MATCO TOOLS: More Franchise Complaints

One year ago, we posted an invitation for Matco Tools franchise owners and ex-franchise owners to share their complaints.

We also invited those who had a good experience with the Matco Tools franchise to voice their opinions.

That simple invitation resulted in the fastest-growing and most active discussion to date on UnhappyFranchisee.com, with nearly 5,000 comments being posted.

Since 5,000 comments can make the page load slowly, we invite commenters to continue the discussion below.

Are you familiar with the Matco Tools franchise dealer opportunity? Please share a comment below.

Here are a few random comments from the previous page:

Todd A. Peterson wrote:

Mine was very profitable being ranked 41 out of 1500+ franchisees my first year. My problems started when they fired the employee of their company who hired me a District Manager and then proceeded to tell me that if I didn’t surrender shops that they claimed were unapproved by their company I would be terminated as a franchisee. When I did what they requested, because I felt I had no other choice, they just let an ailing economy and shop closures destroy the half a business I was left with after the TAKEOVER.

“Lady Matco” Debbie Solko wrote:

Seems there are HUNDREDS of distributors like myself

I was fed lies, my route was never viable, it was criminal that it ever was sold to me

It was criminal that an ERROR (by my DM) perpetuated itself for over SIX months – despite my repeated requests to explain or correct (I can document)

I can DOCUMENT & PROVE all the TRUTHS I’ve told

Matco plants can taunt and offend and try to derail but – it won’t work

routes are not viable

LOC are inflated

no support

LIE are told

income projections are false…

I am returning my franchise and want a refund

Tommy Cheung wrote:

I was a franchisee from 2005 to late 2008. In 2008 when the economy took a hit, Darryl Pritchett and Mike Ramey terminated my franchise for purchase average, in which half my district was not at average. Matco did nothing to assist or advise about what to do in this situation…

Matco does not care about their franchisees, they just want to sign you up and could care less what happens… Matco has a failure rate that is astounding, they do not care if you succeed or not, they only want you to sign your life away and wait for you to be terminated, and they can sign someone else up and cut the route in half and give your territory away…

Do not purchase a Matco franchise because they control everything you do, it is not your own business, RUN LIKE HELL WHEN YOU SEE MATCO COMING!!!!!!!!!!

richard wrote:

i have just been recently terminated for not buying my 80%.

i had 2 different routes in almost 4 years. my first route was so spread out. i drove 700 miles a week. there was a new route that opened much closer to me and i asked for it or i was going to resign. i was given the new route but no support. i had to provide the finances of a new distributor but i wasnt given the perks, ie 9% on psa accounts. i lost all my current purchase history and had to start over there.

my dm took me for a ride of my new route, which took all of 2 hours. he said that i didnt meet the requirements for a meet and greet since i was already a distributor. it took me over 4 months and alot of hell raising to get my route sheets which i was supposed to have when i started. now i am out of business and my customers are calling me and telling me about some man that they have never seen before coming around saying that there would be a new distributor starting soon. this is the same man that supposedly did my initial route survey.

i have only been out of business less than 30 days. i tried to return my inventory and was told that anything over 60 days or truck worn would not be accepted. most of what i typed in came up as non returnable. there is quite a game here that they are playing with other peoples money and futures.

i spoke with my regional manager, mike ramey, 3 weeks ago about numerous issues and was assured that he would get back with me in a week. i have not heard from him since. i am glad that some have had great success and sorry that some have had none. it is thier way or the highway and when you ask for help they run like hell. i am out of business and my dm is telling distributors to call me about things that he knows nothing about or is willing to find out.

after seeing all this on here i will definitely be calling Jerry. right is right and wrong is wrong. i just like so many here invested my lifes savings in this choice just to be taken advantage of and left in the cold. i had money in the bank and excellent credit and now i have none.

The most upsetting fact is- One year ago, my business was doing fine. I was ‘breaking even’ and all my bills were getting paid. Then my DM stepped in, accused me of “living off my inventory”., told me I should be concerned as my inventory value had dropped. So, I did as HE instructed – and ordered more inventory. My route could not sustain increased inventory and therefore I fell behind. It is very difficult to catch up once you have fallen behind. Especially, considering I was operating under FALSE budget figures. I borrowed money -time and time again, thinking I just needed to get “over this hump”. The actuality was – it wasn’t a ‘temporary’ set back – it was a fundamental shortage that only snowballed over time.

ARE YOU AN MATCO TOOLS FRANCHISE OWNER OR EX-FRANCHISEE?  ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE MATCO TOOLS FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

Contact UnhappyFranchisee.com