Frequently Asked Questions

As a convenience to our customers, we have created this list of frequently asked questions. If you have a question that cannot be answered here, please visit our contact page. We'll be glad to answer any questions you may have.

• How long will it take for my UPS ground shipment to arrive?
• Can I have my shipment insured?
• Do you offer secure checkout?
• What is your return policy?
• Do you stock the products that you sell or do you rely on "drop shipping"
• Why do you only have "X" number of tools in category "Y"?
• How do you determine which power tools are the best rated?
• Are Lithium-Ion batteries superior to NiMh and Ni-Cad?
• What are the advantages of buying on-line?
• What are "bare" power tools?
• What are factory reconditioned/re-manufactured power tools?

How long will it take for my UPS ground shipment to arrive?

Our goal is to ship all orders by the end of the following business day and in many cases, orders may even ship on the same business day. We ship all packages via UPS. Please refer to the map below to estimate how long it will take your ground shipment to arrive. Currently we only ship to the United States.

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Can I have my shipment insured?

Yes. All UPS shipments can be insured for the full amount of the purchase price. Look for the option to add shipping insurance during step 2 of the checkout process. All shipments with a total value of less than US$100 are automatically covered free of charge. The following rates apply to shipments over US$100:
$0.65 for each $100.00 (or portion of $100.00) of the total value declared, with a minimum charge of $1.95.
Please note: Shipments valued at US$1000 or more require insurance to be included and will automatically be added to your total during checkout.

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Do you offer secure checkout?

Absolutely. We value our customer's security and wouldn't have it any other way. Our checkout system uses the industry standard of 128 bit SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption in combination with PayPal Website Payments Pro.

• SSL is the industry-standard security measure that prevents criminals from viewing your private information and is used to protect your transactions and private information.
• SSL translates sensitive data into scrambled code so that it can be securely transmitted between a web site and a customer's web browser.

PayPal, the trusted leader in on-line payments, accepts all major credit cards and bank cards. If you prefer, you may also pay securely using your PayPal account or PayPal account balance. PayPal will be available to you as an option during checkout.

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What is your return policy?

Your satisfaction as a customer is our top priority. In the unlikely event you should have a problem with a purchase, just let us know and we will gladly work with you to resolve the issue. For details of our standard return policy, please see our customer service page.

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Do you stock the products that you sell or do you rely on "drop shipping"

Yes, we stock our products. We do not believe in making our customers wait for back orders or third party drop shipping services. We strive to provide our customers with next business day shipping and the only way we can do that is to stock all of the products we sell.

Items do, however, on occasion, become low in quantities or out of stock. We will update out of stock items on the product page so that you will know when an item is temporarily out of stock. Should an item become out of stock before we can update the product page, our inventory system will notify you during checkout. You will not be able to complete the checkout process for items that are out of stock or for items in which the requested quantity is unavailable. Should this be the case, please contact customer service for availability.

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Why do you only have "X" number of tools in category "Y"?

We specialize in selling only the top rated and "best-in class" categories of power tools. We research every power tool we sell to make sure that it fits the standard of a "best-in-class tool". Generally there will only be a handful or possibly even one tool that fits into that standard of quality for a particular category.

Take portable planers for example. There are many on the market but we only sell one model of portable planer because our research indicates that the particular model we selected (DeWalt dw735) was found to be, hands down, the highest rated model in it's class. Will everyone agree with that? Probably not. Will the majority of professionals agree? From what we have found through our research of professional reviews, yes.
As an added bonus, this allows us to maintain a smaller inventory which means we are able to stock all the products we sell. This means that you, our customer, will receive the fastest, delay free shipping possible.

We are constantly in the process of reviewing more categories of power tools to add to our inventory, so even if you don't find what you're looking for today, please be sure to bookmark us so you can check back from time to time.

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How do you determine which power tools are the best rated?

Primarily through research. We take in to account the number of professional reviews and tool tests, the source of the reviews or tests, the quality of the reviews or tests, and in what position or to what degree the tool was rated in each review or test.

