I just saw that the M12 Stubby is now priced at $229. Was there a recent price hike, or has it really been this way for a while? I distinctly remember it being around $199 before. This is a bit shocking!
3 Answers
I actually work for a major electrical distributor, and Milwaukee did raise prices around August 15th. They mentioned it was due to tariff increases. I'm not too sure how this affects pricing at big box stores, though.
The price jumped to $229 a couple of weeks ago. There was a special drop to $149 for just one day last week, but now it’s back up to $229 again. They were also offering two free 3.0 batteries with it.
Yeah, the new price is likely due to a 15% tariff added on top of the original $200, which brings it to around $230. This price change has been noticeable for a few weeks now, but it might vary in different areas since they are slowly depleting older stock. Companies usually won't absorb those extra costs, so expect this to be the new normal for a while, maybe even permanently.
It probably varies by item. Tools usually have tighter margins while accessories, like batteries and packs, tend to be more profitable.