On 2007-06-30 13:20:56 +0100, "Doctor Drivel" said:


wrote in message
ups.com...
Diy tools a
Sold mainly through diy outlets
Have both brands widely recognised by diy'ers and diy outlets own
brands
Tend to be loaded with features/gimmicks
Put greater emphasis on price than build quality
Prioritise price over durability
Cordless tools tend to have slow chargers, single batteries and less
good cell life

Professional tools a
*differentiated by manufacturers from their diy ranges*
Sold mainly through trade outlets
Concentrate on brands widely recognised by professionals
Have limited features/gimmicks
Put greater emphasis on build quality than price
Prioritise durability over price
Cordless tools tend to have fast chargers, multiple batteries with
very good cell life

Based on those factors, I'd say the 100 quid Sparky impact driver just
about makes it to the pro side.

The £100 is because it is made in Eastern Europe - rates of exchange
make it cheap. Sparky is a German company.

There has been relatively little variation in the Euro to Sterling
exchange rate. The company is Bulgarian and manufactures there. It
has German management. and an office in Berlin. They previously made
AEG tools under license before that brand was sold to TTI.




Ryobi OTOH is one of the few companies (possibly the only?) that
chooses to blur the diy/pro distinction

They cleverly aim for both markets with the same products. Confusion
is that they have not been in the Makita, DeWalt range for years, so
image is blurred. The ONE+ range, using the one battery for a whole
range of tools, is clearly aimed at the pro market.

Aimed at but not particularly successful by market share because these
are mid range and not professional tools. There is nothing innovative
in the common battery pack concept. The major manufacturers have been
offering that for years.


Feedback from these products is good. They are well priced and good.

They are reasonable for the price charged as a mid range but not a
professional product.

Milwaukee is TTI's "professional" brand



I'd also say - generally - that 100 quid is about the absolute max
price that the diy will stand.

I would say way over the top for a DIY product - and £139 is clearly
pro. Far, far less than £100 gets suitable DIY tools.

The price point isn't particularly relevant in terms of suitability for
DIY purposes.

The retailers simply want to have products targeted at certain price
points that they can shift in volume.