prices but it could take a week to get the order. OK if not in a hurry but not acceptable if you have a production line down or need a tool to get an order out the door.
Tin .

 

[Tin Falcon]

Here in the states there are many taxes federal payroll tax (social security and income tax) Most states and some cities add income tax. Then state fuel tax, property tax, and sales tax. Dog and cat tax. Hunting fishing tax... some states have no sales tax others are something like 8% .
Some items like food clothing and production machines are tax free in NJ but most places charge tax on tools anyway not sure if it is greed or ignorance. It is what it is. We all want good schools for our kids smooth roads to drive on a well equipped fire brigade ....... but hate to pay high taxes.
Tin

 

[BaronJ]

Hi Tin,

I hadn't looked at it from a production point of view. So yes I can only agree with you. Regarding taxes. Last time I was over there I did notice that they varied depending where in the USA you were.

 

[GWRdriver]

For those in the UK, most states in the USA have a multi-level sales tax formula. There is a basic State retail sales tax to which is usually added local city, county, or even township sales taxes. The rate and application of all of these can vary considerably. I live in the state with the highest combined retail sales tax which is 9.75%, but this is offset by having no individual state income tax. I don't know where Tin shops to get 3.5% but New Jersey is listed with a combined sales tax rate of 6.97%. The other states vary between 5.5% and 8.5%, excepting Alaska (at 1.69%) and Montana and Oregon which have 0%. http://taxfoundation.org/article/state-and-local-sales-tax-rates-2014

For many years out-of-state purchases (mail and phone orders) and foreign orders were not taxed at all but with the advent of online buying, and the large amount of money changing hands, most states either have or are in the process of closing those tax loopholes. Reciprocal enforcement has been spotty to non-existent due of the costs vs return.

I often felt absolutely raped when I ordered from the UK, not on price so much as the dreaded "p&p" or "handling" which appeared to have no reason to it. Certainly one pays the carriage on weight, that is what it is, but the mystery handling charge always got me. I suppose one reason I found it so objectionable was that over here, unless an item is particularly oversize or unwieldy for its weight, "packing" is a part of the purchase price. So far as export sales from MSC and others go, I suspect their problem is one of documentation and security. The costs of managing and documentation of foreign transactions for the Tax Man, and providing secure (traceable, insured, etc) delivery at a less-than-FedX cost for their customers and themselves, may be prohibitive.

I occasionally buy off eBayUK and so fare the majority of sellers have not been willing to ship to the USA, usually for security and receipt documentation reasons, or have asked for insane money to do so. I've avoided that problem by having my bits posted to a friend in the UK which are then resent. In a couple of instances I've said just hold on to it, "I'll be over again in 5-6 years and I'll collect it then!"

 

[clivel]

I often felt absolutely raped when I ordered from the UK, not on price so much as the dreaded "p&p" or "handling" which appeared to have no reason to it. Certainly one pays the carriage on weight, that is what it is, but the mystery handling charge always got me. I suppose one reason I found it so objectionable was that over here, unless an item is particularly oversize or unwieldy for its weight, "packing" is a part of the purchase price.

To put that in perspective, living in Canada, I find it far cheaper and generally much faster to order from the UK than from the US.
Not only will many US suppliers not ship to Canada e.g McMaster (and Enco starting May 1st), but for those that do, they either insist on shipping via UPS or US-Post (USPS) "Priority Mail International Flat Rate" which is a complete misnomer as it takes about 7 to 10 days to get here with the cheapest option being around $25.00 for a tiny box.

UPS is even more problematic, not only are we charged an overinflated shipping fee, but then we are gouged by UPS who then extort another $30 "brokerage fee" before they will deliver the item.
For example, I recently placed an order with Enco for a few small items, total value $63.00 I was quoted $35 to ship UPS or a $52 ripoff from the USPS.
Choosing the cheaper option, on receipt I had to pay $7 duty and taxes plus the UPS "brokerage fee" or a total of $65 shipping charges for a small package.
I don't just feel raped, it feels more like serial sodomy!
In contrast a larger/heaver package ordered the same day from ArcEuro in the UK, arrived here a day earlier, and only cost me $20 in shipping with no brokerage fee on delivery.
I know where my money goes in the future.
Clive

 

[Tin Falcon]

I don't know where Tin shops to get 3.5% but New Jersey is listed with a combined sales tax rate of 6.97%.

New Jersey has areas designated Urban Enterprise zones. These areas were set aside to help revitalize the downtown urban shopping areas. These areas do include shopping malls and big box home improvement stores as well as the small mom and pop hardware stores etc. Most of the places I shop are in these zones.
Delaware is another 0 % state.
You are correct in that 7 % is the normal sales tax rate for NJ.
I am also fortunate in that the Two big box Home improvement stores give me a 10% discount as a veteran if I show my ID.
Tin

 

[Tin Falcon]

Sorry we digressed. The point of this was to point out what I believe to be a great sale on a great tool. Guess what my brothers are getting for Christmas LOL.
So rather than complaining about the unfairness of the world lets help each other by pointing out the good deals that are available.

I personally have ordered items and had them ships out of the east at very fair prices.
Tin

 

[johnmcc69]

That is a good deal. I have a pair of small Irwin needle nose pliers that are really nice.
I have to shamelessly plug Channellock, another great tool manufacturer, & 45 minutes from me in Meadville Pennsylvania, USA.

John

 

[ian99]

Not being a US resident, I found it ironic that in Minnesota I must pay a sales tax when I buy a piece of artwork (paintings or photographs) yet bullet proof vests are tax free.

 

[bb218]

Better check to see if they are made in U.S.A., Vise grip brands are now being made in China, unless you can find some that have been sitting on a shelf. What bothers me most is the fact they will avoid letting you know you are not getting a tool made in the U.S. you really have to read the fine print, and if it does not say it is not made in the States.

Mike

 

[BaronJ]

Sorry we digressed. The point of this was to point out what I believe to be a great sale on a great tool. Guess what my brothers are getting for Christmas LOL.
So rather than complaining about the unfairness of the world lets help each other by pointing out the good deals that are available.

I personally have ordered items and had them ships out of the east at very fair prices.
Tin

Hi Tin, All,

Its really my fault that we got off thread by comparing across the pond pricing.
Sorry...

 

[Tin Falcon]

Better check to see if they are made in U.S.A., Vise grip brands are now being made in China, unless you can find some that have been sitting on a shelf. What bothers me most is the fact they will avoid letting you know you are not getting a tool made in the U.S. you really have to read the fine print, and if it does not say it is not made in the States.

Mike

Well mike you are correct I did not read the fine print and they are in fact made in china . Sad !! Glad I did not pay full price. the plus side is these still have a lifetime warranty and made to vice grip specifications.

I purchased a cheap set of vise grip style locking pliers from Home depot a couple years ago I attempted to use them to remove a stuck ss screw the screw was harder than the pliers jaws.

Baron No harm no fowl. I was the one that mentioned taxes. we all want value for what we pay out. I understand that.
I just wanted to refocus the thread before someone became too emotional.

Tin