Tools — Blog — Healy Chen

Stolen goods

An often forgotten marketplace to save some money is eBay. I recently had to buy some tools, and the same brand-new pieces were cumulatively $50 cheaper on eBay. Not a bad deal for me considering the only con is that I have to wait longer for shipping. Amazon really spoils you in terms of delivery speediness.

I do wonder how it is possible for an eBay seller to undercut the official vendor. Keep in mind: eBay takes a 10% cut the transaction before money hits the seller’s account. Either the margins are that enormous, or the tools must have been acquired via not so honorable means.

Retail theft is indeed a problem. At our local Home Depot, the expensive power tools and hand tools are locked behind security cages. Otherwise that would be an easy payday for some enterprising individuals who are willing to bypass the checkout counters. The best margins are when the cost of goods sold is zero!

I’ll be honest: it’s entirely possible the brand-new tools I bought on eBay were stolen. How can a buyer know for sure? The items were sold by anonymous entity with a username somewhere in the Midwest. Due diligence surely cannot be on the buyer. We’re all just trying to save a few bucks in this economy.

Which eBay is also great if you’re okay with second hand. I bought many a used replacement part for my Golf GTI. It doesn’t make sense to pay four times more for a new tonneau cover at the dealer when a used one from eBay works just fine. It’s going to get scratched up anyways, so who cares of it comes already pre-scratched.

The joy of tools

A fresh set of iFixit tools is a special feeling. Rows and columns of alloy bits not yet tarnish by human fingers. The sharp ends not yet met the heads of a screw. Breathe in that freshly open box smell. It’s probably toxic, but you don’t care. Every single piece is right where it should be, corresponding to the labels perfectly. It’s strange how much excitement I can draw from a $40 dollar tool set. I was super excited when we finally got in some new sets at work.

Primarily because other people have no sense of responsibility. No sense of order. No sense of putting things back where they should be once you’re done with it. Our old roster of iFixit toolkits are all in varying state of mess. Bits either missing or not where they should be placed. Half the time the sets themselves aren’t even put back in the designated area. More than once I’ve vowed to buy my own set. I would then only have myself to blame if the pieces are in disarray.

Of course, they would never be: I’m entirely too obsessive compulsive about things being in their proper place. I don’t expect my coworkers to be on that same level. Most people don’t clean the floors of their home every other day. Naturally then I also have the cleanest desk in the office. I put to regular use those alcoholic wipes that gets handed out like candy since the start of the pandemic.

So I may have selfishly commandeered one of the new iFixit sets for myself. I instantly ran to the label-maker to sticker my name to the case. Perhaps it’s a dick move, but I have to say I do use the tools quite often. Besides, I would gladly proffer up “my” set should someone needs one, and all the others are being used.