[Stick486]

CPO Tools Ain't What It Use To Be...

A little over four weeks ago I did an online order for a cordless 12V Bosch jigsaw through CPO...
CPO Bosh Tools
At checkout time I see that a 20$ promo offered by Bosch wasn't applied nor free shipping for the order was over 100$...
Not only that, the shopping cart showed/had two saws listed at checkout for full price...
I tried to cancel one saw, apply the promo and get the free shipping w/o success through the site...

The following morning I called CPO C/S to try and get the order straight...
The kid I talked to said there was nothing he could do about the promo nor the free shipping not getting applied...
When I said that is not what the site says he said ''It is what it is''... Then proceeded to ask for a CC# to processes the order...
I said I was canceling the order and he said ''FINE!'' and hung up...
I waited two days and called their CS again and got pretty much the same run around again and another ''It is what it is''...

What prompted this post was the fact that I got another email from CPO this morning wanting my CC to complete the order...
Yes, I told their CS I was canceling the order...
Yes, I clicked the box on every single daily notice/request that I was canceling the order...
Yes, I unsubscribed from CPO emails, multiple times...
And yes, I received no help from their CS this morning – only got hung up on...

I'm done w/ them and can no longer in good faith recommend them...
After some look/see their pricing isn't the best any more either...
Their CS has moved from ''outstanding to ''Flat out sucks''

 

[Gene Howe]

Sorry to hear that, Stick. Thanks for the heads up.Guess we'll have to look elsewhere to satisfy our Bosch addiction.

 

[Arcola60]

Thank you for the warning Stick. That is unfortunate, and hurtful.
CS is the sale, after the sale.
We have all probably seen this situation come up in our journey for satisfaction.

Ellery

 

[Knothead47]

Thanks for the warning.

 

[DesertRatTom]

How sad to see what was once always on our recommended list, fall. Not really a fall, but a suicide. I have been finding decent prices and good CS through WalMart, Home Depot online. It was a surprise, great customer service, and free delivery to a local store was very convenient. Can't get everything there, but I was surprised at what they do carry online.

 

[JOAT]

I have been finding decent prices and good CS through WalMart,
Can't get everything there, but I was surprised at what they do carry online.

I was surprised when I found they carry bagpipes.

I shop on-line with them at times, because they are usually the closest available source for what ever I am looking for, also least expensive, and it beats the Hell out of tramping all over the store trying to find something, because it's been moved.

 

[DaninVan]

I'd love to know what changed at CPO Corporate. Bought up by a larger cannibalistic company? New CEO and Directors? Maybe just a new hotshot in charge of sales? (let the CS guy go?)

 

[Stick486]

I understand they bought up some of the other tool outlets...
Acme Tool
Tyler Tool
Tool Barn..
CPO Outlets, which sells certified pre-owned tools from all of the major tool manufactures has just added three new brands to their growing number of online stores. The addition of Black & Decker, Panasonic Tools, and Fein, brings their total number of stores to 32 different brands.
got too big and lost control???
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.cpooutlets.com

 

[Arcola60]

In today's competitive sales market, and online sales, that is total suicide.
It's like buying a car, now. You can get the same car from any dealer. It
doesn't matter to the buyer, it should matter to the seller.

 

[Herb Stoops]

I Hear you, crossed them off my list. Spread the word.

Go Harbor Freight!!!!!!!
Herb

 

[RTR]

I'd love to know what changed at CPO Corporate. Bought up by a larger cannibalistic company? New CEO and Directors? Maybe just a new hotshot in charge of sales? (let the CS guy go?)

What years was CPO "good"? When did CPO become "bad"?

If you are at all like me, years flash by in a seeming instant nowadays, faster than weeks used to laboriously languish on and on decades ago, but here is a brief history:

CPO started in 2004. Ten years later, in 2014, CPO was acquired by Associated Stationers, which I suppose you could say is the "larger cannibalistic company." Need proof? Read below. In 2015, a big corporate change happened, and Associated Stationers, and all the companies they gobbled up along their voracious acquisition path over the previous 40 years, suddenly became Essendant, stock symbol ESND as traded on NASDAQ.

