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DeWalt

A power tool brand once known for radial arm saws.

dewalt.com1 source1 tips

Where DeWalt comes up1 book

BookCompeting Against Luck
At a glanceDeWalt's drills and clamps blurred what job it did
  1. 1Best radial arm sawDeWalt's known job
  2. 2Black & Decker acquiresNew owner pushes more products
  3. 3Copies drills and clampsSurface growth, unlikely to succeed
  4. 4Customers hire wrong productThen they fire it
  5. 5Focused rivals winEach job goes to a specialist

From Book's DeWalt example

What was said about DeWalt

  • DeWalt's push into drills and clamps shows the risk of surface growth. DeWalt was known for the best radial arm saw. After Black & Decker acquired it, it copied drills and clamps, a form of surface growth the source calls unlikely to succeed.

    The book's warning is that selling extra products to existing customers is cheap but blurs what job you do. Customers hire the wrong product, fire it, and focused rivals take each job.

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