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I came across a new ad in my Google News feed, for a Combo Kit with Benchtop Tools – an 18-piece all-in-one type of product.
I have been groaning about this all-in-one transforming tool contraption for a couple of years now. To me, a standard set of cordless power tools plus maybe a benchtop tool seem to offer more functionality for the same or less money.
This is the Power8, and a new DOER cordless power tool DIYer workshop kit version has been advertised via Kickstarter and other crowdfunding platforms in recent years.
I couldn’t help my curiosity and took a closer look. What’s new that they’re advertising about it again?
It turns out this is an older Power8 color scheme, but still – I’m not a fan of this concept.
At the time of this posting, the Cel Power8 combo kit is $350 at Amazon. The orange color scheme DOER set is still available on crowdfunding platforms for $599 for the basic kit up to $799 for the ultimate kit.
DOER says that the ultimate kit will retail for $1,079 and is expected to launch in November 2021.
And yet, the “store” that’s advertising this “Tabletop Workshop Autotools Kit” has a “Hot Sale” where you save 19% off the $86 price. $70 from $86? That sounds like a reasonable sale, right?
This is definitely a scam. Let’s take the Amazon price of $350 as the current street pricing. You’re not getting this for 70 bucks.
Taking a look at the WHOIS:
Created: 2021-08-06 03:04:41 UTC
That’s the biggest red flag, but there are other typical signs, such as the absence of social media accounts or any real way to contact the “seller.”
I found ANOTHER scam store that has it for $68.62. But this one has the resemblances of a legitimate deal. The other “store” is similar, with a 7/29/21 domain creation date.
The scams seem obvious once you know what to look for, but the “stores” and scammers employ significant psychological tricks to increase the sales pressure and sense of urgency.
I can’t see myself ever recommending this tool kit – or the new brushless versions of it – but that doesn’t mean some users wouldn’t be happy with it. If you’re in the market for the Power8 or DOER modular and transforming tool kits, please don’t fall for the scams!
I wish I could tell you where you could buy it, but these tool systems are only sporadically available and through certain sellers.
Right now, I have only seen scam listings for the Cel Power8 tool kit, but it probably won’t be long before listings pop up for the DOER tool kit as well.
Is the Store a Scam?
Forget about the product or price. Is the store actually real?
First, go here: https://lookup.icann.org/ . Enter the domain name, such as google.com. Scroll down and look for the creation date. In my experience, doing this will red-flag at least 90% of the scam stores out there.
Every single scam store I’ve come across has only been around for days or maybe weeks. But, maybe the store looks real, and the WHOIS data isn’t convincing you that it’s a scam. There are other things to look at.
Do they have working social media links? Most scam stores don’t bother to direct their links anywhere, they just go to Instagram or Facebook homepages and not any actual accounts.
Do they have an address? A phone number? Or only a suspicious web form?
Individual sellers and storefronts might not have an address or phone number, but companies selling and shipping power tools should have some kind of obvious business or storefront.
Use your judgement. Scam stores are usually heavy on the psychological tricks, hoping to create a false sense of urgency or limited stock to rush you into giving them your financial information.
How many ways does a scam store product listing insist you can trust them?
If it seems too good to be true, it often is.
If you’re unsure as to whether a store is a scam or not, ASK someone else. You can always ask us, and your friends, families, or social media friends might be able to provide an objective opinion.
“What’s the worst that could happen?” Good question. At the least, it’ll be a hassle to get your funds back from PayPal or your credit company. But, keep in mind that they’re not looking to waste your time, they’re looking to make money off of you. A scammer might also gain access to your name, email address, phone number, billing address, and maybe your credit card information. And if you create a user account, they also have a password; how many people create unique passwords for each different retailer?
