Dealer Spotlight - Maxwell Products

[DynaGlide]

This past week I found a new Kapex in stock with Maxwell Products up in PA. I ordered it on a Monday, it shipped that day, and arrived to my home in Northern Virginia the next afternoon.

The Kapex box looked good on the outside but inside the styrofoam gave during transit, no fault of the dealer. Festool really needs to package these better. The locking lever for controlling the miter angle broke in two. I called Festool first and their only solution was to return it to the dealer. I told them I can't do that, the packaging is damaged, and they said since no money was exchanged between Festool and myself they couldn't help me. Great. I gave Maxwell Products a call. The woman who answers the phone, Georgia, is third generation. Her grandfather started the business. Within an hour of me calling they had me sorted with a direct ship from Festool of the part I needed no cost. It gets here tomorrow.

https://www.maxprod.com/

Thanks [member=75437]MaxwellProducts[/member]  ;D

 

[Bob D.]

Glad you got it sorted out but how does FT know the damage didn't happen when they shipped the tool to the dealer.

Dumping the responsibility all on the dealer (which is what it appears to be to me here) doesn't seem right.

Or am I misreading the situation?

 

[Paul_HKI]

Glad you got it sorted out but how does FT know the damage didn't happen when they shipped the tool to the dealer.

Dumping the responsibility all on the dealer (which is what it appears to be to me here) doesn't seem right.

Or am I misreading the situation?

The customer bought from the dealer, so it's between them in the first instance, as Festool aren't a contracting party in that transaction.

The dealer can of course take it up with Festool afterwards, but the customers first port of call should be their dealer. 

This is always how it works.

 

[Ron B]

When I received my Kapex the packaging material was also in pieces and parts were rattling loose in the box.  The Kapex in the box is very unbalanced and therefore hard to pick up.  I am sure it throws the delivery guys off and they are therefore not too gentle with the box.  (like the gorilla in that old Samsonite commercial).  My box had a hole punched in it from the inside out from the saw hitting the inside of the box.  I was not impressed with Festool's packaging.  The Festool box is one layer of cardboard.  I think Festool could use heavier cardboard, or double-box it and stiffen up the Styrofoam with hardboard stiffeners or something.    I agree this is not the dealer's fault-Festool needs to package this saw better. 

 

[DynaGlide]

Agreed. Festool dropped the ball on this one. If I wasn't already a committed owner it might have me looking elsewhere if this was my first purchase experience.

There's several reports of Kapex packaging not surviving transit. For a $1500 saw the last thing you should have to worry about is if it will make it to you without breaking.

 

[blues]

May be... Festool might go direct to customer. They could save a ton on the dealer margins. It could all be like the recon.
Glad you got it sorted out. How is the new Kapex?

 

[Dr. P. Venkman]

May be... Festool might go direct to customer. They could save a ton on the dealer margins. It could all be like the recon.
Glad you got it sorted out. How is the new Kapex?

They might save on dealer margins on the sale transaction, but they would sell a lot fewer tools. Their tools would no longer be in stores, and customers wouldn’t be able to put their hands on the tools before purchase. Customers also trust their dealers for advice and a dealer isn’t going to recommend something they can’t sell.

They also would have to hire/build an entire customer sales and service team.

 

[Cheese]

Ya, the funny thing is that Festool double-boxes a 25# MIDI while they single-box a 51# Kapex.  [scratch chin]

To say nothing about a $640 item versus a $1500 item.  [doh]

 

[sancho57]

Awesome its great to have outstanding dealer support.

Thats the difference between a Brick and Morter (B&M) and Amazon....

Which is Why I go to my fav B&M first if they dont have it I go to my 2nd B&M.

99% Ya cant beat a B&M

 

[MaxwellProducts]

Thanks for the kind words! We want to make it right with our customers - and know you need that Festool working