So, You Want to Make A Custom Tool Box, Right?

Tool Kit Journey

When we set out to make our custom tool box, not only to celebrate our 30th anniversary and benefit our 3 non-profit partners (Habitat for Humanity, St. Vincent De Paul, and Military Assistance Mission), we wanted to provide a quality tool kit that would help remind homeowners to do their projects Rosie Right every time. In order to provide a quality tool kit, we had a couple criteria in mind. We didn't think it would be easy, and we were right!

The first criteria: all the products had to be American Made. It took quite a bit of time and research to find products that were made in America, and at the end of it all, we had to let a few exceptions through such as the very well-known American made brand Stanley which incorporates Black and Decker, DeWalt, Proto, Craftsman, and more. There are multiple brands and manufacturing plants for Stanley locally and abroad, but there was no way to guarantee the tools we ordered were made in an American plant. Overall, we were able to achieve 90% made in the USA.

The second criteria: quality tools with quality engravings. There was some trial and error coming up with the right way to get the Rosie Logo onto all the tools – Do we etch it? Do we put a sticker on it? Do we put a metal name plate on it? Answer: All of the above! Even after all that, at the end of this process the only tool we couldn't get the custom logo on was the 6 in 1 Screwdriver.

Deciding on the quantity of tools and boxes we would order was another feat as that played a direct role in the cost per item. We wanted to keep the tool kit under a certain cost for our homeowners, but we had no idea how well they would sell. Tariffs, order volume, product availability, and custom etching all played a role.

After we placed the order, we found out that the etching company had to temporarily close due to a family emergency and were not going to be able to fulfill the order, so we put the process on hold to find a new vendor.

In addition to the vendor delay, there was a delay with the tool boxes themselves. The tool boxes had to be custom made to our order, and storms back east caused a delay in shipping. When our order finally arrived, it wasn't complete and some of the boxes were damaged during shipping.

Fast forward almost a year later and we now have a quality 30th anniversary tool kit which includes 8 quality tools that we are proud to call our own. Available ONLY on the Rosie eStore!

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