Does the not-USA part of the world have a Recon site too?

[bwehman]

As I'm sure a lot of you noticed, the recon site had a massive offload today a la Black Friday. Made me wonder, does the EU, etc have a similar site?

 

[squall_line]

Festool-USA is the only part of the company that has a Recon site, unless you count Shaper's reconditioned sale, which is also US only to my knowledge (and they only have one product, the Gen 1).

The rest of the world also has a bit more pricing freedom and some completely different packages, including some tools sold literally bare tool without even a Systainer.

 

[Coen]

Seeing there are a few semi-professional sellers that sell a ton of refurbished Festool here; I guess Festool here just sells everything to them to let them deal with the hassle.

Next to nobody buys the tools without Systainer. A bunch have been discontinued too.

 

[Packard]

I avoid reconditioned equipment.  Until there is a clear definition of “reconditioned”,
“refurbished”, “remanufactured”, or the ridiculous non-word, “refurbed”, I will continue to avoid that sector.  I will consider “used”.

 

[Hipplewm]

I avoid reconditioned equipment.  Until there is a clear definition of “reconditioned”,
“refurbished”, “remanufactured”, or the ridiculous non-word, “refurbed”, I will continue to avoid that sector.  I will consider “used”.

That is funny, because I have only bought recon tools from festool - I have had to send my R)150 back twice, but the last time they replaced the electronics board and everything is fine. - The one year no hassle warranty is a ton of piece of mind

 

[Packard]

When IBM used to make typewriters, they would also sell “remanufactured” versions.  People would trade in their old typewriters when they bought the new ones.

They had a film showing how it was remanufactured. 

First it was fully disassembled.  All the rubber and plastic parts were disposed of.  Also gone was the electric motor.

The remaining parts were run through a vapor degreaser (now outlawed).

The the cast chassis was checked to determine if it was still within original tolerance. 

The outer casing was stripped of paint.

From that point on the assembly line was identical to a new typewriter’s.

It came with a 1 year guarantee.

That, was remanufacturing.  The typewriters that were reconditioned were equal in quality to new in all measurable ways.  Basically they saved the cost of the castings and the machine work.  (There was no CNC milling machines back then, so that was a major cost savings).

Woot, the discount retail online arm of Amazon, sells some stuff that Amazon wants to get rid of at deep discounts.  They also sell, reconditioned, refurbished (which they call “refurbbed”, and re-built products.  I wrote to them asking that they define the terms.  Two additional follow ups and the original query were all ignored. 

I suspect that if-it-worked, then a new power cord and spray paint was all that was done.

If it represented a larger share of the marketplace, the government would get involved.  As long as they remain a small part of the economy, will be like the used car business.  You are basically buying the warranty.

 

[Cheese]

I avoid reconditioned equipment.  Until there is a clear definition of “reconditioned”,
“refurbished”, “remanufactured”, or the ridiculous non-word, “refurbed”, I will continue to avoid that sector.  I will consider “used”.

I don't worry about Festool Recon equipment. I'd say 90% of the stuff I've purchased looks like new. I just went thru my receipts and since 2014, I've purchased 19 different items from the Recon site (and a CT 36 AC should be arriving in 5 days).

Of those 19 items, I returned a MIDI I because of shipping damage. The MIDI they sent as a replacement was indeed a new item.

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[squall_line]

I've had few, if any, problems with Festool Recon.

I always research the definition of "refurbished" before purchasing something that is alleged to be that way, and understand who is doing it.  Apple, for example, completely replaces the screen, case, and battery when they refurbish a phone or computer.  Pretty much the only thing that is original from the "used" piece is the main board, and they come with a full 1 year warranty through Apple.  To me, that is more than enough refurbishment and warranty (especially the screen and battery) to feel comfortable purchasing a year-old model "used" from Apple.  I wouldn't necessarily trust Amazon/w00t to do the same job, and they only have a 90-day warranty in most cases.

YMMV.

 

[squall_line]

(and a CT 36 AC should be arriving in 5 days).

Funny you mention that; I had one in my cart, but then took it out.  My first concrete project or drywall project is still a ways off in the future, and the Nilfisk-made Milwaukee/Flex auto-clean HEPA is priced less new than the recon price on the 36 AC, so I deleted it from my cart.

Still haven't seen the mythological $500-or-less price on the Milwaukee or Flex, but theoretically I can watch for it and pull the trigger if it ever gets that low or just order one when the project approaches.  I didn't just build a garage, though, so there's that...

