An example of this was the joint venture that they established with Western Forge in 1965 and their partial ownership of Roper for a number of years.

Barrows' successor, Tom Dunlap, upgraded the quality of the tools and added chrome plating to them as America moved into the automobile age.

The standard Craftsman line is marketed as being comparable in quality to other mid-price brands including UltraPro (NAPA), Westward, Husky, and Kobalt.

Evolv tools also have a lifetime warranty but require that the customer have the original dated receipt to make a claim.

[17] Sears maintains the right to manufacture and sell tools using existing supply channels under the Craftsman name for 15 years.

[18] Lowe's announced in October 2017 that it would start carrying Craftsman tools beginning in the late half of 2018.

[23] Many Craftsman portable power tools have been manufactured by Techtronic Industries who acquired the prior supplier—Diehl Motor Company (a one time division of Singer) and Ryobi.

In 2007, a Harris Interactive poll gave Craftsman the highest score for both "Brand Expectations" and "Trust".

In 2022, Stanley Black & Decker acquired the sponsorship rights beginning in the 2023 season, replacing Camping World.

Owing to its present ownership of the brand, it was announced that Craftsman would return as the title sponsor of the series.

If the owner takes the item into a local retail store, it may be replaced or repaired free of charge.

Sears' official position is that the warranty should be honored, and much of the problem may lie with individual sales associates.

Some Sears stores limit the number of hand tools that can be exchanged per day, in an effort to reduce the abuse of the lifetime warranty.

Some of the newer packaging (as of 2018[update] onward) on some Craftsman products does indicate that there may be a limit on returning warranty tools.

As of February 2019,[update] the "non-Sears" Craftsman does not have "open stock" in the stores as Sears does to replace individual items from a set that may require warranty.

Lowes Corp stated, "We will honor all lifetime warranties no matter where the Craftsman hand tool was purchased.[34]".

[40] In August 2002, Sears sued Emerson for using Sears-owned manufacturing equipment to create power tools for Home Depot.

Emerson denied the allegations when the suit was filed, but paid Sears $10.8 million and returned all the equipment, while admitting no wrongdoing.

[41] In 2004, a class action by customers accused Sears of false advertising and consumer fraud for questionable use of the slogan "Made in the USA" for Craftsman tools.

[45] On March 6, 2019, Sears was sued by Stanley Black & Decker, which accused it of breach of contract and trademark infringement over its new line of professional-grade mechanics tools under the Craftsman Ultimate Collection brand.

According to the complaint, Sears breached the license agreement by launching its new tool line and touting its stores as "the real home of the broadest assortment of Craftsman".

[48] In 2023, Stanley Black & Decker acquired the title sponsorship rights to NASCAR's Truck Series, for which it would reinstate the Craftsman branding.

The main licensees for Craftsman in the rest of Europe were Bosch, and selling product at retailers and Amazon.