cheapest stores/countries in EU

[gckc117]

Hi,

Any ideas on what would be the cheapest place to buy tools in Europe?  I'm going to be traveling to Oslo, which is probably the most expensive, but am trying to figure out if hunting down the cms somewhere is possible without totally breaking the bank.  I could have stuff shipped to Oslo as well.

Graham

 

[AlexThePalex]

Any ideas on what would be the cheapest place to buy tools in Europe? 

That would most likely be Germany. You got to look at it like this: it's not that any one country is cheaper than the other since all prices are universally fixed by Festool and are almost the same in every European country. BUT, some dealers operate below the radar as so to speak and will deliver goods, especially accessories, for a much lower price. They do this so openly through common channels though, that it is almost impossible for Festool not to know this, so I think some dealers must still be sanctioned by Festool to do so.

And where do such things happen the most? Where there are the most dealers, and that is by far Germany, as Festool's home base, with The Netherlands as a good second.

You just got to know where to find the right dealer. I know a couple of German dealers who will sell you almost everything, except the power tools themselves for as low as 60% list price. The power tools might be 80% list price. 

 

[Pyotr]

Because of the low VAT and favourable pound-euro exchange rate powertoolworld.co.uk and Miles Tools & Machinery Centre (used to) have good deals. VAT has increased on January 1st though and so have their shipping cost. I ordered once at both of them and Powertoolworld was faster to ship.

Also, check out Holzfachmarkt Gerschwitz GmbH on ebay.

I assume you're from the USA (please add your (general) location to your profile, it is very helpful when answering questions) in which case you have to keep in mind that tools sold in Europe are for 240V / 50hz. UK shops sometimes have 110V models as well.

Personally I'm willing to save a penny on accessories by buying abroad, but I'll only buy powertools from my local dealer (yes I know, not an option when you're in the US and want a CMS).

 

[vlahtein]

Any ideas on what would be the cheapest place to buy tools in Europe?  I'm going to be traveling to Oslo, which is probably the most expensive, but am trying to figure out if hunting down the cms somewhere is possible without totally breaking the bank.  I could have stuff shipped to Oslo as well.

Norway is the most expensive, that is right. If you can travel by a car, Sweden is the closest neighbor and much cheaper (but not the very cheapest). For example, CMS-TS 55-Set is 10615SEK=1 071EUR in www.festool.se and in www.festool.de it is 1043EUR (without VAT). You, as a non-EU citizen, can buy without VAT. Sweden has one of the highest VAT in EU.

http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/Sweden-Facts/How-you-do-things-in-Sweden/Tax-free-shopping/

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