 

[southrider]

One thing that the "Non-USA Festool world has that the USA does NOT is: negotiable Festool prices, special offers, and items on SALE. Retail prices in the USA are FIXED, and a dealer can lose their franchise if they discount!

 

[Cheese]

(and a CT 36 AC should be arriving in 5 days).

Funny you mention that; I had one in my cart, but then took it out.  My first concrete project or drywall project is still a ways off in the future, and the Nilfisk-made Milwaukee/Flex auto-clean HEPA is priced less new than the recon price on the 36 AC, so I deleted it from my cart.

Still haven't seen the mythological $500-or-less price on the Milwaukee or Flex, but theoretically I can watch for it and pull the trigger if it ever gets that low or just order one when the project approaches.  I didn't just build a garage, though, so there's that...

Ya, I clicked on the 36 AC once...nothing happened, I clicked on it once again...nothing happened, I clicked on it a 3rd time and still nothing happened. At that point I realized that clicking on the item didn't produce the cart, so I hunted for and found the cart and saw 3 each 36 AC's in my cart. Obviously, Festool Recon has CT 36 AC's to burn through.  [big grin]

Ya, I've got a lot of drywall finishing to do...once it's installed. [tongue]

I've been patiently waiting for drywall tools to appear on the Recon. I purchased a cordless DWC 18 to replace a 20+ year old Milwaukee corded Sharp-Fire®, purchased the LHS 2 and now the 36 AC. Just waiting for a little bit of warmer weather to start the mudding process on the fire wall.

 

[Crispy]

One thing that the "Non-USA Festool world has that the USA does NOT is: negotiable Festool prices, special offers, and items on SALE. Retail prices in the USA are FIXED, and a dealer can lose their franchise if they discount!

Fairly sure Australia is more like America than you think.
The prices here are not negotiable ( have been told this by the manager of big tool stores here) while TTS release their bi monthly "specials" - i.e. $100 off total price and/ or free systainers with or without fillings, online and in person here every shop is the exact same price.

The only time ive seen any specials that have not been advertised have been old stock discounted to get rid of them....and even then its only been $100 or a little bit more.

 

[luvmytoolz]

Fairly sure Australia is more like America than you think.
The prices here are not negotiable ( have been told this by the manager of big tool stores here) while TTS release their bi monthly "specials" - i.e. $100 off total price and/ or free systainers with or without fillings, online and in person here every shop is the exact same price.

The only time ive seen any specials that have not been advertised have been old stock discounted to get rid of them....and even then its only been $100 or a little bit more.

I don't know how they do it, but Tools Warehouse has semi-regular sales on current Festool stock, I bought the current model RO150 at $200 off, when the best Festool offer was full price and throw in a Systainer for sanding discs.

 

[Kevin D.]

I bought some Festool recon stuff maybe over a dozen years from Ultimate Tools here in Canada and haven't seen any since.

I know that if a retailer is discontinuing their Festool collaboration that they sell off stuff at whatever prices they can get, but I've only seen that once here in Canada many years ago also.  Can't even recall which merchant that may have been , and maybe the arrangement has changed since then. 

Actually, I think IIRC that Festool possibly takes back unopened stuff back from the merchant and the merchant is only selling off their floor/display models

 

[bwehman]

Sounds absurd but one of the big reasons I got sucked into Festool is due to their fixed pricing. Knowing I can go literally anywhere and buy something rather than hunt for the best price takes so much burden off the procurement process and just lets me get back to work. Sort of similar to how Steve Jobs always wore the same thing.

 

[Cheese]

Actually, I think IIRC that Festool possibly takes back unopened stuff back from the merchant and the merchant is only selling off their floor/display models

When Rockler lost the Festool product line about 10 years ago, there was very little left at the local Rockler store after Festool removed the equipment/tools. Some opened packs of sandpaper, a sprinkling of various odds & ends and a few well used display tools. The bones were thoroughly picked.  [smile]

 

[mino]

One thing that the "Non-USA Festool world has that the USA does NOT is: negotiable Festool prices, special offers, and items on SALE. Retail prices in the USA are FIXED, and a dealer can lose their franchise if they discount!

And .. in return, the EU (at least) gets literally no Festool dealers /how you know them in the US/ to speak of.

Those which still exist /from the time of fixed prices in the EU/ are gradually closing shops, or, best case, switching to more mainstream brands.

 

[Coen]

Yeah, it used be exclusive... Festool sold by dealerships that had actual knowledge of the products. Now it's a lot of online box-moving.

But even when we had "fixed prices" just across the border there was a whole different set of prices...