I noticed this week there are multiple places popping up around Nashville, in parking lots, with loads of unboxed Dewalt tools. They just find an empty lot and set up a road side flea market.

Mostly Dewalt but some generators and stuff too.

The prices are near retail and no boxes. Best I can figure is they are fake knockoffs. Why else would they have 15 of a tool with no boxes? More than one type of tool too.

I guess they money is better/easier passing fake tools than shoes and purses.

The individual lithium battery cells inside even genuine Dewalt tool battery packs do not hold up as well as Samsung (Milwaukee) or Panasonic (Tesla) cells.

The worst individual cell ruins the entire pack.

The newer Harbor Freight battery packs fit Dewalt tools - but I do not endorse them.

People can buy pallets or gaylords of returned items from Amazon. I guess one does not know the contents of the pallet or gaylord and the mystery adds to the excitement of the purchase. I see items like single strut assemblies and control arms being sold by women on Facebook Marketplace. The same seller will also have patio chairs, carpentry tools and garage items for sale- all new with no information except a part number.

I have a coworker that does this. Keeps trying to sell me random car parts

Interesting.
In the early 70's, during the summers I worked construction. in their constriction yard out back sat unused a large 1950's era Dewalt 16" radial arm saw. I bought it for a $100. It was a monster and a very nice piece of machinery I used for decades; it made me a lot of money.
I scoffed at Dewalt when they first decades back entered the battery tool market. Little did I know what was in their future.

There are warehouses that specialize in nothing but returns and frequently have auctions where people buy pallets of goods for next to nothing. These buyers then resell on FB Marketplace and ebay. I've bought lots of tools off ebay from these sellers and everything has been perfect except for a battery powered hedge trimmer that included the battery, where the angle of the handle couldn't be adjusted. I messaged the seller and he sent a full refund and said, keep the tool and battery, which I was then disassembled and fixed.

Any probs with people filling their carts and simply walking out like out on the west coast? Always wonder when I see “new” tools on marketplace etc….

I was in Alanta? 15? years back and was at a Home Depot, and saw that happen Dewalt battery tools, all the alarms went off, guy never looked back, threw the stuff in a van and sped off.

Not one employee looked up or took a single step in his direction, I was at the door saw the whole escapade.
In fairness, the employees are not allowed to respond.
My son was a manager at a big box sporting goods store a decade ago, he saw a serial well known (arrested 26? times) elderly shop lifter steal a $400 driver and walk right out the front door, my son walked out to take a picture of him and his car, and nearly got fired over walking out the door.
It was one of the reasons he left the retail industry and has never regretted it,