We have an involved method, but for the most part, if a power tool comes out on top or is highly favorable in multiple reviews or tools tests from reliable, trusted sources in which the review or test was conducted by an experienced professional, then that power tool would likely make a good candidate.

Some of the professional sources we use are Taunton's Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking magazines, Tools of the Trade magazine, HGTVpro, Popular Woodworking magazine, Wood magazine, Woodworker's Journal, Workbench Magazine, American Woodworker, as well as many other professional and consumer rating sources.

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Are Lithium-Ion batteries superior to NiMh and Ni Cad?

The power tool industry is currently trending toward lithium-ion battery technology. The reason for this trend is that lithium-ion technology has some distinct advantages over previous battery technologies. Cordless technology has improved over the years to the point where many cordless tools now rival, and in some cases, even surpass the power of their corded counterparts.

Lithium-ion batteries are not prone to developing a "memory effect" like ni-cad batteries. This "memory effect" significantly limits the useful life of the battery. Lithium-ion batteries also have a shorter charge time combined with a longer run time as compared to nimh and ni-cad.

The discharge rate of lithium-ion remains constant over time. In other words, instead of your power tool gradually diminishing in power as the battery discharges, lithium-ion will maintain a relatively consistent power output until the battery is almost completely discharged. If your ni-cad battery has been sitting on the shelf for some time, chances are it has lost it's charge and will need to be recharged prior to use. Lithium-ion batteries have a charge holding shelf life of up to 2 years which means you can charge your battery, set it on the shelf for several months, then snap it right into your tool and go to work without having to recharge.

Possibly the biggest advantage of lithium-ion is weight. Lithium-ion weighs less than both nimh and ni-cad. This may not seem like much of an advantage until you have been working overhead for a couple hours. Over a period of time, 8-16oz of weight when working overhead can make a huge difference in the comfort department. The only downside to lithium-ion is price. However as manufacturing technology improves, prices tend to drop.

Lithium-ion:

• Charges faster
• Runs Longer
• Maintains longer constant power output
• Weighs less
• Stores longer

...and as an added bonus, Lithium-ion is greener for the environment.

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What are the advantages of buying on-line?

There are many advantages to buying on-line. Below are just a few.

• Buying on-line saves Gas. With the prices of gas these days, why not buy on-line and save your gas for other things?
• Most on-line purchases are still tax free. The Tool Spot is located in the state of Illinois, so if you ship to any other state, you will not be charged for sales tax. Sales tax is calculated based on the shipping address of the buyer.
• Buying on-line is convenient. It can usually be done from the comfort of home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Buying on-line is fast. You can usually find what you need in just a few clicks.
• Buying on-line is safe. The Tool Spot uses 128 bit SSL encryption to protect your sensitive data.

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What are "bare" power tools?

Some cordless power tools may be sold as what are called "bare tools". Bare tools do not come with batteries or chargers or any other accessories such as carrying cases. Retailers generally sell these tools with a description such as “bare tool only”. If you already have a set of compatible batteries and chargers, then buying bare tools will save money because bare tools are sold for less since the battery, charger and accessories are not included in the price.

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What are factory reconditioned/re-manufactured power tools?

Factory reconditioned or re-manufactured power tools are power tools that have most likely been previously purchased, probably used, and then returned. The tool is shipped back to the factory where it is reworked and tested before being shipped out to be sold again. Many manufacturers will still honor the same warranty on their reconditioned tools as on their new tools.

There are a couple things to be aware of before buying a reconditioned tool. Make sure that the tool is still covered under the manufacturer's warranty. Another thing to be aware of is that there are retailers who sell refurbished tools that are nothing more than customer returns that have been cleaned up and repackaged without ever having been returned to the factory. Please read carefully and make sure the wording is clear and uses phrases such as "factory reconditioned" or "factory re-manufactured"

When selling factory reconditioned tools, The Tool Spot will use the words "factory reconditioned" in bold type near the top of the page where it can be clearly viewed. If there are any exceptions we will state it clearly at the top of the page because we believe that our customers should not have to have any doubts about what they are buying.

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