Ok. The proof:

At the same time that CPO Commerce (parent company name for all the CPO Outlet websites, ie CPO Bosch, CPO Milwaukee, etc) was acquired, Associated Stationers, which at the time was #484 on the Fortune 500 list of companies, also scooped up MEDCO (the automotive tools company, NOT the Medicare scripts prescription company... familiar with both at this age) and G2S (another automotive tools company). Two years previous, Associated Stationers acquired OKI Supply (formerly OKI Bering in Canada and in the Middle East... industrial supplies and welding equipment). Prior acquisitions included MBS Dev, ORS Nasco, Sweet Paper, Peerless Paper, Lagasse, Azerty, and the BIG one... United Stationers Inc, a publicly traded company that itself had just swallowed Stationers Distributing. United Stationers had a longer history that dated back 60 years to it's initial incorporation as Utility Supply Company.

So yes, big business. And ironically, one that actually sells BOTH kinds of routers. :laugh2:

 

[RTR]

I understand they bought up some of the other tool outlets...
Acme Tool
Tyler Tool
Tool Barn..
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.cpooutlets.com

The information quoted above is not correct.

Neither CPO Commerce / Outlets, nor their corporate parent Essendant, has anything to do with, nor any control over, nor any association with, ACME Tools.

Acme Tools, established at the beginning of the post war boom in 1948, stands alone and apart from any of the tool outlets on that list. I just ordered six tools from ACME tool, and their customer service has been excellent.

Tool Barn, on the other hand, is associated with Tool Parts Direct and Pressure Parts.com. I ordered parts from Tool Parts Direct about a month ago, and still don't even have a tracking number. Let me repeat that. I ordered parts from Tool Parts Direct, that were shown as IN STOCK at the time of order, and still show as IN STOCK now a month later, and have showed as IN STOCK for each week between time of order a month ago and today, and I still don't have a tracking number. I'm on hold with Tool Barn / Tool Parts Direct, even now, as I type this. The recorded voice has said that my call should be answered within 1 minute, for the last 20 minutes. They have never answered my emails. So let's review: Tool Barn / Tool Parts Direct / Pressure Parts are under the same umbrella, where you can expect a rain of shipping delays, no responses to email, and long wait times on hold, while being lied to by a recorded voice saying "your call should be answered within 1 minute".

Clearly, CPO Outlets is a better bet, because while the customer service agents at CPO are rude and surly, at least they pickup the phone... even if they hang up a short while later.

Finally, the one instance of truth to the quote above is Tyler Tool. In 2011, Tyler Tool was indeed acquired by CPO Commerce.

 

[DaninVan]

With me they get one kick at the can. They need me; I DON'T need them!
As far as CPO is concerned, they don't ship to Canada in any event so it's all moot.

 

[Gene Howe]

With me they get one kick at the can. They need me; I DON'T need them!

TOTALLY agree!

 

[JIMMIEM]

Not all customer service reps have the same level of 'know how' or knowledge. When I get one that isn't cuttin' it I ask for a supervisor or manager.

 

[DaninVan]

Jim; no argument there, but I make a distinction between their inexperience and just being obnoxious.

 

[sgcz75b]

My experience with CPO has always been positive. I've found that if I'm nice and try to be understanding I'll usually get that in return.

Attitude works both ways.

 

[DaninVan]

!...when has Stick ever been anything but sweet, mellow and lovable?!

 

[Stick486]

Neither CPO Commerce / Outlets, nor their corporate parent Essendant, has anything to do with, nor any control over, nor any association with, ACME Tools.

then the rep at Acme lied to me...

I asked if they were affiliated w/ CPO and the girl said yes..
they also do business the same way as Tool Barn / Tool Parts Direct / Pressure Parts does...
in stock moved into back order..
no receipt...
no follow up...

 

[Stick486]

!...when has Stick ever been anything but sweet, mellow and lovable?!

exactly...