Stanley Black and Decker has started selling Craftsman tools directly on Lowe’s marketplace, with the retail giant listing certain items as “sold and shipped by Stanley Black and Decker.” ToolGuyd spotted the arrangement on a new Craftsman Professional retaining ring pliers (CMHT47412), and at least one other hand tool is flowing through the same channel.
It’s an odd one. Lowe’s and Craftsman have a wholesale relationship that goes back decades, so why would SBD also act as its own marketplace seller on the same site?
What’s Actually Happening
The product that tipped people off is the CMHT47412, a convertible internal/external retaining ring plier with a 1-1/2-inch jaw opening. The Lowe’s page shows SBD as the seller of record through the lowesmarketplace program, the same third-party seller setup shoppers see with unfamiliar import brands elsewhere on the site.
A few observations worth noting:
- The pliers run about $29.99 at Ace Hardware and other retailers, in line with comparable 8-inch snap ring pliers.
- Channellock watchers will recognize the pattern: the tool closely mirrors the Channellock 927 convertible snap ring pliers, and Channellock has a history of private-labeling that design for other brands.
- The packaging claims “Made in USA with global materials,” which is a step up from typical marketplace fare.
- More than one Craftsman item is flowing through this seller arrangement, so this looks like a program, not a one-off listing.
Why Would SBD Do This?
Nobody has confirmed a reason, and SBD hasn’t announced anything. The plausible reads: Lowe’s gets to expand selection without inventory risk, SBD gets a low-friction channel for slow-moving hand tools, and marketplace logistics might actually be cheaper than the wholesale path for low-volume SKUs. Commenters on the original report also pointed out that big-box sites increasingly blur the line between first-party and third-party sales anyway.
The “Professional” branding is its own eyebrow-raiser. Craftsman’s V20 cordless line competes squarely in the DIY price band, and a Professional badge on an $30 plier says more about marketing than a product tier.
What This Means for Buyers
For now, nothing changes about where you shop. But if you buy Craftsman from Lowe’s, check the seller line on the product page. Marketplace listings can have different return policies and shipping timelines than Lowe’s first-party stock, and that matters when you’re on a job site deadline. If Craftsman hand tools start showing up marketplace-only, warranty claims would route through SBD rather than the store counter.
It also lands in the middle of a rough stretch for the brand. SBD has already signaled price increases for DeWalt and Craftsman, shut its last New Britain factory, and cut jobs. Selling direct through a partner’s marketplace is one more sign the company is reworking how its brands reach shelves.
Related reading: we broke down the DeWalt and Craftsman price increases SBD confirmed, and the V20 ADVANCED battery upgrade shows where the cordless line is headed. If you’re shopping in this price band, our best cordless drills under $100 guide covers where Craftsman sits against Ryobi and Hart.