Why You Might Not Want To Buy Ryobi Tools And Batteries On Amazon

Ryobi tools were first produced in Japan back in 1943, but there was an almost 30-year period during which its products were exclusively available through Home Depot. The company was eventually acquired by Wisconsin-based Techtronic Industries but maintained its Home Depot exclusivity for a long time. This is why you can't buy Ryobi tools at other big-box stores like Lowes. Things are slowly changing, however. We're starting to see Ryobi tools being sold by more and more retailers, especially online.

Amazon is far and away the largest online marketplace in the world, so it's not much of a surprise that Ryobi's tools are sold there. Nearly every power tool brand on the market can be found on the retailer's digital shelves, and the company is known for offering products at the lowest prices possible. Just because you can buy Ryobi tools from Amazon doesn't necessarily mean that you should, however. There are several online forums filled with dissatisfied buyers who state that buying Ryobi products on Amazon isn't the deal it's cracked up to be. There are a few reasons why you might still be better off getting your green-hued tools and their associated batteries at Home Depot.

You might assume that buying a new Ryobi product means that it will come with an official warranty, but that isn't always the case. Most of the company's tools include a three-year limited warranty and a 90-day exchange policy. The official wording is, "This warranty covers all defects in workmanship or materials in your RYOBI power tool for a period of three years from the date of purchase. With the exception of batteries, power tool accessories are warranted for ninety (90) days. Batteries are warranted for three years." This means that they can be exchanged for any reason, no questions asked, in the first 90 days since they were purchased, and that any products that have issues caused by factory defects will be repaired or replaced within three years.

However, the warranty is only valid when the tool is purchased from an official Ryobi retailer, as it "applies only to the original purchaser at retail and may not be transferred." This means that any retailer who isn't officially sanctioned by Ryobi is considered the "original purchaser." The warranty therefore cannot be transferred to the end consumer, even if they buy a "new" product in an unopened box. 

This is a pretty big drawback. Ryobi tools are fairly reliable, but all machines are subject to failure. Amazon has a brief return window for products purchased on its digital marketplace, but it doesn't cover factory defects for three years.

Another problem that buyers might encounter is scammers selling imitation products. Not everything sold on Amazon is sold by Amazon. The digital marketplace is host to thousands of different online retailers, and some of them are less reputable than others. Amazon is aware of this problem and has been taking steps to try and mitigate the ability of scammers to take advantage of its customers, but that doesn't mean that they don't occasionally slip through the cracks.

Scammers have been known to sell counterfeit power tools or ones that have been damaged, poorly refurbished, and then repackaged by third parties. This can be frustrating since you may not realize that you've been sold the wrong product right away, and it can be difficult to get these scam sellers to process returns.

One of the best ways to ensure that you're dealing with a reliable retailer is to check who is listed as the product's seller and make sure that they have plenty of positive reviews from satisfied customers. Even this isn't foolproof, however, and you still won't get the warranty. The only way to be 100% certain that you're getting the tool you want is to buy it from an official retailer like Home Depot.

One of the most appealing reasons for buying Ryobi tools on Amazon is the lower cost. The prices set at Home Depot reflect the MSRP established by Ryobi itself. This means that standardized pricing is consistent across all of the corporation's stores, though you may occasionally find items on sale. Amazon, on the other hand, has structured much of its business model on the philosophy of undercutting the MSRP price and selling items as cheaply as possible.

Ryobi's standard 18V Cordless ½" Drill/Driver, for instance, retails for $59 from Home Depot and Ryobi's website. Meanwhile, you can get that same drill for only $47 on Amazon. You might think that those savings make buying Ryobi products from Amazon worth the risk. That might be a reasonable assessment if it weren't for the fact that Home Depot offers price matching.

"If you find a current lower price on an identical, in-stock item from any other retailer, we will match the price," the policy states on the Home Depot website. "Just bring the ad, printout or photo with you to the register for validation. (This may involve the associate contacting the competitor)." This means that even if you find a better price for a Ryobi tool on Amazon, you can still get it for that same price at Home Depot and enjoy the warranty and other benefits.

Like many other tool companies, Ryobi consistently releases new and updated versions of its products that take advantage of the latest technology. New power tools might be stronger, quieter, and more energy-efficient than older models. New batteries might have higher capacities or offer a more consistent energy output. Most of the time, these new and improved models are the only ones you'll find through official Ryobi retailers.

This might not be the case on Amazon, however. Older products occasionally appear on the store's page that are being sold by third-party merchants. There's nothing inherently bad about buying an older tool, but you might be disappointed if you thought you found a great deal on a new tool only to realize that you bought an outdated model. What's more, older batteries and attachments might not be compatible with newer tools, and vice versa. If you ultimately decide to buy a Ryobi product on Amazon, it's good to get in the habit of looking up the product number to make sure it's the exact model you think it is.

For more about Ryobi products, check out our article on 10 New Ryobi tools you should add to your garage.