Are any of these tools real?
I regularly see ads for tools on Craigslist along the lines of "Bosch orbital jigsaw NEW! - $35". The brands may be DeWalt, Snap-On, Makita, etc, but the picture always looks new and the price is unreasonably low. I suspect a lot of these are counterfeits, not sure. Anyone know how common counterfeits are?
Pete
I can see the value of CL
I have always been a bit wary of purchasing off of CL for tools, but I am now on the other side of the fence. I am trying to sell off my dad's workshop, and while I have had some success by listing on the WW messageboards, the biggest problem is with the shipping. Trying to package and ship a 6" jointer or RAS is a royal pain and is not cheap! There is a lot of motivation to sell the machines locally, just so you don't have to ship. I am also finding myself in the situation where some great tools are being offered at dirt cheap prices, just in an effort to move them. I can't be the only family member caught in this situation. I am guessing that many a non-woodworking family member has listed great tools at low prices on CL, simply because they did not know of the other places folks like us hang out!
Anyone in Michigan looking for some lovingly cared for tools......(< shameless plug).
Tools yes some real, some not
I myself have bought several pallets of liquidated tools. Mostly to get something in particular and then to sell off every thing else in hopes it will pay for what I keep. I haven't had much luck really. I list mine as used but often they are either brand new store returns, shelf pulls or customer returns. It was something I decided to try to slow down the drain on the check book. I often sell them for about 60-50% of retail. People don't seem to be willing to pay more than that and I can't afford to just sit on it. Those pay pal and bay fees can add up. I seem to always break even or perhaps loose a few bucks, (not counting the tool I keep). I have had some difficulty in selling off what I don't want. I can only assume it is because some people think it is stolen or the fact there is rarely a manufacturer warranty. Either way I don't blame them. I do think some people would rather see an item over priced then discounted to fool themselves in thinking they are getting more for their money. It's seems odd to me. I have had some people actually surprised when they have come to pick up a tool I sold to see that it really is new and unused. I actually got my hands on a perfect condition 22-44 jet and a 16-32 jet still packed all pretty in the box as well as numerous other tools. On the other hand I have wound up with tools that were beat up in shipping and damaged. Some superficial damage and some that should have been salvage destined for a land fill some where. You just never know what you are going to get in the lot. The liquidation companies do not allow you to inspect those boxes until you have bought them, first clue. The pictures they take tell you very little as well. They rarely take pictures of the actual items out of the boxes, second clue. Some boxes look good with destroyed contents and some just the opposite.These days people are paying very high prices for those pallets so beware. Ultimately it is a crap shoot. The only people that seem to make money in my opinion is the trucking companies from shipping and the liquidation companies. You and I are rolling the dice. The bottom line on these super deals is "if it sounds to good to be true..." Ask specific questions about the tool. If they can not answer them or don't seem to have a clue what that particular tool does...Hmmm. Best of luck and sorry for the long winded reply.