Hehe, I guess that came out the wrong way. What I mean is that it used to be that to buy an Amprobe, Fluke, Klein or Milwaukee, you had to go to a specialty store. Nowadays, HD and Lowes are basically hipermarket hardware stores, and they carry a line of those name brands (some drastically modified) that once were reserved for the trade that have either already become, or are becoming, hardware store brands.
1st sentence I totally agree, I think I did some of that myself.
The 2nd sentence I want to point out a big issue of merchandising that the box stores have picked up from Wally world,
not all products are in every store. The box stores now have a good demographic picture as to the style and amount
of items that they will carry in any one store, based on these demographic's("$"). I have seen products totally disappear from the shelves.
I can go to another town and the value and volume goes up in respects to what items that are available.
There demographic's are totally different than my neighborhood. I frankly make it a point to go to one particular box store just due to the fact that I've seen the tools and bigger and better items available.
So until you get 4 stores of each Box and have what choices you think you do, don't get run over in the aisles.
There are plenty of equipment and tool house /supply houses on-line and even now there running sales for this one item and the run of the mill stuff.
Even the box stores are available to browse, but you won't see this foreign brand, but you will see a limited brand name selection.
UL is going to a hologram image sticker, FWIW ...
