dealers that refuse to stock full festool line

[counterfix]

i cant stand it when i go to or send anyone to rockler to buy festool products . they dont stock anything why are they a listed full line dealer.
we train new solid surface fabricators and recommend they use festool but no one has on hand stock just bits and pieces  [tongue]

 

[AlexThePalex]

dealers that refuse to stock full festool line

Well, that just about covers all of them. It's frustrating that sometimes you have to wait for something to be ordered, but on the other hand, Festool's line is so big it's impossible for a dealer to stock everything.

 

[tbellemare]

I try to stock everything all the time and they can call me at any time. The number below rings my desk and mobile.

Tom

 

[sancho57]

Tom and Bob will definitely take care of you.

I can tell you that.

 

[andvari]

Tom and Bob will definitely take care of you.

I can tell you that.

+1

IMHO tool quality is not the biggest reason to buy green. It's dealer and support quality.

 

[Bob Marino]

If memory serves, Festool has well over 1000 SKUs. Very, very few dealers have every single SKU in stock. And even if a dealer carries every single SKU; no one has every single SKU on hand all the time, without some item being on back-order.  But many dealers have websites that will list those items, and tell you on hand status (whether in stock, back-ordered or ships from Festool directly).  If not in stock, many dealers will have Festool drop ship the item directly to you, rather than waiting for the dealer to get restocked from Festool.
Also, you can give the b & m a call to insure what you want/need is in stock before you make the ride on over.  That should help lessen the aggravation/frustration a bit.

Bob

* Edited for spelling. Duh!

 

[adubeau]

I have the same pain at my Local woodcraft -- Not just Festool but other things you think they would carry -- Now I only go if I am really desperate and cant wait.. and keep my fingers crossed they have it...

 

[ShawnRussell]

[embarassed]

My Festool wish list for 2014 would be to clean up the dealer network.

This may be sacrilege to say... but I would rather a big box store carry Festool than deal with Rockler... maybe even Sears.. at least if it is going to be poorly supported it can be close by.

This reminds me of my neighbor buying his 16 year old an 2012 AMG 63. Kid wrecked it in less than three months.
Some people just don't deserve nice things. Ok, done with my Rockler angst..

 

[K119Phil]

i cant stand it when i go to or send anyone to rockler to buy festool products . they dont stock anything why are they a listed full line dealer.
we train new solid surface fabricators and recommend they use festool but no one has on hand stock just bits and pieces  [tongue]

Last I checked, Festool USA's masterlist holds 1700+ SKUs and growing!  Full-line dealers are responsible for a minimal of 60% of the catalog, of which I think K-119 is more around the 70+% mark (and yep, also still growing) 

Our rule of thumb is, if you're looking for something THIS time and we don't have it, we'll have it ready for you next time around.   

What goodies specifically are you looking for?

 

[jmbfestool]

In the UK many dealers stocked all the common festool tools and accessories but.

Europe gave festool a telling off and a large fine!  Making festool stop price fixing dealers hardly any dealers now in the UK Stock up on festool as much.

My regular dealer use to have next day delivery but now I find it can take a few days.

Also he struggles to compete with prices.  Larger companies like Axminster are buying pallet loads from festool and selling the festool tools for what some dealers are almost buying them for because they are not buying the quantity.

He told me he's thinking of ditching festool products. 

 

[Stephen B]

I agree it is a big ask to carry every item in a manufacturers range.

At the hardware store today I was able to satisfy a customer that the Makita Collated Screwdriver he desired but not in stock would be in store by Wednesday. Today is Sunday AEST. Like Bob, Rob and K119 have said, it is the way the situation is handled. In a rural town we might sell this item once every six months, whereas two battery drills were sold by lunchtime today.

The other lesson here is to call in advance for items you expect not to be big sellers. For example, I would expect any Festool dealer to have the full ROTEX range in stock, but a 1/2 sheet R2? Maybe?!

 

[BUTTER]

I want to give props to my local LA Festool dealers : Anderson Plywood is fantastic not only for what they stock, but also for their service; if I was on the east side of town, the guys at Eagle Tool are rock-solid!

 

[sancho57]

I go to a small tool supplier, (UK) he has a limited amount of festools in stock. I just shoot him a email tell him what i want, get a quote by email. check around with larger suppliers to see if they can beat it, most of the time No. Then email him back tell him to order it, he lets me know by email when its in I drive over (about a 20 min drive each way) and pay / collect it.

No problems here.

 

[sancho57]

I want to give props to my local LA Festool dealers : Anderson Plywood is fantastic not only for what they stock, but also for their service; if I was on the east side of town, the guys at Eagle Tool are rock-solid!

In the States Austin TH&H , local B&M, are the bomb. Great service, knowledge, they are all mostly tradesmen that use the tools so them know them intimately and are fee with their knowledge.

 

[K119Phil]

[embarassed]

My Festool wish list for 2014 would be to clean up the dealer network.

This may be sacrilege to say... but I would rather a big box store carry Festool than deal with Rockler... maybe even Sears.. at least if it is going to be poorly supported it can be close by.

