Is It Cheaper To Buy Ryobi Tools On Their Official Website Or On Amazon?

Amazon is known for competitive prices. Ryobi is popular for their budget-friendly equipment that won't break the bank if you're looking to tackle the latest DIY project or buy tools that can whip your lawn into shape. But which one is cheaper, Ryobi's official website or Amazon?

We picked a couple of tools at random to make comparisons. Ryobi's 18V One+ Airstrike 18GA Brad Nailer is $139 on their website and currently $134.93 at Amazon. It's not a big difference, but why not save a few bucks when you can? However, the price discrepancy is dependent on the product. For example, Ryobi's website lists their high-pressure digital tire inflator at $39.97, whereas at Amazon it's listed at $49.44. Other searches produce similar results, so sometimes it is cheaper to buy Ryobi tools on their official website, but occasionally it's less expensive on Amazon.

However, there is a caveat when buying Ryobi tools on Amazon that you should be aware of. Amazon is not an official Ryobi stockist. You might notice when you search Amazon for Ryobi products that many of their tools are not shown. This is because you're not actually buying from Amazon at all. 

If you're looking to buy those must-have power tools every homeowner needs, there's absolutely nothing wrong with choosing Amazon for many of the leading brands. Whether it's safe to buy Ryobi tools is another matter because the company has an exclusive deal with Home Depot. So why do you see some of their tools listed for sale on Amazon? The answer is Amazon allows third-party sellers that have pages on the website and often use Amazon distribution. The problem is that Amazon takes no responsibility for the products a third party offers. They might be legit, but they could also be selling used, refurbished, or even damaged products. Support could be nonexistent, and the warranty may be invalid.

Fortunately, there's an easy way to tell whether Amazon is the seller. Underneath the "buy now" button on every product page, it will tell you who the tool is shipped and sold by. If the latter is someone other than Amazon, it's a red flag. One tool we looked at is offered by a company that normally deals in fine arts, books, and gifts. This should raise your suspicions.

Since any seller on Amazon would not be an official Ryobi distributor, it would be impossible to know where the tool came from or its condition. Amazon sells a host of competitively priced tools for the home and yard and a range of products that can completely transform your garage, but you'll want to check carefully before buying Ryobi equipment through the website.