This reminds me of my neighbor buying his 16 year old an 2012 AMG 63. Kid wrecked it in less than three months.
Some people just don't deserve nice things. Ok, done with my Rockler angst..

Have you ever tried calling Sears for customer service?
(I recently had to, and even at dealer/vendor level, it's not any better.)

I do agree with tidying up the Festool dealer network.  It surprises me when I read about absolutely clueless dealer stories here on the FOG; quite mind-boggling really, considering how rigorous and frankly difficult it is to become an Authorized Festool Dealer in the first place.

Some might think I'd personally be happy about fumbling dealers.  Hey, one less competitor to worry about right?  Wrong.  Nothing is more difficult as an up-n-rising dealer than to climb a slippery slope as established by a previous dealer who didn't know what they were doing and treated a customer wrong.  I should clarify that more often than not, it may be single staff individuals at a specific store (whether independently owned or nationwide chain), but still, as Shakespeare put it best, "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" (or sour), and clients very easily simply associate the negative experience with merely the Festool brand, period.

I've had a couple (luckily not many) new walk-in customers greet me with, "now I know all you Festool dealers are the same, but I..."  (just ouch you know?)  While it is satisfying to be able to turn that frown upside down and earn a new client in the end, it's still a very unnecessary experience for both parties to begin with.

I've said it before and I can without hesitation say it again --- K-119 is a new Festool dealer, and you know what?  We've benchmarked ourselves with (not against) the very best of Festool dealers online and off.  The guys at festoolproducts.com / ToolNut, and of course the Godfather himself, Mr. Bob Marino are all inspiration for improving ourselves at K-119.  My personal goal?  Somewhere down the line in the near future (hopefully), to stumble across a post, either by an end user or another dealer, saying how K-119 is also one of the Festool Greats, and that they find inspiration from us.  

That would be pretty sweet

 

[Bob Marino]

I know there are many excellent dealers out there, who go above and beyond; it's that they don't choose to active on the FOG; hence members on the FOG are less likely to tout their virtues. Now, why some dealers don't avail themselves of the many benefits of being active here, frankly I don't understand, it but that's their choice.

 As regards some of the larger franchise WW stores that are also Festool dealers, etc., I don't want to speak for them too much, but again, I know there are plenty that are knowledgeable, friendly and well stocked. I'll give a shout out to the Woodcraft in Norwalk, CT. The owner, John, knows his stuff, does lots of demos - (last I heard) and has been doing so for a long time.

 Me, the "Godfather himself?" Hey, I may have to contact the Italian American Anti-Defamation League, founded by Joe Columbo, the original boss (long deceased) of the Colombo crime  family. ;D
Kidding aside, the better dealers (and again, there are plenty) are not there to take your money. They provide guidance - if need be, post sale support, treat the customers as you would like to be treated, etc. No one is perfect all the time and I have dropped the ball on occasion, but at least that's the goal. It's a worthy goal and made easier by that fact that the tools can generally speak for themselves. And don't forget, Festool's support.

Back to the OP, I'm not making excuses for poor service or the lack of proper stock levels by a particular dealer, perhaps Festool needs to better insure/monitor that there are some type of dealer minimal stock levels at any given time. Again, maybe giving a call before taking that trip over, may lessen your (and others) frustration level.

Bob

 

[SMJoinery]

I would love to go to a Festool stockist that has everything on show. A brochure is great but doesn't compare to seeing things in the "flesh" and reviewing if the particular if the item would be a great addition to our kit.
If anybody finds such a place...I'm in!!

 

[junk731]

i cant stand it when i go to or send anyone to rockler to buy festool products . they dont stock anything why are they a listed full line dealer.
we train new solid surface fabricators and recommend they use festool but no one has on hand stock just bits and pieces  [tongue]

Have you considered going to the owner/manager and telling him that you are training potential new customers. Maybe you could suggest the Festool equipment and accessories that you are recommending to your trainees. This way you can both benefit.

John

 

[jonny round boy]

I would love to go to a Festool stockist that has everything on show. A brochure is great but doesn't compare to seeing things in the "flesh" and reviewing if the particular if the item would be a great addition to our kit.
If anybody finds such a place...I'm in!!

There used to be one - the Axminster store in Nuneaton had a dedicated Festool display (the biggest in Europe, apparently) with one of every single tool that Festool made at the time (including the really obscure stuff like the Symmetric saw, and the massive boom arms & energy boxes). Unfortunately, that display was taken out a couple of months ago...

 

[Bob Marino]

i cant stand it when i go to or send anyone to rockler to buy festool products . they dont stock anything why are they a listed full line dealer.
we train new solid surface fabricators and recommend they use festool but no one has on hand stock just bits and pieces  [tongue]

Have you considered going to the owner/manager and telling him that you are training potential new customers. Maybe you could suggest the Festool equipment and accessories that you are recommending to your trainees. This way you can both benefit.

John

Thanks John for your reply.

Yours is the best, most concise, and most obvious suggestion offered to the OP - before we got slightly sidetracked.
Thanks for bringing it back home.

Bob